Airlines and Accommodation Policy Changes – Coronavirus 2019-nCoV Outbreak
Issued 5:00pm AEDT, 4th February 2020
Please note: This information is prepared as a supplement to other travel alerts related to the Coronavirus 2019-nCoV. We have taken reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy at time of issue, but have no control over policy changes by the listed companies below, after this post is issued. Always validate this information by visiting the links we provided below, or contacting your relevant travel providers.
Major Airlines Flying Australia – China Routes
Airlines / Agents |
Overview of Policy Change and Relevant Links |
Applicable Dates |
| Qantas | Customers with bookings between 9 February and 29 March will be contacted by our Customer Service team to discuss their travel options. These options will also apply to customers travelling to or from mainland China on other carriers who hold a separate Qantas ticket for travel within Australia or to New Zealand.
Customers who no longer wish to travel have the option to rebook their flight, cancel their ticket and retain its value in credit, or cancel their flights for a full refund. Change and cancellation fees will not be charged to these customers. Contact your original booking agent for assistance. Further information can be found here. |
Travel Period:
Bookings between February 9 and March 29 Rebooking and Cancellation: Tickets issued on or before January 24 |
| Air China | Eligible Tickets
All tickets with a ticket number beginning with “999” (including mileage award tickets) for Air China operated flights or CA-coded codeshare flights Tickets Handling Rules 1. Free refund – Any eligible tickets as defined above can be refunded through the original booking channels within the validity period of the ticket and no cancellation processing fees will be charged. 2. Itinerary alteration – The itinerary of the above-mentioned tickets cannot be altered. It is recommended that passengers apply for a full refund and book new tickets. 3. Flight alteration Any tickets for cancelled flights between mainland China and Australia, Vietnam or Singapore can be altered, within the ticket validity period, to another flight before June 30, 2020 (inclusive). No alteration processing fee, subclass price difference or seasonal price difference will be charged. For alterations to flights after July 1, 2020 (inclusive), no alteration processing fee will be charged, but subclass price difference and seasonal price difference will be charged. The above free refund and free alteration rules only apply to the first refund or alteration request. For subsequent requests, the ticket’s conditions of use apply. Further information can be found here. |
Ticket purchased before midnight on January 28, with a travel date later than January 1 (inclusive) |
| China Eastern Airlines | The ticket is allowed to be rescheduled to the same route of China Eastern before June 30, 2020, or the ticket can be refunded through the original purchase channels, free of refund fees
Further information can be found here. |
Tickets Issued before: February 1 |
| Cathay Pacific | Cancellation and Refund
Waive on cancellation, and refund charges (irrespective of fare type) No-show passenger is not eligible for the waiver Rebooking/ rerouting Rebooking/ rerouting charges will be waived on conditions that: Such requests are made on/before March 31 and before departure, for travel with Cathay Pacific/Cathay Dragon confirmed bookings arriving to or departing from Mainland China between January 28 and March 31. irrespective of fare type Revised (NEW) travel date must be on/before 30 June 2020 and subject to flight availability. In which case, the ticket expiry date will be adjusted accordingly Further information can be found here. |
Tickets Issued on/before February 3, arriving to or departing from Mainland China between February 3 and March 31 |
| Hainan Airlines | Refund: free refund service
Tickets with ticket number beginning with 880 or 895. Apply for refund before flight departure. During the validity period of the ticket, passengers can voluntarily refund their tickets to the place where they purchased Rebooking: free change service expect seasonal flight fare difference Tickets with ticket number beginning with 880. The rebooking flights dates are limited to before June 30 (inclusive June 30) Further information can be found here. |
Refund:
If purchased before midnight on Jan 28 and flight departure date after, and including January 28 Rebooking: If purchased before 0:00 AEDT on Feb 1 |
| Flight Centre | Flight Centre will not charge any cancellation or amendment fees for customers with existing bookings to China. All major airlines with routes to Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have also issued waiver policies for flights booked prior to the outbreak
Further information can be found here. |
Dependant on Individual Airlines Terms and Conditions |
Dates listed above are in the year 2020
Major Accommodation Providers
Hotels |
Overview of Policy Change and Relevant Links |
Applicable Regions |
Applicable Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intercontinental Hotels Group | Guests able to change or cancel a booking reservation without a fee
Contact details can be found here. |
Travelling to or from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan | Between January 23 and February 29 |
| Radisson Hotel Group | Guests can cancel free of charge for bookings when booked through any official Radisson channel
Further information can be found here. |
Reservations at any China hotel | Until February 29 |
| Marriott International | Cancellation fees have been waived for hotel stays
Further information can be found here. |
Guests with reservations in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
and Guests from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan travelling to any global Marriott hotel |
Until February 29 |
| Wyndham Hotels and Resorts | Guests with direct bookings for stays in any Wyndham hotel will have their cancellation or change penalties waived
Further information can be found here. |
Guests travelling to or from mainland China | Between January 22nd and February 29 |
| Hyatt | Guests can postpone or cancel without a cancellation fee for stays
Further information can be found here. |
Guests who have booked hotels in China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan through hyatt.com, the World of Hyatt App, the WeChat Mini Program and or the Global Contact Center | Until February 29 |
| Hilton | Hilton has a rebooking and cancellation waiver in place
Contact details can be found here. |
Guests who plan to travel to any Hilton-branded property in Greater China
For Hilton-branded property globally, modification and cancellation penalties may be waived during the same time period |
Until February 29 |
Dates listed above are in the year 2020
For more information about travel insurance and Pandemic Coverage, check this article published by Choice: https://www.choice.com.au/travel/money/travel-insurance/articles/travel-insurance-pandemic