Volcano Ash - What happens if you can't begin your trip (US to Europe)?
 

Wondering if the airlines will credit you for the flight or if they just make you wait until the skies get clear. IOW - Can you cancel your (round trip) flights and get your money back or credited,, or do they just make you wait?

Airlines will either refund your money or rebook you on a later flight. Your choice.

I just saw this on the Europe site. this will give you updates as to where the clouds are heading.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporat...n/fiveday.html

I think the situation is very fluid. Check your airline website for info.

This is what I found on Delta.com for example
Rescheduling Flights
If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, you are entitled to a refund. If your flight is delayed or canceled due to volcanic ash, you may also make a one-time change to your ticket without fee if you are scheduled to travel to, from, or through Europe, the U.K., or Ireland.

Thanks. Thinking about this for myself (gong to France in September and have bought my tickets) and for my BIL who is supposed to fly JFK to Tallin in July and hasn't bought a ticket yet. Thinks he should wait to see what happens with the ash and also thinks that the prices may go down if he waits.

So long as your BIL can change his dates, should his departing flight ultimately be cancelled, or doesn't mind just receiving a full refund, he shouldn't speculate on fares...

Sooner or later fare will go up. The airlines have to recapture their huge losses in April.

Fares took a huge hike after the oil shortages/price increases and were never adjusted downward after...

I just purchased tickets to Paris, also, and was careful to choose appropriate travel insurance (because a non-refundable vacation apartment is involved).

In my point of view before zeroing to fact what the Air Flight companies are going to do with the ash effected passengers there is lot more thing to discuss like after cancellation who will bare the accommodation expenses ultimately the passenger should be beneficiary.

Hoping that travel insurance would take care of the hotel accommodations since, if you couldn't fly to your destination, then that would be a legitimate reason to cancel your trip.