The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: spartana on February 07, 2020, 09:45:13 AM
-
Especially to Asian countries? I haven't been keeping up this and still plan one long overseas European trip this spring but lots of people I know have cancelled both overseas trips and any travel.that requires flying.
-
The company that my wife works for cancelled a pretty big deal business meeting that was supposed to happen this week with businessmen from Wuhan. My company stopped all business travel to/from China last week.
-
I have a trip to Asia (not China) planned in April and am very, very happy to have booked flights that do not go through China.
Unless there's an actual outbreak in the country I'm visiting by the time I'm going, I don't see a reason to cancel. Asia's pretty big and I mean, Germany's (13) got more cases than some of China's neighbouring countries (e.g Vietnam 12, Russia 1, Mongolia and Laos still at 0) and I'm also not running away from here (NL).
-
Not changing any plans. Granted I wouldn't be booking a trip back to China right now either
-
Just this morning received word our NCL cruise around Japan on July 15th has been cancelled, as are ALL Asia cruises through Dec 15. Paying our airline change fees and offering an additional 10% off replacement cruise.
On a personal level disappointing because I really liked the timing and port selection.
On a larger mankind level, that response to this virus means the risk managers, lawyers and insurance companies has serious consequences to share value...which means they are not very confident this event will Peter out any time soon.
I haven’t solidified my opinion as to the seriousness of this threat yet, but the professionals threat assessment must not be very encouraging.
Just read that produce in Chile is starting to back up as over a third of their exports go straight to China. The ripples from this outbreak are increasing and not really convinced the originating country of origin is being transparent about real conditions in China.
-
Yep. I was taking DW and my oldest kid to China in late April to celebrate her graduation. We just got notified that our flight has been cancelled.
-
Just this morning received word our NCL cruise around Japan on July 15th has been cancelled, as are ALL Asia cruises through Dec 15. Paying our airline change fees and offering an additional 10% off replacement cruise.
On a personal level disappointing because I really liked the timing and port selection.
On a larger mankind level, that response to this virus means the risk managers, lawyers and insurance companies has serious consequences to share value...which means they are not very confident this event will Peter out any time soon.
I haven’t solidified my opinion as to the seriousness of this threat yet, but the professionals threat assessment must not be very encouraging.
Just read that produce in Chile is starting to back up as over a third of their exports go straight to China. The ripples from this outbreak are increasing and not really convinced the originating country of origin is being transparent about real conditions in China.
Given that incuabator of a cruise ship sitting off Japan... over 61 contracted it and the unsick basically need to stay in their room for 2 weeks... will cost that cruise company and insurer millions. There's also one off NJ where it seems increasing people sick.
That 61 number scares me the most... when people started falling sick they put protections in place and still so many people got it.
-
No. We're also going to Europe next month. The plan is London and a couple spots in France over 2 weeks. Even with Brexit, the Paris strikes and now Corona I'm still planning on going. Hopefully things will just be less crowded.
That being said, you'll never catch us on a cruise ship. Those things are incubators of all kinds of disease and it's too easy to be "trapped" on them. Corona isn't the first illness to have turned a boat into a prison.
-
We have a month trip to Europe in August. We will wait and see. We will lose our airfare which is 1600 total. The hotels are refundable. I am not booking any flights between countries until I see what happens.
-
My bosses canceled a trip for China that was supposed to take place in April.
-
I wouldn't go to China, but otherwise I'd be far, far more worried about catching the flu on my flight than the corona virus.
-
As others have said, work has cancelled all travel to and from China since last week.
My MIL canceled the China portion of her Asia trip for next month. I’m still hoping she will go to Malaysia as planned though my husband isn’t sure. We will see how that evolves. Personally I would have no problem going to Europe.
Granted, I don’t really follow the news, but it seems hard to tell how serious this really is versus something boring like the flu that doesn’t make the news but kills people every year.
-
No. We're also going to Europe next month. The plan is London and a couple spots in France over 2 weeks. Even with Brexit, the Paris strikes and now Corona I'm still planning on going. Hopefully things will just be less crowded.
That being said, you'll never catch us on a cruise ship. Those things are incubators of all kinds of disease and it's too easy to be "trapped" on them. Corona isn't the first illness to have turned a boat into a prison.
Totally agree re. cruise ships, and also re. travelling to Europe - we got to France last week with nary a thought to cancelling our plans. Where in France are you going?
-
What's weird to me is that, based on some of the responses, it seems the cruise and tour companies are cancelling trips that are many month away and paying big buck to do that. Do they really feel that things will be worse 7 months or longer from now or are they just erring on the side of caution?
Most likely doing it for financial rather than safety reasons. E.g. KLM airlines decided to cancel their flights to China only once people stopped buying them. Although I think it's weird that companies are already canceling cruises 6 months out, I guess it's because they're not hitting their minimum numbers of passengers to make them happen in the first place.
-
I am planning a trek to nepal in september and am considering cancelling if a vaccine isn't available soon.
-
I was planning on travel and put it off until the situation gets clearer. I don't want to get stranded someplace, or deal with crowds of people in a tube (bus, plane, or train).
-
No. We're also going to Europe next month. The plan is London and a couple spots in France over 2 weeks. Even with Brexit, the Paris strikes and now Corona I'm still planning on going. Hopefully things will just be less crowded.
That being said, you'll never catch us on a cruise ship. Those things are incubators of all kinds of disease and it's too easy to be "trapped" on them. Corona isn't the first illness to have turned a boat into a prison.
Totally agree re. cruise ships, and also re. travelling to Europe - we got to France last week with nary a thought to cancelling our plans. Where in France are you going?
We're spending one night in Caen so DH can visit Juno beach, 3 or 4 nights in the Loire so I can see castles and then 4 or 5 nights in Paris. I'm really hoping the metro strikes will be over for good while we're there, but even if they haven't we'll just adapt and visit things closer to where we're staying. My kids are most interested in visiting as many bakeries as possible. Pretty sure that's not going to be a problem ;-)
What's weird to me is that, based on some of the responses, it seems the cruise and tour companies are cancelling trips that are many month away and paying big buck to do that. Do they really feel that things will be worse 7 months or longer from now or are they just erring on the side of caution?
Most likely doing it for financial rather than safety reasons. E.g. KLM airlines decided to cancel their flights to China only once people stopped buying them. Although I think it's weird that companies are already canceling cruises 6 months out, I guess it's because they're not hitting their minimum numbers of passengers to make them happen in the first place.
That makes sense and I hadn't thought of that. While it seems like a bit of overkill this early on, I guess if people who normally makes reservation months earlier aren't doing that, or are cancelling, then cruise ships, flights and tours will likely sideline themselves. I have several friends who are cancelling domestic trips (flights, cruises of tours) and opting to do road trips instead this year.
I also have a hunch it may be because the type of traveler who books a cruise or group tour is also the type of person to be easily spooked by any kind of potential problem. Plus, it's much more difficult to re-route a cruise ship or group tour to avoid some kind of unexpected event than it is for an individual or small group (like my family of 4) to change course mid-trip. In fact, this is one of the reasons we're doing a family trip instead of just sending the kids on their school's trip to France. If something comes up (illness, accident, terror attack, etc) the school trip just gets cancelled. In our case, we can reroute and it's not a big deal.
I've lived through SARS, the swine flu (caught it myself before a vaccine was available) and any number of other calamities. I'm not invincible, but I'm also not interested in hiding under a rock. Life goes on.
I'd love to know if people who get this strain of coronavirus become immune to future infections.
-
We usually book cruises 6-12 months in advance to get the best prices. Once we received a email from RC that if we could leave in 39 days it was 500/person for a week. We went of course. If most people book way in advance they might have a good idea of capacity. Plus the earlier you cancel the cheaper it as because you put down a deposit. That increases as it gets closer to the cruise day. If I was younger I wouldn’t be so concerned. But at 65 with asthma even a cold hits me hard.
-
The past norovirus outbreaks on cruises plus the current quarantines have put me off cruising on a big ship forever. I'd still do a river cruise or an Alaskan cruise I think.
I'm going to Europe for a week in April. I'm unconcerned about that. I wouldn't book travel to Asia right now though- China for obvious reasons, the rest of Asia mainly because it's a very unfamiliar culture to me and not somewhere if feel confident navigating in an emergency situation. I feel comfortable navigating Europe in an emergency situation as I ja e been there multiple times.
-
We have a trip to Ireland in April, which at this point, I'm not concerned about.
I work in healthcare in an extremely high risk of exposure job with a very high population of Chinese patients, many of whom traveled to China for New Year's, my risk is much higher staying here and working than it is going to Ireland for a vacation.
-
What's weird to me is that, based on some of the responses, it seems the cruise and tour companies are cancelling trips that are many month away and paying big buck to do that. Do they really feel that things will be worse 7 months or longer from now or are they just erring on the side of caution?
Most likely doing it for financial rather than safety reasons. E.g. KLM airlines decided to cancel their flights to China only once people stopped buying them. Although I think it's weird that companies are already canceling cruises 6 months out, I guess it's because they're not hitting their minimum numbers of passengers to make them happen in the first place.
That makes sense and I hadn't thought of that. While it seems like a bit of overkill this early on, I guess if people who normally makes reservation months earlier aren't doing that, or are cancelling, then cruise ships, flights and tours will likely sideline themselves. I have several friends who are cancelling domestic trips (flights, cruises of tours) and opting to do road trips instead this year.
DH has already decided to drive to a Florida wedding rather than take an airplane at the end of this month.
We have to go to the East Coast in May, so I am planning on buying airline tickets now. But I have already warned DH that if we are in full-blown coronavirus world, we either may not go or we will drive so we may eat the cost of those airline tickets.
