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.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Queen Mary 2 is currently on its annual world voyage. It's cutting out stops in SIN, HKG and SGN and now heading directly for Fremantle.

 

[stoney]

I have just spent 7 hours (stupid me) with the Qantas SMS messaging service. I thought that I have a simple problem that requires a simple SMS to fix.

As mentioned in a previous post, I changed my OWA booking (the Beijing leg) on account of the corvd19 virus. No problem changing routing and it was an absolute pleasure to deal with the call centre although there was a wait of two and a half hours.

On checking my booking I found a simple mistake. To go back a step, when the original booking was made the operator made it for myself and forgot to include my wife. That was sorted under a separate booking number and linking the two bookings so that we could travel together. There was one domestic QF flight PLO-ADL which was booked on two different flights on the same day. This is not such a big deal but the wife wants to be with me so, simple, SMS.

I am considering posting the full transcript of the ridiculous conversation. It ended in tears as I could not get through to the operator that the simple error was inadvertently made by the call centre operator and as it is a linked itinerary then it should be linked. No, he said it was a voluntary change and so would need about 14,000 points to change. It is now a matter of principle and my stubbornness and so I will call the call centre and wait another two plus hours to talk with another person.

If that ain't enough to make me change from QF I don't know what will.

 

[serfty]

If that ain't enough to make me change from QF I don't know what will

Make a compliant using email ... now ... when no resolution/addressing of the problem in 12 hours, make a complaint again.

Record the SR numbers in the auto replies and use the information here:

Industry Ombudsmen & Dispute Resolution

Here you can discuss how you have used the Airline Customer Advocate or another Industry Ombudsmen to resolve issues you have had with companies providing services.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[stoney]

Make a compliant using email ... now ... when no resolution/addressing of the problem in 12 hours, make a complaint again.

Record the SR numbers in the auto replies and use the information here:

Industry Ombudsmen & Dispute Resolution

Here you can discuss how you have used the Airline Customer Advocate or another Industry Ombudsmen to resolve issues you have had with companies providing services.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Hi Serfty, Thank you for the advice. I have been trying to get an email address. I got onto the Customer feedback chat and asked but advised I had to fill in a feedback form which I have done with a reference number. I am now 1 hour into a wait on the 131313 number. It is worse than any other corporation I have dealt with and I deal wit a few, maybe on a par with Centrelink, not that I have a need to contact them but have see other poor soles trying. It is the way it is with a near monopoly.

 

[serfty]

@stoney use [email protected] for an email from the one attached to your Qantas frequent flyer account.

You should immediately get an auto reply from "Frequent Flyer Auto Email <[email protected]>" - it should have a service request reference in the subject such as "SR 1-987654321". Record this each time you email.

 

[stoney]

@stoney use [email protected] for an email from the one attached to your Qantas frequent flyer account.

You should immediately get an auto reply from "Frequent Flyer Auto Email <[email protected]>" - it should have a service request reference in the subject such as "SR 1-987654321". Record this each time you email.

Thanks, about the only place I did not look. Will get it out this morning. Crashed at 11.10 last night without getting answered from QF. One and a half hours, I would think they are busy given the turmoil created by the corvd19.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I have an award ticket to New York booked for April with SG. I booked it as MEL-SIN-PEK-EWR as that was all I could get in J at the time. I tried to call them and their recorded message said to send an email. I haven't heard back and its been more than the 5 days they said to get back to me.

As frustrating as it might be you will just need to be patient as the SQ/KF call ctr is just totally swamped right now - they are processing close in movements first - they will get to you - so far my exp with the email process is that it is working quite well apart from the ability to adjust / amend imm with a human on other end of phone.

 

[stoney]

@stoney use [email protected] for an email from the one attached to your Qantas frequent flyer account.

You should immediately get an auto reply from "Frequent Flyer Auto Email <[email protected]>" - it should have a service request reference in the subject such as "SR 1-987654321". Record this each time you email.

I have sent an email and received the SR number so I will follow up as you have suggested. Thank you again.

 

[samh004]

I have travel in March and April that I don't intend to change but who knows what could happen in the next 3 weeks alone.

BNE-xMEL-xSIN-oKUL-oHAN-oDAD return
BNE-xSYD-oDPS-BNE
BNE-oADL return

I then have a trip to Europe in late May to early June.

BNE-xSYD-oMNL-xDOH-oCPH-oMAN//LHR-oDUB-oDOH-oMNL-xSIN-BNE

In preparation for both of these trips I have seen my haematologist who has given me antibiotics to start immediately if I feel unwell and I have purchased a "vogmask organic" that is supposedly rated down to PM 0.3. I shall probably use this in Vietnam when not by a pool, and also when travelling if not sipping champagne

 

[serfty]

I have some travel in three weeks, MEL-SIN-BKK and v.v. so am watching closely.

I shall probably use this in Vietnam when not by a pool, and also when travelling if not sipping champagne

That's why drinking straws were invented ...

 

[Mike65]

I have travel in March and April that I don't intend to change but who knows what could happen in the next 3 weeks alone.

