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Airlines add to cost of flights

Published: 29th June 2009 09:59

Some airlines are adding up to £10 to the cost of a flight and flouting EU laws by automatically adding travel insurance during the booking process.

A new report by consumer magazine Which? Holiday has found that four airlines are ignoring an EU ruling* which states that they cannot automatically add extras such as insurance at the time of booking.

Easyjet, Jet2 and Monarch all automatically add travel insurance policies, costing between £7 and £10.49 per passenger, while cancellation insurance for flights returning on the same day is added automatically by Air Berlin, costing €12 (£10.63**). Consumers have to un-tick a box to opt out of the insurance.

Although they stick to the rules, the single-trip insurance policies offered at the time of booking on BA, Ryanair and Wizz's websites would not meet Which? Best Buy criteria in terms of cover for cancellation or curtailment of the trip, or for lost or stolen baggage. Easyjet was the only airline to meet Which?'s minimum criteria for travel insurance in terms of the cover offered, with Flybe and Monarch falling just slightly short.

In many cases Which? Holiday also found that restrictions or exclusions on airline single-trip insurance were not made clear at the point of sale and were only explained in the policy small print. For example, BA, Flybe and Wizz's single-trip insurance only covers travellers under 65 years old, and on all airline travel insurance there are restrictions for pre-existing medical conditions.

Lorna Cowan, editor of Which? Holiday, says:

"With airlines still opting people into insurance, consumers could unwittingly buy a product which is of no use to them, and at up to £10 per person this can add up.

"Buying insurance at the same time as your flights may seem like an easy and convenient option. But if you've already got an insurance policy, or it doesn't provide the right amount of cover for you, it's as useless as no cover at all."

Notes
* Ruling made in November 2008
** Information correct as of 19 May 2009

1. Airline Are passengers automatically opted in to the airline insurance? Cost of insurance on flight to European destination (single trip)
2. Air Berlin Cancellation insurance for a flight returning on the same day is automatically opted in, but the insurance for a longer trip isn't €12 (£10.63)
3. BMIbaby No £7.69
4. British Airways No £8
5. Easyjet Yes £9.50 Easyjet says it adds its insurance for "your convenience and peace of mind"
   FirstChoice No N/A
6. Flybe Need to choose yes or no £7.48
7. Jet2 Yes £7 Jet2 "recommends that all passengers take out travel insurance" and therefore includes it in bookings.
8. Monarch (scheduled) Yes £10.49
9. Ryanair Need to choose yes or no £9.03
10. Thompson No n/a
11. Wizz Need to choose yes or no £10

Which? is the leading independent consumer champion in the UK. We provide impartial, expert information on products and services in our magazines, books and online to help consumers make more informed choices, and we campaign on issues that matter to all consumers, from food to finances, health to estate agents.

For more information visit
http://www.which.co.uk or
http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns

* The ruling came into force in November 2008
** On scheduled flights

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