-
Going to Japan in 3 months. Not worried. Positively excited about the prospect of having fewer self-stick wielding visitors to compete with.
-
Getting a flu shot is making people more likely to get this other virus. It was a interesting article but I cannot find the link now.
-
Getting a flu shot is making people more likely to get this other virus. It was a interesting article but I cannot find the link now.
I'm curious how that would even be determined for this coronavirus this early into the epidemic. We aren't even getting straight numbers about the actual number of cases because by all accounts, there is a shortage of test kits in the hardest-hit areas. I can't imagine there's enough of a record to determine who among the actual total number of infected patients did and did not receive a flu vaccine and whether the difference between the groups was statistically significant.
-
^ and ^^
Nope, that is not how your immune system works . . . not at all.
Getting a flu shot absolutely does NOT make you more susceptible to various strains of the cold, which is what a corona virus is. Any article that says so is straight up false. Please don't spread false information like this.
I have a PhD and used to work in an immunology department. I understand how vaccinations, antibodies, and immunity work.
Edited to add: in fact, getting the flu shot every year might actually give you something called "crossover" resistance if you happen to have antibodies (that you develop each time you get vaccinated) that can attack a similar portion of a new strain of the flu. Every time you get a vaccine, your body puts the antibody it made into your own personal library of immunity molecules that it can recall, activate, and very rapidly replicate whenever doing so will fight a new virus. You should get the flu shot. Period.
-
Back on topic: I wouldn't travel to China right now, and maybe not to surrounding countries. I would be less afraid of getting sick than I would be about getting stuck in quarantine for an indefinite period of time. It also seems like many of the big cities in China are operating at limited capacity so the restaurants and tourist sites would not be available.
I don't see a reason to avoid other areas of the world.
-
^ and ^^
Nope, that is not how your immune system works . . . not at all.
Getting a flu shot absolutely does NOT make you more susceptible to various strains of the cold, which is what a corona virus is. Any article that says so is straight up false. Please don't spread false information like this.
I have a PhD and used to work in an immunology department. I understand how vaccinations, antibodies, and immunity work.
I'm not sure whether you're responding to me or Cassie. I have a PhD in immunology. There's no evidence suggesting that flu vaccination has any effect on susceptibility to other viral illness.
-
Going to Japan in 3 months. Not worried. Positively excited about the prospect of having fewer self-stick wielding visitors to compete with.
Ha!! Great attitude. IMO, times like these are the best times to book.
-
We're spending one night in Caen so DH can visit Juno beach, 3 or 4 nights in the Loire so I can see castles and then 4 or 5 nights in Paris. I'm really hoping the metro strikes will be over for good while we're there, but even if they haven't we'll just adapt and visit things closer to where we're staying. My kids are most interested in visiting as many bakeries as possible. Pretty sure that's not going to be a problem ;-)
Enjoy!! We are in the south, enjoying spectacular weather.
-
I completed a trip to Japan the week everything was breaking out (got back on 1/24). I usually go to Tokyo 4-5x/year. Our group is not advising trips to Asia generally, and China is out altogether, as expected. I have a work trip to London planned in March, and so far see no reason not to go.
-
I am so glad you asked. I have plans to go to NYC in May and Hawaii in August.
I am waiting to purchase tickets/hotel room for NYC for a couple of weeks to see how this goes. For Hawaii, if the virus is on the rise in the US I will consider canceling.
Right now it seems unlikely, but I am being reserved in case this illness is not contained.
-
Jen, thanks for your educated response. I have no medical background and just mentioned what I read about virus interference and was wondering if it was true or not.
-
We canceled our trip to China in April, less out of fear of corona virus and more out of acknowledging that with all the control and processing around travel it just would be a giant pain in the arse.
That and Chinese hospitals are pretty shithouse, so if we did catch it we'd be miserable, even if unlikely to die.
-
I would still travel outside Asia, though maybe not on a cruise ship where germs spread like, well, the plague. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/02/08/coronavirus-cruise-ships-diamond-princess-cases-rise-japan-coast/4693112002/
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/02/08/coronavirus-cruise-ships-diamond-princess-cases-rise-japan-coast/4693112002/)
Within Asia, China and Hong Kong would be out for me, but I'm not sure about other places. Husband has a work trip to Japan in March and I'm curious to see what, if anything comes of that.
-
roommate is leaving for Asia today without a return ticket. No plans for China, though. He tried to buy face masks in the PNW but everywhere is sold out.
-
We are taking our son to Italy this summer for a high school graduation present. He is a big worrier and follows politics and current events closely and I am surprised he hasn't mentioned anything about this yet. I don't think it will make any difference to our travels. I used travel rewards for most of the trip and bought the cheapest/non refundable tickets, so I hope I am right!
-
Our company (large nasdaq tech) has cancelled all presence at conferences and trade shows and cancelled trainings in the headquarters through April. Some are going to be held via webex. For employees who travel to Asia off business, they will be forced to stay home for 2 weeks after arriving back in the US.
-
Our company (large nasdaq tech) has cancelled all presence at conferences and trade shows and cancelled trainings in the headquarters through April. Some are going to be held via webex. For employees who travel to Asia off business, they will be forced to stay home for 2 weeks after arriving back in the US.
Is this just travel in Asia, for all international travel, or for all conferences even within the US?
-
We're spending one night in Caen so DH can visit Juno beach, 3 or 4 nights in the Loire so I can see castles and then 4 or 5 nights in Paris. I'm really hoping the metro strikes will be over for good while we're there, but even if they haven't we'll just adapt and visit things closer to where we're staying. My kids are most interested in visiting as many bakeries as possible. Pretty sure that's not going to be a problem ;-)
Enjoy!! We are in the south, enjoying spectacular weather.
Stayed in Caen and visited Juno last June. Fabulous trip and leave time for both the beach and the museum.
-
What's weird to me is that, based on some of the responses, it seems the cruise and tour companies are cancelling trips that are many month away and paying big buck to do that. Do they really feel that things will be worse 7 months or longer from now or are they just erring on the side of caution?
Most likely doing it for financial rather than safety reasons. E.g. KLM airlines decided to cancel their flights to China only once people stopped buying them. Although I think it's weird that companies are already canceling cruises 6 months out, I guess it's because they're not hitting their minimum numbers of passengers to make them happen in the first place.
That makes sense and I hadn't thought of that. While it seems like a bit of overkill this early on, I guess if people who normally makes reservation months earlier aren't doing that, or are cancelling, then cruise ships, flights and tours will likely sideline themselves. I have several friends who are cancelling domestic trips (flights, cruises of tours) and opting to do road trips instead this year.
Having read a lot of business continuity plans across multiple industries, it feels to me like last Friday was a decision day to activate whatever plans many companies had. Certain "triggers" had been met and escalated to the C suite, the BOD's had been given the risks/ plan options, the financial folks had gamed out the $$$ impacts, HR and the insurers had spoken, PR and media spokes polled and decisions were made to implement some long term emergency responses. There is the crisis today- the news of the virus disrupting supply chains etc, and the crisis tomorrow if the suits and power skirts act misjudge the response or decision to not respond- which, of course, is a serious decision in itself. Not sure what specifically is spooking them, but it seems triggers were pulled late last week. And yes, I was booked on an Asia cruise that was cancelled, but had no intention of cancelling...spending my time trying to hold onto my flights and find a land based alternative.
-
Just read about another cruise ship (Carnival) was denied port entry by 5 countries even though no one tested positive for Corona. Looks like Cambodia will allow them in but I wonder if this is going to be a new trend to deny port entry for cruise ships (and cargo ships) from China to the US. There are about 20 Chinese freighters waiting off shore now in the port of LA that are being denied entry. Maybe planes, trains, buses and cars too. Seems a bit over cautious but who knows!
Source? Can't find in the LA Times and similar news outlets.
-
We love cruises but won’t be taking any for a year or two.
-
I just realized you could lean FIRE easily by visiting China one day, then coming back. Free room & board & medical for two weeks. Plane tickets to China are cheap these days, so you could repeat as soon you are released.
Discuss.
-
1070 AM station plus friend is CG vessel inspector for ports of LA/LB and does cargo ship inspections. Also several diffetent TV news reports last night interviewed dock workers, longshoremen and truck drivers and all said work is nearly at a standstill. Truck drivers not able to pick up loads and not getting paid (independents) but union longshoremen are still getting paid.
ETA: just googled but couldn't find anything but it was on the 11 pm newscast night (plus you can see all the cargo ships sitting off the coast). Part of the problem is just the big slow down or shut down of production in Chinese factories due to the virus. Less shipments to US means less work for everyone involved with the cargo industry. Also ships and crews are quarantined for 14 days before they can off load and crews are denied shore leave.
This is from a week ago. Probably different now:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailybreeze.com/2020/02/04/new-federal-regulations-battling-spread-of-coronavirus-could-affect-cargo-cruise-ship-industries-at-ports-of-la-and-long-beach/amp/
Live ships map isn't showing any problems at the moment- there are 4 cargo ships (green dots) anchored off and a number of tankers (red dots) but nothing unusual -
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-118.247/centery:33.704/zoom:12
-
I've cancelled a business trip to China next week at the request of my Chinese hosts.
Still planning to visit Tucson and Hermosillo in mid March though. Flight is via Paris.
-
I just realized you could lean FIRE easily by visiting China one day, then coming back. Free room & board & medical for two weeks. Plane tickets to China are cheap these days, so you could repeat as soon you are released.
Discuss.
It's easier to just start stabbing people on the street. Then you'll be arrested and put in jail. Free laundry, free food, free accommodations, free heating. Really no down side at all.
