Would travel insurance generally cover cancelled OWA segments?

[adenda]

Condition 14.3 .9 of the QFF Terms and Conditions states that:

If a Member fails to board a Flight Segment of a Classic Award Itinerary, the remaining Segments will be cancelled.

Does anyone know what the rationale behind this is? If I were to miss a flight (due to external issues) but manage to get to my next destination in time to resume my itinerary what's wrong with that? This seems to me to be unnecessarily draconian and potentially disastrous.

We have a 11 segment, 5 week business class OWA booking later this year with a few separately booked flights intermingled with it. My concern is that - based on previous travel experiences - things can, and do, go wrong that are not in my control. For example, years ago I missed a flight from CDG to JFK because a fire at Gare du Nord in Paris stopped all rail services to the airport for several hours.

Apart from planning plenty of time to get to the airport for each segment, if the worst happened and all remaining segments are cancelled can I expect my travel insurance to cover the cost of paid business class fares for the remaining itinerary? If they did cover some of it presumably the claim limit would mean it's not much.

I might be overthinking this but it seems to me to have potential for the whole trip being a total disaster due to some external issue I have no control over.

Curious to know if this has ever happened to anyone and if so, how it panned out.

 

[mannej]

This is no different to missing a segment on a paid ticket, and is fairly standard in the industry.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

This is no different to missing a segment on a paid ticket, and is fairly standard in the industry.

Though some policies do not cover flights redeemed on points. So if their policy covers redemption flights they should be ok.

 

[woodborer]

This is no different to missing a segment on a paid ticket, and is fairly standard in the industry.

Although the Qantas Conditions of Carriage say:

Refer to the fare rules of the fare you have purchased.

If you notify us in advance, in accordance with any timeframes set out in your fare rules, that you will not show up for the flight, we will not cancel any subsequent flight reservations on your Ticket.

Most paid tickets seem to be ok, as long as you let Qantas know.

 

[V Singh]

Condition 14.3 .9 of the QFF Terms and Conditions states that:

If a Member fails to board a Flight Segment of a Classic Award Itinerary, the remaining Segments will be cancelled.

Does anyone know what the rationale behind this is? If I were to miss a flight (due to external issues) but manage to get to my next destination in time to resume my itinerary what's wrong with that? This seems to me to be unnecessarily draconian and potentially disastrous.

We have a 11 segment, 5 week business class OWA booking later this year with a few separately booked flights intermingled with it. My concern is that - based on previous travel experiences - things can, and do, go wrong that are not in my control. For example, years ago I missed a flight from CDG to JFK because a fire at Gare du Nord in Paris stopped all rail services to the airport for several hours.

Apart from planning plenty of time to get to the airport for each segment, if the worst happened and all remaining segments are cancelled can I expect my travel insurance to cover the cost of paid business class fares for the remaining itinerary? If they did cover some of it presumably the claim limit would mean it's not much.

I might be overthinking this but it seems to me to have potential for the whole trip being a total disaster due to some external issue I have no control over.

Curious to know if this has ever happened to anyone and if so, how it panned out.

Have similar concerns. Have been fortunate so far with multiple multi-segment RTW OWA flights. Always allowed extra time to board subsequent segments. So no claim experience with OWA flights so far.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Apart from planning plenty of time to get to the airport for each segment, if the worst happened and all remaining segments are cancelled can I expect my travel insurance to cover the cost of paid business class fares for the remaining itinerary? If they did cover some of it presumably the claim limit would mean it's not much.

All remaining segments may be cancelled, but that doesn't mean your ticket has been cancelled. For an itinerary like yours it will still be in the system and will need to be reactivated and then reticketed if possible. Your insurance may cover you for things such as travel delay (hotel and meals for example). They may cover any costs associated with rebooking.

Your travel plans may be delayed by a day or two while alternative seats can be sourced, but it's possible you might be able to recover all or at least something. Your first port of call will be the airport re-ticketing desk, followed by a call to the airline if necessary. Then your insurance company to ask them what they are willing to cover.

