Travel cancellation policies - airlines

[tonado]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/888340.asp

 

 

Travel cancellation policies II: An airlines update

By Reid Bramblett, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel

 

 

On Wednesday we ran an article covering the change/cancellation polices at 12 major U.S. and international airlines, all of it in language that was conditional upon hostilities breaking out. Now that war has begun and these policies have kicked in, several of the airlines have solidified or altered the details and so many more have joined in, that we decided to rerun the list, changed and updated, to cover the new rules at a full 25 airlines--domestic, no-frills, and international.

 

TO RECAP what we wrote on Wednesday: Advance bookings are slowing to a relative trickle as the war clamps shut many traveler's wallets and puts a screeching halt to vacation and business trip planning. The result of all this--most major airlines, tour operators, cruise lines, and hotel and resort chains have been responding with more liberal cancellation policies and trip postponement plans designed to help ease our fears--well, at least our fears about putting money in their pockets.

(This article will cover the airlines only. To read about policies at cruise lines, tour companies, and resort chains, click here.)

 

Actually, these new initiatives are more trip alteration allowances than cancellation policies, because, at least so far, few will let you outright cancel a trip for a full refund. But the financially troubled airline industry is so desperate to get travelers booking ahead once more (preferably at regular rates) that the carriers are willing to forgo that potential $100 change fee on your airlines ticket now that the country has gone to war.

 

We'll get to the details for each airline in a moment; but first, a note on the news being bandied about regarding airlines cutting flights. Many airlines around the world are, indeed, reducing service, but the vast majority are only cutting flights to the greater Middle East--which, frankly, is not a destination many leisure travelers are currently visiting anyway. So far, only Continental, Singapore Airlines, and Korean Air have announced cuts to transatlantic or transpacific travel. Several airlines have announced plans to possibly cut flights by 6 to 15 percent in the next month--not over safety, just over economics (fewer people are flying).

 

 

THE NEW POLICIES

Some more liberal forms of cancellation/trip postponement policy have been adopted by all major US airlines--some of the no-frills, and now even many international carriers (actually, Virgin Atlantic was the first airline to come up with such a plan). The new policies vary, so here are the details. One thing to keep in mind is that there's no guarantee the new itinerary you book will cost the same as the original. Most--but not all--airlines will refund any difference if the new fare costs less, and charge you the difference should the rebooked travel dates be pricier.

 

Also, rather than constantly repeat this below, there's a fairly obvious rule that almost every carrier applies: You must either book by a certain date (which varies) or before the original date of scheduled travel, whichever comes first. For most that means at least by the day before you're scheduled to take off; if the rule differs from this, I'll let you know.

 

 

Aeromexico. Tickets purchased before May 19 can be rescheduled for new travel up to Dec 14.

 

Air Canada. Any ticket purchased with 30 days "following the onset of war" with Iraq can be postponed without penalty until Dec 31. This policy extends to flights booked through the carrier on offshoots Air Canada Jazz or Tango as well as codeshare flights operated by one of Air Canada's Star Alliance partners.

 

Air France is being generous with its fee-waiving policy--they didn't even specify that there had to be a war. If you purchase tickets in the United States to any international destination on or before Mar 31 with a departure date on or before June 30, you can postpone the trip or book a different itinerary any time up until Dec 31.

 

Air Jamaica. Anything booked through Sep 30 can be rescheduled to within one year of the original departure date.

 

AirTran. Tickets purchased prior to Mar 20 for travel between Mar 20 and May 20 can be rescheduled to anytime within a year of the original purchase date. Apr 1 is the deadline for rebooking.

 

Alaska Air and Horizon Air. Tickets purchased before Apr 19 for travel through May 18 may be exchanged--by Apr 19 at the latest--for travel on any other date up to Dec 31.

Alitalia has also issued a liberal policy for its US customers, allowing you to rebook (by Mar 31) any ticket purchased prior to Mar 31 for new travel any time until Dec 31--and peak season or weekend surcharges don't even apply. In addition, passengers may rebook any travel scheduled within 60 days of the start of the military action within 30 days of said action for new travel, again, any time until Dec 31.

 

America West. You can change tickets right up until the day before departure (actually, you just have to let them know you're changing by then; you don't even have to select your new travel dates right yet) and can rebook your travel through Oct 31. In an odd twist, though, your new travel dates have to be at least 30 days after your original departure date.

 

American Airlines. Tickets purchased by Apr 19 for travel through May 18 can be rebooked (prior to Apr 19) for travel anytime through Dec 31. Tickets purchased between Mar 7 and 31 on international routes must be rebooked by May 31; again, the make-up travel can take place any time until Dec 31.

 

ATA. Folks holding tickets issued before the start of military action can rebook, but the new departure date must take place within 90 days of the start of war.

 

British Airways. Any transatlantic flight purchased in North America on BA or Qantas between Mar 12 and 31 can be changed (at least 72 hours before your original planned departure, and at any rate by May 31 at the latest) for new travel anytime through Dec 31.

 

Continental Airlines. Any trisp scheduled through May 18 may be rebooked for travel any time until Dec 31, but you must make the change by Apr 19. Slightly differnet rules apply for intnational travel (except to Canada and certain Pacific islands): for any flights booked between Mar 5 and 31 (and within three days of your original departure date) you have until May 31 to alter your travel plans to any dates until Dec 31.