-
I flew out of Sydney (Australia) yesterday and at the entrance to security they asked every one if they had been to China in the last 2 weeks. The check-in machine also asked, so it looks like a person asking is a newer measure.
Lots of people wearing masks at both Sydney and Christchurch airports. I think Air New Zealand has cancelled most if not all flights to China.
-
Imo it would be pretty dumb to travel to Asia right now. The personal risk from COVID-19 is pretty low, but if you bring it home with you and infect your city you would rightly feel pretty guilty a out the excess deaths you caused.
-
Apparently everyone in China and Hong Kong is working from home as much as possible, maybe other countries too. Just seems like a miserable time to go there and get anything done.
-
Here's a few ways to think about the travel issue:
1) Risk of quarantine. We won't know for another month or so whether quarantines are going to continue to be the response or if they will finally admit that the horse is out of the barn and there is no use in quarantining anyone anymore. I do not expect the attempt to restrict this virus to China to be successful because of the large percentage of cases that are asymptomatic or mild, like a common cold, and the inability to test everyone with a cold for the virus. (Also the current test gives a lot of false negatives.) Traveling to any foreign country, even European countries, might include a risk of being quarantined there if that is the response to future outbreaks. Soon the US will be unable to bring back all quarantined or infected Americans. Do buy traveler's health insurance if you go and if you're traveling to third world countries, buy insurance with Medevac coverage. On the other hand, a month from now they may finally admit it's too late for quarantines and your risk traveling may be no greater than your risk of contracting it at home.
2) Risk of contracting it while traveling: Planes with their recycled air, crowded airports, trains and buses may increase your risk if you aren't normally exposed to crowds. Washing your hands frequently and wearing a mask will protect you from a lot of that risk (not all). Masks are not available to buy but fairly easy to sew if you know someone with sewing skills. Not as good as a N95 mask but pretty good for this use (I've been making some for my family). I wouldn't go on a cruise ship right now as they are germ factories in the best of situations (but then again, I don't go on cruises anyway because I have the worlds worst motion sickness).
3) Inexpensive travel opportunities: once the virus is widespread and quarantines are no longer being used, traveling may not pose a bigger risk than being home if you wash hands frequently and wear a mask. If you're young and healthy you may be able to pick up some killer travel deals because the travel industry will be hurting.
4) Perspective - the true fatality rate is most likely in the 0.3-0.6% range. This would put the likelihood of US deaths, if 20% of the population contracts the virus, at about 4-8 times a typical flu season's deaths. Not exactly zombie apocalypse numbers, but concerning. It is unknown whether this virus will be seasonal or not - if it is, it may start to die down for the summer and recur next winter.
5) Countries not reporting coronavirus - do not assume that Africa, South America, and especially Indonesia are safe because they aren't reporting coronavirus cases yet. Indonesia almost certainly DOES have cases, based on the spread in surrounding countries, so the lack of reported cases is suspicious. Africa has numerous ties to China and almost certainly has the virus too but lacks the public health capacity to test for it efficiently.
In short - assume it will not be successfully contained to China, there's no predicting how other countries will respond as it starts to spread, washing hands and wearing a mask are your best protection, 90% of cases may be mild or asymptomatic, older people and people with underlying health conditions are at the most risk but even healthy young people can die of it. I predict that in 2 months we will have a much clearer picture of how other countries will respond to the eventual spread, and whether it will start to die down for the summer - or not.
Oh - and don't wait around for a vaccine. It will probably be two years before there is enough for routine vaccinations at a minimum.
-
I ended up in urgent care last week with a nasty cough. I was concerned it might be pneumonia, and when I was still getting worse after a week, I went in. It's hard to overstate how terrible I sounded, and at one point during my wait, I coughed so hard I threw up. I also live in the DC area, with lots of international visitors.
I was curious to see if CV affected the experience at all.
The initial check in was a touch screen, and the first two questions, even before "name" were, "Have you traveled to China in the last two weeks" And "Have you spent time in the last two weeks with anyone who has traveled to China". (That may not be verbatim.) Other than that, it wasn't mentioned. The intake nurse and doctor both didn't ask me about it (though presumably they had access to that info.) And no one seemed bothered by a person with an atrocious cough sitting around for two hours. I did put on a mask, though I wasn't asked to.
(By they way, it was, surprisingly to me since it was all cough and barely a tickle in my throat, strep.)
-
I ended up in urgent care last week with a nasty cough. I was concerned it might be pneumonia, and when I was still getting worse after a week, I went in. It's hard to overstate how terrible I sounded, and at one point during my wait, I coughed so hard I threw up. I also live in the DC area, with lots of international visitors.
I was curious to see if CV affected the experience at all.
The initial check in was a touch screen, and the first two questions, even before "name" were, "Have you traveled to China in the last two weeks" And "Have you spent time in the last two weeks with anyone who has traveled to China". (That may not be verbatim.) Other than that, it wasn't mentioned. The intake nurse and doctor both didn't ask me about it (though presumably they had access to that info.) And no one seemed bothered by a person with an atrocious cough sitting around for two hours. I did put on a mask, though I wasn't asked to.
(By they way, it was, surprisingly to me since it was all cough and barely a tickle in my throat, strep.)
I think if you had answered "Yes" to either of those questions, your experience may have been different. When we flew back to Toronto from Shanghai three weeks ago, we naturally had to answer "Yes" to the first question, which prompted the question as to whether we had traveled to Wuhan within the past two weeks. We then waited until they checked our passports and confirmed we had not used them to travel to Wuhan before letting us leave.
-
H was in the ER last weekend in Mpls, and they didn't ask him about contact with China until he was back in a bed in the ER. I was surprised- I thought that they would ask the minute we stepped in the door. ( he wasn't having an active emergency when we arrived).
-
I was supposed to go to a valve manufacturer to perform an audit in India in March, but it has been cancelled due to the corona virus. I’m not too heartbroken in actuality..
-
I'm scheduled on a river cruise in Germany in early May. I'm not so concerned for myself, but my mother is going, and will be celebrating her 85th birthday on our extension to Krakow.
At this point, I'm leaving it up to Viking to decide. We do have insurance!
-
I ended up in urgent care last week with a nasty cough. I was concerned it might be pneumonia, and when I was still getting worse after a week, I went in. It's hard to overstate how terrible I sounded, and at one point during my wait, I coughed so hard I threw up. I also live in the DC area, with lots of international visitors.
I was curious to see if CV affected the experience at all.
The initial check in was a touch screen, and the first two questions, even before "name" were, "Have you traveled to China in the last two weeks" And "Have you spent time in the last two weeks with anyone who has traveled to China". (That may not be verbatim.) Other than that, it wasn't mentioned. The intake nurse and doctor both didn't ask me about it (though presumably they had access to that info.) And no one seemed bothered by a person with an atrocious cough sitting around for two hours. I did put on a mask, though I wasn't asked to.
(By they way, it was, surprisingly to me since it was all cough and barely a tickle in my throat, strep.)
My understanding is that there is a severe shortage of coronavirus test kits in the US. So, not sure how aggressively they can even try to test/diagnose at this point.
-
We’re going to London in a week, for two weeks. Essentially, we’ll be washing our hands, bringing hand sanitizer, avoiding physical contact with people (no handshakes or hugs) and hoping for the best.
-
We are contemplating ditching some work trips and a summer Europe trip. Of course, if quarantining stops, we will go. A two week quarantine away from home would be disastrous both work wise and if with the kids.
-
We won’t take our August Europe trip if they are still quarantining.
-
I wasn’t planning on cancelling anything, but now the talk is they might cancel the Olympics. So travel plan changes might be forced upon me.
-
I have a business trip to Italy that will probably get cancelled. I'm still fine with going. Yes, there are 300+ cases..... out of 60 million people. And there's an 80% chance that if I do get it, it will be no worse than the common cold (many of which are caused by other forms of coronavirus).
My only concern would be getting stuck there for a few weeks if they started shutting down flights on the way back or restricting travel out of the area I would be going.
edit: Yep, trip got cancelled.
-
We are monitoring the situation carefully. I had wanted to fly to Asia around now. But am recovering from pneumonia and DH says there is no way I should expose my weaker body to any possibility of the coronavirus. So we wait. Hoping to travel to Asia in late spring/early summer if the situation stabilizes but DH says, "we will see".
In the meantime, we have booked flights to Florida in March and April and plan to go although DH is concerned about it spreading in the US so we continue to read reports daily.
We have been adjusting our travel plans a bit. When we went to Toronto a couple of weeks ago, we avoided the big Chinese mall (mostly because I am still in recovery and my immune system is likely weak). And when we went to Florida a few weeks back, we washed our hands obsessively and were super careful about touching our faces and our food.
Sent from my VCE-AL00 using Tapatalk
-
I live in Europe but my company has cancelled all business trips to areas affected by corona virus. In addition, we are actively discouraged from (international) business travel. I just had to cancel business trips planned in 2 weeks to currently unaffected areas.
-
I have booked a flight transiting through Singapore to Sydney in May for personal travel and my employer is asking me to reconsider my travel plans and the risk it might imply to my colleagues.
They can’t tell me what to do on my own time, but I may have to work from home for 2 weeks after transiting through Singapore... if they really don’t want me to go via Singapore they have the option of paying for an alternate flight for me that bypasses Asia.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I remember traveling through Singapore airport during the SARS outbreak and thought at that time that the airport were taking necessary precautions. You couldn’t get off the plane if they detected a fever for instance.
-
We've got a big family trip to Italy and Greece scheduled for May/June. We've been planning it and paying for things for a year. I'm glad we bought trip insurance. Sigh.
