Have you had to change/cancel travel due to COVID-19 (involuntarily or voluntarily)?

[robtemt]

I thought I would start a thread as a resource for AFFers who have changed or cancelled travel plans directly or indirectly due to 2019 n-CoV.

• Did the airline/cruise company cancelling or change your flight/cruise? Or, did you proactively or reactively cancel or change it on your own (and why?).
• Did they notify you directly, or did you discover it on your own?
• What was your original plan, and what was the revised plan?
• What was your experience like?
• Did you go through any travel insurance claim process, and how was that part of it?

For the record, part of my role at work is to monitor medical related issues, filter out mis/disinformation, and brief other staff using only verified facts from trusted sources, so I am not one to buy into sensationalism or hysteria. BUT, I am also an advocate of forward planning and monitoring situations that could affect travel plans.

Post automatically merged: Feb 10, 2020

To start it off…. We have begun voluntarily changing (or making back up plans for) our upcoming holiday SYD-(+/- SIN)-LAX-SJO-LAX-HNL-LNY-HNL-SYD

We are booked to the USA via SIN on SQ in a few weeks (F Saver Reward Booking). A few things caused us to start making contingency plans on getting to the USA including:

• Reading posts from Buttermilk Chicken regarding her RTW flight being disrupted between HKK and CEB
• Member Pushka raising a good point if Singapore will be next.
• Monitoring the World Health Organisations surveillance on n-CoV (as part of my responsibilities at work). Singapore confirmed infections were 28 on 5 Feb, 40 on 8 Feb, and 43 on 9 Feb. Several of these cases were human-to-human contact, with no recent travel to China.
• Bloomberg’s article this morning HERE, which discussed the spread of the virus from a conference attendee in Singapore, via a resort in France, to people in France, Spain, and the UK.

We contacted SQ, to discuss the options of alternative carriers, to which there were no available flights. The agent was very friendly, and said she understood the desire to rebook and avoid an Asia transit, but she said until official bans are in place, there were no options, but “we will offer options if Singapore becomes affected by travel bans”.

We began searching other options. We contacted VFF, who found one seat on DL SYD-LAX in W, and one seat on VA in J SYD-BNE-LAX. No other business or premium reward seats (except any seat) were available +/- 1 day of our desired travel (with pre-booked hotels, cars, and other flights to South America, and Hawaii). We will keep looking for another J seat on same day, and hopefully two on the same flight to free up closer to the date.

We have left our SQ bookings as is for now, and will cancel either that booking of the DL/VA booking closer to the date as thing develop.

Overall Experience:

• Wait times on the phone are obviously a bit longer, but I’ve not been on hold longer than 15 minutes with either VA or SQ.
• Staff at both SQ and VA call centres have been friendly, empathetic, and helpful in searching, but have no/limited availability and flexibility in voluntary changes so far.

 

[amaroo]

Cut and paste from today's AFR.....

Almost every Australian voter is aware of the coronavirus threat, the vast majority believe it will have a negative impact on the economy, and more than a third say it will affect their travel plans, new polling reveals.

Of those polled, 35 per cent said they planned to change travel plans as a consequence of the virus.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Update: Work has banned travel to South Korea and Italy.

Update: Work has banned ALL international travel. Domestic travel requires executive sign off.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

And as some of the media articles that interview the scientists working on these vaccines have stated - different teams are taking different approaches based on the particular methods they specialise in, we won't have any clear idea for a while yet as to which approaches work, and several different approaches may end up having similar efficacy. We also don't know which manufacturers will ultimately end up mass producing these vaccines.

Which is why I am pleased that so many trials are underway.

My presumption to is that while the clinical trials may take a year to jump all the hurdles in the west, that IF Covid 19 spead accelerated in China that they may deploy earlier there. Having said that the current grow curve has flattened off in China. The test there may well be once they re-open all their factories etc again.

 

[robtemt]

As for travel changes and impacts. Not sure if anyone has taken a look at the WHO recommendations for for workplace readiness. They cover not only infection control practices, but also how to manage staff who are going to/coming back from infected areas. This document has helped us make temporary amendments to travel, sick leave, and work from home policies (with minimal effort and even better, minimal meetings!!!).

While WHO tries to stay out of the travel advisory game, I know a lot of your workplaces have restricted travel to some areas. I know some of our staff have cancelled trips to Hong Kong and Indonesia. I thought this document might be helpful to some of you.

 

[MollyJones]

We are travelling to Vietnam via Singapore on 28/3.

Jetstar have cancelled our flights (no notification, I happened to see it when I logged in to my booking) SGN-HUI in April. They refuse to say If it is due to coronavirus, but seeing as there are now no flights on that route for the entire month of April, it’s a fair assumption.

They are also refusing a refund as it is “not their policy” and will only offer a voucher for future travel.

We also have a JQ SIN-SGN and MI DAD-SIN that are impacted by this change.

Any suggestions for key words to use?

UPDATE: they will process a refund in 15 business days. Seems they do understand Australian consumer law after all

 

[Melburnian1]

Australian Energy Market Operator - it supervises the 'keeping on of lights' - is apparently soon to ban all domestic and international air travel.

Could others who work in the public sector tell us the attitude of State, Federal and Local Government departments/authorities? And what about NGOs?

 

[Pushka]

I'm currently liaising with Luxury Escapes re our trip to Bali in 3 weeks. Maybe they will defer but goodness knows when this issue will resolve. And then there's the wait for Qantas to refund.

 

[m_diggity]

I'm currently liaising with Luxury Escapes re our trip to Bali in 3 weeks. Maybe they will defer but goodness knows when this issue will resolve. And then there's the wait for Qantas to refund.