 

Delta Air Lines is offering a protection policy limited to transatlantic tickets (on Delta itself, not any codeshare airline) purchased between Mar 5 and 31. You can rebook travel any time until Dec 31, 2003 without incurring any fees, but must reserve by May 31 (and within three days of your original departure date).

 

Frontier Airlines. Tickets issued before Mar 19 can be exchanged for new travel dates up until June 19 (which is also, naturally, the book-by date for the new travel).

 

Lufthansa's new "goodwill regulations" waives, for travel up to May 18, all fees for rebooking ticketed flights between Europe and the US/Canada, Near and Middle East, Turkey, and Israel. There does not seem to be any end date for when you can reuse the voucher you'd receive for a flight you cancel altogether.

 

Mexicana. The rather narrow penalty-free policy states that tickets issued on or before Apr 9--and only for travel meant to commence before Apr 9-- can be rescheduled through Dec 14.

 

Midwest Express. Tickets purchased before the outbreak of war can be exchanged for another trip to be completed by Sep 1.

 

Northwest Airlines. If the military conflict began within 90 days of when you're scheduled to travel on Northwest or KLM, you have 30 days in which to rebook your trip or to apply the fare to flying another NWA/KLM route. All rebooked travel must be completed by Dec 15. The good news is this applies to all its flights, domestic (though there the window is smaller; you can change only if war happens within 60 days of your scheduled trip, and you have 30 days in which to rebook), international, and even inter-Asia.

 

Qantas. Any ticket purchased in North America (U.S., Canada, or Mexico) between Mar 7 and 31 for travel through Dec 31 can be rescheduled any time up to May 31. That policy had nothing to do with the war. However, any ticket purchased within 60 days after the start of military action can also be rescheduled within the following 30 days for new travel up until Dec 31.

 

Southwest. Southwest has always had a completely open and fee-free change policy even on the most restrictive, non-refundable tickets, and that hasn't changed.

 

SAS (Scandinavian). Anyone already holding a ticket for travel before May 31 can postpone travel until Dec 31. You must make the change at least 24 hours before the original departure date.

 

Swiss. Anyone who bought a ticket on or before Mar 19 for travel on or before Apr 30 can reschedule travel up to Dec 31, or cancel and get a credit good for a full year from the original date of travel.

 

United Airlines. People who bought tickets before the start of military conflict can postpone travel as follows: for domestic flights until Sep 1, 2003 and for international itineraries until Dec 31, 2003.

 

US Airways. Tickets purchased before Apr 2 can be changed (by Apr 2) for future travel: through Jun 17 (for domestic flights and ones to Canada) or Dec 14 (for flights to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Europe).

 

Virgin Atlantic. There will be no charge to postpone travel on any tickets purchased up until Mar 17 for travel between the US and UK, or from the UK to Hong Kong, Shanghai, or Tokyo. You have until Dec 31, to make up the travel, but it must be booked by May 31.

 

 

Associate Editor Reid Bramblett wrote travel guidebooks for Eyewitness, Frommer's, and the Idiot's and For Dummies series (yes, both of them) before joining the Budget Travel staff in 2002.

 

 

 

Copyright © 2003 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc.

[Mick]

Thanks for the post Tony. We are scheduled to fly out of GZ on Friday night, March 28 to LA, then the red-eye to Cincinnati, then an early morning flight to Nashville. It is Delta airlines all the way, although the GZ to LA leg is actually China Southern, who has a conjoint deal with Delta. I hope we don't meet with any last minute cancellations, problems, etc. It is bad enough to have Li's first introduction to America be our airports during wartime. Having to wait around to find a flight would make it even worse. Pray for our safe and quick return.

[Eric&Yuhui]

Pray for our safe and quick return.

We will And you guys stop being paranoid.. You'll be just fine

[Mick]

Pray for our safe and quick return.

We will And you guys stop being paranoid.. You'll be just fine

Thanks my friend, I hope so.

[Charlotte]

Mick & Li,

My best wishes to you both for your safe flight home! This is not a fun time for anyone at this wartime. But do your best to enjoy the cross occasion flights. This will be a unique experience for Li. She will never forget her first landing in the USA ever in her life time.

Pleasant journey to you both!!

[Mick]

Thanks for your well wishes Charlotte. Li is back in Jiangsu tying up loose ends, returning items she will not take with her, and visiting family. I had to stay behind to finish my teaching duties and tidy up around here. Although it is a busy time and a troubling time, we are looking forward to our return. She will be back on Tuesday and we leave for GZ on Thursday.

[Kaige]

Mick you will be fine, China Southern is good, just not enough Chinese speaking stewardess only one or two. the food is good , two meals served one about 1.5 hours in the flight and the other about 2 hours before you land in L.A. kick back and relax, I don't know what Delta will serve you.

[sysy]

After a 14 months wait, my honey finally flew home, on Air China. Perhaps due to the war and/or the consulate’s reluctance in visa approvals for visitor’s visas, there are very few passengers flying to the US. She told me there were perhaps only 50 on board a Boeing 747, making it the most comfortable flight in the economy cabin. And the POE was equally light on traffic. Hmm, the visa delay had made the last stop a bit faster, 30 minutes to be exact.

 

sy