Coronavirus - Travel impacts II

[Sunset]

OK, I confess to having left for my South American trip in March 10 but that involved only a 4-day cruise on a 20-passenger ship in the Galapagos and that portion was cancelled before we could get there. I would not have left for a cruise on a megaship at that date.

Just threw in the towel on a 2-day trip to Chicago with my granddaughters (ages 3 and 6) scheduled for May 5-7. Hilton points re-deposited, no problem. AA has given me a credit for the flights but no idea what change fees I'll get socked with when I re-book. (Booked well before all this hit, so not part of the group who can re-book recent reservations with no change fees.)

I was truly looking forward to taking the 3-year old for the first time but the one thing that made the Chicago Children's Museum so wonderful for her older sister on our last visit- all the hands-on exhibits- makes it a giant Petri dish. They're closed through the end of April, anyway.

I saw on the local news in Chicago that some big hotels downtown, like the Hilton were closing. One big hotel had 1 guest the previous night, and another one had 7 guests.
It's cheaper for them to close than to serve so few guests.

 

[audreyh1]

A couple is our state is on this ship and bleating about how the government needs to help because it's awful. They also glibly say it wasn't THAT bad when got on the ship on March 8th. Quick poll, how many reading here now would have gotten on a cruise for an extended journey 3 weeks ago?

Hmmm - I think many here would have said no way on March 1 and many had already made major travel plan changes.

I know I was already concerned by Mar 1 about my March travel plans, although I didn’t act until March 10. My travel plans were not recreational, but required to support elderly family member no longer able to care for themselves.

My concern was how fast things were moving and how quickly they could change.

 

[Sunset]

Slightly travel related:

I have a United CC for travel, and didn't really plan to keep it, so since we are not traveling for next few months, figured I'd cancel.

There is no place on the website to cancel the card.

I phone in, they have a message saying they closed a bunch of call centers, and the automated system does not let you cancel a card.

Glad I decided to cancel it early, as it looks like I'll be on hold during the week in order to cancel the card.

I have an AA card, I was planning to keep, but will probably cancel it too as we will be cancelling our flight, and won't fly for many months.

No sense paying the fees for these cards until I'm ready to fly again.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I am surprised that anyone would take a unnecessary trip. Even in February we could see what was happening in other countries.

 

[candrew]

Just threw in the towel on a 2-day trip to Chicago with my granddaughters (ages 3 and 6) scheduled for May 5-7. Hilton points re-deposited, no problem. AA has given me a credit for the flights but no idea what change fees I'll get socked with when I re-book. (Booked well before all this hit, so not part of the group who can re-book recent reservations with no change fees.)

If you bought your AA tickets before March 1, 2020, for travel through May 31, 2020, you can rebook without change fees.

 

[MichaelB]

If you bought your AA tickets before March 1, 2020, for travel through May 31, 2020, you can rebook without change fees.

If you purchased directly from AA. Otherwise, deal with your agent.

 

[Gumby]

Our plan was to take a vacation in late September. Given the current uncertainty, we're not booking anything yet.

 

[Sunset]

If you bought your AA tickets before March 1, 2020, for travel through May 31, 2020, you can rebook without change fees.

I'm wanting a refund.
Problem with rebooking is often time limited, and I have no idea when to travel in the future.

 

[timo2]

Here is a potential hazard if a person has to stay in a hotel: COVID-19 patients stealth self-quarantine at the hotel, where the hotel does not know the person is a COVID-19 patient. From the story: "A woman, who was tested for coronavirus after traveling from another state, claims she was kicked out of an Albuquerque hotel after suffering an asthma attack. Danielle Branch said she was under quarantine, awaiting her test results, at the Quality Inn on Alameda".

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-new...erreacted-when-she-had-asthma-attack/5683575/

The background is that the New Mexico Governor wants everyone that flies into the State to self isolate for at least 14 days after traveling into New Mexico. So where are people going to do that?

 

[athena53]

If you bought your AA tickets before March 1, 2020, for travel through May 31, 2020, you can rebook without change fees.

Thanks- that's my case and I did buy directly from AA. No problem with getting a credit as long as they stay solvent- I fully intend to make this trip when DS, DDIL and I agree that it's safe. That may be awhile.

 

[Dtail]

I'm wanting a refund.
Problem with rebooking is often time limited, and I have no idea when to travel in the future.

Same her with AA. This is my only travel expense where they haven't yet agreed to a refund.

 

[Chuckanut]

I just cancelled a three week road trip. It's a shame because while most of the reservations can easily be remade for later this year, two required me to make reservations about 10 months ahead of time. When I checked for Fall openings, so far the places are booked solid. Oh well, time to look for interesting alternatives.

 

[DrRoy]

We heard that somewhere in the Florida Keys the police were turning tourists away, and on the Today show this morning that some states were turning people with NY plates back to NY.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

We heard that somewhere in the Florida Keys the police were turning tourists away, and on the Today show this morning that some states were turning people with NY plates back to NY.

https://thepublicsradio.org/article...ers-coming-to-rhode-island-to-self-quarantine

Governor Gina Raimondo has signed an executive order requiring all New Yorkers traveling to Rhode Island to self-quarantine once they arrive in the state. The directive applies to New Yorkers who travel to Rhode Island by any means, whether it be by car, bus, plane, or train.

Beginning Friday [3/27], Raimondo said state troopers will pull over passenger vehicles with New York license plates, a move that has drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates. The trooper will ask the occupants if they're passing through Rhode Island or if they're coming here for an extended stay. If they're staying, Raimondo says they'll be told to self-quarantine for 14 days.

 

[explanade]

A couple is our state is on this ship and bleating about how the government needs to help because it's awful. They also glibly say it wasn't THAT bad when got on the ship on March 8th. Quick poll, how many reading here now would have gotten on a cruise for an extended journey 3 weeks ago?

