Hyatt was first out of the gate offering compensation to people cancelling non-refundable bookings. Hilton and IHG both have come out with even greater flexibility, and both say they’re making changes to elite status requirements.
There are ways to benefit even if you plan to keep your current stays – but should you?
United is farthest ahead preparing for the worst as a business. They are cutting capital spending, slashing flying, and eliminating discretionary expenses. They have raised additional cash and assume that their revenue is down 70% in April and May and not fully recovering this year. We don’t know yet if things will be even worse than this, and more drastic measures will need to be taken.
For now there aren’t any layoffs, but United is trying to reduce personnel spending and they’ve imposed a hiring freeze so that retirements will reduce their head count. Here’s the detail of the United Airlines voluntary leave plan.
Roundtrip tickets used to be cheaper than buying two one ways. For the most part that isn’t true anymore. One way tickets, at least domestically, do not usually raise the cost of a trip.
Still many people book roundtrip travel because of change fees. But for the most part those do not apply right now.
Effective March 12 Southwest will let companions on the same reservation as an elite member board with the elite. Companions on the same booking will be assigned boarding numbers at the same time as the elite.
We need to practice social distancing, focus on science-based evaluations of risk, and focus public policy accordingly. Flights from Europe are less of a risk than concerts. Many countries of the world are less of a risk than the U.S. is. And we need flights for cargo, including for the chemicals needed to process COVID-19 tests.
On the heels of the confusing statement by the President ostensibly banning flights from Europe other than the U.K. for 30 days, but really banning entry by non-U.S. residents who have been to the Schengen area of Europe in the past 14 days, the State Department is now warning against all global travel.
My recommendation: It would be a good idea, if you’re an American traveling abroad, for you to arrange to return home as quickly as possible before it becomes more difficult to do so.
President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, announced that the U.S. would suspend travel from Europe for 30 days effective Friday. Right now there are more questions about that than answers, since all that has actually been released on paper is a ban on non-U.S. residents entering the country who have been in Schengen Area countries within the last 14 days.
The U.S. is discussing banning travel to and from Europe, though they may also opt to warn against all European travel and to impose a quarantine on European arrivals.
I’d avoid European travel at this time simply because it may be more difficult to get back in the event of potential extreme policy responses.
Right now United isn’t thinking about the long run, they’re preparing to survive the short run. Scott Kirby made clear everything else comes later.
Expect to see other airlines shift into that mode – hopefully seeing customers as partners rather than as potential marks for cash.
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Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
