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.
The family had enquired earlier whether the air stewardess could provide five-point harness safety seats for their children.
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. U GUYS CANT BE HAPPY BY BLAMING INNOCENT CHILDREN AND THERE PARENTS . UNITED AIRLINES (PILOT) U DID A BIG MISTAKE . GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF WHAT U DID WITH THE INNOCENT FAMILY.
SUMAN,JOHN,XAVIER.. WHAT KIND OF HUMANBEING R U GUYS ?????
NO HUMANITY .
WHAT IF U AND UR FAMILY WERE KICKED OUT ? WOULD U SAY FANTASTIC !(JOHN) WOULD U APPRECIATE WITH UR PILOT'S FINAL DECISION !! (XAVIER)
U R NTHNG BUT SHIT IN UR FACE .
REMEMBER U WONT BE GOOD BY BLAMING INNOCENT PEOPLE .
THINK BEFORE U TALK . BCS ONCE ITS SAID ITS FINISHED .
SUMAN,JOHN,XAVIER . BLOODY PEOPLE U R .
WHAT IF U AND UR FAMILY WERE KICKED OUT OF THE PLANE
WITH OUT SHOWING ANY PITY ON U PEOPLE ..
AND U BLOODY XAVIER IF I FIND U IN ANY PLANE I WILL BE THE FIRST 1 TO KICK UR FACE ... CREEPY PEOPLE .
Guyz take it positively. I mean think of it - we Muslims didn't do anything wrong, they accused us of terrorism, they set up the stage to create fear of Islam and it falls back on its own people - they fear us for nothing..!!
There was another news about the same United Airlines that a Man wanted to do Yoga (?) on flight, and threatened to kill passengers if not allowed.
Dear Muslims, please understand
#YOGA HAS NO TERRORISM ..!
#Not All YOGIs are Terrorists, But All Terrorists are SANGHIS..\
Ouch..that hurts :-P"
# 8 JOHN...
Please Read BIBLE...dear
1 Corinthians 11:5-6
-----------------------------
But every Wife who prays or prophesies with her HEAD UNcovered DISHONORS her HEAD, Since it is the same as if Her HEAD were SHAVEN. For if a Wife will not cover her HEAD, then she should cut HER HAIR SHORT. But since it is DISGRACEFUL for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, LET HER COVER HER HEAD.
Dear Ram,
This is called MEDIA mind wash... and U r a victim of it...
Many times cheddis were caught doing the same act which was blamed by the authorities who control the media. Many people like you are fooled to believe what is said in the Media.
When people like U, doesnt think and follow blindly what is said in the MEDIA .... it shows how your thinking lies..
Dear Suman,
Don't be afraid of MUSLIM, but afraid of GOD(ALLAH)...who created you & me..
Dear So called RAM ........if your RAM would live ...he would cruch united Airlines company in Bin...its people like you who follow Trum with saffron Trumpet..................who polluted RAM's name
We Muslims expect this ... cos the World all over are ignorant of the TRUTH and the GOD that created us and all.
The only thing they believe is what is said in the media...
Dear Mankind ...
ALLAH says in QURAN that he is the LORD of the heavens and the EArth which U are living...
QURAN : READ it, verify it and REsEARCH it...
When U believe the MEDIA why cant U look at what Our CREATOR says in the QURAN...JUST LOOK and try to understand what YOUr and my CREATOR says to US.
Believe only after U read it.. We are not asking you to believe just like what MEDIA does to U guys which forces U to believe what is said in IT.
ALLAH says mankind is the intelligent CREATION of his creation... It will be PROVED when we look WHO is our LORD... it is better to look once to QURAN rather than stay like animals without looking what our CREATOR says.
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