Travellers expect too much compensation, says expert

Fri, 14 Sep 2007

Holidaymakers expect too much compensation from airlines when a flight is delayed, an expert has said.

If flights are delayed and cancelled, passengers expect companies to pay out more than they legally have to, Which? has stated, news that could be of interest to those taking out travel insurance .

Lawyer at Which? Legal Service Suzy Valentine has commented that the time and length of the flight dictates how much expenses are paid out to the customer and all air travel is covered by the Montreal Convention.

"The Montreal Convention will offer some out-of-pocket expenses, but nothing in the way of compensation… it is dictated by the length of delay and the length of the flight," she remarked.

Holidaymakers travelling up to 1,500 kilometres and delayed by two hours will see minimum expenses, which include meals, refreshments and two free emails or phone calls, Ms Valentine noted.

For those planning a trip out of the country, travel insurance can offer cover for incidents such as lost baggage .

Which? is an independent body and registered charity to protect consumers and has over 650,000 members.

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