Irony is that when the Diamond Princess was stranded off Japan and infections were increasing, it seemed grim.

But since then, other outbreaks, like Italy, Madrid, maybe NYC, all seem far worse.

Meanwhile total fatalities in the Dimond Princess is not that high so far.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My son was in Vietnam teaching English and got out the morning of the 27th. By that evening the country was shutting down and you had to take a blood test to get out which showed you are healthy. I am so relieved.

 

[ncbill]

We heard that somewhere in the Florida Keys the police were turning tourists away, and on the Today show this morning that some states were turning people with NY plates back to NY.

Only permanent residents are allowed onto the Outer Banks barrier islands here in my state.

Non-residents who own vacation properties banned for now..

 

[NW-Bound]

Previously in this thread some posters mentioned they were embarking on South American Cruises. Stories are starting to appear about some of these cruises. So now I'm concerned about the previous posters. Here is today's story.

Holland America Zaandam: Four passengers have died aboard a Holland America cruise ship that soon may make its way to Port Everglades, the liner announced Friday......The ship was prohibited from disembarking in Chile and is now seeking to make its way to Fort Lauderdale. That plan has drawn the wrath of Broward’s county commission, which is considering turning it away.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/corona...KwREmAdjYJhz1P3l_owESdDAKLDkWFdLdtgxmtLL9O2gg

With a lot more cases and deaths on land now, people and the media about all forget about the cruise ships. Yes, that Zaandam ship is still in limbo with 4 dead bodies on board, and 140 having symptoms.

And even of the Grand Princess that was allowed to dock in Oakland and its passengers taken to 3 different US military camps for quarantine, not much is talked about them anymore.

I just checked, and two passengers on the Grand Princess have died. Of the rest, less than 1/2 have been tested. And the ship docking was on March 9. That's 20 days ago. Are these passengers still under quarantine? The public simply forgets about them. Nothing special anymore.

 

[Chuckanut]

Arches and Canyonlands NP have been closed

 

[timo2]

We heard that somewhere in the Florida Keys the police were turning tourists away, and on the Today show this morning that some states were turning people with NY plates back to NY.

I understand the small resort towns blocking the summer residents, as the whole official reaction to the virus from the beginning has been about keeping the local hospitals from being overwhelmed. Many of the people that complain about the stay-at-home policies forget the restrictions are about patient control, not people control. But now it seems people are getting personal and pointing fingers at certain non-patient groups. That's alarming.

 

[Ian S]

The only thing left to cancel for our late April trip to London and Rome are the going and returning flights. The going flight to London is on American Airlines and all we can get is a waiver of change fees good for travel until December 31. That's of little or no use to us. In contrast it appears that the return flight via BA would be rebookable for up to a year from the existing flight date. Then, last week, DH's company (travel-related) has laid off many employees including DH as of March 31. In looking at our travel insurance policy, it appears that his being laid off is covered as a reason to cancel the trip and get a refund on the airfare so that is the approach we'll try. I'm thinking it would be best to get a letter from the firm on its letterhead confirming his layoff situation. Anyone ever been able to use trip insurance in this way before?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

The only thing left to cancel for our late April trip to London and Rome are the going and returning flights. The going flight to London is on American Airlines and all we can get is a waiver of change fees good for travel until December 31. That's of little or no use to us. In contrast it appears that the return flight via BA would be rebookable for up to a year from the existing flight date. Then, last week, DH's company (travel-related) has laid off many employees including DH as of March 31. In looking at our travel insurance policy, it appears that his being laid off is covered as a reason to cancel the trip and get a refund on the airfare so that is the approach we'll try. I'm thinking it would be best to get a letter from the firm on its letterhead confirming his layoff situation. Anyone ever been able to use trip insurance in this way before?

I decided to forego trip insurance because I saw so many reviews that said they met all the conditions for the claim, but the trip insurance kept denying them or just not responding.

I hope it works for you, of course. I would think that a letter on company letterhead would do it. Let us know how it works out.

I'm in a similar situation, except our BA flights aren't until July, so we may have to wait and see. Right now they're only addressing flights up to May 31 on the BA website. And, like you, I don't want a voucher, because who knows when we would be able to use it. I may have to play "refund chicken" and wait until they cancel the flight. Luckily, I charged it to a USAA credit card, and it has trip insurance, plus they might allow me to dispute it after more than 60 days, since the nature of flights often requires purchasing further ahead than that.

 

[sengsational]

I've got one, one-way flight in mid April that's not cancelled. The flight operates twice a week, and the previous week is cancelled, but the week of my booking is not cancelled. I've been checking every few days because when it's cancelled, I'll make a formal request for refund, which will probably not be honored, then I'll open a 'failed to deliver service' dispute with the credit card.

 

[Ian S]

I've got one, one-way flight in mid April that's not cancelled. The flight operates twice a week, and the previous week is cancelled, but the week of my booking is not cancelled. I've been checking every few days because when it's cancelled, I'll make a formal request for refund, which will probably not be honored, then I'll open a 'failed to deliver service' dispute with the credit card.

Our non-stop flight to London hasn't been flying for over a week but there apparently are connecting flights at the moment. Our departure isn't for four weeks so I'm sure things could change. At least we'll start with the travel insurance and see how that goes.

 

[Freedom56]

The relaxation open slot rules went into effect today 3/29/20 through 10/31/20 for the EU. So they don't have to fly those ghost flights. The UK authority is expect do the same. I hope the FAA does the same as there are still too many empty flights over North American airspace.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...-fightback-airport-landing-rules-empty-planes

Airlines can only start cancelling their flights once the rules are lifted in the UK and USA.