BNE-xMEL-xSIN-oKUL-oHAN-oDAD return
BNE-xSYD-oDPS-BNE
BNE-oADL return

I then have a trip to Europe in late May to early June.

BNE-xSYD-oMNL-xDOH-oCPH-oMAN//LHR-oDUB-oDOH-oMNL-xSIN-BNE

In preparation for both of these trips I have seen my haematologist who has given me antibiotics to start immediately if I feel unwell and I have purchased a "vogmask organic" that is supposedly rated down to PM 0.3. I shall probably use this in Vietnam when not by a pool, and also when travelling if not sipping champagne

I think you should consider getting a new doctor. Antibiotics are totally ineffective against viruses:

Advice for the public on COVID-19 – World Health Organization

Simple precautions to reduce your chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19.

www.who.int

A broad spectrum antibiotic will kill your native gut bacteria, compromising your immune system and making you feel worse as well as potentially contributing to the rise of multi-resistant super bacteria. Should only be used for diagnosed co-infections.
Dr Mike

 

[Fred_bear]

Travel in 4 weeks SYD-SIN-FCO and return late April LHR-SIN-SYD both with a day in Singapore before the connection, so am also watching very closely, especially as to what EU/ Italy may do with banning flights. We do have Vog/ Cambridge Mask co masks if needed.

 

[moa999]

I shall probably use this in Vietnam when not by a pool,

You do realise that Australia has as many confirmed cases as Vietnam

 

[samh004]

I think you should consider getting a new doctor.

Well it's been many years now of monitoring why my neutrophils shoot up and down so the thought of a second opinion has been considered previously, but that's a discussion for a different thread. I just go with what I'm told by the people I see regularly. I'll get a second opinion from a friend, but thanks for letting me know.

You do realise that Australia has as many confirmed cases as Vietnam

It's not so much the number of cases, it's the fact that while travelling I'll be more exposed I feel. My life in Australia is much like a hermit crab most of the time. I work from home and rarely leave the house. I tend not to visit highly trafficked areas, save for a supermarket obviously, but not a big one. So the risk would understandably be higher when sitting in 10 aluminium tubes over the course of a week, or passing through 6 airports, compared with my regular everyday boring life

The reality of the matter is I think I'd look daft wearing a mask, but at certain times it's probably best to not be the only one not wearing a mask, so I have one if the need arises. And I bought the right kind, not just a surgical mask.

 

[theblank]

FYI Covermore insurance say on their website that Corona Virus related claims are entirely excluded for Credit Card complimentary insurance policies, regardless of travel desitination. This impacts Commonwealth Bank cards

Travel alerts – world events that may affect your policy | Cover-More Australia

Worried a volcanic eruption, extreme weather, or even a war could affect your travel insurance cover? Read our latest global travel alerts and warnings here.

www.covermore.com.au

 

[Pushka]

FYI Covermore insurance say on their website that Corona Virus related claims are entirely excluded for Credit Card complimentary insurance policies, regardless of travel desitination. This impacts Commonwealth Bank cards

Travel alerts – world events that may affect your policy | Cover-More Australia

Worried a volcanic eruption, extreme weather, or even a war could affect your travel insurance cover? Read our latest global travel alerts and warnings here.

www.covermore.com.au

Do you know if pandemics in general are normally excluded? Otherwise it would seem like they are changing the T&Cs on the fly.

 

[p--and--t]

I just had a read of the ANZ Premium Cards (Allianz) policy.

It is not very straightforward but it mentions Natural Disasters are covered but defines an epidemic or pandemic as not being a Natural Disaster event (the only mention in the entire document)

By inverse logic, it would seem they won't cover anything associated with an epidemic or pandemic.

 

[theblank]

I dont know if its a Pandemic or an Epidemic but the exclusions do throw in the line "could be"
there is no doubt everyone is aware that it could be.

I am also of the opinion (vaguely) that insurers would cover medical cost due to an infection (except in China) - but not cancellations delay ect due to events - such as shutting down airports, banning travel etc. Dont quote me though. but that is what Covermore actually says on its alert page.

 

[robtemt]

In preparation for both of these trips I have seen my haematologist who has given me antibiotics to start immediately if I feel unwell and I have purchased a "vogmask organic" that is supposedly rated down to PM 0.3. I shall probably use this in Vietnam when not by a pool, and also when travelling if not sipping champagne

A doctor gave you antibiotics to take, "in case" you start feeling unwell, possibly from a virus, potentially CORVID-19? He's aware how drug resistant "superbugs" become drug resistant, right?

 

[Port Power]

I am currently on an NCL cruise ship in the Caribbean. The Company has banned staff coming from any Asian country. Staff on board are now considering their options as their contracts come due in March. If they go home to Bali, they will not be able to come back to work. This is a major problem for people wanting to see their families after nine months away versus having a paying job for the next nine months!

I am due to fly to Japan in March, Cathay had already cancelled the return flight back in early January, but after I rang Qantas, they rebooked me on Qantas metal (I booked return through Qantas). I booked CX because it earned double status credits than QF or JL, but was also more convenient from Perth. CX didn’t even email about the cancelled return flights, so I have concerns now about my outward bound flights. I’ll call Qantas once back home to see what’s happening.