First stand alone missed-flight cover offered to easyJet travellers

It's a thought to send a chill down the spines of most travellers, a missed flight. From this week customers of easyJet are to be offered missed flight insurance cover at the time of booking.

The policy will enable them, if they miss their flight, to continue on their journey, with an immediate option (at the airport) of a ticket on the next available flight at no additional cost, or the choice of a full refund.

The Missed Flight Cover is being launched by insurer No Exclusions and will be available at £7.50 single flight or £9.50 return, alongside a flight booking on easyJet.com. No Exclusions' chief executive Adrian Lothian said: "We are extremely proud to have designed and developed Missed Flight Cover and are thrilled that easyJet will be the first airline to launch the policy. We are confident that uptake will prove popular."

A recent survey highlighted passenger concern about arriving on time at the airport, with 71 per cent of respondents claiming to sleep restlessly, or not at all, before a morning flight. Across the UK, an average 43 per cent of passengers say they will consider staying at an airport hotel to alleviate this stress.

But Bob Atkinson of comparison service Moneysupermarket.com says there are viable alternatives to a stand alone missed flight policy: "If you have a decent travel insurance policy you will already have missed departure cover. It will be interesting to see how it is sold and positioned."