Flight Hacks

United Airlines Is Getting Rid Of Fee To Change Flights, Permanently

United Airlines is getting rid of change fees on domestic flights, as a measure to give passengers more flexibility with scheduling during the current coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday, August 30, the Chicago-based airline announced that it will permanently let customers change flights for free on all of its standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the United States, effective immediately.

The new policy is applicable on these types of tickets for travel within all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is said in a media release that customers will not be limited in the number of times they adjust their flights.

This move by United is said to be in response to a top request from passengers.

“When we hear from customers about where we can improve, getting rid of this fee is often the top request,” said Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, in a video message. “Following previous tough times, airlines made difficult decisions to survive, sometimes at the expense of customer service. United Airlines won’t be following that same playbook as we come out of this crisis. Instead, we’re taking a completely different approach – and looking at new ways to serve our customers better.”

Flying on Standby for Free

United's removal of change fees is said to have come from being a top customer request. — United’s removal of change fees is said to have come from being a top customer request. United

Starting next year, United will enable passengers additionally to change their flights at no additional cost in another way — same-day standby.

Beginning on January 1, 2021, United customers can choose to add themselves to the standby list for free to travel on a different flight earlier or later on the same day as their original departure. If a seat opens up, they will be able to take that other flight instead.

United’s previous flight switch fee for domestic U.S. travel was $200, and the fee to be listed for standby travel was $75; however, the carrier’s Basic Economy cabin is not included in this new policy but with the pandemic its change fees have been waved.

Southwest Airlines has preceded United in not charging change fees, even before the pandemic hit.

Extending More Waivers

United is also extending its waiver for new tickets issued through the end of 2020, to permit unlimited changes with no fee and applying to both domestic and international ticket types issued after March 3, 2020.

For MilagePlus members, United will waive all redeposit fees on award travel for flights changed or cancelled more than 30 days before departure and allowing all MileagePlus Premier members to confirm a different flight on the day of their travel. On January 1, all Premier members will be able to confirm a seat for free on a different flight with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket. This expanded option will allow MileagePlus Silver members and above to confirm a new seat in the same ticket fare class if space is available.

Michele Herrmann

Michele Herrmann develops guides on U.S. and international destinations and writes about travel trends, food and culture for various print and digital media outlets and travel companies.

Emirates to Implement Thermal Screening on All US Bound Flights

DUBAI, UAE 12 March 2020: Emirates will be implementing thermal screening measures for all passengers travelling on US flights departing from Dubai International Airport, effective tonight, 12 March 2020. Thermal scanners will be placed at departure gates for all US gateways, starting with EK 231 to Washington Dulles International Airport. If a passenger is found to have a higher than normal temperature, they will undergo further testing. This is in addition to the thermal screenings done for all passengers on arrival as they pass through customs.

In addition, Emirates has suspended its flights between Dubai and Italy starting from today, with the final flight operating on 15th of March. The airline is working with the relevant authorities to monitor the developments closely as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

The measures are being taken as part of the airline’s overall response to the latest developments around the COVID-19 pandemic. Emirates has been coordinating efforts in conjunction with local health and regulatory authorities, including the Dubai Health Authority, so that the airline meets or exceeds local and international guidelines and directives around COVID-19. Emirates plans to gradually roll out thermal screening procedures for all of its flights departing Dubai to ensure the health and safety of its customers travelling abroad.

Passengers are advised to observe the general recommended time of arrival at the airport, which is 3 hours ahead of departure, to ensure seamless check-in procedures and to complete their immigration formalities.

In addition to thermal screening procedures at the airport, Emirates has also implemented proactive and voluntary measures to ensure a safe flying experience with enhanced cleaning and complete disinfection protocols in over 248 aircraft departing Dubai each day. The airline utilises high-grade cleaning chemicals proven to kill viruses and germs, leaving a long-lasting protective coating against viruses, bacteria and fungi on surfaces. The comprehensive cleaning process includes a thorough wiping down all cabin surfaces, in addition to other normal procedures such as changing head rest covers on all seats, replacement of reading materials, vacuuming, amongst other cleaning activities.

On any aircraft found to have transported a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case, Emirates implements further deep cleaning including the defogging of cabin interiors and misting with disinfectant across all soft furnishings, and replacement of seat covers and cushions in the affected area. The aircraft’s state-of-the-art air circulation system, utilising HEPA cabin air filters, will also be replaced.

The airline has also offering passengers additional peace of mind with the ability to change their travel dates without change and reissuance fees on any bookings made prior to 31 March 2020. Cancellation and refund fees will also be waived for bookings made between 7 March and 31 March 2020, regardless of travel date. Visit emirates.com for more details on the waiver.

