Coronavirus: How Airlines deal with Cancellations or Rebookings
Everyone is talking about the Coronavirus. Of course, this also affects many travelers. If you have already booked or are about to book a flight
into an affected area, it is interesting to know how airlines will deal with cancellations or rebookings.
We have put together a list below, in alphabetic order, how different airlines deal with rebookings and refunds or cancellations due to the Coronavirus.
Here’s as well a list with different countries and their transfer restrictions.
Covid-19: Which countries have transfer or entry restrictions? – UPDATE
12 Comments
Yvonne
But how about all of us who purchase tickets and hotels in countries where events have been canceled?! Not the countries on these lists, but all over the world. I have tickets for an event in Amsterdam that is canceled and it is not considered a country „on this list“. Yet my event is canceled and thus my reason to travel there gone. Thousand of people are in the same position. It is criminal. In my case, I booked a vacation after the work event to go cruise on the Nile, where 12 staff of a cruise liner had the Corona virus. Corendon, the travel agent, will not cancel their cruises – forcing people to go on a cruise with all of its potential problems. All of this is about greed, and none of it cares about the consumer. Why would I fly to Holland for an event that is cancelled and go on a cruise that should not be allowed to go out?!
J. Asakura
My sisters were booked throught Expedia for a round trip flight with Jetstar from Manila to Narita between March 23 to April 5. We want to postpone the flight until next year’s cherry blossoms, with the same date and time because of the increasing corona virus cases in Japan. Mary, a staff from Jetstar was very accommodating by giving options called temporary or flexible fare and booked them this September because they have no available flight schedule yet for March next year. My sisters can rebook the flight when they know the schedule for next year without any additional charges. We are satisfied with this great accommodation. Thank you and more power to you Jetstar! Looking forward to your great service next year.
rafaelle del rosario
How did you contact them? I have been having so much trouble contacting them! I also have a flight from manila but my destination is to singapore
thomas
Japan airlines will not honor a postponement of my flight to Japan . EVEN THOUGH they have taken there kids out of school until April because of the Corona Virus.
I will never fly them again and will pass this onto all of my International travel companions..
BAD to take advantage in these times!
Tracey M
Please check the JAL website. If you are scheduled to fly before April 5, you should get a full refund from JAL now. The airlines are all trying to keep up with a situation that is changing almost every day. Japan Airlines has been really good with all of this.
https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2020/inter/200127_02/index.html
premiumflights
Thx for the info, we will update that
Burde
Its been a month since cancellations from AIR CHINA. I still have not received my refund! Is there anything you can do to help. I don’t have the extra the funds to book another ticket and AIR CHINA excuse „sorry there are too many refunds, please wait“ is not acceptable.
Its been a month!
I will never book with them again. Can anyone help me?
Funkylady
We are due to fly to Auckland via Guangzhou with China Southern on 15th February. The layover in Guangzhou’s is 6 hours which we are not happy about. I have been keeping my eye on the media in relation to eligibility to cancel flights and get a full refund, however I never see China Southern mentioned as to what they are or aren’t doing in relation to the situation with the Coronavirus.
Does anyone have any information in regards to what China Southerns policy is for cancellation and refunds? Thanks
premiumflights
I will add a statement that they posted on Twitter in the next minutes
Chris
Corona virus was confirmed already in other Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand, India, etc. I hope airline companies would allow their passengers to fully refund their airfare if they are no longer be pursuing the flight. Please do understand that more of the trips purposes are for leisure but with this Corona virus present on those countries, passengers will think of their safety first. I just hope this will be considered. Thank you.
Btw, Jetstar Asia is not listed here. That is my airline for our booking to Singspore on Feb 6-9, 2020. 😭
Lemuel Cruz
Same here, Chris! I’m booked to Singapore Feb 5-9 via Jetstar. Have you tried to contact them for a refund?
premiumflights
This is what the press says about Jetstar:
The airline will contact affected passengers, who will be offered a full refund or credit voucher…
Jetstar Asia has suspended flights from Singapore to three Chinese cities in response to the coronavirus crisis as global airlines axe services to the China mainland.
The move to freeze flights to Hefei, Guiyang and Xuzhou until March 31 came after Chinese authorities banned international group travel from the country.