Luton airport fire cancellation

[Holidayhooha]

I know there's an existing thread about this awful event ( and usual proviso, first world problem et al) , but my question is quite specific and am looking to see if the combined mumsnettery experience can shed any light. DH and I were booked on Ezyjet to S of France first flight this morning (Weds) till last flight Saturday 14/10. Booked hotel and parking independently. Flight cancelled, rebooked for this evening ie 12 hours later, also cancelled by Ezy and flights tomorrow all full from there and other local-ish airports. Applied for flights refund. Have insurance, called them for advice before second flight cancelled as airport website (not Ezy) saying don't travel, but while on phone second flight was cancelled. Insurance saying not covered for hotel and parking as cancelled by airline and not due to personal reasons eg medical, bereavement etc. Found this unbelievable but they said it was because we don't have extra disruption cover. Insurance front page highlights cancellation cover so as flights cancelled we assumed we would be covered. Does anyone have any experience of this or even any advice? Thanks if you've made it this far !

I would check small print and see what said. We had insurance with Insure and Go taken out in 2019 for 2020 trip which was cancelled with lockdown and they and flight insurance paid out nothing. We did get all but 500 back by contacting everyone myself, took a year. Much more protection with a package. You could try hotel and parking and see if they would refund or move dates. Or if you bank account has travel insurance could try them. Or if paid on credit card try bank. We got some back via clawback from bank with debit card but don't think that would apply here.

Thanks for your reply. It’s all very frustrating as insurance seems worthless !

i am possibly wrong here but I thought it was the airlines responsibility to get you to your destination even by using another airline. If they’ve not done that, can you claim from them?

Your insurance is not worthless, you just don't have the additional cover required for some of the additional risks of booking flights and accommodation separately rather than as a package.

You need to check the cover is appropriate when you take it out. It will all be explained in the insurance documents.

Your insurance would have been very useful if you had been forced to cancel due to ill health or foreign office advice or countless other scenarios

I guess we were misled by the fact that the insurance was the one offered during the flight booking process and it claimed to offer cancellation cover. Thanks both for your replies.