Coronavirus in Italy - upcoming ex-Italy flight
Feb 24, 2020, 4:52 am
#1
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Coronavirus in Italy - upcoming ex-Italy flight
Trying to prepare for potential serious travel issues.
I live in the US. Currently in central Italy where there is no virus scare. But I have a TRN-CDG-USA itinerary in six days. The event I was going to attend in Torino has been canceled due to Coronavirus concerns and I will avoid the area.
Might AF give me a waiver to return to the US on an earlier date from a different city, either in Italy or France?
As of now AF.com is only mentioning China itineraries being available for change/cancelation waivers.
I live in the US. Currently in central Italy where there is no virus scare. But I have a TRN-CDG-USA itinerary in six days. The event I was going to attend in Torino has been canceled due to Coronavirus concerns and I will avoid the area.
Might AF give me a waiver to return to the US on an earlier date from a different city, either in Italy or France?
As of now AF.com is only mentioning China itineraries being available for change/cancelation waivers.
Feb 24, 2020, 5:44 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,589
You should call and ask, particularly if you have elite status, be very polite whatever they decide to do. If they cannot help, you can also try and involve your travel agent / credit card company / insurance. Mention that with the stupid government currently in place in the US, you are worried they will quarantine you if you don’t make it home early. They will be sympathetic to that. I expect AF to issue a waiver for Italy soon, but you might have to wait for a few days.
if you cannot leave, no worries, Italy is beautiful and over 99% of the population will be fine anyway. Stay in good shape, get plenty of sleep, just in case.
if you cannot leave, no worries, Italy is beautiful and over 99% of the population will be fine anyway. Stay in good shape, get plenty of sleep, just in case.
Feb 24, 2020, 7:01 am
#4
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Not really concerned with the virus as all reliable sources have been reporting that the mortality rate is less than the regular flu. But my concern is the irrational reaction of authorities causing draconian measures like border closings or America not allowing travelers from Italy in.
Feb 24, 2020, 9:49 am
#5
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The situation evolves by the hour.
Most companies, including French ones, are cancelling business trips to Northern Italy. Whether it is rational is irrelevant.
AF will soon face low loads to TRN and they might reduce frequency. But that might take some time.
As others mention, I would be worried about the US imposing quarantine for pax from Italy.
I doubt that a general Italy waiver will be offered by AF in the very near future. But I would try calling them nicely to arrange an early reroute from where you are.
With all the business trip cancellations taking place, AF is well aware of the situation.
Most companies, including French ones, are cancelling business trips to Northern Italy. Whether it is rational is irrelevant.
AF will soon face low loads to TRN and they might reduce frequency. But that might take some time.
As others mention, I would be worried about the US imposing quarantine for pax from Italy.
I doubt that a general Italy waiver will be offered by AF in the very near future. But I would try calling them nicely to arrange an early reroute from where you are.
With all the business trip cancellations taking place, AF is well aware of the situation.
Feb 25, 2020, 3:02 pm
#6
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Feb 25, 2020, 3:08 pm
#7
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Feb 25, 2020, 3:41 pm
#8
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Not really concerned with the virus as all reliable sources have been reporting that the mortality rate is less than the regular flu. But my concern is the irrational reaction of authorities causing draconian measures like border closings or America not allowing travelers from Italy in.
You may regret not doing so if you later get "stranded" in situ.
Feb 25, 2020, 4:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 81
Just saw this:
https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/commo...air-france.htm
https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/commo...air-france.htm
Flight schedule to and from Northern Italy
We are monitoring the situation in real time. To date, no restrictions have been issued by the authorities for travel to or from Italy and we are operatingall our flights.
However, commercial measures have been implemented if you wish to postpone your trip. You can find details of our commercial measures in 'Can I modify my trip in Italy?'
---
If you have a valid Air France ticket, issued on or before 25 February, 2020, for an Air France flight departing from or arriving in Northern Italy (Milan-Malpensa, Milan-Linate, Venice or Bologna) between 25 February and 02 March, 2020, you can postpone your trip at no extra cost onto a later flight until 31 March, 2020 included.
Save time by changing your booking directly online, in the "Your reservations" section of the website or in the mobile app. You can also contact your travel agent.
We are monitoring the situation in real time. To date, no restrictions have been issued by the authorities for travel to or from Italy and we are operatingall our flights.
However, commercial measures have been implemented if you wish to postpone your trip. You can find details of our commercial measures in 'Can I modify my trip in Italy?'
---
If you have a valid Air France ticket, issued on or before 25 February, 2020, for an Air France flight departing from or arriving in Northern Italy (Milan-Malpensa, Milan-Linate, Venice or Bologna) between 25 February and 02 March, 2020, you can postpone your trip at no extra cost onto a later flight until 31 March, 2020 included.
Save time by changing your booking directly online, in the "Your reservations" section of the website or in the mobile app. You can also contact your travel agent.
Feb 26, 2020, 4:38 am
#10
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An update.
The waiver mentioned above unfortunately does not include TRN. It should.
For the last two days I’ve been calling the US AF/DL/KL joint venture desk. The agents always said DL has been granting fee-free changes but AF has not and as this is an AF marketed ticket, they have to go by AF’s rules. Telling them I have no intention on going to Turin at all as that would be irresponsible only got me sympathy but no action. Eventually they let me change to a FCO-CDG-US itinerary departing a day earlier than scheduled. It took being bounced from agent to agent to find an understanding agent who didn’t charge me any kind of fee.
