The US, Canada, and several other countries have issued warnings about travel to Mexico*, but this doesn't mean that travel companies -- airlines, vacation packagers, resorts-- are obliged to offer cancellations; many are offering concessions or re-bookings, but refund policies are varying widely.
Travel Refunds (and Cancellation and Rebooking Policies) Related to Swine Flu in Mexico
Two things are clear, from the examples below: companies vary widely in the concessions they're offering to customers; and these policies are changing daily. On April 29th, for example, more resorts are extending rebooking and other offers to travelers than just one day earlier.Packagers, Airlines: A quick look at the "Mexico Travel Update" for major vacation packager Apple Vacations shows a complex situation. For instance, passengers flying certain dates on Apple's USA3000 Airlines and charter flights can rebook on dates through December 15, 2009*, and Apple Vacations will waive its change fees: however, "hotel penalties may apply". Passengers flying on other airlines need to also check the policy of their particular airline. (Most are waiving change fees - see more.)
Not all vacation packagers have info on display at their web site. Travelers may need to call a toll-free number (and be prepared to wait on hold.)
Funjet does have an online Travel Advisory, but advises customers: "For the most up-to-date policy information, contact 888-558-6654 for bookings made online." At time of writing*, Funjet's Advisory says: "For anyone looking to reschedule their vacation see our special offers to save up to $150 per person off your new vacation at participating hotels."
Seems that Canadian travelers have an easier situation with certain packagers. An overview at Targetvacations.ca summarizes policies of major tour operators; several are delaying all departures to Mexico and offering a switch to an alternative destination, or a travel credit.
Hotels, Resorts: Meanwhile, many travelers these days book hotels/resorts directly online,
and these travelers will need to check out the situation with their individual
resort. Even though the Center
for Disease Control has recommended that US travelers avoid non-essential travel to Mexico, resorts are interpreting and reacting in different ways. Also, regrettably, some major all-inclusive companies do not yet have information posted (or posted prominently) at their web sites.
Club Med was quick to post an update with this offer: "For guests who have reservations to either Cancun Yucatan or Ixtapa Pacific for travel prior to May 15, 2009 and, who in an abundance of caution would prefer to change their plans, Club Med is offering the following revision policy: Club Med will allow all bookings in the US or Canada for arrivals to Cancun or Ixtapa through and including May 15, 2009 to revise their date of travel or destination. Revised travel must be completed by October 31, 2009. Club Med will waive its change fees on the land portion of the vacation. Guests are responsible for any applicable airline change fees."
Palace Resorts' News and Updates first took the position that the "CDC has NOT recommended that people avoid travel to Mexico at this time", but by April 29th offered to transfer reservations "to the Moon Palace Casino, Golf & Spa Resort in the Dominican Republic, or to postpone until a later date within 2009, all at no fee. The difference in price is being adjusted on a one to one basis."
Dreams Resorts' Travel Alert offers rebooking at a Dreams Resort in the DR, plus a 2-night voucher for a return to the resort originally booked in Mexico. Reservations can also be postponed; and for clients who can't travel to Mexico due to cancelled flights, penalty fees are waived.
Iberostar, meanwhile, has this policy (as of April 30)*, for guests booked prior April 30 for travel through May 15, 2009: guests have a one-time option to rebook at any Iberostar Hotel in Jamaica or the Dominican Republic, at the same hotel and room categories, for travel completed prior to October 31, 2009 , and rebooked within 14 days from the original travel date. Guests also have a one-time option to postpone and rebook their Mexico vacation at the same property for future dates through October 31, 2009. Current guests who choose to depart the destination before their original check-out will be refunded for the unused nights. And guests who wish to cancel their Mexico reservation may do so by May 15, 2009 without penalties or fees.
Barcelo Resorts "will waive all cancellation penalties and no-show fees for customers with late cancellations and travelling between April 27 and May 15, 2009. Customers also have the option to reschedule their vacation for a future date or rebook without penalty to another Barceló hotel in Central America or the Dominican Republic."
Travel insurance: check your policy, if one has been purchased; also, some types of premium credit cards offer certain protections for trip cancellations. Read the fine print carefully! ConsumerReports.org notes: "Standard policies don’t protect against the present circumstances."
Update, from Travel Guard insurance: "Most traditional travel plans will not provide trip cancellation coverage due to a health warning or a fear of traveling. However, these plans would provide coverage if an insured contracts Swine Flu and needs to cancel or interrupt a trip due to illness. The insurance would also provide medical expense coverage if the insured related to the swine flu while traveling. Some companies, including Travel Guard, offer plans with “cancel for any reason” benefits. These plans would cover trip cancellation for these and any other circumstances. This optional coverage must be purchased within 15 days of the initial trip deposit."
Travel Agents: Travelers who chose to book through a travel agent are probably glad they did. A travel agent with long-standing relations with a resort will know who to contact, and may have clout to get better concessions for customers.
Keeping it in context: Keep
in mind that Mexico City is taking dramatic fast actions to curtail the illness; that swine flu may be no more virulent than the seasonal flus we're accustomed to;
and that the worldwide communications and health infrastructure of 2009 are vastly
different than during the devastating flu pandemic of a hundred years ago.
Still, it's natural for parents to feel extra-cautious. At the
moment, families with vacation bookings are in an uncomfortable zone of uncertainty, wondering "cancel, or go?" The luckier ones are those with a little time to "wait and see": even a day can
make a big difference, both in the health situation and in the travel refunds
offered by the vacation industry.
Update: read thoughts from founder of family travel agency VacationKids.com.
| more resources about Swine Flu, for travelers | Cancun Forum (at TripAdvisor.com) |
More about swine flu travel refunds:
- airline policies regarding swine flu and travel to Mexico
- summary of policies of major tour operators in Canada
- advice about UK tour operators
*Note that updates can be expected to change rapidly. Always check online at company web sites for latest info.
If you are re-booking, consider the US Virgin Islands.
Hillcrest Guest House, St. John US Virgin Islands.
While the American government is urging all travellers to mexico to postpone non essential travel, the airlines are doing just the opposite.
They are telling anyone who wants to cancel their non essential trip to mexico that they’ll penalized with a 150 dollar penalty postpone or reroute their trip.
Change fees may be OK during normal times..,.but these are not normal times.
Should a passenger on one of their flights come down with Swine flu, do they want to get the blame for forcing people to travel now, while there is a government warning out?
Airlines should follow the lead of Southwest Airlines. They don’t fly to mexico but they have a change policy that goes like this.
If for ANY reason you need to change or reroute your trip Southwest will give you a credit for the ticket amount that you can use anywhere..anytime..within one year. You can even sell your ticket to someone else.
Hotels allow you to cancel 24 hours before your arrival…no fees or rebooking required.
The airlines should follow their lead
Any Swine flu sepecials available yet? I would think the hotels are discounting as we speak but I have had resistance in negotiating a Swine Flu discount. Airlines are certainly discounting until they can adjust their inventory. But Hotels can not really adjust there room inventory. They have what they have room wise.
The lesson is: fly Southwest airlines whenever you can.
Here’s their change policy
If for any reason you need to cancel your booked flight, Southwest will give you a credit for the fare amount to use anytime on any southwest flight within a year from purchase date.
Don’t plan to travel by air again? Fine. You can sell or give your unused credit to anyone you want. Just give them the confirmation number
All the other major airlines sock you for a $150 change fee, force you to use or lose the ticket and then sell your vacated seat to someone else.
In the business world they call that double dipping