KSL Investigations
Updated: Feb 21, 2023 at 10:31 p.m
A canceled flight caused an Orem couple to miss their cruise, but their travel insurance stopped paying them due to a technicality. (KSL TV)
OREM, Utah – A canceled trip resulted in a man missing a cruise from Orem, which not only ruined his vacation, but he also faced financial damage because his travel insurance did not start.
“We had the plan to go on a cruise,” said Nick Olsen, who loves to travel with his wife. They had planned a big trip early last month until the weather threw a swan.
“I was late, I was late, and then they just came out and told us they had to cancel the flight,” Olsen explained.
Not making the trip meant not getting there in time for the cruise, but Olsen was confident he would get reimbursed for the cruise fare since he had bought travel insurance. That is until he started having trouble.
“We haven’t received anything from them specifically saying we canceled your flight,” he said of the airline’s cancellation.
The email from the airline says, “This flight has been cancelled,” but it doesn’t say if it was operated by the airline or Olsen’s company. Travel insurance only starts if the airline cancels it.
Olsen said he tried to contact the airline through customer service and even went to the airport to speak with a gate agent, but was unable to get the airline to send proof of his flight being cancelled. Unsure of where else to go, Olsen decided it was time to call Matt Gephardt.
“It was a really frustrating series of events,” he said. “I feel like I’m running in circles trying to get some information.”
So this time, KSL’s investigative team contacted the airline, Breeze Airways, on Olsen’s behalf.
The spokesperson apologized for the experience and promised to obtain the required clarification. And within a day of our arrival, Olsen received a clearer email saying, “Breeze Airways has canceled this flight due to crew shortages…”
This allowed Olsen to proceed with his insurance claim.
Speaking to Breeze Airways, they said the experience is a good reminder that some things, like the weather, are out of their control. So, it’s a good idea to give yourself an extra day when you need to be at a certain place at a specific time, like a cruise ship dock.
