MfromL

Starting Monday March 16, LIM is shutdown. No inbound or outbound flights. This is not a restriction of passengers, rather, it is of flights. Anyone inside will stay there for, at least, 15 days (the provisional duration of the norm). (Also, if you are in, you will be inside —no free circulation at all, several liberties, like movement, restricted—, because the emergency edict means also mandatory social isolation for everyone!)

theboss7593

I'm on a plane now to PUJ. Things got ugly after the announcement last night in terms of flights and availability. Every time tried to book something and I rapid fire type I was getting beat left and right. Out of LIM- Originally scheduled to go to GYE. Called GYE airport and said they would NOT honor a in transit passenger (with or without checked bags) Original plan was to take original flight and not enter the country by then flying GYE-BOG-JFK ( which had plenty and still has availability) that was shutdown by GYE airport when I called. So then i tried BOG but then BOG said they would not let incoming passengers and of course I couldn't get a flight from BOG out just into BOG from LIM. (that then sold out too). PTY was not allowing transit passengers. SCL,EZE and Brazil blocked.

So that left me with SAL, SJO, MEX and of course the USA. Originally SAL was available but there was an issue with a 27 hour layover. The second leg came back at some point but only for 1 ticket. SJO was a 27 hour layover as well and was gone within an hour. MEX was sold out from the get-go. And every US destination direct to LIM was also sold out. So with literally one option and not wanting to wait what the INCOMPETENT LIM LATAM agents had to say (we had tried switching in person 2 days ago and they told us $1830 per person see other post) I booked LIM-PUJ for $2300 for two IN ECONOMY, (at the time there was only 2 seats left on the plane) I was going to buy United Miles and it was going to come out to like $1300 in UA miles plus $140 in taxes for two but the fare buckets qty. were falling off faster than rain. Next is PUJ tomorrow to EWR on UA. for $850 for both. (coach was like $750 and we have bags) IN BIZ. $3250 plus whatever hotel we land on I'm out of pocket. I will chargeback LATAM because they told us that we would still have to fly to GYE even though we were going to be denied at the border, if the plane goes it's not our problem (ironically AV was the exact opposite points for AV in this situation for sure) without proof of on-ward travel home and not only that they were looking it up to make sure it was still running otherwise they wouldn't let us check in.


My original fare was $1150 PP in J (which is going to be charged back and to give you an idea of how pissed off I am, I haven't charged back ANYTHING in 10 years even when I probably could've should've would've) plus I have AMEX trip insurance which should cover that x2. So I should be okay. I hope.

And for the record AA said they would not return to LIM till May 9, so it makes you wonder if 14 days is just the start, I didn't want to chance it.

MfromL

That is what AA is saying, and the most likely scenario. If it ends before, then can change it, if not, push it further down. In any case, what happened to you was every flyers worst nightmare (but this is a never before seen event, all countries closing borders....). I understand that airlines are doing what they can, and in some cases that is not good enough. Good luck trying to get your money back, I hope it works, or at least the insurance covers you.