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.

 

[Flashback]

Agree. Now we can claim on travel insurance.

I had to scold my parents earlier today, as regardless of how many times I remind them to take out some TI as soon as they book (they don't travel enough for a multi-trip to be worthwhile) they keep forgetting/getting sidetracked. Oh well, you always learn the hard way!

 

[drron]

this latest move is why I have waited to cancel for the few non refundable bookings we have.Even if the supplier keeps the money we will be able to claim on our TI now for sure.
Main ones are in the UK.

 

[get me outta here]

Yep, best way to learn for some people. I'm finding the infrequent travellers asking me Qs is getting very tiresome. I only wish I did know more, but who can in the environment. It's when they don't do as I suggested weeks ago and then the virus hits the fan that is frustrating.

I had to scold my parents earlier today, as regardless of how many times I remind them to take out some TI as soon as they book (they don't travel enough for a multi-trip to be worthwhile) they keep forgetting/getting sidetracked. Oh well, you always learn the hard way!

 

[Flashback]

Yep, best way to learn for some people. I'm finding the infrequent travellers asking me Qs is getting very tiresome. I only wish I did know more, but who can in the environment. It's when they don't do as I suggested weeks ago and then the virus hits the fan that is frustrating.

Fortunately their biggest expenses was J flights with QR, but given they have a reasonably flexible policy at the moment will either rebook (with any fare difference) for later in the year, or cancel for refund. Fares ex-DPS are usually pretty good year round. Lots of the accommodation in UK was B&B type things so most of those are flexible. Just waiting for BA to cancel the flights for May too (assuming it gets in their upcoming schedule reductions) to then get full refunds on those. All good, plenty of time for things to play out.

 

[Pushka]

How far out does this ban apply? At what date would TI kick in? Obviously we are covered for next week, but say July? And if a company offers you a different date does that give the Insurance Company 'an out' to refuse?

 

[Lynda2475]

How far out does this ban apply? At what date would TI kick in? Obviously we are covered for next week, but say July? And if a company offers you a different date does that give the Insurance Company 'an out' to refuse?

That is the question!

Qantas seems to only be allowing chnages/credits until 30 Sept 2020 for flights booked to depart until 31-mat if cancelled by 31 March.

The travel I probably wont be taking in in June.

Intrepid are allow credits to be used up to 2022 but have so far only cancelled departures to June.

Does anyone know if credit card insurance cover domestic travel?

 

[Bluewave]

That is the question!

Qantas seems to only be allowing chnages/credits until 30 Sept 2020 for flights booked to depart until 31-mat if cancelled by 31 March.

The travel I probably wont be taking in in June.

Intrepid are allow credits to be used up to 2022 but have so far only cancelled departures to June.

Does anyone know if credit card insurance cover domestic travel?

ANZ Premium Cards insurance has "Interstate Flight Inconvenience Insurance" but the cancellation conditions are a bit different from international cover.

 

[Port Power]

Does anyone know if credit card insurance cover domestic travel?

Usually only domestic flights that connect to your international flight on the same day.

 

[PineappleSkip]

No doubt the credit is to preserve QF’s cash flow. If everyone seeks booking money back now they may wind up precipitating an insolvency, filing claims with an Administrator with limited prospects of getting anything back (this is not a comment about QF in particular, think they would be in a stronger position than many)

Just got another email from Rydges, indicating they might be more flexible than before

We’re flexible and we’re here for you, so if you need to cancel or change your reservation right up to June 2021, just reach out to us directly. You can find every hotel’s contact number on rydges.com

 

[coriander]

The Prime Minister said this morning "don't expect anything to improve in next 6 months".

 

[Seat0B]

With hotels.com bookings it seems that it should also be reasonable to hold them to the property’s policy. The reference to confirmation email in the quote below seems to refer to what was their policy at the time. Very tacky and would be wary of using them in future. And booking.com it seems.

I had a similar experience with Agoda when cancelling a non-refundable booking at Ramada Shanghai Airport in February for a February stay. HUGE shout out to Ramada - they agreed, instantly and with no pressure, to fully refund. Agoda, not so much. First they said nothing, then they said Agoda dollars that had to be used by end of March 2020, and finally when I mentioned the wonderful generosity of Ramada and the credit card charge back, they caved and refunded. But this was rather hard to manage whilst already in Japan and juggling new flight requirements, extra accommodation to be booked etc etc . Go Ramada. Do not go Agoda.