Source: Emirates to implement thermal screening on all US bound flights

Emirates

Emirates has implemented thermal screening measures for all passengers travelling on US flights departing from Dubai International Airport. This is in addition to the thermal screenings done for all passengers on arrival as they pass through customs. Emirates plans to gradually roll out thermal screening procedures for all of its flights departing Dubai to ensure the health and safety of its customers travelling abroad. The measures are being taken as part of the airline’s overall response to the latest developments around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Master List Of Airline Coronavirus Change And Cancellation Policies (Includes All American And European Airlines)

“What should I do about my trip?” It’s a question we are hearing often and frankly, the answers aren’t crystal clear. The best you can do is be sure you’re making decisions based on the best available information. Here’s how the airlines are handling issues regarding COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus. As policies change daily, we’ll be sure to update this regularly with the most current directives.

This list will be updated as soon as possible after we find out about a policy change. Last updated March 12, 1:04 p.m.

If your flight is cancelled by the airline, according to the US Department of Transportation you will be eligible for a cash refund, full stop. The European Union has a similar rule, commonly known as Rule 261, that provides for refunds for any flights that arrive into, travel through, or depart Europe.

This list is long and we are continually adding to it. The fastest way to find your airline is to press Control + F (Windows) or Command + F (Mac) on your keyboard to bring up a search menu. Type in the name of the airline you are looking for.

Today In: Personal Finance

For more cancellation information about Sporting events, concerts, and other public gatherings check out our master list of event cancellations.

U.S. Airlines

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is allowing no-fee changes and cancellations to the following:

Tickets purchased on or before February 26, 2020
New tickets purchased between February 27, 2020 and March 31, 2020

Non-refundable first class, main cabin and award tickets may be changed for no fee, with new travel completed by February 28, 2021, or cancelled with travel funds placed into your Alaska Account or a credit card certificate via email. Fare difference applies. Saver fare tickets can only be cancelled with funds deposited into your Alaska Airlines account.

Alaska Airlines’ Full Policy

American Airlines

American Airlines is allowing customers who bought tickets before March 1, 2020 and scheduled to travel until April 30 to rebook without a change fee. Tickets need to be changed and travel must start before December 31, 2020. You’ll have to pay for any fare difference. Tickets booked between March 1 and 31, 2020 for any date can also be changed fee-free.

American is also allowing changes and refunds for tickets to:

Italy or South Korea purchased on or before February 24, 2020
Hong Kong purchased on or before January 28, 2020
China bought on or before January 24, 2020

American Airlines’s Full Policy

Delta Air Lines

Delta led the major US Airlines with flexible cancellation policies for customers affected by travel limitations due to coronavirus. All tickets purchased on or before March 9, 2020 for travel until April 30, 2020 can be changed without a service fee. Tickets must be re-issued and travel must begin by Dec 31, 2020.

Tickets purchased between March 1 and 31 for travel until February 25, 2021 are also eligible for fee-free changes. Travelers booked to COVID-19 affected destinations, including those in Italy, China and South Korea, before May 31st, 2020 can also be re-booked with waived change fees.

If you prefer, you can cancel your flight booked on or before March 9, 2020 and your funds will be available for one year from your original ticket’s issue date. Note that this does not mean that your money will be refunded, or even that you will be able to purchase a new ticket entirely with the funds from your ticket. Fare differences will apply, so if your new flight is more expensive you are on the hook for the difference.

Delta’s Full Policy

Frontier Airlines

Frontier makes the process more onerous than other airlines but has instituted some policies to make tickets more flexible in this challenging environment. To be frank, Frontier has the least customer-friendly policies of any US Airline.

Tickets may only be modified by phone and only may be modified or refunded for flight credit one time. Fare differences will apply. Frontier’s flight credits are only valid for 90 days from the cancellation date. For changed flights, travel must be completed by November 9, 2020.

Flights booked before March 10, 2020 for travel before April 30, 2020 may be changed.
Flights booked March 10-31, 2020 for travel through November 9 may be changed. Frontier has an existing policy that tickets changed more than 60 days before departure.

Frontier’s Full Policy

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines is offering a flexible ticketing policy. Guests who book any flights between March 1 and March 31, 2020, can change travel to future dates without incurring fees. The waiver allows a one-time change per ticket and fare difference applies.

Travelers with bookings made prior to March 9, 2020, with travel between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020 can make flight changes with new travel commencing no later than December 31, 2020. This waiver allows a one-time change per ticket and fare difference applies.

Hawaiian Airlines has additional waivers for flights to Japan, South Korea and China.

Japan: Flights booked for new travel on or before April 23, 2020 will have no change fee and no fare difference. Flights booked for new travel on or after April 23, 2020 will have no change fee but will be charged fare difference. Tickets must have been issued by March 6, 2020 and must be rebooked by April 12, 2020 to qualify.
South Korea: Flights rebooked for new travel on or before October 31, 2020 will have no change fee and no fare difference. Flights booked for new travel on or after October 31, 2020 will have no change fee but will be charged fare difference. Tickets for scheduled travel between February 24, 2020 to May 1, 2020. New travel must be booked by October 31, 2020.
China: Flights rebooked for new travel on or before May 31, 2020 will have no change fee and no fare difference. Flights booked for new travel on or after May 31, 2020 will have no change fees but will be charged fare difference. Tickets must have been issued prior to January 27, 2020 with affected flights scheduled between January 27, 2020 and March 31, 2020. New travel must be rebooked by March 31, 2020.

