Schools and workplaces across the country closed; major events were canceled; Tom Hanks has tested positive for the Coronavirus; the stock market had its biggest decline in decades; president Donald Trump declares national emergency in the country.…
Ugh…There is so much going on, and so much uncertainty. Not to mention that all this news is making you (and all of us) feel stressed, especially if you’re stuck inside with little to do but keep scrolling on Twitter and Facebook.
On top of this, Trump bans travel from Europe to the US for 30 days due to Coronavirus. Here is what you need to know about changing or canceling your travel plans because of the virus.
What Are the Airlines Doing?
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread around the world, many airlines are canceling their flights.
So far, passengers traveling to and from countries such as China, Iran and Italy have been hit the hardest, but after the World Health Organization named the coronavirus a global pandemic, President Donald Trump has imposed a travel ban on 26 European countries starting at midnight Friday.
At this point, most of the major US airlines, including JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and United are offering generous change policies. All three carriers and several others are offering refunds on selected flights as well as travel waivers allowing passengers to rebook their flight without incurring a fee.
American Airlines is offering cancellation and change fee waivers as well as refunds on selected flights through April.
Customers who will benefit from this policy can rebook for travel through December 31, 2020, or within 12 months of the original date of ticket issue, whichever is earlier. Visit this page for full details.
Delta is offering waivers for selected services to China, South Korea, Japan, several parts of Italy as well as Israel, through May. See Delta’s website for full details.
United announced those who are scheduled to travel March 10 – April 30, 2020 and would like to change their plans, there is no fee to do so, regardless of when they purchased the ticket or where they’re traveling.
Simply put, if you’re scheduled to travel to a country with a confirmed outbreak, you may be able to cancel your trip and get a full refund. But keep in mind - refund policies vary tremendously among different airlines and depend on your destination. Besides, the situation is changing fast, and it’s likely that airline and travel policies will change too.
So, be sure to check with your airlines and other travel suppliers before filing a claim to see if they are offering refunds, waivers, or other accommodations.
