cockpitvisit

I am curious, is there any advice on the booking strategy given the upcoming corona virus out there? What are you guys and gals doing with trips planned within the 1-3 months timeframe? Booking trips like there is no tomorrow, or holding back since you will likely be locked up at home and not traveling anywhere? I guess the standard trip cancellation insurance will not help if the destination is "just" hit by a virus outbreak...

E.g. I have a flight to Spain booked at the end of March (it's for fun and not that important, although I would like to go if reasonable). Should I expect it to go ahead and book hotels etc., or should I rather not expect it to go ahead and avoid nonrefundable bookings, because by then Spain will likely be a nightmare with lots of infection clusters, quarantined cities etc.?

KLouis

The vast majority of FTers are neither epidemiologists nor virologists or sociologists. Furthermore, they are no psychics and no mediums. Finally, we all post here undercover. In other words, even if you get 10-30 replies, simply don't rely on their validity!

WilcoRoger

Book refundable hotels - cheap insurance if you decide not to go (real insurance won't pay out if you cancel travel because you feel uncomfortable to go)

dlffla

You can keep up to date on various countries at:

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/int...1580226297.htm

Frankly, I would plan on going but since we do not have a crystal ball it probably is best to book refundable hotels for now. As you get closer to the date, you will have a better idea if you are going and you may still be able to change some of those refundable rooms for non-refundable ones.

LondonElite

I plan on doing exactly what I had planned to do, including going to a few conferences. I do not plan on getting hysterical. I do know someone who is stockpiling food for his entire office for 100 day. A bit of a crackpot.

tmiw

As someone who's going to Europe in late April/early May, I'm definitely keeping an eye on things. However, given the typical virus progression seen thus far, I'm not worried (yet). We'll see if that lack of worry is unfounded soon I suppose.

Comatose.Captain

Leading politicians in the EU and my home country Germany are now saying they expect developments like in Italy in other European countries.

Every day, I am gravitating more towards postponing non-essential trips. Just imagine you're stuck somewhere due to cancelled flights. Or, worse, getting put in quarantine for two weeks.

Observe what is happening in Italy right now. They're not just cancelling flights where doctors and epidemiologists suggest it. In addition, more and more flights are cancelled for purely commercial reasons (as demand is dropping like crazy, see the recent developments at LCC's Wizz and EZ).

roberto99

I returned to USA yesterday after a week in Athens and Vienno. I had zero concerns.

While in Athens, my family decided to change our late March trip from Japan to Athens and Vienna! I have zero concerns for the late March trip to these 2 destinatopns.

Our return to Japan will have to wait 12 months....

RandomBaritone

I�ve had a trip planned for months: VCE, FLR, BCN, April 13-25. Unfortunately, it�s the only time my spouse and I can go. Tickets are on UA stock; their VCE waiver requires paying the fare difference if we change our destination�and just our luck, fares are up roughly 60% since we bought our tickets. We�re both young and healthy enough that fear of the illness itself doesn�t loom too large, and I could work from home for a week or two if forced to by my employer. Absolute worst-case scenario we�re not allowed to board our flight home, but that seems highly unlikely.

Our connecting flight to VCE is actually on LH/EN metal. If it does end up being canceled, I suppose our options will then include a full refund. But until then we�re cautiously sticking with our plans. We checked with our accommodations in Venice, and they said the museums have just reopened�a pleasant surprise. Florence seems largely unaffected so far, except for smaller than usual crowds.

If Italy starts melting down, another option would be to swap destinations for our first eight days: Scotland in place of Italy. (Just learned VY has a cheap nonstop EDI>BCN!) But for the moment we�re holding our breath and planning to travel.

FromMAtoAZ

I have a trip to Berlin planned in April and I still plan to go and enjoy my first visit to the city. The only reason I would not go is if there was some entry restriction and/or the airline was stopping service. I will probably bring extra hand sanitizer and be more cognizant of washing my hands after visiting public places. As a traveler in my 30s I see no reason to cancel my much-anticipated vacation at this time.

bitterproffit

I hope you have a blast in Berlin, it’s probably my favorite European city.

i have a flight and hotels booked for Greece and London in early June. I am planning on going for sure. As long as they let me in the country, I’m there.

I did cancel spring break plans, but that was for other medica issues I have to take care of, not the Covid

mcbg1

I have a trip booked to the UK and Iceland next month. Not worried at this point unless things change drastically.

BMWMOT

My wife and I booked BUD and VIE for early-mid April ex-US. This was booked many months ago. We're on BA and spent a lot of money on the flights (CW with Avios upgrade to F on the outbound to LHR).
Not sure what to do. Thus far BA has made no mention of cancelling my flights. I did not take insurance. I could check with my credit card.
More than the money, I want to go, been planning for months. My nightmare scenario though is have an outbreak explode while there, flights cancelled and no way to get back the US.
I have a surgery planned for May. This was to be a 60th BDay, 20th Wedding Anniversary, holiday before surgery get away. Damn beer bug. Lousy timing.
Time is fast approaching and my go, no-go decision is too. Ugghh....

mcbg1

You have more odds of something happening to you during your surgery or while driving to the hospital. Go and enjoy yourself. Life is short.

KLouis

@BMWMOT: Unless your overall health state is bad, you "only" risk a common cold-like infection. Given your 60 years and your planned operation is due in May (in other words not urgently needed to correct a life-threatening situation) as well as the statistics of the disease you certainly don't risk a life-threatening disease corse. Your worst-case scenario is not what you describe but, rather, the postponement of the operation.