Hawaiian Airlines’ Full Policy

JetBlue

JetBlue is waiving cancellation and change fees for all flights based on the purchase date.

Travel dates of March 10 to April 30, 2020, regardless of the ticket purchase date.
Tickets for travel before June 1, 2020 may be exchanged if they were purchased after February 27, 2020.
For new bookings between March 6 and 31, 2020 for flights before September 8, 2020, change and cancellation fees are also waived.

New flights must be completed by October 24, 2020. Refunds are issued as JetBlue credit, valid for one year from the issue date. This is the longest window of any US airline, as most others’ credits are valid for one year from ticket purchase date.

JetBlue’s Full Policy

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines doesn’t have to make special accommodations for COVID-19 because it already offers the most generous change and cancellation policies in the airline industry. As long as you change your ticket ten minutes before flight time, you can get your flight re-booked or refunded into travel credit without penalty. You’ll just have to pay any fare difference that applies when you re-book your flight. Note that travel funds are good for one year and must be used by the person whose name is listed on the ticket.

Southwest’s Full Policy

Spirit Airlines

Unlike the other airlines, Spirit has not instituted a date-specific change policy. Instead, they are extending an offer of a one-time fee-free change or cancellation. Fare difference will apply. If you choose to cancel, you will receive flight credit that is valid for six months. Note that this means you have six months to book your flight, so effectively you will have 9-12 months to use it based on how far in advance Spirit has posted its schedule.

Spirit is not allowing fee-free changes online, but you can use their customer service via text option, which in my experience is quite responsive.

Spirit’s Full Policy

United Airlines

Tickets purchased from March 3 to 31, 2020 can be changed or canceled without fees for dates through the end of schedule. All tickets purchased prior to March 3, 2020 can be re-booked until December 31, 2020, or a year from the original ticket issue date.

Tickets booked to China and Hong Kong with a travel date before June 30, 2020 are eligible for fee-free rebooking or a cash refund, even on non-refundable fares. Tickets to Italy and South Korea before June 30 are eligible for re-booking without fees, but not for cash refunds.

A fare difference will apply for more expensive tickets. If the new ticket is cheaper than the one you purchased, the difference will not be refunded. In that case you are better off cancelling the ticket and rebooking at the cheaper price. . Canceled tickets retain their original value for travel on United 12 months for following their original issue date. You could then use the remainder towards a new ticket.

United’s Full Policy

Other American Airlines

Air Canada

Like many other North American carriers, Air Canada is 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 is also providing flexibility for existing bookings purchased before March 4, 2020 with travel on or before April 30, 2020. A free one-time change will apply. All travel must be completed by December 31, 2020. Fare difference applies.

Air Canada’s Full Policy

Aerolineas Argentinas

Passengers flying to and from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Israel and the U.S. until May 31, 2020, may change their flights one time to travel until November 30, 2020. Fare difference will apply.
Passengers who purchase tickets to/from Europe and the United States from March 10 to March 31, 2020 can change their flight once without penalty. Fare difference will apply.

Aerolineas Argentinas’ Full Policy

AeroMexico

AeroMexico is offering flexibility for all ticket purchases between March 9 and 31, 2020. These tickets can have departure date changes and route changes without paying a change fee. Fare difference applies. Tickets can be reissued until May 31, 2020 and the rescheduled trip must begin on or before May 31, 2020.

AeroMexico is offering additional flexibility specific tickets:

To/from Italy: Tickets purchased prior to March 6, 2020 with travel dates between February 28 and May 31, 2020 can change travel dates but not origin or destination without paying a change fee or fare difference. Ticketing changes are allowed until August 31, 2020 and the rescheduled trip must begin before August 31, 2020.
To/from Europe: Tickets purchased prior to March 9, 2020 with travel dates between March 1 and April 30, 2020 can change travel dates but not origin or destination without paying a change fee. Ticketing changes are allowed until May 31, 2020 and the rescheduled trip must begin before October 30, 2020. Fare difference applies.
To/from Mexico: Tickets purchased prior to March 1 with travel dates between March 1 and 31, 2020 can have a fee-free date change. Tickets must be reissued by May 31, 2020 and travel must begin before the same date. Fare difference applies.
To/from Mexico: Tickets purchased after March 1, 2020 with travel dates between March 1, 2020 and February 25, 2021 can have a fee-free date change. Tickets can be reissued until February 28, 2021 and the rescheduled trip must begin before February 28, 2021. Fare difference applies.
To/from Asia/Europe: Tickets for travel between Mexico and Asia/Europe between March 6 and March 31 can have a no-fee departure date change. Routing must stay the same and fare difference applies. Ticket reissuing is allowed until May 31, 2020 and the rescheduled trip must begin before May 31, 2020. Fare difference applies.
To/from Seoul: Tickets purchased prior to March 6, 2020 are eligible for no change fee or fare difference as long as the route remains the same. Effective travel dates are February 24 to May 31, 2020. Tickets can be reissued until August 31, 2020 and travel must begin before August 31, 2020.
To/from China: Tickets purchased between January 28 and May 31, 2020 are eligible for no change fee or fare difference as long as the route remains the same. Effective travel dates are January 28 to May 31, 2020. Tickets can be reissued until August 31, 2020 and travel must begin before August 31, 2020.