 

[V Singh]

All remaining segments may be cancelled, but that doesn't mean your ticket has been cancelled. For an itinerary like yours it will still be in the system and will need to be reactivated and then reticketed if possible. Your insurance may cover you for things such as travel delay (hotel and meals for example). They may cover any costs associated with rebooking.

Your travel plans may be delayed by a day or two while alternative seats can be sourced, but it's possible you might be able to recover all or at least something. Your first port of call will be the airport re-ticketing desk, followed by a call to the airline if necessary. Then your insurance company to ask them what they are willing to cover.

Thank you for your guidance.Will know how to manage when/if such unfortunate situation arises

 

[trooper]

Wouldn't that advice be contingent on getting TO the departure airport of the missed flight anyway, even if too late for the flight? Im unsure that one can just go ahead and "MOW" to the NEXT airport and expect to patch things up there. (Which seems to be what the OP was suggesting?)

 

[RB]

Condition 14.3 .9 of the QFF Terms and Conditions states that:

If a Member fails to board a Flight Segment of a Classic Award Itinerary, the remaining Segments will be cancelled.

Does anyone know what the rationale behind this is? If I were to miss a flight (due to external issues) but manage to get to my next destination in time to resume my itinerary what's wrong with that? This seems to me to be unnecessarily draconian and potentially disastrous.

We have a 11 segment, 5 week business class OWA booking later this year with a few separately booked flights intermingled with it. My concern is that - based on previous travel experiences - things can, and do, go wrong that are not in my control. For example, years ago I missed a flight from CDG to JFK because a fire at Gare du Nord in Paris stopped all rail services to the airport for several hours.

Apart from planning plenty of time to get to the airport for each segment, if the worst happened and all remaining segments are cancelled can I expect my travel insurance to cover the cost of paid business class fares for the remaining itinerary? If they did cover some of it presumably the claim limit would mean it's not much.

I might be overthinking this but it seems to me to have potential for the whole trip being a total disaster due to some external issue I have no control over.

Curious to know if this has ever happened to anyone and if so, how it panned out.

I am not intending being critical but it may seem to be draconian & potentially disastrous but looking from a distance it would also seem you want QFF to take on some responsibility for the smooth running of your other intermingled flights and you just return to QFF when you are ready.
Melb Traveller's answer shows that the airlines are somewhat flexible. I guess it could also be speculated that in your example there are other reasonable ways of getting to CDG other than rail.

 

[adenda]

I am not intending being critical but it may seem to be draconian & potentially disastrous but looking from a distance it would also seem you want QFF to take on some responsibility for the smooth running of your other intermingled flights and you just return to QFF when you are ready.
Melb Traveller's answer shows that the airlines are somewhat flexible. I guess it could also be speculated that in your example there are other reasonable ways of getting to CDG other than rail.

I guess I'm trying to understand the rationale of cancelling a booking for a flight that may be a month later and in a different continent on the basis that an earlier flight was unintentionally missed.

(With the Paris scenario, agree there would be reasonable alternatives but as the fire was at the airport station there were no trains running from the city to CDG and consequently a rush for taxis by a whole lot of people. These days I'm a lot more savvy about these things and would likely have checked train running first and then grabbed a taxi or alternative much sooner )

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess I'm trying to understand the rationale of cancelling a booking for a flight that may be a month later and in a different continent on the basis that an earlier flight was unintentionally missed.

This is why you need to contact them to get the ticket fixed up. They don't know unless you tell them... the cancellation is automatic by the computer... not as a result of some human consideration. Particularly where there are events such as a major fire or motorway closure, many pax will be affected, so the airlines will be understanding.

Most ticket terms and conditions state that coupons (segments) must be used in order. So missing one flight means the rest will automatically be cancelled, unless reinstated by the airline.

 

[adenda]

Guess I’m being too pessimistic- will take the advice to let the airline know if it becomes necessary.