Canceling flights due to mother nature
 

Hi,

Seems my Iceland-Manchester-Spain-Paris plans might have to change due to the Icelandic volcano. I'm leaving early May.

Any experience in how to get the best refunds from flights not directly affected by an event? Are airlines, um, understanding? My Iceland Air flight might be cancelled (or I might scrap the trip due to the eruptions) - but how best to deal with my Ryan Air flight (Liverpool-Seville) and Vueling (Seville- Orly)? And luckily I haven't, but what if I had purchased US domestic flights to catch the Iceland Air flight from Boston?

Guess this is why people buy travel insurance ... first time for everything.

Honestly you would be out of luck. They only refund if THIER fligts are affected. However, by the first of May things may very well be back to normal. My understanding is that the Iceland airports are actually open today, it's the other cities that are closed!

I doubt they will make changes or tell you for sure that far in advance. You can only sit and wait.

My son was booked on a Lufthansa flight from Paris to Dubrovnik for this morning. He called Lufthansa last night to see if he could fly out of a more southerly airport since Charles de Gaule was closing. They said his flight had not been cancelled and they would not reroute him until it was.

By early May the problem should be resolved - let's hope!

Are you okay, Seamus? Stuck? I think we're going to be un-stuck from getting to Paris early next week. Que the violins! Hope all is well.

I am wondering if trip insurance would cover "act of nature" like this?

Depends on the policy.. and when you bought it.

There are trip insurances that cover "act of nature" (I bought one during a trip to the Caribbean once during hurricane season for example) But once the "act" occures, it's not covered. So it's too late to buy for this trip!

For once, I purchased trip insurance but the policy does not cover acts of nature.

AnnMarie_C - we are indeed "stuck" in London (just hope none of my tears fall onto the keyboard and short out the computer ;-) )
Where are you - safe at home chomping crab cakes or on the road?