AeroMexico’s Full Policy

Avianca

Avianca is offering the option to change itineraries purchased between March 4 and 31, 2020 with cash or miles without penalty on routes to and from the United States, Canada and Europe or between March 11 and 31, 2020 on routes to and from other international routes operated by Avianca. The new trip must be completed by December 31, 2020 and can only be changed once without a fee. At least 15 days of notice to the original flight date must be given. Fare difference will apply.

For flights booked prior to March 10 for international travel scheduled from March 10 to 31, Aviana is offering the option to rebook for travel for one year from issue date. Fare difference will apply.

Avianca’s Full Policy

Copa

Copa is currently only offering flexibility for tickets purchased until March 4, 2020. If you’re a passenger with connections on other airlines to or from China, South Korea, Italy or Iran, with travel between February 3 and June 15, 2020, you can change your flight dates, use your ticket toward a future trip, or receive a refund of your ticket if permitted by the fare terms. Fare difference applies. Changes must be completed by June 15, 2020 and the new itinerary must start before December 31, 2020.

Copa is also allowing the same flexibility for passengers traveling to countries with travel restrictions, providing tickets were purchased prior to March 4.

Flights to the U.S. are allowed similar changes, providing tickets were purchased prior to March 4 with original travel dates between February 3 and June 15. Changes can be made until June 15, 2020 and the new trip must be initiated on or before December 31, 2020. The type of changes permitted vary slightly depending on if you are a U.S. resident.

For U.S. residents: Flight date and destination changes are permitted, in addition to using the value of your ticket for a future trip and refunds, if permitted by the fare terms.
For non-U.S. residents: Date changes, applying the value of your ticket to a future trip, and refunds are possible if permitted by the fare terms. The credit received for your future trip is value for one year from the original purchase date.

Copa’s Full Policy

LATAM

LATAM has a variety of policies depending on when your ticket was purchased and where you are traveling.

All international tickets issued between March 6 and 22 allow changes without penalty providing your journey has not started yet, the ticket is reissued at least 14 days before the start of travel and the new trip commences no later than December 31, 2020. All fare differences will be charged.

Passengers with tickets issued until March 5, 2020 and original flight dates between March 6 and April 30, 2020 to the following destinations are eligible to fly today until December 31, 2020 without paying a change fee. Tickets are still subject to fare difference.

To/from Italy
Chile from Spain (round trip)
To Colombia from/via Spain, Italy, France or China (round trip)
To Peru from Spain, Italy, France or China (round trip)
To Argentina from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, U.S., Iran, Japan, China, and South Korea (round trip)

Passengers with tickets to/from Israel issued until March 5, 2020 with original flight dates between March 6 and April 1, 2020 can fly from today until December 31, 2020 without paying a change fee. Tickets are subject to fare difference.

LATAM has additional policies for tickets issued in China and South Korea.

LATAM’s Full Policy

WestJet

WestJet is offering flexibility for both existing reservations and new reservations.

Flights booked before March 3, 2020 for travel in March or April 2020 are eligible for a one-time fee-free change. The change or cancellation must be made at least 24 hours before departure. The value of cancelled flights will be put in your travel bank. Fare differences apply to flight changes.

For new bookings, WestJet is allowing a one-time fee-free change for all new flight bookings made between March 3, 2020 and March 31, 2020. The change must be made at least 24 hours before flight departure.

WestJet’s Full Policy

European Airlines

Some countries not on the list of most affected countries, notably Israel and Kuwait, have cancelled all flights from a long list of countries.Things are fluid to say the least, but this list will be updated daily.

European Arrival Restrictions

The most important thing to know is that US citizens and legal residents ARE allowed to travel to the United States from Europe. However, we should expect widespread cancellations of flights to and from Europe due to diminished demand.