I’m keen to hear how you go with Luxury Escapes.
I too have a LE holiday booked in Thailand.
I spoke with my insurer on Saturday and they told me unless the level is raised by Australian Government to 3 or higher than I am not covered for cancelling!

 

[dajop]

What are thoughts on airbnb refunds during this time, if someone cancels a booking due to general concerns over travelling (not to/from restricted travel area)? This is from a host perspective, not a travellers perspective. We automatically refund 50% if > 7 days, but is it reasonable for travellers to expect a bigger refund than that? I'm inclined to say >4 weeks full refund, and follow airbnb policy for restricted travel. Less than that I'm not sure whether to goo 50%, or , as we don't get last minute bookings (ever) and only ever occupied on weekends, or somewhere in between.

 

[Pushka]

I’m keen to hear how you go with Luxury Escapes.
I too have a LE holiday booked in Thailand.
I spoke with my insurer on Saturday and they told me unless the level is raised by Australian Government to 3 or higher than I am not covered for cancelling!

Agree. That's where we are at. So far they've just trundled out the expected as per the T&C's. I'm posting on Product Review where there is an LE Rep who is actually responding very quickly.

Another out is that as Australia increases its number then Bali might stop Australians. Yeah, well, I can dream.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Could others who work in the public sector tell us the attitude of State, Federal and Local Government departments/authorities? And what about NGOs?

I don't work in travel, but my business is affected by travel as a large proportion of my customers will travel to get to me.

Over the last month it is very noticeable that staff from large multinationals have stopped committing whereas those from essentially Australian organisations both public and private is largely unaffected. Also the smaller the company the less the drop off.

My presumption is that the multinationals have all policies in place that stops their staff from committing.

 

[Tropic]

Australian Energy Market Operator - it supervises the 'keeping on of lights' - is apparently soon to ban all domestic and international air travel.

Could others who work in the public sector tell us the attitude of State, Federal and Local Government departments/authorities? And what about NGOs?

I understand APS wide restriction on non essential domestic travel in works, and some departments already imposed restrictions. Commonwealth carries its own risk unlike most corporates that need to act on advice from insurers/ crisis group advisers.

 

[drron]

Getting more concerned with our May trip with articles like this.

Thailand Mulls Mandatory Quarantine For Arrivals From Risk Prone Countries Including Germany, Japan and Singapore

Will Thailand impose quarantine regulations on tourists?

loyaltylobby.com

 

[amaroo]

Getting more concerned with our May trip with articles like this.

Thailand Mulls Mandatory Quarantine For Arrivals From Risk Prone Countries Including Germany, Japan and Singapore

Will Thailand impose quarantine regulations on tourists?

loyaltylobby.com

The way things are going - wont be long before Australia is added to that list.

 

[Cappuccino99]

Unless my flights are cancelled or countries refuse entry, I'm still keeping to my plans of flying to the UK ( via HKG) in 3 weeks' time, with visits to Helsinki and Israel on the way back to MEL.
I'm staying optimistic but my family are taking bets on which country I get stranded in/refused entry!!

 

[daft009]

off to fiji tomorrow a week, family of 3.
direct flight SYD to NAN & back.

 

[Jmrocky]

Unless my flights are cancelled or countries refuse entry, I'm still keeping to my plans of flying to the UK ( via HKG) in 3 weeks' time, with visits to Helsinki and Israel on the way back to MEL.
I'm staying optimistic but my family are taking bets on which country I get stranded in/refused entry!!

I’m in the same boat (posted last week about an Italy trip at the end of March).

Until the government issues a Do Not Travel I’m holding firm, but I think as time goes on unless the effects of the Lombardy quarantine kick in on the numbers it’s all in the air at the minute.

I have a UK backup plan with flights on QF instead (currently flying with TG) but can’t really change much without a ban in place

 

[Lynda2475]

Likewise I have huge amount of prepaid travel for early June through mid July. Whilst airfares were classic rewards (so refundable less 6k penalty), my pre-paid tour and hotels costs (about $10k to date and $4k balance owing) are non-refundable untess the tour company cancels the tour or Australian Govt add Denamrk, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithunaia onto the Do Not Travel list.

Noting according to FAQ on tour company site, they do not care that I have to transit Hong Kong, Dubai to get there and come home via Doha and Singapore - as my flighst weren't booked through them.

So Im wait and see. I wont proactively cancel because Id lose a lot of $ as my travel insurance purchase dlast Sept doesnt cover change of mind nor pandemics. But if Govt say do not go, then i hope some cancellation costs would be recoverable.

If the tour runs and I can get there without being quaratined I will go.

Best case might be to get Covid-19 here soonish, recover and go knowing natural immunity will kick in.

Years ago I was suppsoed to go to Mexico 3 days after the swine flue broke out, but luckily everything was refunded as Govt issued a Do Not Travel to Mexico - but swine flu was less scary as we knew existing drugs like Tamiiflu were effective (and easily secured at short notice), however, there isnt a proven anti-viral you can pack in your bag for Covid-19 yet as self medicating insurance.

 

[Cossie]

A friend that has just finished radiation treatment for breast cancer had a couple of weeks booked in Samoa from next week with hubby to just relax.
I really hope it doesn't turn pear-shaped due to the virus, they have enough things to deal with as it is.

 

[Denali]

I had built 3 nights into our Sth Africa trip that we were wishy washy on firm plans so contacted the first tour (private) to see if we can move dates to delay start.

If my SQ flights to Joburg are cancelled or moved, it would be good to have a couple of days buffer to get to Kruger.

Waiting for guide to respond.