As conflicts across the world continue to worsen, travellers are wondering what their rights might be if they find themselves stranded or their flights delayed as war rages around them.
With the Middle East nations, such as Abu Dhabi and Oman, coming under bombardment, war is becoming too close for comfort for many who are staying or just travelling through.
If you do have travel insurance, the first thing to do is read the small print of the policy and keep up to date with your country's foreign ministry advice.
Across insurers, most travel insurance policies will exclude "acts of war" from coverage. That means that cancellations, disruptions or delays due to conflicts are unlikely to be covered.
However, you may still be able to claim refunds directly from airlines or travel providers if you booked before conflicts escalated or government advice changed.
In general, most policies exclude losses related to war, invasion, or military conflict. That leaves the traveller responsible for accommodation and flights. If your Government advises a "do not travel" warning after you book, your policy may cover cancelling or cutting your trip short.
Check policies to see whether medical coverage still covers emergency medical expenses unrelated to the conflict, such as illness or injuries. Some might even cover pre-existing conditions.
When it comes to your rights with airlines, if flights are cancelled due to an airspace closure or conflict, you are entitled to a full refund or rebooking, regardless of insurance coverage.
Steps that travellers can take:
- Contact your airline: Stay in contact with the airline so that you know where you stand on delayed or cancelled flights. But don't cancel, or you may lose your chance for a refund
- Always stay abreast of travel alerts from your Government or the country's embassy.
- Register with your embassy: It's handy to be registered, particularly in a conflict zone.
- Stay updated. Local media will report on any conflicts that could affect your travel.
If you do book ahead for flights and holidays, be sure to book travel insurance as soon as reasonably possible, as travel insurance will protect you during your trip and cover you for any issues that arise before your holiday starts.
If in doubt about your cover, whether before you fly, in the middle of your holiday, or at the end, always be in touch with your travel insurer, as war can often move fast and change advice from one day to the next.
It's also important to stay in regular contact with your airline or travel operator to check the status of your trip and be aware of any schedule changes or cancellations.
Interestingly, a renowned UK website reported that the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had issued travel advice for various countries affected by the conflict. This is important for two main reasons:
- If you travel against FCDO advice, you risk invalidating your travel insurance. Your policy generally won't cover you for most types of claims if there's advice against ALL travel to your destination, for example, although check with your insurer.
- If you booked a package holiday, you may be able to get a refund. According to travel industry body ABTA, if the FCDO issues a warning against travel to your destination after you've booked, your provider should offer you a suitable alternative. If it can't, or if the alternative would amount to a "significant" change to your holiday, get a full refund, even if the original trip hasn't been cancelled.
The same web portal said that it had heard reports that scammers are taking advantage of the travel chaos to target people by setting up fake profiles impersonating airlines.
Here are a few key points to remember:
- ONLY contact airlines and travel companies using details you've verified independently.
- Beware any urgent deadlines. This is a tactic scammers use to cash in. Take your time and double-check the details before engaging.
- Be extra careful with links in texts or emails. Scammers may pretend to be airline representatives via these routes. Find the firm's contact details on its website and contact them directly.
- Don't just book a new flight yourself. Your airline has a responsibility to help. Booking yourself should be a last resort if you've exhausted all possible avenues through the original airline.
Wherever you plan to travel, checking your insurance, keeping in touch with your foreign ministry advice and airlines, as well as localised news reports on the prevailing situation, are the best approaches when considering to travel when conflict affects your travel plans.
Andy Probert is a freelance journalist whose work about global travel news, aviation, business and human-interest features has appeared internationally in print and digital formats.
