Flight Diverted Because of Weather

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Travel insurance can help travelers in a variety of circumstances, but one of the more common concerns is an airline delay.  Many travelers have had an experience where a flight was not on time because of mechanical problems, labor strikes or bad weather.  Most of the time, a delay would occur while the travelers are at the airport, however, some delays can be caused while a plane is in flight, as was the case earlier this week.  The following is an excerpt from a CBS article about a flight from Miami to Washington D.C. that had to be diverted due to weather.

An American Airlines flight that hit severe turbulence landed in Charleston, S.C., and officials say one flight attendant and two passengers were treated for minor injuries.

American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said Flight 734 hit rough air near the Florida-Georgia border. The flight was headed from Miami to Reagan National Airport in Washington with 152 passengers and a crew of six.

The Boeing 737 landed shortly before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Smith said emergency medical crews met the plane and treated those who were hurt.

He said a replacement plane was being flown to Charleston and the passengers would continue on.

Bad weather that causes a flight delay can be covered several ways by travel insurance.

Most plans include travel delay coverage.  This reimburses expenses for food, hotel and taxis during the delay.  Depending on the plan, there could be a requirement for how long a delay must be as well as daily and overall dollar limits of coverage.

When a delay causes someone to miss a connecting flight, missed connection coverage could apply.  The additional transportation costs to catch up to the trip can be reimbursed by this coverage.  Look closely at different plans because some only offer this benefit for a missed cruise or tour departure, while other plans cover any missed departure.  Like travel delay coverage, this benefit also requires a delay to last for several hours, depending on the plan.

More significant delays may cause the traveler to miss parts of their trip.  Arrangements that go unused and are not refunded can be reimbursed by trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage.  For either benefit to apply, one of the covered reasons listed in the policy must be satisfied.  Some plans cover if weather delays a flight, again, depending on the plan the delay might have to be for a set amount of time.

Always refer to the certificate of insurance for details.

Source:  https://www.cbsnews.com