[MartynSinclair]

https://www.pocruises.com/travel-health-advisories/flexible-cancellation-policy

Just announced, P & O revised cancellation policy. Cunard has similar.

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FaroFlyer

[capetonianm]

A friend was travelling from France to MOW yesterday for a 10 day visit to his girlfriend and daughter. Message from him :

“I canceled my trip to Moscow because of strict rules upon arrival, all people coming in from EU are subject to self quarantine for 14days, and 5 years’ prison if caught outside.”

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Lydia

[MarcusGB]

The WHO have now declared this as a Worldwide Pandemic.
It is present in 121 countries.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-51839944

[SimonS1]

Kuwait Airport is closing indefinitely, effective Friday.

[Tom Otley]

And India is suspending e-visas and tourist visas from Friday.

Coronavirus: India suspends all tourist visas and e-visas for travellers

[AMcWhirter]

BA is suspending its LCY-JFK flight effective March 25 through to September 1.

[MarcusGB]

The withdrawal of flights, with some Airlines grounding 50% + of their fleet, is a very worrying sign.
The closure of an airport even more so, even one certainly not a major hub,as Kuwait.

Our thoughts go out i am sure from the whole team and forum at BT, to many Airline Employees around The World, who are being told to take leave, or even unpaid leave, or “laid off”.
This affects throughout positions in the Airline, and indeed at some Airports..
Pilots, crews ground staff, engineers, baggage Handlers, Freight services, along with the supply chain at and too shops and cafes at an airport, Duty free. Think of the impact on the Caterers alone?

Perhaps it would be a better solution, to cut flights into an airport for some weeks, effectively closing it, and all repairs and maintenance, airport deep cleans completed that can be possibly completed at this stage? Rather than staffer this over months.
Staff have a set period of leave, and Airlines service their Aircraft, businesses associated in the long supply chains, have a definite time to deal with.

The UK continues to do little at its borders, and this does shock me, when all of us have related observations from around The World, both Airlines and Airports.
No temp checks, not screening where passengers have been through, little promotion or use of hand gels.

Airports would be doing a service to us all and themselves, by displaying on websites, destinations where these are being carried out, as well as situations whereby you maybe quarantined. Thailand has stated that arrival with a Temp alone, means you must be “Self Isolated for 14 days, report daily, or face a £500 roughly a day fine”.
What if the temperature is unrelated to CV? This would have to be at yr expense, even if you could find a hotel to take you?!!!
You would then be liable for your own costs for treatment, accommodation.

Even worse, is then for now many countries, you will have to enter into another quarantine of 14 days, if accepted back to you own registered country, as indeed in Australia.
There, you are sent to an isolation facility, not “self Isolating”, as has been their policy since January. If you merely transfer through a country, this will also be noted.
It is coming to the point where complex or multiple Airlines or Countries are varying so much, that we one way or another will not get through, or stuck out there?

And yet were we wishing to be responsible, cautious, the same goes for the refunds, cancellations, hotels the same, and the lack of willingness of Airlines to return your fare?
Certainly the UK Government could step in here with a clear interpretation of those being cautious, if they choose not to travel due to placing themselves in a vulnerable situation, have the right to a refund in full, if they do not travel, is needed by clarifying or enabling a Temporary law for purchases made Ex UK.
Insurance Companies should also state a clear common policy.

The situation is changing daily, especially with the WHO statement of it being a World Pandemic.
I think we all have to consider, the level of Healthcare, and our right to access it, in the country where we travel, then entry and exit restrictions, and who and what funds would pay were you to travel? With the cuts of schedules, would you be able to get back…

[JKL]

Just read on BBC that the USA is banning all travel from Europe for the next 30 days, starting midnight Friday. Excluding UK, apparently. Not sure why UK is considered any safer? Or whether there’s anything to stop someone travelling Europe-UK-USA…

[MarkivJ]

This is really worrying. I presume with all the losses airlines will face, a lot of new or planned (but to be launched) routes will either be shelved or postponed to 2021 such as VS (GRU), AA (SEA-BLR), etc. I also suspect VS will eventually close the TLV sector, from what i hear, the load factors have been quite poor.

[miningguy]

[postquote quote=993228][/postquote]

I like, others I assume, have recently returns from the EU and have flights booked w/ BA to the US next week (non-cancellable, non-transferable). After 1hr 30 mins on hold to the BA Gold Line, I was informed that as of now BA have no policy to deal with this situation. I was told to call back tomorrow – probably I jumped the gun a bit too early. So for anyone else trying to get through….it might be worth holding on for a while.

[capetonianm]

Ireland is also excluded from the ban. I fail to see the logic, if there is any.

Homeland Security said in a press release that most foreigners who have been to any Schengen Area country in the last 14 days would be barred from entering America.

The countries listed were Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

It further raises the question of people who have been to Channel Islands, IoM, and other places which are non-EU and non-Schengen.

Or whether there’s anything to stop someone travelling Europe-UK-USA

I wouldn’t take that chance, even if it’s not on the itinerary/ticket, I would be nervous that on investigation the USA authority could find out.

[rferguson]

Have just seen an email from the Virgin Atlantic pilots union to its members. VS will ground half its fleet.

The union is proposing four options to its members.
1. 10% salary cut
2. 10% reduction in pension payments
3. one months unpaid leave.

Also, the negotiated 2020 pay deal has been frozen.

VS will be feeling the pinch as its only JUST started to turn a profit again recently. I’m sure they will be fine with the mighty DL more or less at the helm however.

[FrequentlyFlying]

The cynic in me sees this as a politically motivated rather than science based decision.

Trump business interests … UK and Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, all excluded from the ban, funny that.

Re the point about someone coming from Europe – UK – US, an ESTA or Visa would be required, they’re both Passport based so would be refused if a new application or you’d be turned away at immigration if pre-existing ESTA granted. There’s no other way for CBP to police it other than based on your passport origin, draconian yes but is there another way?

[BugAdvisor]

Plenty of people have two passports. I wonder what’s in place to stop them flying Schengen – UK on Passport A and UK – US on passport B (the one associated with the ESTA)?

I’m not suggesting that as a workaround and certainly don’t want to encourage any rule breaking – even if the rules are bizarre.

[capetonianm]

The USA border authorities have a list of inbound passengers on all flights.
Those lists show inbound and outbound connections.
If someone travelled EU-GB/IE-US on two different bookings with separate tickets, they would probably slip through.
I am not suggesting that it would be smart to do so.

[Author]

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