V-Flyer

Most standard travel insurance policies explicitly exclude cancellations due to epidemic or pandemic. Some firms are making exceptions but by no means all.

Personally I would not even consider foreign travel for the next few months. The list of countries banning UK citizens from entry is growing daily (Czech Republic being the latest). There will be many more flight cancellations. Last weekend we couldn’t have predicted where we’d be today, so who knows where we’ll be next week, let alone Easter or beyond. Everything is too uncertain right now.

(This from someone who, until this week, was very much in the “won’t let it affect me” camp.)

Due to head to MCO on 25/04 for 3 weeks and have the added complication of travelling from Cyprus to the UK first. No Schengen problems (yet) but depends on what US/UK/Cyprus all decide to do. I’m not planning to cancel anything at the moment though.

We are hopefully going to Vegas a week on Sunday. My OH wants to cancel everything in the current situation. I am more optimistic and am willing to go, he is worried if we catch something while there and also maybe be quarantined in a hotel and not being able to get back.

I have rung our travel insurance and they have said only if we get Coronavirus confirmed and a case by case review is under way would we maybe covered. If the US government puts a block on travel from the U.K. Not covered and as regards flights the carrier is responsible.
So not very encouraging, also just learnt some buffets and eateries will be closed on a review basis.
We could rearrange I hope but to where and car hire , parking and room extras already paid.
Would get back anything if we cancel they are all Avios booked. Linda

From CNN:

“A source with the State Department told CNN they will extend the prohibition to the UK if the cases continue to rise there.”

Due to fly to Bali on Saturday via DOH and then onto Singapore 10 days later.
Amex Plat insurance say tough , if I cancel they won’t cover me and Qatar say I can’t cancel and apply the fare towards another booking later as neither destination is on their no go list. Mr DL is worried that if he gets to Bali that they’ll not let him back into Oz ( they’re talking about closing that off so I could potentially be in Bali on my own as he’s not due to leave until after I arrive ) and now they’ve cancelled the Grand Prix ( he was flying to MEL this afternoon for that...).
A week ago I wasn’t overtly concerned but I can’t say that now.
DL

DragonLady wrote:Due to fly to Bali on Saturday via DOH and then onto Singapore 10 days later.
Amex Plat insurance say tough , if I cancel they won’t cover me and Qatar say I can’t cancel and apply the fare towards another booking later as neither destination is on their no go list. Mr DL is worried that if he gets to Bali that they’ll not let him back into Oz ( they’re talking about closing that off so I could potentially be in Bali on my own as he’s not due to leave until after I arrive ) and now they’ve cancelled the Grand Prix ( he was flying to MEL this afternoon for that...).
A week ago I wasn’t overtly concerned but I can’t say that now.
DL

Any chance you would be able to 'change the date' I understand QR have waived the fee on new and existing bookings.



In terms of that CNN quote - extension to the UK if continues to spread, a pretty ridiculous statement. This is a pandemic, the disease will continue to spread everywhere. This is a known fact already.

FLYERZ wrote:

DragonLady wrote:Due to fly to Bali on Saturday via DOH and then onto Singapore 10 days later.
Amex Plat insurance say tough , if I cancel they won’t cover me and Qatar say I can’t cancel and apply the fare towards another booking later as neither destination is on their no go list. Mr DL is worried that if he gets to Bali that they’ll not let him back into Oz ( they’re talking about closing that off so I could potentially be in Bali on my own as he’s not due to leave until after I arrive ) and now they’ve cancelled the Grand Prix ( he was flying to MEL this afternoon for that...).
A week ago I wasn’t overtly concerned but I can’t say that now.
DL

Any chance you would be able to 'change the date' I understand QR have waived the fee on new and existing bookings.



In terms of that CNN quote - extension to the UK if continues to spread, a pretty ridiculous statement. This is a pandemic, the disease will continue to spread everywhere. This is a known fact already.

