We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The Tripadvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.

Missed departure claim denied

Brighton, United...
5 posts
Missed departure claim denied
Save

I was booked to travel on holiday to Georgia on Ukrainian Air (from London Gatwick to Tbilisi via Kiev). Unfortunately I missed my return flight from Tbilisi to Gatwick due to failure of public transport. My travel insurance which should cover the cost of the new flights that we had to book, has denied my claim by saying that I did not miss the Kiev-Gatwick flight due to failure and that was the 'final part of the return journey to the UK'. Can that be right? There are no direct flights to Tbilisi from London, and if I had made the first part from Tbilisi to Kiev, I would not have had to rebook new flights, as the second part of the journey that was missed would have been covered by the airline (my ticket was booked as one ticket).

I am complaining about this denial, but would like to hear other people's experiences of this clause.

UK
Level Contributor
49,560 posts
82 reviews
193 helpful votes
1. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

Doesn't sound right to me. If your insurance covers missed departure due to public transport issues seems you ought to be be OK.

Try again asking for a supervisor to investigate and state you are happy to refer to insurance ombudsman if they dont reconsider favorably. Sometimes in these kind of circumstances you just get a numpty first response which misses the point, and is basically a blanket denial hoping you'll go away quietly, I've just been through similar with BA (not insurance, something else) , took a supervisor to sort it.

Who is your insurer?

Lancashire, United...
Destination Expert
for Playa Blanca
Level Contributor
52,960 posts
51 reviews
86 helpful votes
2. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

Can it be right? You need to read your policy again, because no one on here knows what it covers you for.

My policy states "arriving too late (as shown on your ticket) to board your booked transport as your last departure point from the UK, or your last departure point for your return to the UK as a result of..........................."

Dublin, Ireland
Level Contributor
47,245 posts
112 reviews
84 helpful votes
3. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

it would appear that you got from tiblisi to kiev ok, so where was the public transport issue? could you not have got a taxi if the bus broke down. it doesnt sound like an insurable incident, but without knowing the terms of your insurance policy, it is impossible to say what the outcome should be.

Brighton, United...
5 posts
4. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

Thank you for the helpful responses and questions. To clarify, basically I missed my flight starting at Tbilisi (so obviously the second leg as well). The insurer is saying that the policy only covers the kiev gatwick leg, and since the Tbilisi-Kiev leg left on time, without a problem, but without me I cannot claim.

Was covered through annualtravel insurance, which I believe is Mapfre Assistance...

Brighton, United...
5 posts
5. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

yes, the cover states "you fail to arrive at the international departure point in time to board the public transport on which you are booked to travel on the final part of your return journey to the United Kingdom, including missing an onward connecting flight between the UK or mainland Europe" Here I think they are interpreting the international departure point to be Kiev rather than Tbilisi...

UK
Level Contributor
49,560 posts
82 reviews
193 helpful votes
6. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

or your last departure point for your return to the UK as a result of.......

===========

So i think the insurance co are being cute. The OP missed a connecting flight because of an earlier miss. If thats not covered then i think thats a hidden catch 22 that i would hope the ombusman would disqualify.

Otherwise it would negate missing a flight from any location that did not have direct connection back and also create a bizarre position that if, say you flew DFW to LHR and missed it due to a covered reason, you'd be OK, but not if you were flying DFW to JFK to LHR even if you were caught up in the same freeway jam as the first person.

Dublin, Ireland
Level Contributor
47,245 posts
112 reviews
84 helpful votes
7. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

i think that the insurance is just standing by its terms and conditions. it is up to the traveller to allow enough time to make their connecting flight. assuming that the op was leaving the normal 2 hrs requirement before the tiblisi to kiev flight, how was their a 2 hr public transport delay> and why was a taxi not used?

i am not saying that this happened but if the op just slept in and missed the flight, then of course it would be his own fault.

i often have to drive for 2 hrs to get my flights, but i allow for delays and actually allow 3 hrs for the drive. despite accidents, border delays etc, i always make my flights. if by some chance i missed my flight, i would treat it as my own fault for not considering delays.

Chicago, Illinois
Destination Expert
for Chicago
Level Contributor
23,009 posts
135 reviews
82 helpful votes
8. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

I think the insurance company is misapplying the terms and conditions. Usually the requirement around the "last departure point" is because the insurance is supposed to cover the inbound and outbound flight for the trip. It's to prevent someone from asking for coverage because they missed an internal flight in the middle of a multi-city trip. Like if the OP flew to Tiblisi, then from Tiblisi flew to another destination, then another, then back to the UK. It would cover the flight to Tiblisi and then the flight home to the UK. I think in this case, the last departure point is pretty obviously Tiblisi. Just because the flight has a connection doesn't make the connecting city the departure point.

So I agree it sounds to me like the OP has a point and that a rep at the insurance company is misapplying the terms.

Edited: 8 years ago
Edinburgh, United...
Level Contributor
18,178 posts
13 reviews
6 helpful votes
9. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

."f by some chance i missed my flight, i would treat it as my own fault for not considering delays."

Good for you but since the OP has insurance that seems to cover this event it's really quite irrelevant.

London, United...
Level Contributor
27,179 posts
25 reviews
47 helpful votes
10. Re: Missed departure claim denied
Save

I think there is some confusion here.

The flights were all on one ticket? Right? So the airline sees it as tibilisi, connecting in Kiev , to gatwick.

You missed the first leg in tibilisi and then subsequently the second leg in kiev? Is this right? And this was due to public transport failure.

The insurer is somehow saying it's only the second leg from Kiev to gatwick that's relevant and there was no public transport failure? And the fact you missed all flights on the one ticket is irrelvant?

© 2024 Tripadvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.