Corona virus threat to birding (8 Viewers)

[Andy Adcock]

This is not true.

Under Carriers' Liabilty Law any airline who carries a passenger who is not able to enter the country because of , eg Visa restrictions, is liable to a fine (£2,000 per passenger in the UK) . And may be liable for the cost of, (and will have to carry) returning that passenger to where they originated.

Read the thread properly HT, especially posts 94, 95 and 96.

The fact that a person does not have a required visa, renders them ineligible in and of itself, that is not an airline decision.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Thats what I would have thought and still waiting to hear from British Airways. As my flight was due in 3 days time and still no cancellation I'll have to try the Travel Insurance but I always pretty wary of insurers as they will often find a way out of paying if they can.

Read the fine print. It's likely your insurance has an exception for pandemics and other force majeure reasons. Sorry.

Fortunately, my trans-Atlantic flights for my Israel trip are using frequent flyer miles, and because of my status in Star Alliance they're fully refundable. It's a key reason why I'm so willing to have the tour be cancelled.

But so far, the tour itself has not been cancelled. Field Guides is hanging their hats on the fact that the border closing has been announced as for "the next two weeks." Everything I see says it will be extended beyond that, but until then, I'm "up in the air" as it were.

 

[DMW]

We've just been barred from re-entering Arunachal Pradesh from Assam, and India has suspended all tourist visas into April. Quite a few flights being cancelled too.

Some of the airlines are behaving appallingly, for example BA is allowing free changes for tickets booked for the rest of this month, but not before 3rd March.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Read the fine print. It's likely your insurance has an exception for pandemics and other force majeure reasons. Sorry.

Fortunately, my trans-Atlantic flights for my Israel trip are using frequent flyer miles, and because of my status in Star Alliance they're fully refundable. It's a key reason why I'm so willing to have the tour be cancelled.

But so far, the tour itself has not been cancelled. Field Guides is hanging their hats on the fact that the border closing has been announced as for "the next two weeks." Everything I see says it will be extended beyond that, but until then, I'm "up in the air" as it were.

It hasn't officially been declared to be a pandemic yet.

 

[Andy Adcock]

We've just been barred from re-entering Arunachal Pradesh from Assam, and India has suspended all tourist visas into April. Quite a few flights being cancelled too.

Some of the airlines are behaving appallingly, for example BA is allowing free changes for tickets booked for the rest of this month, but not before 3rd March.

It shouldn't actually matter when your ticket was booked in this particular case. Some airlines will go to the wall over this but it doesn't exsuse the poor customer service.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

It hasn't officially been declared to be a pandemic yet.

Yes, it has: Per the Guardian

And from WHO's webpage: Here

 

[Andy Adcock]

Yes, it has: Per the Guardian

And from WHO's webpage: Here

Yes, just in the last few hours but there were plenty of affected people who were stranded before this and it should change nothing IMHO.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Yes, just in the last few hours but there were plenty of affected people who were stranded before this and it should change nothing IMHO.

I never said it should. I simply said that most insurance wouldn't pay out during a pandemic. That was in response to Steve's saying he would have to see if he could make a claim on his existing travel insurance.

Frankly, I agree with you that many commercial entities are behaving horribly.

 

[opisska]

Read the thread properly HT, especially posts 94, 95 and 96.

The fact that a person does not have a required visa, renders them ineligible in and of itself, that is not an airline decision.

Sorry, but you do not have the correct information. As explained already in previous posts, the airline is responsible for making sure that every passanger on board has the proper documentation to entry the destination, such as visa. No matter what you think "should" happen, the fact of the matter is, that if you show up to a check in counter without a visa for a flight to a country to which you do require one, you will be denied boarding and not given a refund, this is the standard daily practice and this is routinely happening to people who do not carefully check visa requirements of their destination countries.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Sorry, but you do not have the correct information. As explained already in previous posts, the airline is responsible for making sure that every passanger on board has the proper documentation to entry the destination, such as visa. No matter what you think "should" happen, the fact of the matter is, that if you show up to a check in counter without a visa for a flight to a country to which you do require one, you will be denied boarding and not given a refund, this is the standard daily practice and this is routinely happening to people who do not carefully check visa requirements of their destination countries.

