Coronavirus (COVID-19) Respiratory illness - Effect on Travel

[Pushka]

Anyone got a feel on whether maybe Emirate or Qantas may put on extra direct flighst which dont transit Asia to help demand to/from europe? A second PER-LHR or SYD-DXB would help?

I cant find any alternate reward seats except economy to avoid Hong Kong/China/Thailand/Malaysia and still get to CPH grrr. Trust that when I finally get J seats plans are derailed.

I mentioned way back when this all started as to whether Dubai would suddenly become flavour of the Qantas month again.

 

[drron]

A few thoughts ..
Is it better to get it early , get it over with and be a survivor …..downside is some of us will not but that's life...
Leads to….Will we soon see " I survived Corona-virus badges" to show that we are disease free (and therefore socially acceptable ) ?
Leads to ….Will we be immune or be subject to the same random recurrence as the flu viri ?

Sorry but the new corona virus has already gone through mutations meaning you can't say you will have immunity.Just like the flu where because of the mutations there is basically a new vaccine every year.You may have partial immunity so more likely to be a survivor.

Some interesting reading re China flights.AA had no choice other than discontinue flights as the pilot's union told union pilots not to fly.

American Airlines Pilots File Lawsuit, Refuse To Fly To China

American Airlines pilots have filed a lawsuit against the airline for continuing to try to operate China flights, and they're refusing to fly.

onemileatatime.com

China airlines wants to have flights out of Beijing to the USA.I doubt the Americans will agree.

Air China's Unique Strategy For Maintaining US Flights

While most airlines are cutting flights between the US and mainland China, here's what Air China is doing to maintain at least some flights.

onemileatatime.com

Emirates is still operating Beijing to the UAE flights but pax have been told to arrive at the airport 8 hours before the flight.

Emirates Tells Beijing Passengers To Show Up Eight Hours Before Departure

Emirates is canceling all flights to mainland China, except to Beijing, though they're requiring passengers to show up eight hours early.

onemileatatime.com

 

[get me outta here]

Australia's Antarctic stations cancel flights to stop coronavirus spread

 

[CMA222]

SCMP : Coronavirus: United Airlines suspends US flights to and from Hong Kong

• Announcement means no US carriers will be flying passenger flights to Hong Kong after this week

Can you tell me where you are getting this information from as I expect that when other US carriers follow QF will be forced to consider ceasing flights as well. I am booked to HKG on 17 February so the pressure is mounting to cancel, as rescheduling is a great unknown.

 

[nickykim]

UK public health are saying there is no evidence the virus has mutated (copied from CNN)...
13 hr 59 min agoBritain sequences coronavirus genome in the race to stop its spread
From Lindsay Isaac, London

Scientists at a UK public health authority investigating the coronavirus have discovered that the virus has not evolved “to better infect humans” since its genome was first sequenced in China.
By sequencing the virus’s genome, Public Health England says it has provided “valuable information on any mutations in the virus over time and allows an improved understanding of how the virus spreads.”
“By sequencing this virus’s genome we can better understand the roots of this disease, predict its behaviour, and learn how tackle it," Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a statement.
There's still a lot we don't know about the Wuhan coronavirus, and scientists around the world are racing to gather data and develop a treatment.

 

[teammongo]

I guess the implication from that story being that an asymptomatic person left enough viral material behind that days later passengers were being infected? The Singapore story is also disturbing although I imagine that if the infected tourists were coughing, sneezing (and maybe spitting) in the shop then the likelihood of transmission would surely be much higher than the cruise ship story.

Have any health authorities indicated how long the virus stays viable on surfaces?

I don't think anyone knows for 2019-nCoV. There are lots of factors about viability - I've read all kinds of things. Here is a paper that showed they could still infect/culture "a closely related" coronovirus (note it is not 2019-nCoV, but authors draw parallels to SARS and MERS) after 5 days!

Human Coronavirus 229E Remains Infectious on Common Touch Surface Materials

So simply wash your hands a lot!


TM

 

[get me outta here]

Coronavirus: United Airlines suspends US flights to and from Hong Kong

Announcement means no US carriers will be flying passenger flights to Hong Kong after this week.

www.scmp.com

Can you tell me where you are getting this information from as I expect that when other US carriers follow QF will be forced to consider ceasing flights as well. I am booked to HKG on 17 February so the pressure is mounting to cancel, as rescheduling is a great unknown.

