Feb 25, 2020, 12:10 pm
Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
Customer Guidelines: see post 97 for rebooking options for some north of Italy routes.
Potential Impact of Coronavirus on flights to Milan & rest of Italy
Feb 25, 2020, 9:25 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
by the way it sounds you won’t even leave the house !
Flights only get cancelled due to demand or govt advice, so far the uk is taking a prudent approach. It’s amazing how Italy went from doing nothing to massively overreacting and causing a panic, by which time it is very late to take action and the damage has been cause already.
look at the us and uk, virus has been around a few weeks now but no crazy surge so far.
I flew today and my flight was packed and the airport was as usual, with very few people bothering with masks, the only person I encountered being a KAL employee at the lounge in LAX
Flights only get cancelled due to demand or govt advice, so far the uk is taking a prudent approach. It’s amazing how Italy went from doing nothing to massively overreacting and causing a panic, by which time it is very late to take action and the damage has been cause already.
look at the us and uk, virus has been around a few weeks now but no crazy surge so far.
I flew today and my flight was packed and the airport was as usual, with very few people bothering with masks, the only person I encountered being a KAL employee at the lounge in LAX
this virus is spreading like wildfire and kills 1 in 50 people infected. Pretty serious if you ask me.
Feb 25, 2020, 9:25 am
#77
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Feb 25, 2020, 9:53 am
#78
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,535
Folks, we are drifting massively off-topic here. Perhaps it's time to take note of the thread title?
Whilst we understand that some degree of conjecture is inevitable, let's also stick to known, factual information if we can - as with other threads covering the virus, it is much more useful for people to come here and find accurate posts rather than massive exaggeration or pure unadulterated guesswork as we have seen in many of the recent contributions.
/mod
Whilst we understand that some degree of conjecture is inevitable, let's also stick to known, factual information if we can - as with other threads covering the virus, it is much more useful for people to come here and find accurate posts rather than massive exaggeration or pure unadulterated guesswork as we have seen in many of the recent contributions.
/mod
Much appreciated
Feb 25, 2020, 9:56 am
#79
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,865
I am afraid not. You would need a 120 min or more schedule change to get a refund normally.
Feb 25, 2020, 10:06 am
#80
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,535
Next Steps
If you're happy to travel at the new flight time, you don't need to do anything.If you want to book an alternative flight, please go to to see your options.
The links above and below provide direct access to your booking so please only forward this email if you want the recipient to access your booking and the related services.
Assuming that means I can only move flights, not cancel?
Feb 25, 2020, 10:08 am
#81
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,865
Just to confirm, they said this:
If you want to book an alternative flight, please go to xxx to see your options.
The links above and below provide direct access to your booking so please only forward this email if you want the recipient to access your booking and the related services.
Assuming that means I can only move flights, not cancel?
Next Steps
If you're happy to travel at the new flight time, you don't need to do anything.If you want to book an alternative flight, please go to xxx to see your options.
The links above and below provide direct access to your booking so please only forward this email if you want the recipient to access your booking and the related services.
Assuming that means I can only move flights, not cancel?
Btw remove the hyperlink from your post!
Feb 25, 2020, 10:12 am
#82
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,535
I am assuming this is just going to offer you the standard options as there is no specific guidance for your flights otherwise. I would be very surprised if you are offered a cancel & refund as the standard guidelines are clear that doesn't kick in until a 120 min change.
Btw remove the hyperlink from your post!
Btw remove the hyperlink from your post!
Appreciate the help as always
Feb 25, 2020, 10:23 am
#83
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,437
BA have a big operation in Northern Italy and fly to three airports just in Milan (BGY, LIN, MXP). I’m sure if this keeps spreading they will have to reduce flights, even if not for safety but falling demand, much like Hong Kong and Singapore.
Feb 25, 2020, 10:33 am
#84
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,986
Can we at least try to keep this thread on topic, i.e. specific information about the effect of the coronavirus on BA's operations to and from Italy? I'm struggling to find the info amongst the chat.
Feb 25, 2020, 10:38 am
#85
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: American Life Time 2 Million Mile Platinum
Posts: 368
The snow is better and no reported Corona cases (yet) in Colorado.
BA has a direct flight LHR-DEN with connection to EGE (Vail) if you prefer not to drive the two hours up the mountain.
EGE is short drives to Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain and Aspen.
Good skiing
if you are not a wild need extreme terrain person like some Europeans. When we skied Davo, we found we had been spoiled by the grooming in the US!
Feb 25, 2020, 10:44 am
#86
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Programs: Nowt of note.
Posts: 1,626
Originally Posted by TalkMail
Reminder: 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak Disrupts Travel
To keep yourself updated with the latest news and information pertaining to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus - which originated in Wuhan in China; caused at least 2,618 deaths; and has already spread to at least 29 other countries around the world - please refer to this definitive discussion, which is complete with a WikiPost and a growing list of links to other discussions on FlyerTalk.
Feb 25, 2020, 11:53 am
#87
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,206
I think there's a need for a reality check.
My company has just decide to quarantine me, and another couple of guys, for having visited Italy up to the 19/02, although no one of us has been in Lody or Piacenza provinces. In fact, the region I've been to - Piedmont - only had three cases. Sure, better be safe than sorry but, as of right now, there have been 288 cases and 11 victims: as per the Italian ministry of Health they were aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s, all with prior health conditions. The youngest was 65 and being treated for cancer. We're not exactly talking about Ebola.
A colleague who's due to fly to Rome called BA asking for a change or a refund and she has been told no. The flight is in 2 weeks' time, mind you.
My company has just decide to quarantine me, and another couple of guys, for having visited Italy up to the 19/02, although no one of us has been in Lody or Piacenza provinces. In fact, the region I've been to - Piedmont - only had three cases. Sure, better be safe than sorry but, as of right now, there have been 288 cases and 11 victims: as per the Italian ministry of Health they were aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s, all with prior health conditions. The youngest was 65 and being treated for cancer. We're not exactly talking about Ebola.
A colleague who's due to fly to Rome called BA asking for a change or a refund and she has been told no. The flight is in 2 weeks' time, mind you.
Feb 25, 2020, 11:55 am
#88
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,684
Yes, depending on date of travel, or rather you can move it to later or switch to GVA or ZRH. Details in the next post! If it's a 15 minute change that's not normally enough, but you may be able to sweet talk the agent, perhaps.
Feb 25, 2020, 11:58 am
#89
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,684
BA has issued a Customer Guideline Update 1 for travel to the north of Italy, defined as:LIN/MXP – Milan
TRN – Turin
BLQ – Bologna
VCE – Venice
BGY – Bergamo
VRN - Verona
Tickets issued by 24 February can be changed. If they are dated for original travel on 25 February – 02 March 2020, they can now be moved to 25 February – 31 March 2020. Alternatively changed to ZRH or GVA (note some of these services will be running very full at this time of the year). Refunds not allowed, redemptions are in scope for change.
TRN – Turin
BLQ – Bologna
VCE – Venice
BGY – Bergamo
VRN - Verona
Tickets issued by 24 February can be changed. If they are dated for original travel on 25 February – 02 March 2020, they can now be moved to 25 February – 31 March 2020. Alternatively changed to ZRH or GVA (note some of these services will be running very full at this time of the year). Refunds not allowed, redemptions are in scope for change.
Feb 25, 2020, 12:02 pm
#90
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,684
For information I am travelling tomorrow to VCE so if there is anything people specifically want to know about travel conditions by all means leave a post here.
