03/10/2020 - 19:00
- Clarín.com
- travels
The uncontrolled expansion of the coronavirus in some countries, the closure of some borders , the suspension of some flights , cruise ships stranded or without a port to disembark and passengers who are in quarantine are increasingly causing traveler inquiries in both travel agencies and in airlines.
Some airlines are easing their exchange policies : there are several that are announcing these days to eliminate the penalty for change, but many also maintain the payment of fare difference with respect to the original ticket.
"We observe that some airlines, for certain defined dates and destinations, relaxed their exchange policies, in case a flight modification is necessary. Each case is particular because it depends on what each traveler hired: the routes involved, the dates of the trip and, depending on this, the positions of each provider. In addition they also influence the conditions and agreed rates, etc. ", they explain in the agency Take off and add:" It is important to clarify that in case there is any change in the itinerary , we will contact you immediately to comment on the news; however, those who have products in the cities affected by the virus and have doubts, we recommend that you contact us. "
From the Avantrip agency they point out that there are few cancellations, more rescheduling. “The idea that nobody is traveling is not true” and they point out that those who travel on vacation are not canceling, maybe they do modify the destination .
Many airlines are communicating new exchange policies for certain flights and destinations (Getty)
As for the changes in the airlines, the answer is varied, it depends on the policy of each one.
“There are people to whom the airline accepted the cancellation to destinations like China. In Europe, the only destination that moves cancellations is Italy, especially Milan and Venice, ”they say in Avantrip.
Precisely, in LATAM, they explain that since the San Pablo-Milan route was suspended between March 2 and April 16 , customers with tickets issued for that destination may opt for one of these alternatives without charge : rescheduling the date of flight (not subject to fine or fare difference); full refund (not subject to fine); Reprogramming of origin / destination (not subject to fine and subject to tariff difference).
As they say in Avantrip, the Air Europa airline accepts a rescheduling, although it is necessary to pay 30% if it was purchased before the PAIS tax began to apply. "The non-refundable tickets were taken the penalty for a rescheduling -of about $ 300 if we talk about tickets to Europe-, you have to pay the tax and changes are not accepted for high season dates, " they add in the agency.
Exchange and cancellation policies vary by airline and some are more flexible than others (Getty Images).
The advice that arises from all this is to buy refundable tickets, of course, but we say this now with the film in motion.
“When is it canceled? For health reasons. With a medical certificate of having had any disease or belonging to the risk group, ”they say in Avantrip.
Trade policies instead
Minutes ago, Aerolineas Argentinas announced “changes in the international operation and flexibility of commercial policy” . They canceled several flights to Rome - despite being a risk zone, they decided to sustain some frequencies since there are many Argentines and tourists who need to be transported back to their homes - two to Miami and a flight to Orlando.
“In the case of passengers affected by the aforementioned cancellations, they will be relocated on previous or subsequent flights… The modifications are part of a dynamic adaptation of the operation by the company due to the increasing number of cancellation or change requests in the reservations already issued ”, they indicate from Aerolineas Argentinas in a statement.
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Look at the specialBeyond these specific cancellations, changes of dates or routes are allowed without penalty for a single time to fly until 11/30/2020 , paying only the difference in fare in case there is one and return of tickets according to the conditions of fare contracted in the following cases: passengers traveling to and from China with flights until May 31, 2020; passengers flying to and from Italy, Spain, France, and Israel with flights until May 31; passengers who have not been allowed to enter the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti and Paraguay for having been in China in the last 15 days.
For its part, Emirates - which increased hygiene measures in its aircraft - announced that it offers greater flexibility with a waiver policy for tickets issued until March 31, 2020 . Customers across the network are allowed to make changes to the travel date without penalties or reimbursement rates. Passengers will be able to make the change for any date in a range of 11 months in the same kind of reservation and applies to all destinations of the company.
“We want our clients to feel fully supported, comfortable and safe when making travel plans, while offering them the best rates, without incurring penalties if they decide to delay or adjust dates. The situation remains dynamic and we continue to look for ways to provide flexibility, comfort and peace of mind to our customers, ”said Adnan Kazim, commercial director of Emirates.
Emirates aircraft incorporated deeper cleanings (Emirates)
Lufthansa also eliminates the cost of changing the date. For tickets purchased before March 5 and with a travel date until April 30, 2020, passengers can book a new date until December 31 of this year, regardless of the condition of the fare purchased. Of course: the departure and destination airports must be the same. And if the original rate is not available, the rate difference must be paid.
"Due to the current context, Air France and KLM make available to their customers the possibility of making ticket changes. Both companies allow postponing or canceling planned trips to and from the areas of exposure risk due to the Covid virus outbreak. 19 known as the coronavirus, "they say in the company.
This means that those who have an Air France or KLM ticket issued until March 31, 2020 inclusive and valid for a scheduled flight until May 31, 2020, regardless of destination, can postpone the trip at no additional cost for a subsequent flight to the same destination until May 31, 2020, provided it is in the same original booking class. For those who prefer to leave after May 31, change the destination or cancel the trip "they offer a coupon (voucher) valid for 1 year and that can be used on flights operated by Air France and KLM. This coupon is not refundable," they say from the AirFrance-KLM group.
The deserted streets of Milan this March 10, 2020 / EFE / EPA / MATTEO BAZZI
Future trips
Looking ahead, there are several companies that are offering, to those who buy their tickets now, during March, a much more flexible exchange policy .
“Those passengers who buy their tickets to destinations in Europe or the United States between 10 and until March 31, 2020, may change their flight date without any one-time penalty and only pay a fare difference in the case of there would be, ”they say in Airlines. In LATAM, those who buy tickets until March 22, 2020 - with international flight reservations until December 31, 2020 - can make a change of date and / or destination later. "One change per ticket is allowed, without penalty, up to 14 days before departure of the outbound flight, subject to tariff differences."
Lufthansa applies something similar for tickets purchased during March. And Copa Airlines launched a campaign that allows you to keep options open when buying airfare between March 5 and 31, 2020. It also applies to tickets purchased with miles.