Exactly so. I've gone through that check more times than I can count.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Sorry, but you do not have the correct information. As explained already in previous posts, the airline is responsible for making sure that every passanger on board has the proper documentation to entry the destination, such as visa. No matter what you think "should" happen, the fact of the matter is, that if you show up to a check in counter without a visa for a flight to a country to which you do require one, you will be denied boarding and not given a refund, this is the standard daily practice and this is routinely happening to people who do not carefully check visa requirements of their destination countries.

When have I said anything differently!?

My comment was to yours that an airline can refuse to board you if they deem you 'ineligible', you seem to imply an element of discretion in the matter?

If you have no visa then you're off, that's that, but if, as in Steve's case, no visa is required, what can the airline do but board you, nothing is within their discretion.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Exactly so. I've gone through that check more times than I can count.

I don't know where you think I've said anything different other than an airline cannot deem you ineligible on grounds other than lack of documentation.

I travel to Russia multiple times per year so you're not the only one whos'e lost count.

 

[opisska]

When have I said anything differently!?

My comment was to yours that an airline can refuse to board you if they deem you 'ineligible', you seem to imply an element of discretion in the matter?

If you have no visa then you're off, that's that, but if, as in Steve's case, no visa is required, what can the airline do but board you, nothing is within their discretion.

Well that was a misunderstanding then. Seems to happen rather often, I would chalk it up to the generational gap in language

 

[Andy Adcock]

Well that was a misunderstanding then. Seems to happen rather often, I would chalk it up to the generational gap in language

As do comments like this one.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

When have I said anything differently!?

My comment was to yours that an airline can refuse to board you if they deem you 'ineligible', you seem to imply an element of discretion in the matter?

If you have no visa then you're off, that's that, but if, as in Steve's case, no visa is required, what can the airline do but board you, nothing is within their discretion.

Actually I saw something online (I can't find where it was, tho), that they are requiring pre-certification by the Israeli Gov't of a specific need and the ability to self-quarantine before you'll be allowed to board a flight. If that truly is the case, while it's not called a visa, effectively that's a medical visa.

 

[DMW]

It shouldn't actually matter when your ticket was booked in this particular case. Some airlines will go to the wall over this but it doesn't exsuse the poor customer service.

You are right, it shouldn't matter. You've already bought your ticket and making a change costs the airline literally nothing. Of course they use flexibility as a price differentiator, which is fair enough under normal circumstances, but a lot of people are changing flights now to avoid getting stranded in a pandemic. It's incredibly poor behaviour to be effectively profiteering out of a global pandemic, which is what is happening here. If an Indian low cost carrier can waive charges, why won't some major global carriers?

 

[Andy Adcock]

All flights to the USA from twenty six European countries have been banned by Trump for 30 days, UK is exempted for now.

Trump said

'"The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight," he added. The travel order does not apply to US citizens.'

But if there are no flights?

Trump also said

'He said the travel suspension would also "apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo" coming from Europe into the US. But he later tweeted to say that "trade will in no way be affected" by the new measures.??

Pity those Americans with no health insurance and those that do have, will soon possibly have no income with which to pay it.

 

[viator]

Actually I saw something online (I can't find where it was, tho), that they are requiring pre-certification by the Israeli Gov't of a specific need and the ability to self-quarantine before you'll be allowed to board a flight. If that truly is the case, while it's not called a visa, effectively that's a medical visa.

There are a few countries adding such restrictions e.g. Indonesia requires all airlines to check if travellers have a health certificate saying they are clear of the virus coming from certain locations e.g. if live in Northern Italy then you are barred outright but the rest of Italy ok if have the certificate.

This site seems to be updating all country restrictions every few days https://www.trip.com/newsroom/trip-...oronavirus-country-region-entry-restrictions/

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Following on from the suggestion that the vulnerable should get it while health services can cope, how about the idea that children, who seem relatively unaffected, should get it now; it would build herd immunity in the population and hopefully protect them in case of future outbreaks when they would be older and potentially more vulnerable! (The joys of applying logic!) ��

 

[dantheman]

Following on from the suggestion that the vulnerable should get it while health services can cope, how about the idea that children, who seem relatively unaffected, should get it now; it would build herd immunity in the population and hopefully protect them in case of future outbreaks when they would be older and potentially more vulnerable! (The joys of applying logic!) ��

Shut all the kids in school for 2 weeks with an infected individual? Sounds like a plan ...