-
What's weird to me is that, based on some of the responses, it seems the cruise and tour companies are cancelling trips that are many month away and paying big buck to do that. Do they really feel that things will be worse 7 months or longer from now or are they just erring on the side of caution?
SARS took a few months to settle down - Nov 2002 to July 2003 (9 months). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_SARS_outbreak
So they are likely predicting it would be similar to SARS.
-
I was hoping to go to Italy in May with family, but now they are putting off any concrete plans for the moment, so I'm not sure if I'll still go. Even if I do book, I'd probably get travel insurance just in case. For now my plan is just to wait and see for the next little while.
-
I was hoping to go to Italy in May with family, but now they are putting off any concrete plans for the moment, so I'm not sure if I'll still go. Even if I do book, I'd probably get travel insurance just in case. For now my plan is just to wait and see for the next little while.
Ha, exact same for me (Italy, May, holding off). None of us booked yet, we might revisit for later in the year and possibly another destination.
-
I was hoping to go to Italy in May with family, but now they are putting off any concrete plans for the moment, so I'm not sure if I'll still go. Even if I do book, I'd probably get travel insurance just in case. For now my plan is just to wait and see for the next little while.
Ha, exact same for me (Italy, May, holding off). None of us booked yet, we might revisit for later in the year and possibly another destination.
My dates are pretty strict because it's for a wedding, so if it doesn't work out for May I won't go this year at all, but I'd still be pretty disappointed if I had to miss it. My alternative plan is just to do a road trip, which would still be fun but not the same.
-
My parents' upcoming trip with mom's siblings will probably be scrapped for the second year in a row (last year, it was the government shutdown and issues with TSA staffing at airports). They're all elderly, dad has a pacemaker and low-stage cancer, and mom's brother is immunocompromised. I can't imagine that either of them will want to sit on a plane for hours and risk getting stuck several states away from home.
-
The Wall Street Journal had a good article on this today. They made the good point that if you travel, make sure you have an extra supply of any medications you take with you in case you get stuck. Also discussed the ins and outs of different types if travel insurance.
-
I am not holding my breathe on our Europe trip, but I am not cancelling anything until closer to the time.
I last attempted to travel to Europe 10 years ago, but a volcano cancelled my trip.
I wasn't exactly a rabble rouser when I travelled in my youth, so I am not sure what it is that Europe has against me.
-
I live in Europe but my company has cancelled all business trips to areas affected by corona virus. In addition, we are actively discouraged from (international) business travel. I just had to cancel business trips planned in 2 weeks to currently unaffected areas.
This, but I live in the US
-
We have a November Italy trip scheduled. It's far enough out that I feel like wait and see is my best approach. We're bringing our 1.5 year old though, and there's no way I'm going to risk getting stuck in a quarantine with a baby, so if we have to cancel, we will. I'm sure there will be a lot more information by then though.
-
I think we are going to cancel our cruise this summer - my mom is 73, diabetic, recently recovered from cancer - too many risk factors.
-
Travelling to Thailand in 2 weeks - no plans to cancel myself, but I'm aware the flights might be cancelled for me. Everyone in my group is young (mid 20s) and healthy, getting travel insurance, and taking precautions. The worst of it is a short layover in Korea, and I've already worked it out with my employer that I'll be self-quarantining and working from home for minimum two weeks once I get back.
I'm not taking any extra precautions over what I would normally do for the flu season for domestic travel at this point, but naturally I'm keeping an eye on things as they develop.
-
Logged into my Canadian employer's heath insurance site last night to submit a routine dental claim. I was greeted with a pop up "reminding" me that the travel health insurance part of the policy doesn't apply if I go to a country that the Government of Canada has issued a level 3 or 4 health advisory against. So far, only China is at level 3, but the list bears watching.
-
Logged into my Canadian employer's heath insurance site last night to submit a routine dental claim. I was greeted with a pop up "reminding" me that the travel health insurance part of the policy doesn't apply if I go to a country that the Government of Canada has issued a level 3 or 4 health advisory against. So far, only China is at level 3, but the list bears watching.
Oh, that's interesting. Hadn't thought of that -- thanks for posting.
We're going to London next week for two weeks. No plans to alter anything.
-
I leave for Italy in 5 days! It's a two week trip. We are doing southern Italy though.
I don't think the flight there will be cancelled but I am worried a little bit about the return trip or being quarantined. Being quarantined at home wouldn't be that bad, but staying in another country for however long would definitely screw up my budget. Plus DH is an hourly contractor so that would all be unpaid time off and I don't have much vacation time myself after this 2 week trip.
-
I have a trip to the Caucasus in May. There's a decent amount of travel between there and Iran, so I'm wondering how this may play out for them.
I have no intention of cancelling unless it is cancelled on me, but part of my trip is a food tour for which I owe the balance of the tour cost in a few weeks. Annnnddd, if it ultimately gets cancelled, I think the tour company might sneak out of refunding/holding the funds for another trip based on their legal language. So now I'm a little concerned about paying the balance and then immediately losing it. I'll definitely not do it till the day it's due, and maybe will call the company before I do to discuss.
-
Due to the lockdown in Italy, it's now possible that the wedding I was going to will be postponed. So it seems pretty certain that I won't be going in May, especially since many flights there are cancelled until May 1 anyway, and travel insurance wouldn't cover it if I did end up cancelling. But on the bright side, I probably will get to attend the wedding, just at a different time. Luckily none of my family lives in an affected zone, but the whole country is taking precautions just in case.
-
I leave for Italy in 5 days! It's a two week trip. We are doing southern Italy though.
I don't think the flight there will be cancelled but I am worried a little bit about the return trip or being quarantined. Being quarantined at home wouldn't be that bad, but staying in another country for however long would definitely screw up my budget. Plus DH is an hourly contractor so that would all be unpaid time off and I don't have much vacation time myself after this 2 week trip.
Assuming they went ahead with their plans and did not return early, Italy is in national lockdown and this person is still there. I'm not sure what the US is doing with Italy returnees right now, but if we were smart we'd be requiring a 14 mandatory quarantine (i.e. not trusting people to go home and obey it, but requiring them to stay at the airport or wherever) for anyone coming from there.
So, this decision really didn't age well, even if it happened to work out for Valvore. People, please don't fuck around with this virus. It is not a game.
-
I have a flight to Netherlands first week of April. I need to cancel or change it because of a medical issue unrelated to coronavirus. I'm not too concerned about traveling to NL because it is like a second home for me & somewhere that being forced into quarantine/prolonged stay wouldn't be an undue hardship. I would be more concerned about being a disease vector if the virus is more prevalent where I live than where I am going. At the moment, that's not the case.
I'm hoping that coronavirus will give me more flexibility in moving my trip back a few weeks. I'm not sure how flexible Virgin Atlantic will be (wasn't able to get through to them because they're swamped from Flybe folding). Worst case, I just have to lose the miles that I booked the ticket with and miss the trip. Not too bad.
-
My airline is offering free rebooking to any significantly affected areas. If Ireland gets added to the list, then I'll rebook. If not, I'll decide closer to the date depending on what's up.
-
I want to fly to Asia anytime in the next few months but am putting that on hold. My DH is not comfortable with it and my mother is extremely worried about the idea of my flying there.
We fly next week to Orlando for a few days at Disney. DH was pretty comfortable with things but today's news is making him pretty nervous. At this point, we are still going ahead but DH has asked that we nix our plans to go back to Orlando at the end of April. We are not on any type of schedule right now so quarantine time wouldn't bother us much but DH is getting nervous from a health perspective, especially since he has some immune issues.
We continue to watch the news. Very interesting seeing the drastic measures being taken by businesses everywhere compared to the "stop panicking - the flu is worse" attitude by many folks. I am not naturally inclined to being too nervous but am more suspicious when big businesses voluntarily choose to lose so much money.
-
I wouldn’t fly anywhere right now. The entire country of Italy is on a month quarantine. If you are over 65 they aren’t wasting a ventilator on you or reviving you if you code. Their hospitals are at 200% capacity.
-
We fly next week to Orlando for a few days at Disney. DH was pretty comfortable with things but today's news is making him pretty nervous. At this point, we are still going ahead but DH has asked that we nix our plans to go back to Orlando at the end of April. We are not on any type of schedule right now so quarantine time wouldn't bother us much but DH is getting nervous from a health perspective, especially since he has some immune issues.
This kind of attitude is why this virus is now a pandemic. What you're talking about is incredibly foolish. By that time the US may have thousands of infections, if not tens of thousands. You could easily get stuck in Orlando for weeks, and that's not the worst case scenario. The worst case scenario is you get infected from someone else at Disney (which is exactly the worst sort of place to go to right now), bring it back to your home town, and be the cause of someone's death when you transmit the disease to them. Or god forbid you could be one of the unlucky few young people who die from this virus.
Anyway it is very likely Disney will close in the next few days. I hope, if only to take the decision out of the hands of so many Americans who are clearly unequipped to make good decisions on this subject.
-
We have absolutely no idea what’s happening with our Italy/Greece trip in May, but iam not optimistic and we are going to be out a lot of money, I suspect.
-
I wouldn’t fly anywhere right now. The entire country of Italy is on a month quarantine. If you are over 65 they aren’t wasting a ventilator on you or reviving you if you code. Their hospitals are at 200% capacity.
Source?
-
I had no immediate travel planned, but I did reschedule an outpatient surgery I was going to have in a few days. I've lived with the condition for several years now and what's a few more months, tbh?
-
I cancelled my side trip (on my way home to Canada) to visit my sister, money lost. She winters in the Coachella Valley, they have cancelled the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament and now the Coachella Valley music festival. New Zealand to Ontario (not GTA) should be relatively safe. I'm in a moderate risk group, not risking it.
