Covid 19 Thoughts on the likely actions in the weeks to come

For anyone interested. Both Disneyworld Florida & Disneyland have announced their theme parks will now remain closed until further notice. No doubt all the other Orlando attractions will follow suit,
I also have received several emails today from the stores I visit whilst in America like Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Ralph etc all saying their planned opening next week has been suspended, again until further Notice.
“All back to normal by Easter” seems a pipe-dream !

[mitchja]

I can’t see JFK (along with other New York airports) staying open much longer now either which will impact airlines even further.

Going forward, when international travel finally starts up again, I think we’ll see lots of countries do what South Korea has just announced - mandatory 14 day quarantine for all new arrivals, to try and prevent a second wave.

That would at least allow some long-stay business travel to resume but would clearly rule out the majority of long-haul leisure travel. From VS’s point of view, the key to its future is what Trump does.

Finally paid but not via the link on the payment email which still insisted no booking lol paid via Virgin Holidays website now just to await a refund eventually.

Latest estimate of 45 to 54 days before a refund is made.

I used the text service on Saturday to request a refund for flights in just over a weeks time. Against both flights in the booking it read “contact Delta” which I assume is from Virgin using the same booking system as Delta.

I text at 11:00. Reply came at 00:30. Happened to be up. Was offered the rebooking option but I stated I wanted a refund and this was given without fuss. Stated it will be up to 10 days before receive written confirmation and up to 90 days before we receive the funds back to original payment method. This exchange took about 1.5 hours in total due to delays between replies (only about 7 messages in total sent/received) so still very busy at their end obviously.

We had completed a miles booster for these flights and, as previously reported in another post, this won’t be cancelled and miles will post on the original departure date.

I’ve used the text service before this occasion and I’d highly recommend it. They didn’t reply to our last question about the miles booster until 5pm yesterday so I wouldn’t worry about starting a conversation and having to come back to it later, or if you can’t reply immediately. Makes this option very convenient.

Another shout out for the text service, I had a cancelled IAD flight next week and found the service great over the weekend with refund confirmation and as others have advised up to 90days to see it appear.

For those with DL combinations this was updated on VS trade; ( Until Further Notice )

Below is Delta's current trans-Atlantic flying schedule.

Virgin down to three routes

LHR - JFK, LAX and HKG

https://simpleflying.com/virgin-atlantic-3-routes/

I have been interested/surprised to see a number of flights into/out of LHR still going. At this stage are these all just repatriation flights, imagine there can't be many destination pairs still operating or not facing restrictions other than for going home.

Not surprising that the Clubhouses are closing but the anticipated timeframes gives an insight to the potential disruption before things may get back to normal;

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/e ... unges.html

[mitchja]

I have been interested/surprised to see a number of flights into/out of LHR still going. At this stage are these all just repatriation flights, imagine there can't be many destination pairs still operating or not facing restrictions other than for going home.

Cargo ops are still running. Goods still need to be exported and imported and flights are the quickest option to get goods from one country to another.

Whilst not everything can be loaded onto passenger aircraft (dangerous goods/certain types of chemicals for example), most other things can be.

I work for a chemical company (and am thankful I’m still able to work here) and we export most of our goods now using air.

From Boston USA-- we are locked down for another month at least, estimates through June, possibly later. Our hospitals are unable to cope. Anyone thinking of flying here would be required to join our quarantine, as well as running the high risk of acquiring CoVid flying into any US urban area. Visitors would take up precious professional resources from resident need. Our rural vacation areas like the Cape and Islands or the RI and Maine coast are already overwhelmed by urban second home or holiday rental flight. NYC is a nightmare for the ill. Disneyland is closed. No bars, no shows, no restaurants.
Please-- let VS know that you are staying home and canceling/changing your flight, even though they might still show it as open. We have just done same re April flight to UK for a much looked forward -to holiday, choosing to support VS by putting our plans on hold through no fee change open rebooking which runs through April 2021. Used online form and heard back quickly. VS have been very good to us over the nearly 30 years they have been in Boston, they are still my airline of choice,- and kudos to all VS fans for observing common sense protocols in a dangerous time.

I have been interested/surprised to see a number of flights into/out of LHR still going. At this stage are these all just repatriation flights, imagine there can't be many destination pairs still operating or not facing restrictions other than for going home.

