Is It Possible to Cancel a Flight Due to the Coronavirus?
As of Friday morning, the coronavirus outbreak in China had resulted in at least 26 deaths and 800 people with the disease, according to local health authorities . There is currently one confirmed case in the US, with twelve more being tested for the virus, CBS News reported .
In response to the outbreak, Chinese authorities have restricted flights and trains to and from Wuhan in central China, where the first few victims were either shopping or operating in the local market. In the US, five airports are now checking passengers departing from Wuhan International Airport San Francisco International Airport Los Angeles International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. (London Heathrow Airport has set up a separate arrivals area to screen passengers arriving from Wuhan.)
Wondering how the coronavirus might affect your upcoming travel plans? Well, it depends on the airline. Delta offers passengers the option to change flights or get a credit for a future flight if they travel to Beijing or Shanghai between January 24th and 31st. American Airlines also offers free transfers if you are traveling to Beijing or Shanghai between January 24th and February 7th (you can postpone your trip for up to one year from your original departure date). United also offers a change fee waiver. for those traveling to Beijing, Shanghai or Chengdu before March, and a full refund.
Travel insurance generally does not cover changes or cancellations in response to concerns about the virus. ( Travel health insurance , however, will cover any medical expenses in the event you catch the virus, but let’s assume it doesn’t.) Two international airlines , Cathay Pacific and China Airlines, are canceling flights and offering refunds to injured passengers. in case you are flying too.
If you’re wondering how this might affect US airports – mainly if it means they’ll be even more congested than usual – it doesn’t seem like it poses a problem for most passengers. On Thursday , CDC officials said they checked just 1,200 passengers at the airports mentioned, which is a fairly small number in the broader context of passengers at these major hubs. In addition, since most of the flights from Wuhan have been canceled, this number probably won’t grow significantly in the coming days.
And if you’re worried about catching the virus, that’s why it’s time to get your flu shot.
This post was updated on 1/27/20 to reflect recent Delta and American travel cancellations.