 

[get me outta here]

Coronavirus: American Airlines pulls plug on flights to Hong Kong from Dallas, Los Angeles until February 20 ‘due to demand’

• The airline had earlier halted flights between the US and mainland China, a ban that is to last until March 27
• The move follows the US State Department issuing travel advisory urging people to avoid travel to China

American Airlines cancels Dallas, LA flights to Hong Kong citing ‘demand’

The airline had earlier halted flights between the US and mainland China, a ban that is to last until March 27.

www.scmp.com

 

[Flying mermaid]

Seriously?

The Chinese government has implemented travel restrictions within its own country, but we are racist for placing restrictions on travellers from there coming to Australia.

And if Australia was racist (not that there aren’t pockets like any other country), would the Government be spending resources evacuating Australian citizens and residents from Wuhan?

 

[Flying mermaid]

I think the coughroaches running around was unpleasant. Those and rats and the prisonlike facilities with everything bolted down would not be very welcoming and dirty bedding just to finish it off. I think we could’ve done better.

Probably could have, but I thought the comment from one person that he came with low expectations but found it OK, while people who came with high expectations were the ones having issues. I had a lot to do with parents when I was involved in junior sport at a national and international level and I know you can get one group who just makes do and makes the most of everything and others where nothing is good enough.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Awful for the locals. I wonder why - did they not have access to immunisation?

They did. Unfortunately there was a problem in 2018 with administration of the vaccine and some babies died and the anti vaxxers got in on the act. Vaccination rates plummeted.

there has now been a mass vaccination program with rates over 90% (and they jailed an anti vaxxer)

 

[get me outta here]

It also makes a difference if you eat western food such as sausages.

 

[kpc]

It also makes a difference if you eat western food such as sausages.

There are a number of good Chinese restaurants on Xmas Isl;and. I wonder if they would do home delivery?! (ps I know as I have eaten at them!)

 

[Flying mermaid]

It also makes a difference if you eat western food such as sausages.

Ah yes - my experience with many Chinese is great unhappiness if the diet is continuously Western. You would have thought someone would have thought of that.....

 

[get me outta here]

It's where I learned to love sweet and sour pork with pineapple.

There are a number of good Chinese restaurants on Xmas Isl;and. I wonder if they would do home delivery?! (ps I know as I have eaten at them!)

 

[drron]

Coronavirus: American Airlines pulls plug on flights to Hong Kong from Dallas, Los Angeles until February 20 ‘due to demand’

• The airline had earlier halted flights between the US and mainland China, a ban that is to last until March 27
• The move follows the US State Department issuing travel advisory urging people to avoid travel to China

American Airlines cancels Dallas, LA flights to Hong Kong citing ‘demand’

The airline had earlier halted flights between the US and mainland China, a ban that is to last until March 27.

www.scmp.com

Not quite true.Even before the ban some pilots at AA were refusing to fly to China including HKG.The Union was also taking AA to court to get a ban on flying to China.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Latest Situation of Novel Coronavirus Inflection in Hong Kong

Latest Situation of Novel Coronavirus Inflection in Hong Kong

chp-dashboard.geodata.gov.hk

 

[CMA222]

Coronavirus: United Airlines suspends US flights to and from Hong Kong

Announcement means no US carriers will be flying passenger flights to Hong Kong after this week.

www.scmp.com

OK so UA and AA are suspending flights till 20 February due to severely reduced demand rather then as a consequence of the Virus. QF may or may not react so it will be a waiting game.

 

[ozfflyer]

just got email saying $1000 return to LAX or SFO from BNE, SYD, MEL in Jan 2021 (via Asia, not China)

Surely when Chinese carriers start flying to USA again seats will be dumped for way less than this, which might mean more direct routes, will have to compete to some extent in what is normally peak season.

 

[kpc]

This would be a nightmare!....confined to your room for 14 days!!!

From 'happiest ship on the seas' to total lockdown: Life on coronavirus-hit ship

Cruise ship passenger Gay Courter said there were hall monitors to make sure everyone stayed in their cabins, and that they weren't being updated on the situation regularly.

www.smh.com.au