China travel in 14 days - should insurance re-route

eshroom

I am travelling to China in 14 days, I have 1 day in Shanghai before continuing to Bangkok the following day. I then return on March 1st with a day in Beijing before returning the following day.

It's not a transfer, it's a stopover.

The FCO has warned against all but essential travel to China. On this basis of anything happens during my stopover, which would have included travel to the Great wall, forbidden city etc, I won't be covered.

Should my insurance help me rebook to Thailand without passing through China now?

They have indicated that a couple of days before travel if FCO guidance doesn't change they will help, but for now they don't advise changing travel plans in case FCO guidance changes. But their terms mention nothing about timeframes - simply that they will help out if FCO guidance warns against travel to an area.

Should I push them for a solution now given 14 days isn't really that long until we leave?

slinga

Unless they have a crystal ball common sense should tell them that things will only get worse in the next 14 days what with the greatest movement of people on earth ever, returning home after CNY and the fact that the incubation period is 14 days.


But I'd suggest that common sense isn't common, and that common sense and the FCO is an oxymoron.


We are due to fly to Penang in just over 14 days but the missus will cancel all the bookings this week.

cymruchris

slinga wrote: »

We are due to fly to Penang in just over 14 days but the missus will cancel all the bookings this week.

Penang is an island in Malaysia - a long way from China.

photome

slinga wrote: »

Unless they have a crystal ball common sense should tell them that things will only get worse in the next 14 days what with the greatest movement of people on earth ever, returning home after CNY and the fact that the incubation period is 14 days.


But I'd suggest that common sense isn't common, and that common sense and the FCO is an oxymoron.


We are due to fly to Penang in just over 14 days but the missus will cancel all the bookings this week.

Why will she do that

jackieblack

eshroom wrote: »

I am travelling to China in 14 days, I have 1 day in Shanghai before continuing to Bangkok the following day. I then return on March 1st with a day in Beijing before returning the following day.

It's not a transfer, it's a stopover.

The FCO has warned against all but essential travel to China. On this basis of anything happens during my stopover, which would have included travel to the Great wall, forbidden city etc, I won't be covered.

Should my insurance help me rebook to Thailand without passing through China now?

They have indicated that a couple of days before travel if FCO guidance doesn't change they will help, but for now they don't advise changing travel plans in case FCO guidance changes. But their terms mention nothing about timeframes - simply that they will help out if FCO guidance warns against travel to an area.

Should I push them for a solution now given 14 days isn't really that long until we leave?

Contact the airline (if you booked directly with them) or your TA ( if you booked through a TA).

Which airline are you booked with?
According to a BBC ‘breaking news’ alert, BA have just anounced they they are suspending all flights to mainland China. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51292590 ) Other airlines may well follow suit.

eshroom

My airline (Air China) will cancel free of charge. However, I would still like to get to Thailand and replacement flights are more expensive so I would like to claim for the fare difference.

koalakoala

cymruchris wrote: »

Penang is an island in Malaysia - a long way from China.

And full of Chinese, many of whom travelled there for CNY.
Singapore is an island, very close to Malaysia and they have 4 confirmed cases at least there

wongataa

koalakoala wrote: »

And full of Chinese, many of whom travelled there for CNY.
Singapore is an island, very close to Malaysia and they have 4 confirmed cases at least there

If you are not in close contact with a person with this Corona virus (such as a doctor treating them or family member) you are unlikely to catch it. If you are healthy and you catch it you are unlikely to have serious complications.


In reality going to Malaysia is low risk.

scaredofdebt

If this outbreak behaves like most epidemics (obviously nobody knows how it will behave exactly) then I wouldn't travel.

It's also likely the flight will be cancelled in any case so the decision will be taken out of your hands. BA have already cancelled flights to mainland China and other operators will likely follow suit.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51292590

The outbreak is still expanding quickly, this is likely to be the case for several more days and possibly weeks. They don't know if the steps taken so far will work in terms of limiting the outbreak.

Voyager2002

scaredofdebt wrote: »

It's also likely the flight will be cancelled in any case so the decision will be taken out of your hands. BA have already cancelled flights to mainland China and other operators will likely follow suit.

The OP's flight is on Air China: for them to cancel flights to/from China would mean shutting down for the duration. I do not think that is very likely.


The OP should contact the airline and request a modification to his booking rather than a cancellation, so that s/he does not leave the transit area of a Chinese airport. I would hope that there would be no charge for this.