{"id":232260,"date":"2021-04-13T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/news\/cancellation-practice-insurance\/"},"modified":"2024-06-29T13:57:36","modified_gmt":"2024-06-29T17:57:36","slug":"cancellation-practice-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/personal-finance\/insurance\/cancellation-practice-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Insurance: Flight delay or cancellation insurance in practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Find out how Hyacinth, a loyal milesopedia reader and avid member of the Milesopedia Facebook group<\/a>, put his American Express card’s insurance coverage <\/strong>to good use on a recent trip.<\/p>\n

\n\n<\/p>\n

Flight delay or cancellation insurance in practice<\/h2>\n

At the beginning of February, I had to travel to Montreal for a weekend from my home town of Moncton, New Brunswick. If the outbound flight went smoothly, a snowstorm was announced for my return date.<\/p>\n

\"montreal<\/a>
Montreal in winter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Due to the bad weather, my flights were unfortunately cancelled by Westjet<\/a>. But, since I had paid for my tickets with my American Express Gold Rewards Card,<\/a> the assistance of American Express <\/strong>during my delay was a huge help. <\/p>\n

\t\t\n\t\t
\n\t
\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n

Overview of the insurance claims process<\/h3>\n

When I learned my flight was cancelled, I first tried to contact the airline<\/strong> (Westjet), to try to get rebooked on a same day flight with a partner airline. In this case, Air Canada had seats available on the direct Montreal-Moncton flight.<\/p>\n

[vc_message color=”info”]Although competitors, the two airlines have a bilateral agreement when it comes to protecting their passengers affected by flight disruptions. This applies only to domestic flights within Canada, and for a flight on the same date as originally booked.[\/vc_message]<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, I had to wait a long time to get the assistance of an agent.<\/p>\n

\"time<\/a>
Your estimated wait time to speak with a counselor is…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The phone lines were overloaded, so I went to the airport to find a solution in person.<\/p>\n

When I finally got served, Westjet did not have access to any seats on the Air Canada flight. The only solution offered was to travel the next day at noon<\/strong>, exactly 24 hours late<\/a> on my reservation! Since my flight was cancelled due to weather, Westjet was under no obligation to provide assistance <\/strong>for my extra night in Montreal.<\/p>\n

\"mistake<\/a>
What to do?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I contacted the number on the back of my American Express Gold Rewards Card<\/a> to find out what insurance coverage I was entitled to.<\/p>\n

J’\"amex<\/a>was immediately put in touch with a representative of the insurance company. He reviewed my situation to determine my rights. After asking me a few questions, he told me that I could be reimbursed up to CA$500 for my reasonable living expenses (hotel, restaurant, etc…) incurred during this delay<\/strong>. I was also told that I would soon receive an email detailing the supporting documentation required to process my claim.<\/p>\n

I was very pleased with the quality of service I received: the agent was courteous and knowledgeable, and handled my call quickly. When I had additional questions that he couldn’t answer right away, he took the trouble to go and find out and give me a clear answer.<\/p>\n

Once these formalities were completed, all that remained was to choose a hotel!<\/p>\n

The Marriott Montreal Airport Terminal Hotel<\/h3>\n

\"img<\/a>Being a Gold member in the Marriott Bonvoy<\/a> program (thanks to my American Express Platinum<\/a> card benefits), I had a preference for a Marriott Bonvoy hotel. Our choice was theMarriott Montreal Airport Terminal Hotel<\/a>, located directly in the Montreal airport.<\/p>\n

\"1cc3b9fd<\/a>
Marriott Montreal Airport Terminal Hotel – Credit: Marriott<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We could have chosen to return to the city center. But because of all the stress of our morning adventures, we wanted to rest and make the most of the services offered by the hotel. With a budget of $500, it didn’t seem like a problem.<\/p>\n

So we booked a deluxe room for $205<\/strong>. My status with Marriott gave us access to the Concierge Lounge with breakfast included<\/strong>. Thanks to this access, we could enjoy a happy hour with hors d’oeuvres (salads, mini-burgers, wraps, soups, cheeses, fruits and desserts) as well as a honor bar (paying).<\/p>\n

We also asked if it was possible to upgrade to a suite. This would have been possible with an additional charge of about $80. We finally declined the offer because we plan to have all our meals at the hotel. In addition, we wanted to set aside enough money in case the hotel’s restaurant rates turned out to be excessive.<\/p>\n

Although we checked in just after noon (and only 30 minutes after making the reservation), we were able to get a room with a view of the airport runways immediately<\/strong>. An excellent point in my opinion. #AvGeek!<\/p>\n

\"20180211<\/a>
Marriott Montreal Airport Terminal Hotel – Runway View<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are some pictures of the room to give you an idea:<\/p>\n