MASTER Cancel Travel b/c of COVID-19 Questions Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid’s admitted student event at an LA college has been canceled. Will American refund my tickets? I’m guessing not but hoping.

When did you book the flight? American is currently offering "change fees waived" for flights booked during a certain time. They might not refund you, but could possibly waive any change fees so you could use the credit towards "move in weekend" or "parents weekend" or something. It's definitely worth calling and asking.

I saw that notice unfortunately I booked before March since I was trying to get a good fare and not wait too long. That sure backfired. I might try calling but I can’t see them trying to help me out:

I booked in February too, trying to get a good rate. I guess I should have waited too. I’m bummed. It makes zero sense for them to offer refunds for travel booked in March but not February.

Don't feel too bad, some airlines offering rebooking are only offering a few extra weeks to initiate travel -- as if that's going to be much better!

[Anonymous]

Italy just announced a NATIONAL lockdown.

Good luck to those tourists trying to get out. Hope you're ready to learn Italian and have an unlimited credit card.

Italy Virus Containment Measures Extended to Entire Country
Extension means only essential travel to, from and within all of country is allowed

https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-bolsters-quarantine-checks-after-initial-lockdown-confusion-11583756737

BREAKING: All Italy is locked down, PM Conte has just announced. Everyone must remain at home. Nationwide lockdown. #COVID19

https://twitter.com/cencio4/status/1237116341011853312

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flipping it around a bit - would you go to D.C. for spring break?

I’m headed to D.C. from London for Easter 2 upper elementary kids with me.

No. Stay away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Family trip to LA, San Diego, and Santa Barbara over spring break. Flying. All pretty young (DH is oldest at 45) - family trip. DS was gonna check out the UCs but I would imagine they may cancel tours. We were considering Universal but that seems like a bad idea. Should we still go? Airfare isn?t refundable but hotel is

Yes, cancel. I just cancelled during the MCPS spring break to some of those same cities. No one should be on planes or in places with large crowds. We need more information to prevent spreading this virus. You and your family may not get sick, of if you do, mildly so, but carriers are spreading this and putting vulnerable groups at risk serious illness including death. Until we have more conclusive imformation, help confine this. 9 cases in DC and that?s only detected. We just don?t have a handle on this except we sgould be washing our hands more thoroughly.

This response is really conservative. OP, if you're risk tolerance is moderate or higher, don't cancel yet. Wait and see how this develops as the date gets closer.

I am the 11:37 poster. Yes, this a conservative opinion — yet I am generally a risk taker. I am however an epidemiologist and do not have confidence in how the Admin is handling this. April is a little far out, so the poster can decide later, but I personally am not comfortable being a carrier or contracting on planes until we have more reliable data. The way to contain is not to spread. Healthy people in low-risk groups are being cavalier. They will not get sick but grandparents will. The aviation lobbies are strong. Cruise lines are generally registered in places like Liberia so there is little regulation once they are in maritime waters (if that‘s the correct term, not a lawyer). I’m generally a public transportation supporter, but this is when the AAA can step up and drive (pun intended) people to their cars and then to less crowded outdoor vacay spots.

Have to drive to MA this week. Common sense tells me to not use the NJ Turnpike stops but to go to less crowded, off the road stops. A lot of people don't have common sense.

Common sense would tell you that it doesn’t matter. It’s everywhere.

[Anonymous]

I just looked at tickets from the West Coast to DC - I cannot remember flights ever being this cheap!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Italy just announced a NATIONAL lockdown.

Good luck to those tourists trying to get out. Hope you're ready to learn Italian and have an unlimited credit card.

Italy Virus Containment Measures Extended to Entire Country
Extension means only essential travel to, from and within all of country is allowed

https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-bolsters-quarantine-checks-after-initial-lockdown-confusion-11583756737

BREAKING: All Italy is locked down, PM Conte has just announced. Everyone must remain at home. Nationwide lockdown. #COVID19

https://twitter.com/cencio4/status/1237116341011853312

God, I am so glad we cancelled our trip there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flipping it around a bit - would you go to D.C. for spring break?

I’m headed to D.C. from London for Easter 2 upper elementary kids with me.

No. Stay away.

Seriously!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flipping it around a bit - would you go to D.C. for spring break?

I’m headed to D.C. from London for Easter 2 upper elementary kids with me.

No. Stay away.

+1

Please. I’m sure you and your kids are nice, but you have no idea what infected person is on that flight. At the very least consider that there’s a possibility that you might be detained here for 14 days. Your kids won’t like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Israel forcing 2wk self-quarantine for all visitors from all countries:

https://www.haaretz.com/amp/israel-news/.premium-israeli-with-coronavirus-in-severe-condition-israel-may-quarantine-some-u-s-arrivals-1.8638322

Israel doesn't F around

They can’t afford to. Small country surrounded by enemies. If they get an epidemic, they will be invaded.

[Anonymous]

Anyone currently cancelling travel to Israel? Any insite as to whether airlines are waiving fees? Cancellation insurance working? (We have cancel for any reason but it only covers 75% so I’m hoping this is a covered reason)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Israel forcing 2wk self-quarantine for all visitors from all countries:

https://www.haaretz.com/amp/israel-news/.premium-israeli-with-coronavirus-in-severe-condition-israel-may-quarantine-some-u-s-arrivals-1.8638322

Israel doesn't F around

They can’t afford to. Small country surrounded by enemies. If they get an epidemic, they will be invaded.

Wow. That’s crazy. You’d spend your entire trip in quarantine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy just announced a NATIONAL lockdown.

Good luck to those tourists trying to get out. Hope you're ready to learn Italian and have an unlimited credit card.

Italy Virus Containment Measures Extended to Entire Country
Extension means only essential travel to, from and within all of country is allowed

https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-bolsters-quarantine-checks-after-initial-lockdown-confusion-11583756737

BREAKING: All Italy is locked down, PM Conte has just announced. Everyone must remain at home. Nationwide lockdown. #COVID19

https://twitter.com/cencio4/status/1237116341011853312

God, I am so glad we cancelled our trip there.

I’m glad we went to Italy during spring break LAST year!

[Anonymous]

seriously considering cancelling my trip to los angeles for my mom's 80th. I am not worried about me or the kids, but my mom has very bad asthma. I want her to make it to 81. Once we are there, we are up in the hills, or at the beach, not in big crowds, but the chance of either bringing it with us or picking it up during travel has me worried. a week ago I was like, oh its fine. Now I'm not so sure, especially after hearing about how some of the people in the nursing home in Washington state went from first falling ill to death in a few hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thoughts on Barcelona for spring break next month?

Spain has the 7th highest outbreak response and is 1/12th the size of the United States. You decide.

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Many teams from my kids’ soccer club are going there for a spring break tournament.

We might not come back to practice for 3-4 weeks after all of these idiots return. We decided not to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flipping it around a bit - would you go to D.C. for spring break?

I’m headed to D.C. from London for Easter 2 upper elementary kids with me.

No. Stay away.

+1

Please. I’m sure you and your kids are nice, but you have no idea what infected person is on that flight. At the very least consider that there’s a possibility that you might be detained here for 14 days. Your kids won’t like that.

Ha more likely they have no idea what infected person they are riding next to on the metro! Get real folks, it’s here already, we just aren’t testing.