Any U.S. citizen or lawful U.S. permanent resident returning to the United States who has traveled to one of the Schengen Area countries within the previous 14 days must enter the United States through an approved airport. The list of airports currently processing flights from COVID-affected areas are:

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), California
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Virginia
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), New Jersey
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Michigan

Foreign nationals who have visited the following European countries in the last 14 days preceding their entry are affected by the new restrictions. This list includes:

Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland

Aegean

Flights booked before March 9, 2020 to any destination traveling before April 30, 2020 can be rebooked for travel until October 20, 2020.

Flights booked after March 9, 2020 for any travel date up to October 20,2020 can be rebooked for travel up until October 20,2020.

Aegean’s Full Policy

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus has not established a policy regarding flights booked prior to March 6, 2020 at this time. This stance seems untenable and we will monitor it for changes. Flights booked on March 6 and later are eligible for re-booking without restriction. Fare difference will apply.

Aer Lingus’ Full Policy

Aeroflot

Passengers with tickets to Italy and Israel until May 31, 2020 may:

Rebook to a different date up until December 31, 2020. Fare differences apply.
Rebook to a different destination up until December 31, 2020. Fare differences apply.
Get a full cash refund.

Passengers with tickets to Germany, Spain or France until May 31, 2020 may:

Rebook to a different date up until May 31, 2020. Fare differences apply.
Rebook to a different destination up until May 31, 2020. Fare differences apply.

Aeroflot’s Full Policy

Air Europa

Customers with new reservations booked from March 4 to 31, 2020 are eligible for rebooking for travel up to 12 months after original booking date. Fare difference will apply.
Customers with tickets to most destinations dated between March 11 and April 30, 2020 may rebook to any destination for selected dates until November 30. You could also receive a voucher good for travel until December 31, 2020. Fare difference will apply.

Air Europa’s Full Policy

Air France/KLM

Air France and KLM have instituted a flexible booking policy for all tickets issued up to March 31, 2020. Tickets may be rebooked for a later date up until May 31, 2020, or passengers have the option to receive a non-refundable voucher good for 12 months. The voucher can be used interchangeably on Air France, KLM, Delta or Virgin Atlantic.

Tickets booked to China before May 31, 2020, may be re-booked no later than June 30, 2020. They are also eligible for re-booking onto another route or for a cash refund.
Tickets booked to Italy before April 30, 2020, may be re-booked no later than May 31, 2020. You can also receive a voucher good for travel for the value of your ticket.
Tickets booked to Singapore on KLM only before February 27, 2020 for travel until March 31, 2020 may be rebooked no later than April 30, 2020. You can also receive a voucher towards a new ticket to another destination.
Tickets booked to Seoul, South Korea until April 30, 2020 are eligible for re-booking until May 31, 2020. They are also eligible for a cash refund if the ticket was booked via KLM or a voucher if the ticket was issued via Air France.

Air France/KLM’s Full Policy

Alitalia

As one might imagine, Italy’s national carrier has been heavily affected. That said, its policy is quite limited. Passengers who purchased their tickets Internationally are eligible for changes. Tickets issued before March 3, 2020 with travel until April 3, 2020 can have the date changed up to June 30 ,2020. They also have the option of changing the destination and flying on the date of their original ticket.

Alitalia’s Full Policy

British Airways

Tickets purchased before March 3, 2020 to Italy and Hong Kong may be modified or cancelled with limitations.

Tickets from London to all Italian destinations through April 4, 2020 can either be rebooked for a later date or refunded.
Tickets to and from Hong Kong before May 31, 2020, you have the option to rebook to a later date. Both departure and arrival gateways must remain the same.

Tickets purchased between March 3 and March 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’s Full Policy

EasyJet

No change and cancellation policy specific to the COVID-19 outbreaks; policies are proceeding as normal at this time. Flight that are cancelled by EasyJet will be eligible for refund, but otherwise you’re out of luck.

EasyJet’s Full Policy

Finnair

Flights booked with Finnair until April 30, 2020, may be rebooked without charge up until November 30, 2020. Fare difference will apply. In addition, Finnair has cancelled many flights. In the case of cancellation your ticket price will be refunded.

Finnair’s Full Policy

Iberia

Iberia has quite an elaborate set of conditions listed on their website, but they all share in common the ability to request a voucher for the amount of the flight if the other conditions are met. The vouchers are valid for travel until December 31.

Italy: In general, flights can be rebooked to travel as late as June 15, 2020. The valid dates for this offer vary by city in Italy, but all cities are eligible for the flight voucher if re-booking isn’t an option.
Madrid: If you have a flight to Madrid before April 30, 2020, you can rebook for selected dates up until November 30, 2020. Blackout dates include most of the summer and other peak dates so the voucher option may make more sense.
From the U.S. to Europe: Same policy as Madrid. If you are flying to Europe, it is likely you are transiting Madrid anyway.
Japan: If you have a flight to Japan before April 30, 2020, you can rebook for selected dates up until November 30, 2020.
Shanghai: If you have a flight to Shanghai before April 30, 2020, you can rebook for selected dates up until November 30, 2020.

