Brutally cold weather affects travellers in Europe

Heavy snowfall, high winds and icy roads sent a shudder through travelling Europe last weekend. Thousands of tourists were delayed or stranded.

The cold blast is much more severe than usual in northern, central and eastern Europe.

+ The strong winds of Storm Goretti battered the north-west of France and caused disruption across the UK.

+ Ferry services on the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony came pretty much to a standstill.

+ In Germany, rail operator Deutsche Bahn suspended its long-distance rail service for the north of the country, stranding thousands of travellers.

+ A major road between Prague and Germany was blocked in two places near the German border for hours.

+ More than 700 flights were cancelled at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on one day alone.

+ In the Czech Republic, public transportation came to a standstill in some parts of the city.

+ In the Baltic countries of Estonia and Lithuania, people were asked not to drive because of blizzards.

+ There was a snow alert for the west of Latvia.

+ In northern Finland, temperatures plummeted to –37C on Sunday and travellers were stranded as the extreme cold forced the cancellation of flights at Kittila airport. It made crucial operations such as aircraft de-icing almost impossible. On Monday, the temperature dipped even lower.

+ In the ocean around the main Greek port of Piraeus, winds reached gale-force and ships were unable to leave for days.

INSURANCE

Good travel insurance, especially comprehensive policies, cover travel delays and disruptions, often with reimbursement of hotels and meals — particularly when there are significant delays (six hours or more).

Often, travellers must claim first with the airline for refunds and get airline confirmation for insurance claims.

For example, an Allianz Travel Insurance plan that includes the travel delay benefit helps with a weather delay.

It can reimburse you for:

+ Eligible purchases you make because of the delay, including meals, accommodations, communication and transportation.

+ Lost prepaid trip expenses, if the delay causes you to miss part of your trip.

+ Reasonable transportation expenses to help you rejoin your cruise/tour or reach your destination, if the delay causes you to miss the departure of your cruise ship or tour.

+ For your claim to be eligible for reimbursement, the delay must have been caused by a covered reason, such as a weather-related airline delay, and it must have lasted for the minimum time stated in your plan.

+ Maximum limits and exclusions apply.

Policies vary, so check the Product Disclosure Statement for specific durations, limits and conditions which apply on a policy.

ON PAGE 6 Steve McKenna, who lives in the UK, brings another firsthand view.