Written question asked by Gwyneth Dunwoody (Labour) on Monday, 28 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 4 April 2005. It was answered by Charlotte Atkins (Labour) on Monday, 4 April 2005 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Dept for Transport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he has undertaken into the effectiveness of scheduled airline failure insurance as a means of repatriating those stranded overseas following airline failure; what percentage of air travellers his Department estimates are protected by scheduled airline failure insurance.

Answer: Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research he has undertaken into the effectiveness of scheduled airline failure insurance as a means of repatriating those stranded overseas following airline failure; [224611] (2) what percentage of air travellers his Department estimates are protected by scheduled airline failure insurance. [224612] Charlotte Atkins: The Department has not commissioned research into the effectiveness of scheduled airline failure insurance, which allows stranded passengers to recover their costs of getting home. We understand from the insurance industry that some 7 million people are estimated to be protected by such insurance, bought either directly by the customer or indirectly via the agent selling the air ticket. This represents approximately 20 per cent. of the UK international leisure travel market.

Secondary information