Has anyone been impacted by the Coronavirus? Will travel insurance cover the costs if we wanted to cancel? Especially if the flights are with points.

[whole-lotta-moxie]

Just a word of advice... don't be silly like me... I let my annual travel insurance lapse and then my back up plan of using my credit card insurance if required will not work... Why? Because I cancelled the credit card that i purchased my points on, just before all of this started... Doing the Credit card churn dance!!

 

[JB expat]

I've been impacted in a very first world way - it is highly unlikely that I will earn enough Status Credits to retain Platinum and Gold is probably in jeopardy. Most of my flying is to/from China via HKG and elsewhere in APAC - my company has banned some of this and other events have been cancelled because no one wants to visit the APAC offices right now.

 

[SYD]

I've been impacted in a very first world way - it is highly unlikely that I will earn enough Status Credits to retain Platinum and Gold is probably in jeopardy. Most of my flying is to/from China via HKG and elsewhere in APAC - my company has banned some of this and other events have been cancelled because no one wants to visit the APAC offices right now.

Yes, my PEK trip in April is Looking decidedly dicey and having got an unexpected 50% SC boost by being rerouted via HKG, I went from possibly falling short of WP requal to potentially knocking it out of the park but now back to 2nd base...

A snap decision yesterday and NOU looks a lot nicer... Especially in the last hours of a J Sale. Will just need a couple of small hops to make up the diff.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've been impacted in a very first world way - it is highly unlikely that I will earn enough Status Credits to retain Platinum and Gold is probably in jeopardy. Most of my flying is to/from China via HKG and elsewhere in APAC - my company has banned some of this and other events have been cancelled because no one wants to visit the APAC offices right now.

If this is on Qantas, you will automatically ‘soft land’ to gold, even if you don’t meet the threshold for gold.

 

[JB expat]

If this is on Qantas, you will automatically ‘soft land’ to gold, even if you don’t meet the threshold for gold.

Wow. did not know this. Do you mean even if I end the FF year with a measly 300 SC's, I will be gold the following year?

 

[I love to travel]

Yes

 

[Pushka]

Wow. did not know this. Do you mean even if I end the FF year with a measly 300 SC's, I will be gold the following year?

This has been the experience in the past. I’m not sure if it’s actually written anywhere though. It does rather soften the disappointment.
@SYD
Also when the date nears, you could call up and advise them that requalification was going to be achieved but due to coronavirus you had to cancel. You can try also offering them the deal of 120,000 FF points to pay for retention. If you don’t ask you won’t get.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This has been the experience in the past. I’m not sure if it’s actually written anywhere though. It does rather soften the disappointment.

No - not written anywhere. It just 'is'

 

[SYD]

@SYD
Also when the date nears, you could call up and advise them that requalification was going to be achieved but due to coronavirus you had to cancel. You can try also offering them the deal of 120,000 FF points to pay for retention. If you don’t ask you won’t get.

Yes, something to consider if this all gets a lot worse before it gets better.

I have a return AY J booking to Euro in Jun/Aug (via HKG ) that straddles my QF year but it will do some heavy lifting and assuming PEK falls through, I now only need 45 SCs to find. Shouldn’t be too hard. I just saw an offer to upgrade BA LGW-AMS for £50 (20 SCs v 5 SCs). At least I have options!

 

[takenbyaliens]

Yes I have an AY RTW starting in June via HKG first leg returning via jfk lax. Only worried about first leg!!

 

[SYD]

Yes I have an AY RTW starting in June via HKG first leg returning via jfk lax. Only worried about first leg!!

I’m comforted by the fact that AY can reroute us via BKK, SIN or even the US(!) if they have to cancel more flights to problem areas.

 

[cqtiger]

Just cancelled a Qantas reward flight Hong kong to Brisbane due to cruise no longer sailing there. Qantas as usual still strict on penalties applied no wriggle room from them.

 

[Pushka]

Just cancelled a Qantas reward flight Hong kong to Brisbane due to cruise no longer sailing there. Qantas as usual still strict on penalties applied no wriggle room from them.

Not their business I guess. So many run off things happening now. Just the beginning.

 

[OATEK]

I just posted this in the other nCov thread:

With issues around transiting Hong Kong on the rise, I rang BA to see about options for re-routing. We had QF reward flights to/from HKG, and BA J to/from LHR.

BA said they would amend the current booking to be J SYD-LHR-SYD, and apply original fares and charged us an extra $1.5k ea (try getting J SYD-SIN-SYD for $1.5k pp). Waived all change fees, just charged a fare difference.

While we are still going through Asia, it gives a little more separation from China than going through HKG.

 

[cqtiger]

Not their business I guess. So many run off things happening now. Just the beginning.

I reckon if I waited a week the flights will be canceled anyhow and I get the full refund. Oh well

 

[Pushka]

I reckon if I waited a week the flights will be canceled anyhow and I get the full refund. Oh well

Maybe. Who knows. We might wake up tomorrow and it’s all over. Well, we can dream I guess.

 

[alan davies]

i am traveling to Canada via Hong Kong (transit) do i need to cancel and re-route as I have a wedding to go to

 

[MEL_Traveller]

i am traveling to Canada via Hong Kong (transit) do i need to cancel and re-route as I have a wedding to go to

As this is the insurance coverage thread, your decision to cancel flights via HKG should be something you discuss with your insurance provider. They'll be able to tell you what is covered, and whether they will pay towards alternative arrangements.

 

[SYD]

Pulled my April trip to PEK, XIY. Outbound flights were just outside QF free cancellation window but after a HUCA got some sympathy and paid 2 x J return are in the process of being refunded. PEK-XIA-PEK was on points and that has been refunded without penalty (points and cash already back).

Hotel cancellation is more challenging. Having being told by Accor that I could cancel my 3x non refundable bookings without penalty they are now enforcing guidance that only goes to the end of Feb. They have contacted each hotel to try and cancel. Xi’an responded straight away and have agreed to refund. Still waiting for advice for 2x PEK hotels... If they push back it will be a wait and see whether there is insurance or other options.

 

[Dr Ralph]

i am traveling to Canada via Hong Kong (transit) do i need to cancel and re-route as I have a wedding to go to

When are you travelling?