Not 100% sure the changes of flights are done. There are so many unknowns.
The waiver mentioned above unfortunately does not include TRN. It should.
For the last two days I’ve been calling the US AF/DL/KL joint venture desk. The agents always said DL has been granting fee-free changes but AF has not and as this is an AF marketed ticket, they have to go by AF’s rules. Telling them I have no intention on going to Turin at all as that would be irresponsible only got me sympathy but no action. Eventually they let me change to a FCO-CDG-US itinerary departing a day earlier than scheduled. It took being bounced from agent to agent to find an understanding agent who didn’t charge me any kind of fee.
Not 100% sure the changes of flights are done. There are so many unknowns.
Last edited by Oakshadow; Feb 26, 2020 at 5:05 am
Feb 27, 2020, 2:08 am
#11
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TRN has been added on AF website:
Si vous ętes en possession d'un billet émis jusqu'au 25 février 2020 pour un vol Air France au départ ou ŕ destination de l'Italie du Nord (Milan-Malpensa et Milan-Linate, Venise, Bologne et Turin) entre le 25 février et le 15 mars 2020, vous pouvez reporter votre voyage sans frais jusqu'au 3 avril 2020 inclus.
Si vous ętes en possession d'un billet émis jusqu'au 25 février 2020 pour un vol Air France au départ ou ŕ destination de l'Italie du Nord (Milan-Malpensa et Milan-Linate, Venise, Bologne et Turin) entre le 25 février et le 15 mars 2020, vous pouvez reporter votre voyage sans frais jusqu'au 3 avril 2020 inclus.
Mar 1, 2020, 9:02 am
#12
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An update. Back home in the US.
As mentioned above I originally changed the itinerary to FCO-CDG-US a day earlier with help of the US Delta/AF/KL "joint venture desk." I could never get a hold of an actual AF agent in France. A couple of days later as the situation became more serious, I decided to travel to Nice and was able to change it to a NCE-CDG-US itinerary. That way I could honestly tell a US official that my origin was France. Again, it was a US DL agent who helped change this.
Arrival in the US was very typical. With Global Entry I used the GE kiosks, was issued an exit voucher, showed it to the agent and that was that. I was out. There didn't seem to be any kind of temperature checks, at least not that I could see.
One issue is that the CDG-LAX segment, while on DL metal, was coded as an AF ticket. The agent put me on a DL coded ticket. This meant that I earned much less DL MQDs and MQMs. I'd like to get my SM account credited for the originally purchased miles. But perhaps this is an issue for the DL board.
As mentioned above I originally changed the itinerary to FCO-CDG-US a day earlier with help of the US Delta/AF/KL "joint venture desk." I could never get a hold of an actual AF agent in France. A couple of days later as the situation became more serious, I decided to travel to Nice and was able to change it to a NCE-CDG-US itinerary. That way I could honestly tell a US official that my origin was France. Again, it was a US DL agent who helped change this.
Arrival in the US was very typical. With Global Entry I used the GE kiosks, was issued an exit voucher, showed it to the agent and that was that. I was out. There didn't seem to be any kind of temperature checks, at least not that I could see.
One issue is that the CDG-LAX segment, while on DL metal, was coded as an AF ticket. The agent put me on a DL coded ticket. This meant that I earned much less DL MQDs and MQMs. I'd like to get my SM account credited for the originally purchased miles. But perhaps this is an issue for the DL board.
Last edited by Oakshadow; Mar 1, 2020 at 9:09 am
Mar 1, 2020, 2:12 pm
#13
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An update. Back home in the US.
As mentioned above I originally changed the itinerary to FCO-CDG-US a day earlier with help of the US Delta/AF/KL "joint venture desk." I could never get a hold of an actual AF agent in France. A couple of days later as the situation became more serious, I decided to travel to Nice and was able to change it to a NCE-CDG-US itinerary. That way I could honestly tell a US official that my origin was France. Again, it was a US DL agent who helped change this.
Arrival in the US was very typical. With Global Entry I used the GE kiosks, was issued an exit voucher, showed it to the agent and that was that. I was out. There didn't seem to be any kind of temperature checks, at least not that I could see.
One issue is that the CDG-LAX segment, while on DL metal, was coded as an AF ticket. The agent put me on a DL coded ticket. This meant that I earned much less DL MQDs and MQMs. I'd like to get my SM account credited for the originally purchased miles. But perhaps this is an issue for the DL board.
As mentioned above I originally changed the itinerary to FCO-CDG-US a day earlier with help of the US Delta/AF/KL "joint venture desk." I could never get a hold of an actual AF agent in France. A couple of days later as the situation became more serious, I decided to travel to Nice and was able to change it to a NCE-CDG-US itinerary. That way I could honestly tell a US official that my origin was France. Again, it was a US DL agent who helped change this.
Arrival in the US was very typical. With Global Entry I used the GE kiosks, was issued an exit voucher, showed it to the agent and that was that. I was out. There didn't seem to be any kind of temperature checks, at least not that I could see.
One issue is that the CDG-LAX segment, while on DL metal, was coded as an AF ticket. The agent put me on a DL coded ticket. This meant that I earned much less DL MQDs and MQMs. I'd like to get my SM account credited for the originally purchased miles. But perhaps this is an issue for the DL board.
Mar 2, 2020, 8:16 am
#15
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