 

[OATEK]

I had a similar experience with Agoda when cancelling a non-refundable booking at Ramada Shanghai Airport in February for a February stay. HUGE shout out to Ramada - they agreed, instantly and with no pressure, to fully refund. Agoda, not so much. First they said nothing, then they said Agoda dollars that had to be used by end of March 2020, and finally when I mentioned the wonderful generosity of Ramada and the credit card charge back, they caved and refunded. But this was rather hard to manage whilst already in Japan and juggling new flight requirements, extra accommodation to be booked etc etc . Go Ramada. Do not go Agoda.

We booked 3 nights at the London Bridge Hotel, in a Georgian Building adjacent to the Shard. It was a weekend, breakfast included special that was non-refundable. I notified them that we would not arrive on Friday, and they asked if we would like to move the booking to a later date. When I advised that we do not expect to be in the UK until mid/later 2021, and could not guess at a likely date, they refunded. I had hoped that at best they might keep a night and hand the rest back, but they have given back the lot without me making a direct plea.

 

[p--and--t]

Interesting! My TA sent me an email overnight saying they had cancelled my EK flights ($4.5K) overnight (without asking me) and I will be advised in due course how much I will be refunded after them negotiating with the airline.

Not totally unhappy about it, just a bit shocked. I wasn't go to use the flights anyway because my tours had already been cancelled but had been holding out for an airline re-schedule to trigger a full refund.

If EK didn't reschedule in the next 3 weeks I was going to have to go down this path anyway (cancel with penalty).

 

[RooFlyer]

...

If you mean the Prime Minister, then how about saying the Prime Minister. These petty political jabs got boring a long time ago.

 

[Port Power]

As it looks like overseas travel is going to be off limits through to the end of May, I am resigned that my fantastic Wales and Scotland trip will also be cancelled. At least the TA/tour operator also booked the group flights (with Qatar), it’s not my problem to sort out refunds. Small blessings.

 

[Flashback]

I'm thinking, sometimes for non-refundable hotel stays they don't actually charge your card till closer to the time, so if you find the hotel is not playing ball you could conveniently lose your card and have a new number issued. In my case, I no longer have the card I used to book and they still haven't charged - could be interesting.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

As it looks like overseas travel is going to be off limits through to the end of May, I am resigned that my fantastic Wales and Scotland trip will also be cancelled. At least the TA/tour operator also booked the group flights (with Qatar), it’s not my problem to sort out refunds. Small blessings.

I think it will be well beyond May.

 

[Port Power]

I’ve received the Qantas email advising “status extended for 12 months”. The announcement advises the 12 month extension will be processed by April 9. This is welcome news, and appreciated. Nice to have some good news for a change. Thank you Qantas. Loyalty does work both ways.

So now I will be cancelling the July status run to Christchurch.

 

[dajop]

Not sure if I'm being foolish or not, but on the theme "have you changed/cancel" travel (without the word "had to") this has opened up lots of cheap inventory around Easter. So now looking at 2 returns (SIN-MEL) instead of just one. ....

Wow, how things have changed in a week.

Singapore have announced all returning residents and visitors from all countries will be issued a stay at home notice. That is 2 weeks in residence or hotel, without leaving the front door. Not even going outside (unlike Australia's self isolation). This will not apply to those remaining in transit area of the airport.

So now to visit my mother + siblings will involve 4 weeks of isolation (2 of that without going outside )

 

[Scarlett]

After having KWI flights cancelled due to that governments decisions to close borders, we changed plans and are now in Dubai. UL have been very hard to pin down about changing our return to Aus flights from KWI-CMB-MEL to DXB-CMB-MEL, but as of this morning it was all starting to come together as a plan. Then the Sri Lankan government decided to throw another spanner in the works by announcing that they're going to close their international airports for a week, commencing as of about now, so that new routing won't be happening.

I tried through most of the day to get on tonight's flight, but either through being too overwhelmed, holding incorrect info, or just plain incompetence on the part of the local agency in DXB, that didn't happen.

So, looks like UL will be cancelling all flights and we won't be going anywhere for a while. It'll be interesting to see what tomorrow brings and whether they've developed a plan for us. (our flights were scheduled for 21 Mar, so we're probably still well back in the queue of being dealt with) I suspect not as yet but I'll be asking about them sending us back direct via EK or via SQ.

I seem to recall something about 'stranded traveller' legislation that means they do have to get us home and just can't cancel and refund the return half of the fare? Anyone ever come across that?

My alternate plan at the moment is to give UL 24hrs to develop a plan to get us home, and if they don't, I'll be using some QFF points to secure EK award seats.

It's getting harder to be a tourist with museums and attractions closed. The hotel has closed the pool, gym and bar. In our previous hotel in Abu Dhabi, they wouldn't let guests go into the breakfast buffet. Instead you stood outside the food area behind a barrier and staff would go and get whatever you wanted.