Iberia’s Full Policy

LOT Polish Airlines

Flights booked on March 6 or later for travel between March 12 and April 24, 2020 are eligible for rebooking for travel until December 31, 2020. Fare difference will apply.

LOT’s Full Policy

Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Brussels, Air Dolomiti (Lufthansa Group)

The Lufthansa group of airlines has a sweeping policy that is quite clear. All tickets booked before March 5, 2020, with travel before April 30, 2020 can can re-booked as late as December 31, 2020 without a change fee. Flights booked between March 6 and 31, 2020 are also eligible for re-booking until December 31. Fare differences will apply.

Lufthansa Group’s Full Policy

Norwegian Airlines

Norwegian Airlines is waiving change fees for flights to Italy booked before March 6 for travel until March 19, 2020. Flight dates may be changed to travel up until May 18, 2020. At this point there are no other policies in place, however Norwegian expects to cancel 3,000 flights to and from the USA between Mid-March and Mid-June. In the case of cancellation you are eligible for a full refund.

Norwegian Airlines’ Full Policy

Ryanair

No coronavirus-specific policy is in effect at this time, policies are proceeding as normal at this time. Flights cancelled by Ryanair will be eligible for refund, otherwise you’re out of luck.

Ryanair’s Full Policy

SAS, Scandinavian Airlines

Tickets booked before March 5, 2020 for travel until April 30, 2020 to, from and within Europe (except within Scandinavia) are eligible for rebooking for a departure date before November 30, 2020.

Tickets booked between March 6 and 19, 2020 for travel until November 30, 2020 may be changed for a different flight date until November 30, 2020 without a fee. Fare differences apply and destination and return must be the same.

SAS’s Full Policy

TAP Air Portugal

TAP Air Portugalickets booked between March 8 and 31, 2020 are eligible for rebooking without restriction through end of schedule. Changes must be made 21 days prior to departure and fare difference will apply.
Tickets to Italy purchased before March 8, 2020 may be rebooked for any destination for travel up until May 31, 2020.

TAP Air Portugal’s Full Policy

Turkish Airlines

Turkish has a fee-free change policy for all international bookings. If you purchased your ticket before March 5, 2020, you can re-book for a travel date until December 31, 2020 provided you make the request before March 16, 2020.

Tickets purchased between March 6 and March 24, 2020, are eligible for rebooking until December 31, 2020, as long as you re-book within five days of the new flight.

Information for additional international carriers will be added as soon as possible.

Turkish’s Full Policy

Virgin Atlantic

Flights booked before March 4, 2020 for travel before April 30, 2020 may be rebooked for travel until September 30, 2020. Fare differences apply.
Flights booked on or after March 1, 2020 may be rebooked for travel until September 30,2020. Fare differences apply.

Virgin Atlantic’s Full Policy

Bottom Line

Based on the situation on the ground, it may be more likely that your flight gets cancelled than you having to rebook on your own. If your flight gets cancelled, you will be eligible for a cash refund. If you want to change your plans before flights are actually cancelled, here are the most recent policies.

Additional reporting by Kelly Anne Smith

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Source: Master List Of Airline Coronavirus Change And Cancellation Policies (Includes All American And European Airlines)

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WPTV News | West Palm Beach Florida

Concerns over the coronavirus may have you thinking twice about that vacation you’ve been looking to book, but a local travel agency says they are seeing airlines and cruise lines loosen restrictions when it comes to cancellation policies.

United Airlines Kicks Retired Professors Off Late-Night Flight

A married couple, Jessie Au, 68, and her husband M.G. (“Guill”) Wientjes, 66, both PhDs, were kicked off a late-night United flight from Washington, DC to Los Angeles earlier this summer.

To add insult to injury, Au, a 5’3” grandmother, says an internal United committee called her “belligerent” and “threatening” after she stood up for her rights as a passenger. Although not physically beaten or dragged, Dr. Au says the intimidating experience reminded her of the treatment Dr. David Dao received in a notorious United incident in 2017.

(Full disclosure: I own stock in American, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines.)

The incident apparently began when Dr. M. G. Wientjes and another passenger were issued boarding passes with duplicate seat assignments. While trying to sort out the mess, the couple says a flight attendant dropped Wientjes’ boarding pass several rows back, then denied they had ever given it to her. Although the pass was ultimately returned to the Wientjes, they say by that time the situation had become confrontational, with the flight attendant screaming “You’re coming out.”

I contacted United Airlines multiple times to hear their side of the story, but did not receive an on-the-record response before publication. On September 13, we received the following statement from a United spokesperson. “At United, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism. Following this issue, we reached out to our customers and our team to find out what happened.” Sources within the airline also note that they spoke to the Wientjes in July to talk through the incident.

