03/02/2020 - 13:16
- Clarín.com
- travels
Airlines around the world are beginning to make their trade policy more flexible so that passengers who have trips to areas at risk for the coronavirus can request a refund or rescheduling of their trip . In addition, many of them are announcing route cancellations with the consequent impact on their income statements.
Iberia has offered to change tickets to passengers flying to or from Italy and Japan until March 15 . Specifically, those who have purchased tickets to or from Italy or Japan with Iberia, Iberia Express, Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, British Airways, American Airlines or Finnair directly on the websites or through Serviberia before February 26 have the possibility to book another date or route through the same channel.
The route change must be from or to Spanish or European airports and operated by Iberia, Iberia Express or Air Nostrum to fly between February 26 and March 31, 2020. If the ticket has been purchased from a travel agency, Change must be made through it.
Iberia canceled operations between Madrid and Shanghai until April.
Iberia also canceled on January 31 its route between Madrid and Shanghai, which will not operate during February, March and April , due to the situation caused by the coronavirus. In this case, the company offers reimbursement of tickets.
The airline Air Europa has also established special conditions for changes or modifications in passenger trips with tickets starting at 996, issued until February 23, 2020 and to fly until March 15 with flights to / from Italy ( all airports).
Change of date (depending on the validity of the ticket) and changes of route (to fly until June 15 to Europe or Africa) are authorized by paying only the fare difference. Refunds are subject to rate conditions.
The easyJet airline will cancel some flights to and from Italy.
The easyJet airline announced that it will cancel some flights, particularly those entering and leaving Italy, and that it will implement a package of austerity measures after detecting a “significant” decrease in demand and occupancy factors to and from its northern bases. Italy.
In addition, the company has detected a decrease in demand in other European markets due to uncertainties about the outbreak . Among the measures of operational efficiency and cost savings to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus, the company has decided to undertake budget cuts in administrative areas and discretionary expenses, freeze hiring, promotions and salaries throughout the network, offer unpaid vacations and paralyze non-mandatory training.
Ryanair ensures that all its flights are operating normally inside and outside Italy, as there is currently no change in advice to airlines or customers by the Italian authorities. "We will continue monitoring the situation and following all the Public Health instructions issued," they say from the Irish airline.
For its part, the Lufthansa group has offered its workers unpaid leave within a package of measures to mitigate the economic impact that the spread of the coronavirus can have on their business.
The German company has detailed that it is also examining the possibility of expanding part-time work options within collective agreements.
In addition, the group has canceled the training courses for flight attendants and ground personnel that were planned from April, while the hiring of the participants of the ongoing courses will be postponed or suspended.
Control at Ezeiza Airport by the Coronavirus (Luciano Thieberger).
The company Aerolineas Argentinas announced that it will allow its customers to change tickets with destinations to China and Italy, in principle, until next May 31 .
As detailed by the airline, the exchange will be enabled for passengers who planned to travel to or from China, until May 31, and from or to Italy, until March 31.
The Belgian airline Brussels Airlines will reduce the frequency of its flights to several regions of Italy by 30% , mostly in the north , over the next few weeks, the company said in a statement, in which it said that the decision is due “to the rapid decrease in the demand for air travel within Europe ”.
Brussels Airlines will reduce between March 2 and 14 the number of flights to Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Rome, Venice and Bologna, so that most of the airports affected by the reduction of flights are in the most impacted regions by the expansion of the coronavirus.
Air France-KLM estimates that the coronavirus epidemic in China will cost between 150 and 200 million euros , provided it can progressively resume operations with that country from April.
Source: La Vanguardia