The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the globe has thrown movement of lakhs of travelers off gear. This has not only impacted pleasure trips of tourists but also business travel resulting in monetary losses worth millions.
In wake of numerous advisories against travel, the travel industry, particularly the aviation sector, has also get badly impacted. Not only traffic on their once popular routes have plummeted but several have to cancel flights to destinations in China and few other South and East Asian countries to prevent becoming carrier of the contagious virus.
According to MakeMyTrip flight bookings for Southeast Asian countries have been significantly impacted but sectors in But US and Europe are only seeing a marginal dip.
More than 95,000 people in 86 countries have been infected with the virus and more than 3,200 people have died. In India so far 31 persons have tested positive for the virus.
So the situation across the globe remains grim with only positives coming from China where fresh infections of COVID-19 has reduced. But does that make travel safer? And what if you still need to travel...are there enough flights available or whether the ticket you procured protects against any unforeseen cancellations?
Here is the situation as it exists :
International flights by domestic carriers:
*Air India and Indigo that run long haul flights have cancelled their flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai and the restrictions may well run into June
*SpicejJet has cancelled Delhi Hong Kong flights till March 28
*Vistara Airlines has cancelled around 54 flights to and from Bangkok and Singapore.
*GoAir suspends flight operations to Dammam, Saudi Arabia after an advisory issued by the Saudi government to not allow non-Saudi residents to enter. It has also suspended flights to Thailand
International flights by global airlines:
*Almost all major airlines operating out of India have suspended flights to China, Korea, Iran, Italy and some to Japan.
*European and American connections provide by airlines such as Lufthansa, KLM, United Airlines from India continues
*JAL is still operating its service to Japan from India
*United, Air Canada, JetBlue, Alaska, American Airlines, Delta, Brutus Airways have suspended flights to China and reduced operations in countries with high Coronavirus infections such as Italy
Domestic airlines:
There have been no restrictions on domestic travel, so far.
What advisories have been issued by authorities that can affect your travel plan :
*From March 9 midnight all air travellers having visited or arriving from Italy and South Korea will require to submit a certificate of having tested nagative from health authorities -designated lab in their countries for Coronavirus at the departure.
*India has also suspended most visas issued to nationals of Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran and China, as well as suspending visas of any travellers who had been to those five countries since February.
*It has now been decided that all incoming international passengers must declare their travel history to health and immigrations officials at India's airports.
*Arrivals from DGCA list of 12 countries undergo thermal screening, passengers with high temperature taken to quantantine
*Screening to be carried out at 21 airports across the country
*Regular (sticker) visa/e-visa granted to nationals of People's Republic of China, issued on or before February 5, 2020 were suspended earlier. It shall remain in force.
*Those needing to travel to India under compelling circumstances may apply for fresh visa to the nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate," the advisory said.
*An advisory had also directed passengers arriving directly or indirectly from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan to undergo medical screening at the port of entry
Travel Insurance :
*All Indian carriers are offering full refund or bookings to alternate destinations for flights that were booked earlier but are getting cancelled due Coronavirus scare.
*GoAir stated that people have the option of availing a full refund or utilising the booking amount for any future travel with the airline.
*In a travel advisory, Emirates has stated that those wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia will have to contact the Emirates office or their travel agent for refunds.
*Others travellers having expensive insurance cover may get full refunds by the insurance companies if they have included everything under coverage.
*But a larger number of insurers do not provide travel insurance against any pandemics outright. Moreover, any travel plan made now may not get covered for can cancellations due to Coronavirus.
Recounting her ordeal, a second-semester law student of Vidyodaya Law college, Jyothi.K., said that ABVP workers did not allow her to get into a autorickshaw and they even threatened the driver that the vehicle would be burned if he allowed her to sit in the vehicle.
Comments
I'm a Gujrati Brahmin settled in Bangalore. I come from a family which has been in the RSS for three generations. Being from RSS, I and my family were big supporters of the Modi Government when it came to power in the early 2000. We are middle class people, my father being the owner of a small printing press in Amdbd. We had Muslim employees working in the press. All of them were killed in 2002. This openned my father's and my eyes to the reality of BJP, RSS and Modi. My father winded up the business and by 2004 we quit Gujarat and settled in Bangalore. RSS is the most fascist organization in India. BJP is the most corrupt party. Gujrat model is nothing but a web of lies corruption and photoshop. Forget Hindus, Modi will harm the business class too. Modi only works for a few selected business houses rest all should fend for themselves. Living in the considerably freee and cosmopolitan environs of Bangalore I've realized that there is no progress if it is limited to a caste, a religious majority or minority or any other group. Progress has to be for all. RSS and its cronies will not last long. Country is getting sick and tired of their threats and abuses. Their inciting of riots at the drop of a hat. Woe to them when the 80% of the population take a leaf out of their book and hunt them down like dogs that they are.
@ SUNIL RAO
FRIST NEED TO CLARIFY IS BHARATH IS MATHA OR PITHA MALE OR FEMALE ....
THEN WE WIL DECIDE WHAT TO DO KILL HER OR SEND HER
RSS STARTED TO ATTACK THE GRILS ALSO THEY HAVE VERY GOOD REASON SLOGAN PAKISTAN ZINDABAD,
FILE CRIMINAL CASE OR BAN RSS
Typical Sanghi behaviour. It will be absurd if people think that the justice will be done to that girl. In any case, Doomsday for VHP and its allies is coming soon...
and #ModiLovesKarachiBiryani.
India Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad, And whole world Zindabad
What is the problem in wishing everybody's welfare.
Are we loosing anything. Should we be jealous in others prosperity.
Narrow minded never develop nor allow others to develop.
First govt should ban ABVP kind, this group is really threat to our society.
These are Anti nationals who always will take law in hands ....and claim to be the protectors of LAW....only way is to shake the base....that is RSS
this abvp people dont have any work if she want to call anything let her call it is her karma of death, why are we simply Popularizing such a kind.
Pakistan Zinadabad, I am not saying this one your own swami, sri sri...something like that said...go and beat him too if you have guts...
Bharath Mata Ki Jai, Kill her she must not be allowed to enter india.
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