Nope - there’s a cost apparently . I was quoted £150 and cost of difference in fare (and there is a time restriction that travel needs to undertaken in).

DragonLady wrote:and now they’ve cancelled the Grand Prix
DL

Apparently not ( despite what the BBC say) .MrDL a bit surprised as Oz news saying it’s still on ( and he’s just heading for the airport...).
Hoping it is still on ( but I fear the worst...:( )
DL

Virgin Voyages now suspended until August. I moved my GRU flights from May to a Voyages cruise via VHols in July, joy!

The situation is so fluid, I don't think anyone will realistically have any idea what will happen next week never mind month ahead. My AU status will cease in June with no way to renew following having multiple flights booked and now rescheduled to renew.

VHQ must be having some very late nights right now, an unprecedented, unpredictable and volatile situation for the industry and very worrying.

mallin wrote:We are hopefully going to Vegas a week on Sunday. My OH wants to cancel everything in the current situation. I am more optimistic and am willing to go, he is worried if we catch something while there and also maybe be quarantined in a hotel and not being able to get back.

I have rung our travel insurance and they have said only if we get Coronavirus confirmed and a case by case review is under way would we maybe covered. If the US government puts a block on travel from the U.K. Not covered and as regards flights the carrier is responsible.
So not very encouraging, also just learnt some buffets and eateries will be closed on a review basis.
We could rearrange I hope but to where and car hire , parking and room extras already paid.
Would get back anything if we cancel they are all Avios booked. Linda

What a faff, to say the least. At a time you’d be expecting to be full of anticipation, instead there’s uncertainty. I do feel for you Linda, and hope you’re able to settle your mind on what to do. Makes you feel a bit robbed, doesn’t it?

I hadn’t realised insurance doesn’t cover for pandemics - but then, I’m probably not alone in that, it’s uncharted territory and I guess not something many of us would have even thought of. Had assumed that yes, flight cancellations would be sorted out by airlines, but that accommodation etc would be covered by insurance. Wrong!

DragonLady wrote:

DragonLady wrote:and now they’ve cancelled the Grand Prix
DL

Apparently not ( despite what the BBC say) .MrDL a bit surprised as Oz news saying it’s still on ( and he’s just heading for the airport...).
Hoping it is still on ( but I fear the worst...:( )
DL

It’s definitely off now.

And with US states now falling over themselves to ban large public gatherings, cancel concerts & sports fixtures and close theme parks, museums and theatres etc I would strongly recommend that anyone still planning to fly there in the coming weeks reconsiders.

The time for putting heads in the sand and insisting on carrying on regardless is over. This is getting worse by the hour.

Update: Disney World theme parks in Florida now closed for the rest of the month. Clearly that will have major implications for VS at MCO, particularly if the closure’s extended into April and the Easter holidays.

Disneyland Paris, Disneyland California and Disney Cruise Line also suspending operations.

gumshoe wrote:Update: Disney World theme parks in Florida now closed for the rest of the month. Clearly that will have major implications for VS at MCO, particularly if the closure’s extended into April and the Easter holidays.

Disneyland Paris, Disneyland California and Disney Cruise Line also suspending operations.

Arrived into MCO yesterday. Only took 25minutes from landing, immigration, monorail and checking into the Hyatt Hotel. By normal standards the place is deserted apart from us Brits arriving. All theme parks are closing “after business on Sunday evening”. The resort hotels remain open.

Also for info... I was really most concerned with the immigration process when you have to place fingers onto the machine to check finger prints. I followed the previous person and was told to place my four fingers on the glass which was clearly smeared by other users. The immigration officer was not happy when I suggested that the screen should be sanitizered after each use To me this is a major Coronavirus issue. Not sure what procedure other airports are using but it’s not impressive in this current fear climate.

gumshoe wrote:
The time for putting heads in the sand and insisting on carrying on regardless is over. This is getting worse by the hour.

