TFC responds. I have two separate reservations, if the first plane is delayed I am insured
TFCanswers is the column where we try to turn into mini guides the questions most often asked by the [...]
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TFC responds is the column where we try to turn the questions most often asked by readers into mini-guides. The goal as always is to help other travelers avoid making the same mistakes, or to enable those who are not used to getting on and off airplanes to better understand the rules of air transportation.
Today I take my cue from a discussion on our FB group. When you have an itinerary consisting of several PNRs and for some reason there is a problem on one of the flights, what happens? Is there insurance in such cases?
Flights with stopovers in a single PNR
This is the case when you buy a ticket that has multiple stops to get to your destination. In this case the company is responsible for the trip and the passenger is protected in case of problems due to delays or inconveniences that prevent them from taking the next flight.
Beware, however, that this does not mean that you have freedom to fall asleep in the armchair, getting lost in duty free or missing your connection because you "popped in" to a terminal where there was a nicer lounge to visit and didn't factor in travel time.
Different PNRs same company
It may happen that, by the strange laws of the market, a ticket from Milan to São Paulo via Madrid costs considerably more (both cash and in points) than the same flight departing directly from Madrid, then it might seem smart to reach the intermediate destination with a flight operated by the same airline but bought separately.
In this case we will end up with two PNRs and two completely independent routes. Nothing is problematic, but my advice is to protect yourself by putting adequate buffer between the two flights, especially if you also have checked baggage, because you will be forced to retrieve your baggage, recheck in, go through security, and get to the gate.
What you can try to do in this case is to Contact the company to try to merge the two PNRs, in a single reservation. Alternatively at the gate of the first flight ask the check-in clerk to do the same thing. If you succeed in this you will be slightly more protected, in the sense that your luggage may be sent to your destination, but in case of problems on the first flight you will not be protected on the second, because it is not a missed connection, but we are the ones who showed up late to board the flight.
Different PNRs, different companies
This is the classic case where in order to get from A to B one finds it convenient to mix up the reservation by making independent routes.
In the example above, other discussion on our The Platinum Club group, you can see how a traveler finds himself in just such a situation. Not only will your first flight be delayed, but you will also have to change terminals at a busy airport like London Heathrow. In this case, one might say "no insurance will do." and it is not even a limitation of American Express Platinum, no insurance covers such a situation and you are forced to remedy it on your own and at your own expense.
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