-
I had no immediate travel planned, but I did reschedule an outpatient surgery I was going to have in a few days. I've lived with the condition for several years now and what's a few more months, tbh?
This seems like an excellent idea for everyone. I was touring a hospital yesterday for a completely unrelated reason (abortion provider appreciation day) and we talked for a long time about their coronavirus management. They have two cases there right now. They and another major hospital network in the city are working now on opening additional space to accommodate more patients and, to your point, pulling resources from non-urgent or non-time-sensitive medical care. One hospital is opening a facility that was in process of being renovated (and stopping the renovations) and another is prepping to set up giant tents, apparently. All staff are being prepped for the possibility of being reassigned from those non-urgent units. We practiced the toe-tap greeting to get out of the habit of shaking hands and learned about their screening procedure (and how it updates in real time) for all patients. They seem well-prepared...
-
I wouldn’t fly anywhere right now. The entire country of Italy is on a month quarantine. If you are over 65 they aren’t wasting a ventilator on you or reviving you if you code. Their hospitals are at 200% capacity.
Source?
The whole country of Italy was put on lockdown, no nonessential movement, earlier this week.
As for the rest of it: https://www.thelocal.it/20200311/hospitals-are-overwhelmed-italian-doctors-describe-the-struggle-of-fighting-the-coronavirus-outbreak (https://www.thelocal.it/20200311/hospitals-are-overwhelmed-italian-doctors-describe-the-struggle-of-fighting-the-coronavirus-outbreak)
-
I am not naturally inclined to being too nervous but am more suspicious when big businesses voluntarily choose to lose so much money.
They are doing this because big businesses are staffed with educated professionals who understand the math of the situation. Businesses would mitigate risks that were far smaller than this immediately. Frankly, if it weren't for businesses reacting, we'd be much worse off. Some have implied that specifically the reactions of tech businesses to the pandemic have led the way.
Also entire countries are not shutting borders, losing tourism and enforcing quarantine to "own the libs".
-
elaine amj, i don’t mean to pile on, but I might seriously reconsider your Disney trip given your and your husband´s health issues.
My family is young and healthy. We are cancelling a driving trip from NorCal to SoCal next month. Had briefly entertained going to Disney, but no. For me, I’m less worried about getting sick and more worried about quarantine, getting stuck, or being an inadvertent vector.
Our local academic hospital is on the verge of canceling all elective procedures. Private schools are closing. I wouldn’t be surprised if public schools follow suit soon. I think social distancing is about to be in full force.
-
I see rumblings of restricting "non-essential" travel from Europe. Does that mean you could get stranded if you are there and want to come home?
-
I see rumblings of restricting "non-essential" travel from Europe. Does that mean you could get stranded if you are there and want to come home?
I am seeing the same thing. It seems possible, then, that one could get stranded in Europe.
-
I have nothing good to say about choosing to go to Disney right now, so I won't say it, I suppose. (But that's sort of saying it, isn't it?)
Also, today is 3/11 the Anniversary of the Great Tohoku Quake. Why do I bring that up? Well, I was living in Japan at that time and it's always a sort of somber day for me. But I will always marvel at the way the Japanese people behaved in the face fo this crisis. Even when bottled water need wasn't entirely irrational, they did not horde. People purchased a few bottles--only what they needed--and left some for neighbors.
My husband flew supplies into absolutely devastated areas and when he landed, they offered *him* support and water.
And people did what they were told. If they were asked to stay home, they did. If they were asked to turn off their air condition and avoid using lights, they did, even months later.
We could learn a great deal from the selflessness and gracious, calm dignity I saw in that time, and much of that applies directly to where we are today.
Does missing a soccer match or a theme park or a St. Patrick's day parade really mean much in the grand scheme of life? Even (relatively) young and (fairly) healthy, I'm avoiding stuff like that, not for my sake, but for my community. I don't want to be partly responsible for someone else's death, and I don't want to be in a situation where I actually need medical care (for Corona or something else) and can't get it because there system is full and broken.
If it all comes to nothing, as some people still think it will? Well, you've missed a parade and a chance to hug Mickey Mouse. Social distancing is like car insurance. You probably won't need it. It's probably a waste. But when it isn't, it makes all the difference.
-
I see rumblings of restricting "non-essential" travel from Europe. Does that mean you could get stranded if you are there and want to come home?
I was in China when it was placed on the “no non-essential travel” list. Your country will probably still let you back in, and you’ll probably be routed all over the place and take multiple flights before you arrive back in your home country, at which point of time you may be placed under voluntary or mandatory quarantine.
My take is that there is no need to put yourself at risk for such an ordeal just to go on vacation. Having said that, we just booked flights to China for next week. Flights are actually not that cheap. We would not be flying except our companies are requiring us to go back to work.
-
No. We're also going to Europe next month. The plan is London and a couple spots in France over 2 weeks. Even with Brexit, the Paris strikes and now Corona I'm still planning on going. Hopefully things will just be less crowded.
Well, what a difference a few weeks has made. We cancelled our trip last week. I'm looking at $8K lost to non-refundable tickets/reservations/etc. This has been a painful lesson in the risks of non-refundable tickets. Trip insurance likely won't payout because we haven't technically hit any of the trigger points outlined in their terms, despite the fact the WHO has now declared a pandemic. Frankly, I don't care about the lost money that much anymore.
There's no way I want to risk catching this virus. Even people who get "mild" symptoms are reporting that they feel terrible. Add in the fact I have asthma and MIL (who is over 70 and has, or had, all the comorbid conditions) lives in our MIL suite and this is not something I want to mess with. I absolutely don't want to bring it home to her.
The number of cases in France is skyrocketing and they're only testing people who feel ill at this point. I suspect there's a lot more people walking around with it who don't feel that sick.
-
I wouldn’t fly anywhere right now. The entire country of Italy is on a month quarantine. If you are over 65 they aren’t wasting a ventilator on you or reviving you if you code. Their hospitals are at 200% capacity.
Source?
The whole country of Italy was put on lockdown, no nonessential movement, earlier this week.
As for the rest of it: https://www.thelocal.it/20200311/hospitals-are-overwhelmed-italian-doctors-describe-the-struggle-of-fighting-the-coronavirus-outbreak (https://www.thelocal.it/20200311/hospitals-are-overwhelmed-italian-doctors-describe-the-struggle-of-fighting-the-coronavirus-outbreak)
Yes, it's dreadful there, but I didn't read anything in that article about just letting those over 65 die.
My pharmacist today was shaking her head at the "overreaction". A PHARMACIST! She said SARS was worse. Yes, the disease was worse, but it was quickly contained and caused fewer than 1000 deaths worldwide.
-
Interesting article from a European (Italian?) doctor regarding people traveling and generally not taking precautions because they're young and healthy.
https://www.newsweek.com/young-unafraid-coronavirus-pandemic-good-you-now-stop-killing-people-opinion-1491797?utm_source=GoogleNewsstandUS&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Partnerships (https://www.newsweek.com/young-unafraid-coronavirus-pandemic-good-you-now-stop-killing-people-opinion-1491797?utm_source=GoogleNewsstandUS&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Partnerships)
-
Sooooo.....European travel ban in US for 30 days. To prevent new cases, per Trump. Good luck with that. This needs to be paired with a lot more measures than just a 30 day travel ban to Europe to prevent new cases, given how easily it spreads.
My travel is not to Europe and is closer to 60 days out, but I need to make some decisions by this weekend, given a flight change option by my airline.
-
Due to the lock down in Italy, a planned trip Athens-Sicily to see my mom over Easter (and work on my house there) is canceled. Still currently planning on the original Hong Kong - Athens trip during that time however to do some paperwork and hour work. Keeping an eye on things. My company's health insurance covers me everywhere in the world (aside from the US) buy Athens's system isn't fantastic and could easily get overwhelmed depending on how things go.
-
If you do decide to travel anywhere, make sure to read the fine print on your health insurance. Here in Australia, once a pandemic is declared BY THE INSURER (insurers here declared it January 23rd) you are not covered for health related conditions related to an epidemic/pandemic disease.
Not sure about other countries insurance....
Who covers it then? Or are you talking about for foreign visitors?
-
The patient would be required to pay.
-
Are you talking Australian citizens or foreign travelers in Australia? Does that mean any Australians that get sick will be personally on the hook with no way to mitigate the risk of needing some really expensive treatment?
-
Going to Japan in 3 months. Not worried. Positively excited about the prospect of having fewer self-stick wielding visitors to compete with.
Quoting myself a month later. Still going to Japan unless a government tells me I cannot.
-
Got the email today that we can cancel our trip to reschedule it any time in 2020. We have until about a month from now to cancel, I plan on calling next week.
Ugh, this is the third trip I've had to cancel in 3 years. The powers that be don't want me to travel apparently.
-
Wife and I are cancelling a trip to Panama March 15-28. Mother in law retired there and we were going to visit during Spring Break (wife is teacher). We will lose about $1k in nonrefundable airfare and hotels. Small price to pay in my opinion. I don't want to be a spreader of the virus or, of course, die.
I'm also FIREd and very heavy on stocks so this has been just a great week.
-
Going to Japan in 3 months. Not worried. Positively excited about the prospect of having fewer self-stick wielding visitors to compete with.
Quoting myself a month later. Still going to Japan unless a government tells me I cannot.
Make sure you won’t be put under mandatory 14-day quarantine when you arrive. Otherwise, you definitely won’t be battling selfie-stick wielding tourists, but probably not in the way you expected.
-
My SIL was in NC last weekend and flew back to WI on Tuesday. She was told on arrival that if she came from a state with more than 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, she would be requested to self isolate for 14 days. That day, NC only had 7. Now there are 12. Wait, it just went up to 15.
