Air Namibia cancels all London flights

That's terrible! I take it you didn't take out travel insurance when you paid for your airfares and bookings?

You really only have two options:
* find the extra money somehow to fly with another airline
or
* explain the circumstances of your predicament to all accommodation and car hire places and see what money you can get back (depending on their deposit/refund terms) in addition to your flight refund; put if behind you and start planning again.

This is exactly the sort of situation you need comprehensive travel insurance for, taken out as soon as flights and accomm are starting to be booked and paid for.

The cheapest option I can think of would be to fly to South Africa and get the intercape bus http://www.intercape.co.za/ . If it's the money that's the issue, that will probably be the cheapest way, but it will be a long haul.

The accommodation/car hire might be more amenable to moving your booking rather than refunding, so you could shift the whole trip by a few months to a time when you can find some reasonable air fares.

I am surprised at the amount of the additional cost (GBP 500) to fly out from Frankfurt instead of from London. Firstly, if you booked through a travel agent that agent must surely be able to help you - after all, that is part of their service. Secondly, if you are insured then you should at least be able to get the GBP500 plus the added cost of getting to Frankfurt, refunded. If you are neither insured, nor did you make use of a travel agent, then I suggest you approach an amenable and reputable travel agent and ask for help. Failing that, too, try to get some help through IATA.
Other than than you can only weigh up your potential losses and decide whether or not it is worthwhile to cancel or continue with your trip.

I'm not so sure travel insurance will cover this ! A full refund means there is no claim, did Air Namibia give a reason ? Perhaps you should look into the 'warsaw convention' its an agreement airlines stick to, there may be a clause where the airline has to find you an alternative flight perhaps into SA then to Namibia ? (I used to do travel insurance claims)

#4 I'm guessing the claim would be for money lost on the pre-booked accommodation and car hire, if the flight is cancelled and refunded.

#5 That would depend on policy wording & type of cover (if any has been taken up).

Well obviously it would depend on the wording of the policy, but just because the air ticket was refunded doesn't mean that categorically there is no claim.

Not advertising the opposition here Thorn Tree, but I was just looking on the Trip Advisor site and someone has posted a similar plight, BUT they say Air Namibia is covering their cost for the Frankfurt change, may be worth chatting with them , and having another go at Air Namibia, if they have done it for one passenger cant see why its not a blanket decission...worth a try!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293820-i9680-k2749567-No_more_London_Windhoek_Air_Namibia_flights-Namibia.html

Lynda

Thanks for all your replies guys. This is the update. I have fully comprehensive travel insurance with Atlas who don't want to know because I booked through Trailfinders who have offered me a full refund. The travel insurance people say if I can get a refund they don't have to pay for alternative flights. They also don't offer any compensation for accomodation etc booked. Trailfinders said that no alternative flights were available and that if I wanted to go on the Air Namibia flights from Frankfurt I have to pay £500 which is the current difference in fare between the London flights and the ones from Germany. AND I would I have to pay for my own fare on another airline to get to Frankfurt. BUT the last poster is right. All other travel companies I've spoken to (including Dial a Flight who are horrified at my situation) have said Air Namibia has offered their passengers free transfers to Frankfurt on BA and free onward flights from there and they've transferred all their passengers in this way.

It seems that only Trailfinders have a clause in their contract which says they don't have this cover. I've spent all day on the phone to Trailfinders and they won't put me on the alternative flight and have now given me a refund which means I have absolutely no comeback with Air Namiba to try and put me on the Frankfurt flight.

WARNING Trailfinders say they are the 'travel experts' but at this moment in time they are not being very 'expert' with my situation. I can't believe that they are one of the most reputable travel companies in London (I have booked with them for years) and they are flatly refusing to do anything else to get me to Namibia.
I'm lost for words...