Today In: Lifestyle

Jessie Au and Guil Wientjes retired as professors of pharmaceutics from The Ohio State University. The couple met in San Francisco as young researchers and have been married nearly forty years. But rather than stay home and dote on their three grandchildren, the pair remain active in scientific research with their Carlsbad-based company Optimum Therapeutics, currently working on a time-release medication that attaches itself to tumors.

On June 24, they were at Washington Dulles (IAD), having completed visits to the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug Administration in search of a research grant. They checked in on UA1448 at 7PM, three hours ahead of their scheduled 10:15PM departure to LAX. The couple planned to drive to San Diego after their early-morning arrival the next day.

They got boarding passes with assigned seats 21A (Wientjes) and 21C (Au) in the exit row. The couple boarded in the first two boarding groups, stowed carry-ons and relaxed in their seats. About 20 minutes later, another passenger in the 5th boarding group appeared with a boarding pass for 21A. A flight attendant took both boarding passes and headed to the back of the plane, apparently to try to resolve the situation. But then, according to Au, she dropped the pass and denied that Au and Wientjes had given it to her.

Boarding passes for United Airlines flight 1448 for the Wientjes. — Boarding passes for United Airlines flight 1448 for married couple Jessie Au and Guill Wientjes.

Jessie Au and Guill Wientjes

By this time a gate agent had arrived to assist the flight attendant, and the other person assigned the same seat had been seated elsewhere. When another passenger handed them the dropped boarding pass, the Wientjes say, they tried to get the attention of the flight attendant. They were ignored.

“They had their back to me. I said,“We have the pass here it is,” says Dr. Au. They ignored her “until I tapped her elbow from her seat. “’I just want to show you.’”

Au says, “The flight attendant and gate agent both yelled at us. We were traumatized. You could hear them screaming throughout the plane. “Don’t touch me! You are coming out! I’m going to kick you off the plane.”

The elbow tap may be what led a United internal review committee to call Au “physically threatening.” Ultimately United sent another flight attendant and three ground personnel to deal with the Wientjes. “They didn’t resolve the issue,” said Dr. Au. “They abuse us for no good reason.” What is unclear is if the elderly couple were considered a threat, why air marshals, TSA, local police or other security personnel were not contacted.

“Jessie didn’t curse or yell. We think the flight attendant overreacted,” says Dr. M.G. Wientjes. He says “United made all these promises” about how passengers would be treated after the Dr. Dao beating. Yet Wientjes says the flight attendant, the ground personnel and even the pilot were “menacing and unpleasant.”

MUNOZ HEARING — Oscar Munoz, chief executive officer of United Continental Holdings Inc., exits after a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Munoz faces the House panels grilling over the

© 2017 Bloomberg Finance LP

The Wientjes, who say they were sitting in their assigned seats and felt “abused” by United, refused to leave. A 40-minute impasse resulted, in which three ground personnel boarded the plane to “discuss” the situation with the Wientjes, which they found intimidating. Ultimately, the pilot went on the intercom. He said there was a “situation” on the aircraft and all the passengers would have to deplane.

At this point, the Wientjes reluctantly left the plane so the other passengers could fly. Although United put them up for the night and put them on a plane the following day, the United Mileage Plus members were warned that they were on an internal watch list. Au says she has been repeatedly questioned on subsequent flights.

Hong Kong-born Au, who is 5’ 3 and a non-drinker, was subsequently accused of being “belligerent” and “physically threatening” by an internal United panel. The United Airlines Passenger Incident Review Committee, (PIRC) had previously demanded she produce a substantial written response within 96 hours or face a lifetime ban from United.

“This event was caused by mistakes of two UA employees, the gate agent who double-assigned the same seat to two passengers and the flight attendant who misplaced our boarding pass,” claims Dr. Au. “But no one apologized for the UA mistakes nor acknowledged that UA violated their Contract of Carriage that a seated passenger cannot be removed unless the passenger presents a security or safety risk.”

The former professor believes that United employees and the PIRC “greatly exaggerated a light tap on their employee’s elbow as being physically threatening.” To the Wientjes, the internal review “was nothing more than an exercise in putting more blame on the passengers.”

“Being removed from our flight, in addition to being delayed, was humiliating and hurtful,” say the Wientjes. They feel that since the “infamous incident of Dr. Dao” being forcefully dragged off a United Airlines flight two years ago, “the CEO and President of UA have repeatedly vowed to improve their service and make passengers feel good. We would like them to live up to their words and revise their policy and procedures so that what happened to us cannot happen to other passengers.”

United Passenger Removed — FILE – In this Thursday, April 13, 2017, file photo, Crystal Pepper, daughter of Dr. David Dao, accompanied by attorney Stephen Golan, speaks at a news conference in Chicago. On Thursday, April 27, 2017, United Airlines reached a settlement with Dao,

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Michael Goldstein

I’ve won several journalism awards, and my writing on travel has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, American Way, Southwest Airlines Spirit, Successful Meetings and United Hemispheres. At home in the middle seat, I’ve got a fistful of travel reward credit cards, have spent more than six months of my life in Las Vegas hotels and I’ve traveled extensively across the world. Yet one of my favorite travel destinations is Independence, KS, a great American small town, where my work as a playwright was performed at the William Inge Festival.