I'm booked on a Viking River cruise on May 4th. They just cancelled all cruises until April 30th. I personally hope they extend the cancellations, but my 84 year old mother, with her devil may care attitude, still wants to go.
She's the one who insisted our entire extended family take the last flight into St. Maarten before hurricane Dean brushed by in 1989, she and Dad survived a SE Asia cruise during SARS in 2003, she and she went skydiving on her 80th birthday. You see what I'm up against...
-
Going to Japan in 3 months. Not worried. Positively excited about the prospect of having fewer self-stick wielding visitors to compete with.
Quoting myself a month later. Still going to Japan unless a government tells me I cannot.
Make sure you won’t be put under mandatory 14-day quarantine when you arrive. Otherwise, you definitely won’t be battling selfie-stick wielding tourists, but probably not in the way you expected.
Double check the places you're going to as well. There have been a lot of closures in Japan of tourist attractions.
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/attractions-in-tokyo-and-japan-that-are-closed-due-to-covid-19-coronavirus (https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/attractions-in-tokyo-and-japan-that-are-closed-due-to-covid-19-coronavirus)
-
Yes. We have a European trip scheduled: 4/29/2020 to Barcelona, 5/5 cruise Mediterranean ports to Rome 5/12, fly Alitalia to Sicily, Road Scholars tour until 5/22, fly Alitalia to Rome, Rome to TX. We're 72 & will not take the risk of quarantine on a cruise ship or stuck trying to get home, & don't want to go anywhere only to find everything closed.
Seabourn (cruise) has already offered to credit our fully paid cruise to any other in 2020 or 2021; the issue here is how far out to go. Road Scholars has cancelled its trips for April, no word on May yet. RS is offering transfer privileges for those who pay their trip protection fee but we're hoping to avoid that. Our flights to/from Europe were purchased with miles, so we can reinstate them; still need to see if those fees will be waived. Alitalia is non-refundable but cost us $300; we'll ask about rescheduling. We have trip insurance for medical treatment/evacuation but not "cancel for any reason" -- I'm hoping it can be rescheduled since we won't be using it.
-
The decision was made for me. I was supposed to be on a river cruise in France at the end of the month. Got an email yesterday that all cruises are cancelled until the end of April. They offered full credit to reschedule at a later date. Air France is also waiving change fees to reschedule to a later date. I just hope they can survive suspending operations for a month and a half. If they go tits up, I'll loose $6K on the cruise and another $2k on airfare. Have to see if travel insurance covers bankruptcy.
-
My SIL was in NC last weekend and flew back to WI on Tuesday. She was told on arrival that if she came from a state with more than 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, she would be requested to self isolate for 14 days. That day, NC only had 7. Now there are 12. Wait, it just went up to 15.
I'm booked on a Viking River cruise on May 4th. They just cancelled all cruises until April 30th. I personally hope they extend the cancellations, but my 84 year old mother, with her devil may care attitude, still wants to go.
She's the one who insisted our entire extended family take the last flight into St. Maarten before hurricane Dean brushed by in 1989, she and Dad survived a SE Asia cruise during SARS in 2003, she and she went skydiving on her 80th birthday. You see what I'm up against...
Your mother is an adult and can make her own decisions, as well as live with the consequences. You are also an adult and are responsible for making decisions for yourself. If you think it wise to cancel the trip for yourself, do so. She can feel however she wants about it, and make whatever decisions she wants.
-
Not overseas, but we had travel planned to NYC for the end of the month, but everything is closed so will be cancelling.
We have another trip planned at the start of April during our original spring break to a cabin in Gatlinburg, still debating that one.
-
The decision was made for me. I was supposed to be on a river cruise in France at the end of the month. Got an email yesterday that all cruises are cancelled until the end of April. They offered full credit to reschedule at a later date. Air France is also waiving change fees to reschedule to a later date. I just hope they can survive suspending operations for a month and a half. If they go tits up, I'll loose $6K on the cruise and another $2k on airfare. Have to see if travel insurance covers bankruptcy.
Your travel insurance may not cover bankruptcy, but the cc your bought the flights with may.
-
I was planning on taking a vacation to NYC this summer to burn some points, but I'm putting that on hold until things stabilize. Oh well, just have to go camping or something more solitary and local.
-
Our planned trip to the States in July has been pushed back till end of the year. G's school tip to Europe was cancelled and we are waiting to see if his Iceland trip in April will need to be postponed. As of Wednesday they were still planning on it. It may be that our Monster Year of Travel turns into 2 trips to NZ.
-
Well, I was due to pay the balance today of my food tour during my planned trip to the Caucasus in May. The company has a very fair policy of allowing me to cancel and keep all funds paid on credit for another trip within 2 years, and they have many options, so I felt comfortable with that.
Then I went on their site to pay and found out they moved my balance due to 19 Apr. Great! They've already cancelled all trips through Apr 30, so my trip (staring 9 days later) could very well be canceled, but I'm happy not to have to pay out anymore cash to them now, even if I wouldn't lose it.
At this point, I'm waiting on the airline to cancel the flight and will be waiting for probably at least a month. They only have flights cancelled at this point through Apr 1 to select countries.
They are offering flexible changes for travellers though. Currently, the website says they have no change fee for a flight taking place before May 31, 2020, so long as the new ticket is for a flight taking place before May 31, 2020, which....I'm hoping is a mistake or language translation issue? Because I don't see how that makes any sense?
-
I was planning on taking a vacation to NYC this summer to burn some points, but I'm putting that on hold until things stabilize. Oh well, just have to go camping or something more solitary and local.
Yesterday I switched our plans to road trip it to a quiet cottage a few hours away planning to hunker down. This morning, we cancelled, eating a small fee. Finally felt like it was more responsible to just stay home - no matter how disappointed we are.
Sent from my VCE-AL00 using Tapatalk
-
Just 10 days+/- into social distancing and only a couple days into shelter in place for a fraction of people in the US and I'm already seeing talk by commentators and thought leaders of "how long can we do this?!!?" "well, 3 weeks is one thing, but humans weren't made to live like this!" "Our economy may not recover" "there are costs to going through another Depression just like going through another Spanish Flu" and "a year or 18 months of this would be a massive transfer of resources and wealth from the younger generation to the older generations."
So, I'm guessing the social isolating and sheltering in place may not last as long as I was guessing (which was another month or so, with some estimates saying we'd need to do it, at least off and on, for a year or 18 months). What's everyone here thinking? When will we all be traveling again like nothing's changed?
I actually hope not till late May or June. I no longer want to go on my trip to the Caucasus in early May, but really would like the airline to cancel the flight so I can get a full refund. They've cancelled all flights to Georgia through April 1 at this time.
-
In Shanghai, everything shut down for about six weeks and are just now starting to ramp up again. Social distancing continues to be recommended and nothing is back to normal, but I think the government realizes that businesses have to start producing again. There is a rumor that high schools are reopening 4/6, so high schools were closed for around ten weeks from start to finish. No word on when elementary schools and preschools are reopening.
-
I'm not even trying to guess right now. Mentally preparing ourselves for 1-2 months and will see what happens next. Good to see China waking up again.
Sent from my VCE-AL00 using Tapatalk
-
In Shanghai, everything shut down for about six weeks and are just now starting to ramp up again. Social distancing continues to be recommended and nothing is back to normal, but I think the government realizes that businesses have to start producing again. There is a rumor that high schools are reopening 4/6, so high schools were closed for around ten weeks from start to finish. No word on when elementary schools and preschools are reopening.
Good to hear. I know we are all sort of bracing to see whether there will be a second flare up there once restrictions have been relaxed (like that model from Imperial College London shows happening). Very best wishes as you all are leading the charge, effectively.
-
I hate to add to any pessimism, but I've been reading a little about the 1918 flu pandemic. It's a little unsettling that it hit in 3 waves. There was a small wave in the spring, it subsided in the summer, then hit really hard with two big waves in the fall and winter. It's kind of unsettling. I hope that doesn't happen with this.
-
I hate to add to any pessimism, but I've been reading a little about the 1918 flu pandemic. It's a little unsettling that it hit in 3 waves. There was a small wave in the spring, it subsided in the summer, then hit really hard with two big waves in the fall and winter. It's kind of unsettling. I hope that doesn't happen with this.
Knowing that a flare up is a possibility, wise folks will keep their pantries and cupboards stocked up when times are good, so that they are prepared in case of a second or third flare up.
I usually buy toilet paper in bulk, and I know that I will place an order for TP as soon as we arrive in China and will keep up our stores of nonperishable goods and cleaning supplies for the next year or so, at least until a vaccine is developed.
-
Knowing that a flare up is a possibility, wise folks will keep their pantries and cupboards stocked up when times are good, so that they are prepared in case of a second or third flare up.
I usually buy toilet paper in bulk, and I know that I will place an order for TP as soon as we arrive in China and will keep up our stores of nonperishable goods and cleaning supplies for the next year or so, at least until a vaccine is developed.
Honestly having well a well stocked pantry is just generally a good idea for emergency preparedness.
-
I hate to add to any pessimism, but I've been reading a little about the 1918 flu pandemic. It's a little unsettling that it hit in 3 waves. There was a small wave in the spring, it subsided in the summer, then hit really hard with two big waves in the fall and winter. It's kind of unsettling. I hope that doesn't happen with this.
My hope is that by late fall there will be the start of vaccine availability. It will be educational/informative to see how this develops in southern hemisphere countries, especially the ones with severe winters, as they are going into winter now.
The other advantage is that the 1918 flu hit young adults hardest. I have always known that, both my Dad's parents died in it, leaving 2 young children. Young adults are getting sick this time around too, but they are most likely to recover, so the loss of the young adult workforce should not be as bad.
