I’m still reeling from the travel restrictions imposed as of a couple days ago. If you would have told me that foreign nationals from the majority of Europe would be prevented from entering the United States for a month in 2020, I never would have believed you. But if you’d also said there would be a pandemic this year, I would have been unlikely to believe that, either.
Airlines are reeling in the wake of the news and decisions being made to combat the virus. United has forecasted a 70% drop in bookings, which is unfathomable. The industry is being shaken, and we will undoubtedly watch even more airlines go under this year. We’ll see what the long-term impact of this event is.
In the short-term, airlines are making adjustments, changing or canceling routes, swapping aircraft, and the like. They’ve also issued waivers, initially for new travel. This was more of a mechanism to keep the bookings rolling in rather than doing their best by customers, since anyone who had already booked their travel was left out in the cold. But things have slowly been changing. However, I’ve still been sitting here waiting to cancel a trip that will be here before I know it.
There’s No Way I’m Heading to Europe This Month
I’ve had a quick solo weekend trip on the calendar for several months. I penciled in the outbound as the return segment of a trip departing Barcelona, open-jaw-ing to Copenhagen. The plan was to spend three days in Denmark, then fly home. I’d even found a great return option, a business class Air New Zealand ticket. This was supposed to be my first fifth freedom flight.
There’s no way I’m flying it now. Several days ago I expressed that I’d possibly go through with it, but the reservations I still had about the trip. No more. Staying home is absolutely the most prudent course of action.
But I’m hoping to get part of my ticket back and also not have to pay the United cancellation fee. I’m going to call United today and plead my case. I can change the date free of charge, based on what I understand about the waiver. Cancellation, however, likely won’t be covered. And with the airline starved for income, every $100 counts.
Getting anything out of British Airways for roughly half of the other ticket is less likely, short of a major schedule change or flight cancellation. Based on what I see in FlightAware, neither BA284 nor BA286 from SFO to LHR have been canceled for the past week or more. Planes are still flying, and it looks like that may continue to be the case. The UK was not included in the Europe travel ban, so British Airways may hang on to their scheduled flights to the West Coast.
Conclusion
I’m going to call and ask what the airlines can do in both cases. In general, I prefer to handle everything online, and I particularly do not like arguing for a refund with phone reps. But who knows, maybe I’ll get a sympathetic one in both cases. I’ve been hearing that United has both waived the award cancellation fee for some people, but charged it to others.
At the end of the day, losing a few hundred dollars is not the end of the world. It’d be nice if the airlines made things easy by canceling my flights, but this may not happen. I still have two weeks, so I can afford to play “wait and see” a little more.
Anyone else out there playing chicken with the airlines with their planned travel?
Same for me with Sri Lankan Airlines. Greedy Sri Lankans, give them money and it is like getting blood out of a stone to get it back. I have CMB-BLR-CMB-NRT booked for March 24 in J. And return on April 2. All foreign nationals are barred from India ( BLR ) so UL cannot take me there and they cannot take me back after Japan. yet because I am on a promotional Business ticket, they blatantly refuse to cancel it, despite my best efforts. And despite the fact they cannot fly me there now. So when I ask “what are… Read more »
Airlines are going to be hit hard, no matter what. It’s a bummer it’s come to this.
If they cannot fly you there, they cannot fulfill their contract of carriage. You’ll likely be able to file a chargeback with your credit card company?
I am flying Cape AIr from STL to MWA (Marion, Illinois) and back on Monday so I can get a flight on the new Tecnam Traveller. So far so good. Its a 101 mile flight basically across the Mississippi River. Fingers crossed. Don’t know if it being an EAS flight has anything to do with it, or just because its VERY domestic. I’m not gonna let the hysteria mess up my fun. Good luck to anyone doing “real” itineraries and stay safe and use common sense y’all.
This doesn’t sound like much risk or much trouble, currently. It does sound like a whole lot of fun! Hoping you’re able to go through with it.
I ust cancelled a BA flight to NYC next week and they wouldn’t waive the £35 fee even for a Silver member – He said “its the only money we are making at the minute”
Bummer. If my flight isn’t canceled, I’m just going to move the date moths out.
If you need to call in to make any changes, good luck. Amex Travel has effectively ceased to function. AA is impossible to get through on.
That’s my biggest worry. 🙁
British Airways will let you move the date for free or give you a credit for the amount. No refunds.
Exactly. Which is why I’m hoping for a cancellation. If not, I’ll just punt the segment to July.
LOL, I’m saying the same thing for our Hawaii trip at the end of this month in hopes of a refund instead of a credit!
Fingers crossed!