Originally Posted by
pauldb
Having looked again, you may have a claim with Cathay under "Force Majeure". That's a rather grand title but it's what BA call events beyond your control (CX define it as "unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our or your control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised")......
I'd be surprised if this could be classified under Force Majeure, but not being legally trained, I couldn't say with any certainty.
I would agree that travel insurance is the better option. Yes, the insurer will expect you to have attempted resolution with the carrier, but that should be pretty straightforward. It shouldn't take a long time to get a definitive on whether they're willing to offer something or not, and as a consequence, assuming the terms of your insurance are satisfied, they should then step in and make necessary arrangements.
With the cancellation I referenced earlier, for example - which is similar, but not a match for your circumstances since I hadn't commenced travel so it was a straight cancellation - I had my answer from BA straight away, and initiated the claim with the insurer the same day. The BA part of the claim was actually the least of my worries since they'd recredited the Avios and refunded the necessary money. It was all the accommodation cancellation fees that amounted to the biggest chunk of cash.
Of course, the insurer expected and asked for medical evidence before a payout, but it need not take a long time to get things arranged.