Source: United Airlines Kicks Retired Professors Off Late-Night Flight

A passenger was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight by law enforcement on Sunday after refusing to give up his seat. According to a person who says they were on the flight, the airline needed room on the overbooked aircraft to reposition crew for another flight. But when it couldn’t find enough volunteers, even after offering $800, the airline selected the man, who is a doctor, and several other passengers to deplane. The video quickly made its way around the internet and social media. In a statement to Business Insider, United Airlines said: “Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate. We apologize for the overbook situation. Further details on the removed customer should be directed to authorities.” ————————————————– Follow BI Video on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1oS68Zs Follow BI on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1W9Lk0n Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/ ————————————————– Business Insider is the fastest growing business news site in the US. Our mission: to tell you all you need to know about the big world around you. The BI Video team focuses on technology, strategy and science with an emphasis on unique storytelling and data that appeals to the next generation of leaders – the digital generation.

Warning Issued After Malware Is Found To Have Hijacked Bitcoin Blockchain

Bitcoin’s blockchain has been hijacked by a new strain of the Glupteba malware that uses the network to resist attacks, cyber security researchers have warned.

The malware uses the bitcoin blockchain to update, meaning it can continue running even if a device’s antivirus software blocks its connection to servers run by the hackers, security intelligence blog Trend Micro reported this week.

The Glupteba malware, first discovered in December 2018, is distributed through advertising designed to spread viruses through script and can steal an infected devices’ browsing history, website cookies, and account names and passwords with this particular variant found to be targeting file-sharing websites.

However, according to researchers, the new version of the malware can also mine the privacy-specialized monero cryptocurrency and threaten the security of Instagram users’ accounts.

The malware uses the Electrum bitcoin wallet to send bitcoin transactions that the attackers use to gain access to systems.

“This technique makes it more convenient for the threat actor to replace command and control servers,” Trend Micro researchers wrote. A command and control server is the centralized computer that issues commands to an infected network of devices.

However, according to researchers, the new version of the malware can also mine the privacy-specialized monero cryptocurrency and threaten the security of Instagram users’ accounts.

The malware uses the Electrum bitcoin wallet to send bitcoin transactions that the attackers use to gain access to systems.

“If they lose control of a command and control server for any reason, they simply need to add a new bitcoin script and the infected machines obtain a new command and control server by decrypting the script data and reconnecting.”

bitcoin, blockchain, bitcoin price, chart — Security researchers at Trend Micro detailed how the Glupteba malware infects and compromises devices, which now can use the bitcoin blockchain to stay alive.

Trend Micro

It’s not the first time the bitcoin blockchain has been taken advantage of by criminals, with German researchers last year discovering child abuse imagery shared via the decentralized network.

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Billy Bambrough

I am a journalist with significant experience covering technology, finance, economics, and business around the world. As the founding editor of Verdict.co.uk I reported on how technology is changing business, political trends, and the latest culture and lifestyle. I have covered the rise of bitcoin and cryptocurrency since 2012 and have charted its emergence as a niche technology into the greatest threat to the established financial system the world has ever seen and the most important new technology since the internet itself. I have worked and written for CityAM, the Financial Times, and the New Statesman, amongst others. Follow me on Twitter @billybambrough or email me on billyATbillybambrough.com. Disclosure: I occasionally hold some small amount of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Source: Warning Issued After Malware Is Found To Have Hijacked Bitcoin Blockchain

by Christian Karam & Vitaly Kamluk The blockchain is the public ledger stacking all bitcoin/altcoins transactions. It is constantly growing as “completed” blocks are automatically added to it with a new set of records. The blocks are added to the blockchain in a linear and chronological order. The blockchain has complete information about the addresses and their balances right from the genesis block to the most recently completed block through the mining process. Depending on the crypto-currency and the implementation of its protocols, there would be a fixed open space, where data can be stored, referenced or hosted on the blockchain within encrypted transactions and their records. This very versatile nature of the blockchain offers great opportunities for future innovation especially in decentralized systems. The research focus revolves around the threat of embedding decentralized chunks of malware on the blockchain by either hosting it or referencing it with cascaded pointers. Transactions and data are encrypted throughout the blockchain networks using different versions of public/private key encryption. Could malware survive eternally inside crypto-transactions? A proof of concept will be explained highlighting the concerns revolving around the “abuse and bloating” of the blockchain while comparing it to previous malware hosting and deployment models. In this talk, INTERPOL will frame the scope of this future threat and provide potential solutions for a threat surrounding the blockchain technology.

Flying on Standby for Free

Extending More Waivers

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