British Airways Strike?

There are reports today that British Airways cabin crews are planning to strike up to 20 days between May 18th and June 9th, 2010. At the moment, all flights are operating normally. If you are booked on BA during these dates, check their website or phone them to ensure your flight is operating normally.

Also, that pesky Icelandic volcano is acting up again causing some havoc in Europe. The ash cloud has reached Morocco this time. The impact to air travel is less significant this time, but significance is all about who is affected - especially if it is you. All of this is a reminder to purchase travel insurance when you invest in a trip! It gives you peace of mind knowing that should a problem arise, you are protected.

FAQs About Travel Insurance and the Iceland Volcano from Travel Guard, one of our Preferred Providers

Frequently Asked Questions The below questions and answers apply to policies purchased through Travel Guard Group, Inc. USA (Travel Guard), one of AAC's preferred travel insurance providers.

Question One: "I am scheduled for future travel and purchased my insurance policy prior to this volcanic event. If this volcano subsides and then erupts again, causing my future travel plans to be disrupted, will this be considered unforeseen and could coverage apply?"

Answer: Under most of our US products, you would be covered based on your purchase date being prior to April 14, 2010, subject to policy terms and conditions. We encourage you to contact our 24/7 Service Center or your Travel Guard sales representatives with additional questions as coverage and benefits vary by product.

Question Two: "I am scheduled to travel this summer and have not yet purchased a policy. If I purchase a policy today and a future eruption of the Iceland volcano occurs would I be covered?"

Answer: If the current Iceland Volcano situation subsides and commercial airlines resume normal schedules prior to your trip, any new eruption would be considered a new event under our US policies. Coverage would be administered according to the product purchased (based on limits and exclusions). We encourage you to contact our 24/7 Service Center or your Travel Guard sales representatives with additional questions as coverage and benefits vary by product.

Question Three: "I have insurance and am scheduled to fly out later this week. What should I do if my flight is cancelled?"

Answer: The first call you should make is to your air carrier as all airlines have made rebooking passengers impacted by this event a priority. That said, please contact Travel Guard for additional assistance, both for flight rebooking and to initiate a claim if applicable.

Question Four: "What is the coverage cut-off date for the current Iceland volcano event?"

Answer: Eligible US plans would need to have been purchased before April 14, 2010.

Question Five: "My customers are stranded away from home. What can you do to help them?"

Answer: Our 24/7 assistance centers stand ready to help you and your customers. Our services include flight rebooking, hotel rebooking, cash wire transfers, translation services, message relay and more. Our worldwide reach has also helped our insureds avoid spending nights in airports, as we have helped get them accommodated in hotels during their delays.

To purchase Travel Guard Insurance, go to this link: Travel Guard, or give us a call at 866-778-1089.

Feds halt Delta’s first direct flight to Nairobi

Delta Air Lines was forced to abruptly cancel Tuesday afternoon’s planned inaugural flight between Atlanta and Nairobi, Kenya, after federal security officials denied approval.

Delta said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security notified it late Monday that it would require more time to approve the direct flights to Nairobi. The flights are postponed indefinitely, Delta said. Delta said it is rerouting all passengers booked on the route onto other flights through its marketing partnerships with other carriers.

For more information: http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/stories/2009/06/02/nairobi_flight_canceled.html