I hope there is also immunity after infection and recovery, my DD has it now. It has totally hit her lungs and she has zero energy. It would be nice to know she will be immune afterwards, but at this point no-one knows.
-
Hong Kong is getting its second wave of infections - a fraction of many US and European cities, but a concern since we've worked so hard to keep things under control here. The new cases are mostly from people returning from western countries bringing the virus with them. A number of the new cases have been linked to bars in the "foreigner district" (Lan Kwai Fong) and a wedding in a Western/foreigner beachside development that reminds me of the Stepford Wives (Discovery Bay). There's a lot of resentment against westerners who have cavalier attitudes about not wearing masks and who continue to go out and socialize as if nothing's wrong.
As of last night, schools (including mine) are now closed indefinitely in HK. There's a new 14-day quarantine for travel from everywhere in the world aside from Mainland China, Macau and Taiwan.
Draconian but there's no way we want any part of what's coming the way of the US and European cities. Our generally useless govt and especially the people of Hong Kong learned from SARS.
-
@expatartist curious about the latest with that second wave - how is it there now?
My flight to the Caucasus was (finally) cancelled and the airline is giving me bullshit about my ticket being non-refundable so they are only offering me a voucher...which apparently has to be used on the exact same itinerary within the same year. I sent them back a link to the USDOT enforcement notice advising them that I looked forward to my refund. But we'll see. Those companies all too often get away with screwing over individual passengers/customers. I did tell them I was giving them a week before I filed a complaint with the USDOT but that I had already filed a dispute of the charge with my credit card company. Hope one of these strategies works. It was the first time ever I had decided to treat myself to business class airfare (lie flat seats) because I often miss two full nights of sleep when I'm traveling halfway around the world and it is so miserable. So it's a LOT of money. Very poor luck!
-
Can't you just chargeback the trip on your credit card?
-
Can't you just chargeback the trip on your credit card?
I'm not sure what that means? Is it another term for disputing the charge? (I have done that.)
-
Can't you just chargeback the trip on your credit card?
I'm not sure what that means? Is it another term for disputing the charge? (I have done that.)
Yeah. If I order something that isn't delivered, I can just tell my credit card company and they refund the money. Then they go after the person who didn't deliver as promised. Is that not true of credit cards everywhere?
-
Can't you just chargeback the trip on your credit card?
I'm not sure what that means? Is it another term for disputing the charge? (I have done that.)
Yeah. If I order something that isn't delivered, I can just tell my credit card company and they refund the money. Then they go after the person who didn't deliver as promised. Is that not true of credit cards everywhere?
they may charge back if the company tells them no.
-
Yeah, I think they all do. My credit card company has put a temporary credit on my account for this, so that's great, but I'm generally expecting that the airline with get back with some mumbo jumbo about how I purchased a non-refundable ticket. And they probably won't reference US DOT guidelines on how their cancellation means I deserve a refund regardless or maybe they will, but make some specious claim about how they aren't subject to it or something? And then my credit card company will (I'm just guessing) not want to get into the business of who is right about the terms of contracts and US DOT regulations and will just accept the company's excuses? I'm not sure, hopefully I'm just being pessimistic. I dunno, if others have experience with protracted credit card charge disputes, I'd welcome hearing advice.
My credit card company did tell me that if they don't respond in 90 days, the temporary credit becomes permanent. Which would be awesome...I just doubt the airline will miss replying to the charge!
-
^A few million dead people and a few million extreme sick people probably disagree.
Well Im bravely testing the waters on a road trip. Left this morning and will see how things go. Most stuff in my state (CA) are opening but both state parks and national parks are still closed for camping (what I'll be doing) but borrowed a van so can stealth camp if needed. I plan to be very socially distanced from most people so should be OK for others and myself.
The person you're responding to is a spammer. There's no point in discussing the issue with them.
-
Spartana, I hope your trip goes well. Camping sounds safe to me.
-
Now Europe might be putting off our travel...
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-06-23/european-union-considers-banning-americans-from-travel-as-cases-rise-in-us
-
Now Europe might be putting off our travel...
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-06-23/european-union-considers-banning-americans-from-travel-as-cases-rise-in-us
Read that earlier today myself. Can't say that I blame them!
-
Now Europe might be putting off our travel...
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-06-23/european-union-considers-banning-americans-from-travel-as-cases-rise-in-us
Read that earlier today myself. Can't say that I blame them!
+1
-
Now Europe might be putting off our travel...
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-06-23/european-union-considers-banning-americans-from-travel-as-cases-rise-in-us
Read that earlier today myself. Can't say that I blame them!
+1
The only odd thing is that they keep naming individual countries, rather than saying countries that don't meet X criteria, then keep an updated list of which countries that refers to.
-
Lot airlines just cancelled our flight to Poland but not the return trip. It’s weird.
-
So sorry your trip didn’t go well. Nevada’s cases are skyrocketing also. We haven’t been anywhere in 18 months and really want to go to Yosemite but probably doubtful if we could find a place to stay. We sold our motor home in February.
-
Now Europe might be putting off our travel...
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-06-23/european-union-considers-banning-americans-from-travel-as-cases-rise-in-us
Read that earlier today myself. Can't say that I blame them!
+1
This is starting playing out exactly like I thought it would. I don't want to be right on this. Fortunately the bounce in cases is happening slower than I expected.
-
Spartana, I hope your trip goes well. Camping sounds safe to me.
It was a total bust. VERY crowded and no camping or motels abailable. Not even wilderness sites in the Sierras. Stayed about a week near Mammoth then came home. Now with things opening up here in Calif cases, deaths, hospitalizations and people in ICU are really rising so I'm likely staying put at home. Unfortunately friends, BF and family are all starting to participate in big group activities and going back to work so maybe off in a remote mountain town is the best place to be. Some places are starting to close again as well as postpone fully opening due to the increased numbers. In my county today was the highest number of deaths and this week.has the highest number of new cases (more testing?) as well as hospitalization and ICU.
I hope we don't have problems with this if we manage to get on the road. We're planning to utilize a lot of National Forest and BLM areas that would probably be less than full under normal circumstances but I've read about the hordes of people turning to camping to get away from home. Hopefully as long as we're not near major cities this won't be an issue.
-
Spartana, I hope your trip goes well. Camping sounds safe to me.
It was a total bust. VERY crowded and no camping or motels abailable. Not even wilderness sites in the Sierras. Stayed about a week near Mammoth then came home. Now with things opening up here in Calif cases, deaths, hospitalizations and people in ICU are really rising so I'm likely staying put at home. Unfortunately friends, BF and family are all starting to participate in big group activities and going back to work so maybe off in a remote mountain town is the best place to be. Some places are starting to close again as well as postpone fully opening due to the increased numbers. In my county today was the highest number of deaths and this week.has the highest number of new cases (more testing?) as well as hospitalization and ICU.
I hope we don't have problems with this if we manage to get on the road. We're planning to utilize a lot of National Forest and BLM areas that would probably be less than full under normal circumstances but I've read about the hordes of people turning to camping to get away from home. Hopefully as long as we're not near major cities this won't be an issue.
I don't know about BLM camping but seems crazy packed everywhere. Much more crowded then pre- covid times. I think it is doable now that stores and gas stations, etc in the nearby towns are open...for now. I'd still be very hesitant to do a long multi month trip but seems you guys are pretty prepared and willing to make sure you don't bring your out of state covid cooties to the small towns. Some places are starting to close again or stall their planned reopening so that's something to consider to. I will say that people are NOT very cautious here and it is becoming harder to practice social distancing then before. You might find even remote places much more crowded then pre-covid times because so many people want to get away so your own risk is increased along with the risk of you bringing covid into the next place you visit.
Yeah, our cottage is a 15-minute drive from a small town where most cottagers usually go to stock up as they have several grocery stores and a Walmart. The Mayors of the small towns in cottage country are asking the city folk to bring up their own groceries and minimize trips into town so as not to pass on COVID cooties to local residents. They worry that their small rural hospitals won’t be able to handle a wave of COVID infections.
-
I will say that people are NOT very cautious here and it is becoming harder to practice social distancing then before. You might find even remote places much more crowded then pre-covid times because so many people want to get away so your own risk is increased along with the risk of you bringing covid into the next place you visit.
That kind of surprises me. I fully expected Southerners to ignore social distancing based on the culture here, but I kind of thought the whole West Coast would take it seriously. The numbers suggest that that's true in the Bay Area and the PNW, but not in Southern California. I'm not very familiar with Southern California, and I guess it's more different from the Bay Area and the PNW than I realized. Are things playing out the way you expected based on the culture in Southern California?
-
I think that people tend to forget that SoCal is politically and culturally diverse. There are communities very dependent on family and community for meeting basic needs, there are large Trump supporting enclaves who are still insisting that these measures are a political hoax.
And God damnit, I don't care how cautious you are, it is your God given right to go to the beach. I have an immuno compromised friend who complained about the crowds making social distancing impossible at the beach AND complained when the parking lots were closed to limit the crowds.
-
Spartana, I hope your trip goes well. Camping sounds safe to me.
It was a total bust. VERY crowded and no camping or motels abailable. Not even wilderness sites in the Sierras. Stayed about a week near Mammoth then came home. Now with things opening up here in Calif cases, deaths, hospitalizations and people in ICU are really rising so I'm likely staying put at home. Unfortunately friends, BF and family are all starting to participate in big group activities and going back to work so maybe off in a remote mountain town is the best place to be. Some places are starting to close again as well as postpone fully opening due to the increased numbers. In my county today was the highest number of deaths and this week.has the highest number of new cases (more testing?) as well as hospitalization and ICU.
