COVID-19 (coronavirus) travel waiver?
Feb 27, 2020, 12:08 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 155
Please make sure to wear a pointless haphazardly put on mask designed for household use, only take it off when eating and drinking and dont forget to wash your hands as little as possible. Also, make sure to get worked up even more before the flight to get yourself into full hysteria that you can share with everyone around you. I assume you can do all these things very well and rarely leave your home anyway given how the serious things like the typical flu are which kills an estimated 290,000 - 650,000 people globally per year (WHO estimate).
I'm left to question who is overreacting in this thread.
Gosh, what aweful bullying responses.
Feb 27, 2020, 12:31 pm
#17
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Yes, I think that's going to be statistically correct, not just a figure of speech,, but given the lethal bikers of Amsterdam I am not sure how reassuring that is.
Anyway BA have waivers for those places with more than a trivial number of cases, so essentially Hong Kong, China and the north of Italy. Otherwise if it's a disinclination to travel then you would be looking at the normal cancellation refund on the fare basis, which in restricted tickets aren't that generous.
Anyway BA have waivers for those places with more than a trivial number of cases, so essentially Hong Kong, China and the north of Italy. Otherwise if it's a disinclination to travel then you would be looking at the normal cancellation refund on the fare basis, which in restricted tickets aren't that generous.
And Iran?
Given the number of threads we are now getting concerning Covd-19, perhaps MODs could do a FAQ thread with a wiki?
Feb 27, 2020, 12:50 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,281
3 Americans have a quick visit to Europe planned in March. We currently have tickets booked LGW to AMS on BA for the end of March. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak globally, we have decided to suspend this trip for later in the year with the hopes the spreading of the virus slows. Any word/rumors if BA will offer/issue a travel waiver for travel, allowing us to change/cancel our flight without fees involved?
Customers booked to travel between London and the Northern Italian destinations including, Milan (Linate and Malpensa), Turin, Bologna, Venice, Bergamo and Verona up to 2 March 2020, can rebook to a later travel date up to 31 March 2020.
Feb 27, 2020, 1:24 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Posts: 32,146
It might be my age, but there do seem to be a lot of fluffy people out there. If a Government advises against travel (and that’s nothing to do with the airline) then the airlines will respond appropriately. If the Goverment[s] don’t declare a problem, then the individual has free choice to decide what to do ... with any associated individual fiscal penalty.
Feb 27, 2020, 1:58 pm
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
Sorry? Is a major airline supposed to sacrifice income to pander to people’s fears/neuroses?
It might be my age, but there do seem to be a lot of fluffy people out there. If a Government advises against travel (and that’s nothing to do with the airline) then the airlines will respond appropriately. If the Goverment don’t declare a problem, then the individual has free choice to decide what to do ... with any associated individual fiscal penalty.
It might be my age, but there do seem to be a lot of fluffy people out there. If a Government advises against travel (and that’s nothing to do with the airline) then the airlines will respond appropriately. If the Goverment
you are just a bully*! 😂
*a term that is actually for a serious problem but used now used by many anytime someone disagrees or calls out nonsensical statements and/or behavior
Feb 27, 2020, 2:00 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,281
Sorry? Is a major airline supposed to sacrifice income to pander to people’s fears/neuroses?
It might be my age, but there do seem to be a lot of fluffy people out there. If a Government advises against travel (and that’s nothing to do with the airline) then the airlines will respond appropriately. If the Goverment[s] don’t declare a problem, then the individual has free choice to decide what to do ... with any associated individual fiscal penalty.
It might be my age, but there do seem to be a lot of fluffy people out there. If a Government advises against travel (and that’s nothing to do with the airline) then the airlines will respond appropriately. If the Goverment[s] don’t declare a problem, then the individual has free choice to decide what to do ... with any associated individual fiscal penalty.
But yes, a major airline should sacrifice income as its better-placed to take the financial hit. This is already what happens with the EC261 duty of care when bad weather, etc. stops flying. Besides, BA makes billions anyway. I guess us "fluffy" types aren't keen on sharp or harsh business practices, and expect companies to take their social responsibility seriously.
Last edited by cauchy; Feb 27, 2020 at 2:08 pm
Feb 27, 2020, 2:40 pm
#25
Suspended
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 687
Um, 650 cases and many towns in North Italy in lockdown doesn't count as a 'problem'?
But yes, a major airline should sacrifice income as its better-placed to take the financial hit. This is already what happens with the EC261 duty of care when bad weather, etc. stops flying. Besides, BA makes billions anyway. I guess us "fluffy" types aren't keen on sharp or harsh business practices, and expect companies to take their social responsibility seriously.
But yes, a major airline should sacrifice income as its better-placed to take the financial hit. This is already what happens with the EC261 duty of care when bad weather, etc. stops flying. Besides, BA makes billions anyway. I guess us "fluffy" types aren't keen on sharp or harsh business practices, and expect companies to take their social responsibility seriously.
Feb 27, 2020, 2:46 pm
#26
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Feb 27, 2020, 2:49 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,591
Everyone's jumping up and down in excitement to tell the op not to get over excited about their trip, but ... maybe it was the start of a tour of Europe including N Italy, or onward to somewhere else, or with their very ill parents or whatever. The question was simple and the answer equally so. No. 
Feb 27, 2020, 2:58 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: DL
Posts: 196
I think the concern is appropriate. While travel waivers only include Northern Italy at the moment, lots of people are returning from Italy to all over Europe. The virus has already spread to all neighboring countries and Germany. I'm planning a trip to the Dolomites at the end of March, but flying in and out of ZRH, which isn't covered by a travel waiver. On the way home, I'm flying through AMS, one of the major TATL hubs. I'm sure there are many itineraries like mine that are currently not covered by travel waivers. By the end of March, I'm sure the virus will have spread to all of Europe, and probably to the US as well. Maybe major airlines will extend the waiver to all of Europe by then, maybe it's so wide spread by then, that it won't really matter where you go...
In your scenario, I would wait for a travel waiver for all of Europe and postpone the trip if that works for you. It's not just about being scared of catching the virus and dealing with medical expenses abroad, but also about getting quarantined abroad, or at your port of re-entry, and the associated hassle and potential loss of wages due to such an event.
I can't postpone my trip, it's a ski & anniversary trip, so I'll go unless the airlines cancel flights, or the CDC issues a level 3 alert. But it's sensible to think about the consequences of a further spread of the virus, which seems inevitable at this point.
In your scenario, I would wait for a travel waiver for all of Europe and postpone the trip if that works for you. It's not just about being scared of catching the virus and dealing with medical expenses abroad, but also about getting quarantined abroad, or at your port of re-entry, and the associated hassle and potential loss of wages due to such an event.
I can't postpone my trip, it's a ski & anniversary trip, so I'll go unless the airlines cancel flights, or the CDC issues a level 3 alert. But it's sensible to think about the consequences of a further spread of the virus, which seems inevitable at this point.
Feb 27, 2020, 4:11 pm
#29
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: DXB / KUO
Programs: AY, SQ, EK
Posts: 858
Having said that, I would not go to Italy at the moment either.
Family members have flights booked to/from SIN next week (not on BA), and I've decided to cancel some flights (only airport charges refunded) and reschedule others at some cost. It is what it is.
Feb 27, 2020, 4:27 pm
#30
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 70
I’ve been looking at UAL flight 19, EWR->MXP. Before the outbrake the 39 seats in business were almost always full, this week many days less then 10 seats occupied.