Sorry, but it's not a case of putting your head in the sand. It's currently easier said than done to cancel travel plans in a lot of situations. Many small independent hotels and other transport options still have no cancelation waiver policy in place.

I'm not throwing my hard earned money away if I don't have to. Travel insurance is now pretty much worthless.

The airlines are actually also telling you not to contact them unless you are travelling within the next 72hrs. VS and Expedia are currently quoting 2hr call centre wait times. I suspect everyone else is in the same situation.

mitchja wrote: Travel insurance is now pretty much worthless.

The airlines are actually also telling you not to contact them unless you are travelling within the next 72hrs. VS and Expedia are currently quoting 2hr call centre wait times. I suspect everyone else is in the same situation.

I can’t get hold of anybody - 15 calls to Amex ( all cut off) and company that I booked the Qatar flights through is constantly engaged (been trying for two and a half hours..).
If I don’t show up tomorrow ( as opposed to cancel) can I claim back the APD without too much hassle ( given I cant actually speak to anybody....) ?
Totally frazzled (:
DL

I feel for those who are travelling in the coming weeks. This is definitely not a nice situation to be in and I'm hoping I'm not in this predicament come September when I'm due to travel.

Agreed with James that travel insurance probably won't come to your rescue here, though many of them don't need much of an excuse to avoid paying out anyway.

The Times is reporting a list of companies at risk of going bankrupt or credit default. Included is TUI and Virgin Money...!

VS re-booking policy window now extended to Dec 31st, from this page:

Our flexible no change fees policy

To give you greater peace of mind with your upcoming travel plans, we've introduced a flexible no change fees policy

for bookings made before 12 March, for travel between 1 March and 31 May 2020. Travel can be rebooked between 13 March 2020 and 31 December 2020.

for bookings made between 4 March and 31 March., travel can be rebooked between 4 March 2020 and 31 December 2020.

This means that if your plans do need to change, you can switch your flight to an alternative date with no penalty. Rebooked flights will be subject to availability and any difference in fare.

You can also choose to re-route on a Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Atlantic Codeshare flight to or from your original destination, or rebook to or from another destination.

Travel must be completed on or before 31 December 2020.

This policy applies to all booking classes (including Economy Light) on all routes in Virgin Atlantic’s international network, and for tickets booked with us on our transatlantic codeshare flights with Delta, Air France and KLM. Your flight number will begin with the letters "VS". It also includes Flying Club redemption bookings.

DL to cut capacity by 40% and ground 300 aircraft. EU destinations are axed for 30 days, bar London.

A reporter has just asked Trump about the situation in the UK where we have announced 200+ extra C cases today and is he considering adding the UK to the list of ‘banned’ countries entering the US

He said that it will be looked at and maybe we will be added to the list alongside some other countries - maybe some, I assume with greater control, will be allowed in, is also something he said

Just had an email from VS offering a 6 month status extension to all Gold and Silver members - exactly what I needed!

Great to see them get ahead of BA and offer something!

Nikolic wrote:Just had an email from VS offering a 6 month status extension to all Gold and Silver members - exactly what I needed!

Great to see them get ahead of BA and offer something!

Nothing for us reds then? ;)

Looks like my one of my VS flights is about to get the chop (if I do get to fly at all) at the end of April.

Booked on the VS10 from JFK on Apr 27th. Seat map has now disappeared this morning and that flight is no longer on sale.

The outbound VS3 the previous week still looks OK but the seat map has gone from ~6 allocated seats yesterday to >20 this morning so looks like VS are merging JFK flights.

Flying in 10 days ... just waiting for the flight to be pulled as our plan to rebook for August is not viable as it comes in as an extra £1300 pp, almost another holiday

So, usually I am eagerly anticipating the US halting arrivals from the UK which will aid our cause

I just cannot see the US banning UK flights. The NYLON route is too important given the current economic climate. They may put additional screening at LHR~JFK/EWR and slim schedules but I cannot see a complete ban.