I hope we don't have problems with this if we manage to get on the road. We're planning to utilize a lot of National Forest and BLM areas that would probably be less than full under normal circumstances but I've read about the hordes of people turning to camping to get away from home. Hopefully as long as we're not near major cities this won't be an issue.
I don't know about BLM camping but seems crazy packed everywhere. Much more crowded then pre- covid times. I think it is doable now that stores and gas stations, etc in the nearby towns are open...for now. I'd still be very hesitant to do a long multi month trip but seems you guys are pretty prepared and willing to make sure you don't bring your out of state covid cooties to the small towns. Some places are starting to close again or stall their planned reopening so that's something to consider to. I will say that people are NOT very cautious here and it is becoming harder to practice social distancing then before. You might find even remote places much more crowded then pre-covid times because so many people want to get away so your own risk is increased along with the risk of you bringing covid into the next place you visit.
We have an almost completely off-grid setup. Bathroom and shower abilities, and we sleep in the van. As far as COVID is concerned, we'll have cloth masks, P100 respirators, isopropyl alcohol, soap, and nitrile gloves. We've already been practicing our safety techniques like when getting gas only one hand is used to touch anything. Only one person goes into a store while the other is prepared with sanitizing materials when the other emerges. We're not messing around.
If need be, the 3.5" lift on our Sienna will let us get off-road and utilize forest service roads, etc. to find more remote campsites. There are some breathtaking sites out there that you can't really get to in a normal car.
-
One of the obstacles to travel is the contingency plan if you get sick. You probably can’t fly home with a fever. You could end up being sick in an unfamiliar place with no support beyond your travel mates. If you are in the hospital for weeks, where will they stay? Pre-hospital how will you separate from each other in an RV, van or tent? Now everyone in the group is infected and it may not be feasible to get home. Not a pleasant scenario.
-
I will say that people are NOT very cautious here and it is becoming harder to practice social distancing then before. You might find even remote places much more crowded then pre-covid times because so many people want to get away so your own risk is increased along with the risk of you bringing covid into the next place you visit.
That kind of surprises me. I fully expected Southerners to ignore social distancing based on the culture here, but I kind of thought the whole West Coast would take it seriously. The numbers suggest that that's true in the Bay Area and the PNW, but not in Southern California. I'm not very familiar with Southern California, and I guess it's more different from the Bay Area and the PNW than I realized. Are things playing out the way you expected based on the culture in Southern California?
As another SoCal resident-- yeah, it's a huge area with a lot of diversity, including bastions of extremely conservative republican folks who may be listening to rhetoric depicting the virus as some kind of political hoax. I have definitely seen the anti-maskers with their 'MASKS CAUSE CO2 POISONING' bullshit around here. Orange County especially is a very red county. That said, I can't just point fingers at other groups, lol. While the area I live in is (imo) pretty good about social distancing and masking, there are a lot of people for whom the scales of 'fear of deadly pandemic' versus 'quarantine is a hassle and I hate it and don't give a frick anymore' have tipped in favor of throwing caution out the window.
I also suspect that the push to reopen has a lot of people letting their guard down. Folks who don't live on the internet or know to do their own research might be lulled into a sense of false security-- after all, surely things must be on the mend if the government has approved restaurant dining again. Right??
-
Ok. My experience with SoCal is one trip to San Diego as opposed to having lived in Oregon plus multiple trips to Washington and the Bay Area. It doesn't surprise me that those areas seem to be keeping things somewhat under control.
-
One of the obstacles to travel is the contingency plan if you get sick. You probably can’t fly home with a fever. You could end up being sick in an unfamiliar place with no support beyond your travel mates. If you are in the hospital for weeks, where will they stay? Pre-hospital how will you separate from each other in an RV, van or tent? Now everyone in the group is infected and it may not be feasible to get home. Not a pleasant scenario.
I was thinking about visiting more remote places in NM, Arizona, California desert this fall/winter but this is what's concerning me. I'll be in a van, without facilities, so I'm mostly reliant on using vault toilets, finding a shower somewhere (perhaps hitting a campground every few days). But if I got really sick, I don't know where I'd go. I guess I could park in some BLM land somewhere, hopefully with some shade, but it would be really miserable.
-
One of the obstacles to travel is the contingency plan if you get sick. You probably can’t fly home with a fever. You could end up being sick in an unfamiliar place with no support beyond your travel mates. If you are in the hospital for weeks, where will they stay? Pre-hospital how will you separate from each other in an RV, van or tent? Now everyone in the group is infected and it may not be feasible to get home. Not a pleasant scenario.
I was thinking about visiting more remote places in NM, Arizona, California desert this fall/winter but this is what's concerning me. I'll be in a van, without facilities, so I'm mostly reliant on using vault toilets, finding a shower somewhere (perhaps hitting a campground every few days). But if I got really sick, I don't know where I'd go. I guess I could park in some BLM land somewhere, hopefully with some shade, but it would be really miserable.
Depending on how rustic you want to get you can resolve the facilities issues fairly easily. We're carrying 6 gallons of water for showers, and a solar shower bag that will heat it up during the day. $20 worth of PVC pipe and a tarp will get you a shower cubicle you can set up in 5 minutes on the side of a van.
That same shower cubicle can be used for privacy when you do your business with a 5 gallon bucket. Just use biodegradable waste bags and bury it using proper Leave No Trace methods. And don't forget the gamma life for your bucket. Keeps everything sealed up in case you have to pack out waste.
The PVC for our shower cubicle will come apart and, using the tarp, will double as an awning if we were somewhere with no shade.
-
Yeah, this is my concern - it's not the isolating, but in the case I got a bad case of the covid, would be worried about being out in some BLM land, no facilities, unable to drive, eat, etc. There are some informal groups of campers meeting up, perhaps would consider doing that at minimum to not be stuck alone somewhere. I also try to camp where there is cell reception, and I do have an emergency battery for charging phone.
-
I think that people tend to forget that SoCal is politically and culturally diverse. There are communities very dependent on family and community for meeting basic needs, there are large Trump supporting enclaves who are still insisting that these measures are a political hoax.
And God damnit, I don't care how cautious you are, it is your God given right to go to the beach. I have an immuno compromised friend who complained about the crowds making social distancing impossible at the beach AND complained when the parking lots were closed to limit the crowds.
Yep. And even with the stay at home order, many of my friends are regularly going to the Sierras for camping trips. I don't know if they are packed or not at all. But, as so many parents aren't working and there's no summer camp, I wouldn't be surprised. People are over it. Even though we are still supposed to be "safer at home".
I have friends who feel the same. Regular hikers and trail runners, then COVID happened and suddenly the trails are packed...because people are stuck at home with their kids. They need to get out. You can still get out and avoid people, but it requires going further into the backcountry and avoiding weekdays. I just needed to remind my friends that they don't have any more right to the trails... in any event, I just took a morning to take kid #2 (7) to the beach. We showed up at 8:20 am.
Turns out, not a lot of people there at 8:20 am. We were the first to put down our towel, and it was mostly older people walking. Left at 10:20, and it was filling up.
And yes, lot of anti-mask individualist Trumpers all over CA.
One of the reasons we bailed on traveling to the East Coast this summer (there were many reasons) was health related. My HMO wouldn't cover me anywhere but in CA. So I'd have to buy temp insurance. I think we may still take this trip, maybe next summer. Hubby and kids are on a PPO, so they are fine.
-
Now that I've got enough Aeroplan points for a round-trip transoceanic flight in business class... plus I can't eat grains apparently.
Things can change fast, that's what I've learned in the past few months.
-
Crazy story y'all. I think I'd previously posted here about my trials and tribulations with getting reimbursed for a flight to the Caucasus that I booked through a third party vendor. I filed a dispute with my credit card company and they gave me an immediate credit that would be permanent if the vendor didn't respond within 90 days. Well, they didn't respond to my credit card company within 90 days....but they DID actually give me a reimbursement separately. So, I had the "dispute" credit and an actual credit on my credit card. I assumed the credit card company would notice and true it all up, but they never did. The 90 days passed about a week ago (the reimbursement happened about 2 months ago) and now I'm starting to worry that the CC company is not going to notice this until some audit long down the road and then tell me I owe like $62,000 given the 18% (or whatever) APR I presumably have on the credit card.
So I decided the best plan is to call them up and get this cleared up and have them undo my credit and just pay it back sooner rather than later....but when I called them they looked into it and then came back and decided they'd let me keep the credit because the company never responded in the 90 days...and that's what they promised me!
My jaw dropped. Did I just make $3200 on this transaction? (It was an expensive flight!)
They were definitely clear on the fact that I had a reimbursement already, and I have no idea why they wouldn't take the credit back. I can only assume that they must have gotten the money back twice from the airline as well, if they would let me keep it.
I'm still suspicious. I wrote down all the details of the call for my files in case I do need to have an argument 6 months from now when there is an audit and they decide it was done wrong. I'll always be fine with paying back the money, but I'm frankly still worried about the $62,000 in interest charges they may attempt to levy.
But in the meantime, I am up by several thousand dollars, which is....a super weird situation to be in.
-
That's crazy. I would definitely document everything to the nth degree.
-
Yes, definitely crazy! I am dealing with the opposite situation. I disputed a charge because the airline cancelled a flight and claimed they refunded but I never received actual refund. Credit card company did the credit at the time but now sent me a letter saying that in their view the charge was legitimate but they will let me keep the credit as a courtesy but send a tax doc at the end of the year documenting it as income to me.
I suspect they are trying to write off the charge or something Like that but don’t think I should foot the tax bill for something that’s essentially a refund. Have to call the airline and credit card company to sort it out.