Planning for Trip Interruptions: My Thousand Dollar Mistake
by Robert McGarvey
In about two months I am off on a trip to Portugal and Spain and I find myself doing something I have never before done in decades of travel: I am planning for a trip interruption/delay.
The continuing chaos in Europe is why and of course there also are cancellations of domestic US flights. Just this morning I got an email from Delta about a flight change and what had been a multi hour layover in Atlanta now is cut to 62 minutes – a very workable time in ordinary circumstances but today?
A recent New York Times piece written by a flight attendant warned: “A One Hour Layover Is not Enough Anymore.”
I found that out last fall when I missed a tight connection at JFK (to Madrid) and, because it was weather related (lightning), Delta assumed no responsibility and I was out of pocket for a hotel in New York plus taxis, dinner, etc.
That is why this year I am planning for a trip interruption. I absolutely never have done this before but last year’s was an expensive education in the necessity of such planning.
Understand this: I assume the present 62 minute in Atlanta will change. Last year there must have been a half dozen flight changes in the weeks leading up to departure. I may be routed through JFK or Chicago or Boston or who knows where. I may wind up with a six hour layover. I just can’t know in 2022 air travel.
The one constant is that I must assume the trip could fizzle.
Last year – entirely my fault – I did not understand how the Amex Trip Interruption protection that comes with my Platinum card works. I had only a hazy awareness that I had such coverage. Why would I? I had never had a need to use it. When I did last fall it wasn’t there for me but – again – my fault. Amex did not let me down. I had simply not followed the rules.
The main rule is this: eligible expenses must be on the eligible card. Amex is not going to reimburse me for a missed train in Madrid, a charge that had been put on Diners. Nor would it cover a New York hotel, a charge put on my wife’s credit card (and not an Amex card) because she made the reservation. Ditto for an expensive hotel room in Leon, Spain. Basically if there was a mistake to make I made it.
And paid for it. At least $1000 lost due to some lightning.
You can prevent a similar loss from happening to you.
Word of advice: if you have a credit card that you believe will cover costs incurred due to trip interruption/cancellation, now is the time to read the rules. Here’s the Amex Plat rules – seven pages of them.
The Amex rules aren’t onerous or ridiculous but they must be followed to win reimbursement.
Fortunately the airfare involved in this fall’s trip was paid for with Amex miles, which count in this context, and a few miscellaneous Delta charges were put on the card. So far so good.
Amex Plat is not unusual. Many premium cards include some trip cancellation/interruption coverage but always there are rules. A Chase United Air card I have also covers trip delays/interruption – but of course there are rules and the main one is that the charges be on the card.
Most purchases of travel insurance usually involve coverage for trip interruption too. But if you buy such a policy do check if such coverage is included and, again, what are the exclusions and rules for qualifying.
However you get such coverage, get it. You’ll need it this year.
Face it: in 2022 we are dealing with a wholly new set of aviation related problems. I do think the industry will sort them out – especially in the US (Europe may have deeper issues) – but I would not count on a return to smoother flying until 2023. Until then, accept that you will have flight changes, you may have travel interruptions, you probably will miss connecting flights. Pleasant it won’t be but if we use the tools and perks and protections that we already have the skies will be a little bit friendlier.
Good heads up Bob. Am planning to go to Europe in October but new covid hybrids are rampant. Have friends who just went to France, fully vaccinated and boosted. They wore masks, evidently no one else did. They all got it. I’m hoping for a new vaccine by October or will probably cancel, AGAIN. Not afraid of getting it or having vacation disrupted but very leery of long term covid effects. Not a life style I would find acceptable. (Very exercise dependent.) Would suggest you get new vaccine if it comes out in time for your trip. Otherwise, good luck. I know I am anxious to get back to civilization.
In the six trips I have taken since May 2021, every one had a schedule change (or even two), essentially requiring me to go through the same hassle as an original booking. Be sure to check the new itinerary carefully. On one trip from Valencia through FRA to PHL, Lufthansa sent me a new itinerary about three weeks before the trip. It was impossible to call them during the daytime. Their phone message was essentially, “We’re too busy. Click.” I called at 2:00 AM and waited an hour and 23 minutes to speak with a customer service rep in the Philippines. I asked her why the change. She said, “It must be storms.” Apparently that is their standard lie — even three weeks before take-off. I asked her if she saw anything wrong with the new itinerary, and she said she did not. I asked her what time I would arrive at FRA. She said 3:15 PM. I asked her what time my connecting flight to PHL would leave FRA. She said 12:45 PM. I again asked if she saw anything wrong. This time, she noticed the error of my arriving 2 1/2 hours after the connecting flight left, an error made automatically by LH’s booking system. She then routed me through MUC to EWR to PHL — a very long day, but at least it worked. Even the automated systems have gone crazy.
Why are you not booking this through a travel professional? WE take care of fixing the schedule changes so that you don’t have to sit on hold for 1hr23min at 2:00am, to speak to someone in the Philippines who doesn’t pay attention.
This happened to me on my travels from New Jersey to Tampa to back. Both of my flights were delayed, and the people on my flights who were trying to make tight connections had to sprint off the plane. I, also, would be wary about booking any flights with one hour layovers right now. It seems like the new norm, for now, is that flights are delayed.
A lot of good thoughts here. I will be checking my credit cards before booking future trips. In addition, I’ve run across several bits of advice worth considering:
If total travel time is seven hours or less, drive to your destination. Travel with carry-on luggage only. If you are traveling to attend an important business meeting, a family gathering, or a major sports event, plan to arrive at least a day or two early to allow for cancellations, missed connections, work stoppages, and so on. Refunds won’t compensate for missing a wedding or losing reserved tee-off privileges at a prestigious golf links.
With regard to COVID, you’re on your own to determine your own practices for personal risk management.
One other piece of advice in this Covid landscape is to make sure you get an official diagnosis from a medical professional if your trip is interrupted by Covid illness. I purchased an Allianz policy specifically
anticipating that we could catch Covid. We took all possible precautions but did catch it and were unable to return home because rules were still in place in late May that you had to test negative to fly back to the States. We had somewhat mild-moderate cases and it didn’t seem advisable to go to a doctor’s office or the hospital. We stayed an extra 8 days and encountered many additional expenses but I am still wrangling with Allianz because we did not receive an ‘official’ diagnosis with documentation from a professional. We had emails from doctor’s advise from Mayo but that was not enough. More advice…..read all the fine print on your policies!!