Understanding the massive travel ban and restrictions on travel due to Covid-19, airlines have started offering fee waiver and flexible rebooking to travelers.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is waiving all rebooking fees for tickets issued on or before 15 March 2020, for travel up to 31 May 2020, with immediate effect. Customers can cancel their existing flight itineraries, retain the value of their tickets and rebook their travel at a later date, when they are able to firm up their new travel plans. The new flight itinerary should be completed by 31 March 2021.
“This new policy will allow customers the flexibility to defer their travel plans and applies to all bookings for travel up to 31 May 2020. All rebooking fees will be waived, although a fare difference may apply for the new itinerary. SIA will continue to review its waiver policy and retains the flexibility to extend the cut-off date of 31 May 2020 as it assesses the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on global air travel in the coming weeks. For all new SIA and SilkAir tickets issued from now to 31 March 2020, SIA will also waive change fees,” SIA said in a statement.
Lufthansa Group Airlines Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Dolomiti are expanding their existing, comprehensive rebooking options in the interests of their customers due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the spread of the coronavirus. “Customers who have tickets for cancelled and also existing Lufthansa Group Airline flights can keep this ticket without having to commit to a new flight date directly. Existing bookings will be cancelled for the time being, but the ticket and ticket value will remain unchanged and can be rebooked to a new departure date up to and including 31 December 2020. This rule applies to tickets booked up to and including 12 March 2020 and having a confirmed travel date up to and including 30 April 2020. Customers are requested to inform us of their desired rebooking by 1 June 2020. No rebooking fees will be charged. If the original fare is no longer available, the corresponding difference must be paid when the rebooking is made. In addition, customers can also rebook to another destination,” Lufthansa Group Airlines said in a release.
Air France or KLM have also announced that for all tickets purchased on or before 31 March 2020 for travel between 6 March and 31 May 2020, regardless of original ticket conditions and destination, it will be possible to postpone tickets at no extra cost until 31 May included, to the same destination and in the same travel class. “Passengers who wish to postpone tickets beyond 31 May 2020, change their destination or cancel their journey will be offered a non-refundable voucher valid for one year on all Air France and KLM flights. This measure also applies to all tickets already issued for travel between 6 March and 31 May 2020,” Air France-KLM Group said.
American Airlines (AA) is allowing customers who bought tickets before March 1, 2020 and scheduled to travel until April 30 to rebook without a change fee. According to AA, tickets need to be changed and travel must start before December 31, 2020. Tickets booked between March 1 and 31, 2020 for any date can also be changed fee-free. Air Canada is also offering a free one-time change for any new tickets booked between March 4, 2020 and March 31, 2020. “All travel must be completed by December 31, 2020. Fare difference applies,” Air Canada said and added that it is also providing flexibility for existing bookings purchased before March 4, 2020 with travel on or before April 30, 2020.
“Tickets purchased between March 3 and May 31, 2020, can be either rebooked within 12 months of departure or refunded via flight voucher. The flight voucher is good for 12 months from original date of departure,” British Airways said.
Turkish has a fee-free change policy for all international bookings. If you purchased your ticket before March 31, 2020, you can re-book for a travel date until December 31, 2020 provided you make the request before May 31, 2020.
Cathay has announced that all flights that were booked before February 4, 2020 for travel until May 31, 2020 are eligible for free rebooking for travel until Dec 10, 2020.
According to Japan Airlines, all tickets to, from and through Japan issued on or before March 6, 2020 for travel until April 5, 2020 are eligible for rebooking or refund.
Malaysia Airlines is also offering a one time fee-free rebooking for flights booked before March 31 for travel until December 31, 2020. Booking must be changed by May 31, 2020 with the new date of travel being December 31, 2020 or earlier. Selected destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe are also eligible for rebooking and/or refund, the carrier said.
Middle Eastern carriers have also adopted the similar policy depending on the destinations. “Customers who made bookings on or before March 31, 2020, will be eligible for fee waivers on changes to their itineraries. Refunds and rebooking policy for customers unable to travel due to travel restrictions apply to: scheduled to travel until May 31, rebookings permitted until June 30, reroute permitted until June 30 to select destinations only. Applicable fare difference, if any, applies,” Emirates said.
Etihad rebooking and cancellation policy depends on location and if there are any travel restrictions at the departure location or destination are in place. “Tickets issued in the UAE on or before March 5 and passengers who have been advised not to travel from the UAE until further notice can rebook for departures up to May 20 without standard change fees. Only one change is permitted; any further changes will attract standard fees. Rerouting beyond original destination will require payment of difference in fares,” according Etihad.
