40% of Brits worry Bank Holiday will be marred by flight chaos

World Nomads’ Travel Anxiety Report 2024 has found that 40% of Brits have said flight delays and cancellations are a major concern when travelling internationally.

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  • 43% of travelling Brits have experienced flight delays or cancellations in the past year
  • 16% of Brits consider abandoning their trip if a flight is disrupted
  • World Nomads has launched SmartDelay™ offering relief during flight chaos

As Brits prepare for the August Bank Holiday and the last great getaway of the year, World Nomads’ Travel Anxiety Report 2024 has found that 40% of Brits have said flight delays and cancellations are a major concern when travelling internationally.

Sadly, over two-fifths (43%) of travelling Brits have already faced such disruptions, with only 33% confident they won't encounter issues on their next trip.

For those affected, 25% admit to worrying at the gate, 22% seek a place to sleep, 14% feel lost on what to do, 10% frantically try to catch up on work emails and 16% are so frustrated they consider abandoning their trip altogether.

Following these findings, World Nomads has launched SmartDelay - a new feature available to all Standard and Explorer plan holders on both Annual Multi Trip and Single Trip Insurance policies. SmartDelay gives travellers access to over 1500 airport lounges or food and drinks vouchers if flights are delayed by more than 90 minutes. It also provides access for up to four additional passengers, if they are named on the policy and travelling on the same flight.

Jonathan Frankham, General Manager UK and Europe at World Nomads, says:

“We know Brits treasure their holidays, but the increasing risk of flight delays and strikes can quickly turn excitement into stress. Our Travel Anxiety Report highlights that during delays, many travellers experience significant stress or might go as far as giving up a holiday altogether. SmartDelay is our way of transforming this stressful experience into a moment of relief. Lounge access provides somewhere to relax, have a bite to eat and stay connected. We think SmartDelay is a great new addition for travellers. Whether they’re taking that ‘once in a lifetime’ trip, are making last minute Bank Holiday plans, or are frequent flyers to a favoured destination, SmartDelay will provide a little something to look forward to if the dreaded delays hit.”

World Nomads launched an annual multi-trip policy in June 2024. To find out more or purchase a policy, visit www.worldnomads.com/uk

*The study of 2,000 UK adults was carried out between 16 and 19 August by Opinium Research on behalf of travel insurance provider World Nomads to look at the immediate motivators and barriers to international travel and insurance considerations for 2024.

ABOUT WORLD NOMADS

World Nomads is a fast-growing, global travel insurance company. We provide inspirational stories, safety tips and specialised travel insurance for adventurous and independent travellers. Our online travel insurance offers cover to travellers from more than 100 countries and allows you to buy and claim online, 24/7, even while already traveling.

Our travel insurance focuses on what we believe is important to travellers: emergency medical and evacuation costs, baggage, trip cancellation, trip delay and trip interruption costs. We also offer cover for more than 200 adventure sports and activities, plus tech and gear. Our policies are underwritten by a suite of specialist travel insurers that provide 24/7 emergency assistance, customer service and claims support, making us a top choice for many of the world's leading adventure, independent and youth travel brands.

World Nomads is a part of the nib Group which provides health and medical insurance to more than 1.5 million Australian and New Zealand residents. We also provide health insurance to more than 170,000 international students and workers in Australia and are Australia’s third-largest travel insurer and global distributor of travel insurance through our business nib Travel.


Media Contacts: 

Graham Lynch, World Nomads, UK & Europe

graham.lynch@worldnomads.com

+353 876 831 784

 

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