Cargo ops are still running. Goods still need to be exported and imported and flights are the quickest option to get goods from one country to another.

Whilst not everything can be loaded onto passenger aircraft (dangerous goods/certain types of chemicals for example), most other things can be.

I work for a chemical company (and am thankful I’m still able to work here) and we export most of our goods now using air.

Air freight prices have increased due to less passenger flights operating at the moment which, as you say, can accommodate many types of cargo that's non-hazardous. If not already, I can see any cargo that's not time-sensitive or not urgent in the eyes of the importer being delayed until more flights are reinstated.

BA suspended flights from Gatwick now.

No VS, BA or U2 now from Gatwick - wonder how long they will stay open with the north terminal already closed.

David

Apparently a total of just 33 arrivals and departures at LGW today.

Wondering what the legal status of 90 days for a refund is?

Especially if this pushes TAs or individuals into further costs such as interest/overdraft payments.

We have flights to and from St Lucia in May/early June to cancel that we'll then never be able to take, at least on Virgin :(

I have had a few messages requesting updated flight schedules and I will keep checking but looking at a trade update yesterday they have not updated the programme beyond the 12th April as previously published and a foot note below has now been added;

“Because of increasing travel restrictions, we are only operating scheduled flights between London Heathrow and New York-JFK (daily), Los Angeles (daily) and Hong Kong (every other day). “

Also they have now closed the Upper Class Wing including dedicated security line.

From VS Trade ;

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Delta has had to make some difficult decisions based on market demand and government guidelines. Delta is adjusting their worldwide schedule in response to White House, State Department and CDC guidance while listening to where customers tell Delta they want to fly.
As such, Delta has suspended all operations between the U.K and the United States. Delta is currently maintaining a schedule of two services from Amsterdam: daily flights to Atlanta and non-daily flights to Detroit.

And according to Routes Online VS will not be operating passenger services between 20th April & 26th April however they continue to fly cargo flights;

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/ai ... 20Atlantic

[mitchja]

A further update from VS. For anyone with a ticket booked before March 11th 2020, the rebook with no change fee window has now been extended by 1 month until the end of May 2020, allowing 1 free change for travel up to the end of May 2022. No difference in fare if you complete your rebooked travel before November 30th 2020.

Full details here

Thanks for the heads up.

On checking the link the change date is actually out to 31st May 2022.

We have a flight to the US booked for early May which we will need to move, this gives us even more flexibility.

[mitchja]

Thanks for that. How strange as I’m sure it said 2021 originally!

+1 thanks for the heads up. This is exactly what we've been hoping for/waiting for.

We were told earlier in the week that the new dates
we wanted would be an additional £3k (original flights cost £4k total) which meant we were going to end up slumming it on BA. Fingers crossed it works out now...

We've had no luck with the text message comms over the last week so will try WhatsApp and see if that works.

Does anyone know if Select Vouchers are being extended?

Routes online is reporting a tentative resumption of selected flights with the obvious caveats attached;

In the latest update, the carrier will continue to operate minimal service, from 28APR20 to 03MAY20 (Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong). Majority of service resumption previously planned on 27APR20, is now delayed to 04MAY20. Upon tentative service resumption, following routes with more than 7 weekly flights planned, will be operated at 7 weekly level until 31MAY20. Information listed below is based on inventory update as of 0500GMT 11APR20.

London Heathrow – Boston 1 daily A330-300
London Heathrow – Delhi 1 daily 787-9
London Heathrow – Los Angeles service resumes on 28APR20, 1 daily A350-1000XWB
London Heathrow – New York JFK service resumes on 28APR20, 1 daily A350-1000XWB
London Heathrow – San Francisco 1 daily 787-9
London Heathrow – Seattle 1 daily 787-9
London Heathrow – Washington Dulles 1 daily A330-300 (A340-600 tentatively listed on various dates in May)

Following routes to East Asia will continue to see alternating day service with 787-9 in May:
London Heathrow – Hong Kong service resumes on 29APR20
London Heathrow – Shanghai Pu Dong service resumption tentatively scheduled on 24MAY20

Other routes not listed above is scheduled to resume on 04MAY20 based on current filing, however further changes remain possible.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/ai ... 20Atlantic