Flight Refunds Due to Covid-19 Cornovirus 25 February 2020 at 12:33PM in Coronavirus Travel Help & Info 10 replies 1.4K views

PsychedelicGoat

Looking for some advice on obtaining flight refunds booked via an online travel agents using a Credit card. I booked flights to Seoul in South Korea and Japan due in 6 weeks but now the FCO travel website advises essential travel to affected region only (Seoul itself is not affected yet but might become, who knows). My health insurance is  no longer effective for parts of that country that has been impacted as it it dependant upon FCO travel advisories. I also have an underlying health issue and would hate to catch Covid-19 and be wiped out - so I rather not go on this trip anymore. Is there any way I can get some money back on the non-refundable flights which were booked when everything was safe to fly - I don't know what my refund rights might be in light of the evolving health crisis in that region? Any advice welcome as this thread may help others in a similar situation. Many thanks,

Westin

First port of call will be to look on the unnamed airline website for any published travel waivers.
Second, if a waiver is listed, contact the OTA you booked with.

If not currently listed as a waiver, keep checking back. As you know the situation is very fluid.

If no waiver given I very much doubt you will get a refund.

bradders1983

You have no refund rights at all yet until the advice changes, either through the airline or travel insurance. Japan is fine according to the FCO, as is most of South Korea, as of the time of typing this.

PsychedelicGoat

Many thanks Westin and bradders1983 for fast replies. 

I will keep checking the airline. 

Time to travel to somewhere not affected

Westin

I'm going to post this BBC News link to the report titled "Your rights as a traveller" as I think it gives a fair and accurate account of what the situation is for travellers at the moment and answers many questions being asked on the MSE forum at the moment -   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51615412

I will repeat on the other threads as it seems we have multiple threads open all with slightly different issues and stories but all really asking about "rights" - or alternatively upset with answers received from travel companies and airlines.

Hope it helps answer questions being raised.

Higster98

Okay so we were due to being attending a sporting event in Japan. The Japanese Government have cancelled all events due to coronavirus and told everyone to stay in and now theres no reason to go. The cancellation is beyond our control. Only issue...flights are non refundable. We raised sponsorship to compete out there and have lost over £1000 of other peoples sponsors (which we have to pay back) on flights as the FCO and Japanese Government are not correlating. We are upset by the immensely and do not know what to do. Any advise would be great please.

Westin

Higster98,
Would this sporting event be the Tokyo Marathon by chance?
This was covered a few days ago on another thread. You may wish to have a read through this at the discussion points, views and answers.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6104826/travel-for-tokyo-marathon-event-canceled-recouping-flights-etc#latest

leylandsunaddict

Unless the airline cancels your flight or the FCO advise against travel there's unlikely to be a refund 

If this is for the marathon does your sports competition travel insurance cover for such circumstances? 

Onoodles

We are due to travel to NY this Friday 20th, travelling economy lite Virgin Atlantic. We were to stay with friends on arrival and booked directly with Virgin online. I tend to buy travel insurance just before travelling (will not be doing this again so none in place when US and FCO made their announcements!). Obviously we can no longer travel but unfortunately both flights still seem to be running still. Does anyone know whether Virgin will give a refund, or even partial refund etc (flights were £600 return total?) Given our health vulnerabilities and all the unknowns with coronavirus it would be impossible to plan way ahead in terms of changing dates. Any advise would be gratefully received as it is impossible to get through to Virgin, They have not contacted us and our flight is in 48hrs.

Caz3121

they are giving refunds for cancelled flights
if the flights are still operating then with the guidance you should have been able to make a travel insurance claim if you had that
rebooking available till end April 2021. https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/news/coronavirus.html#covid-19-faq
Refund request would be based on the fare rules of the ticket...likely some taxes

Onoodles

Thanks. As mentioned in my post, I do not have travel insurance and both flights are still going ahead.
I have read Virgin's policy which seems to say i can re book up until april 21, they do not mention giving refunds. Do I have to phone them to discuss this or will they contact me as i cannot get through to them, my flight leaves in 50hrs?