Airline Policies

Airlines Announces SARS Policies

Updated 25 April, 2003

Due to concerns over SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) airlines announced its policies.

Here is a summary of each airline’s policy for changes in relation to SARS. The following policies and/or rules are subject to change without noticeon.. Therefore, please check with your travel consultant for the latest information.

Airline Policy
Air Canada Applies to passenger traveling to/from Asia, traveling from any point worldwide to Toronto & returning from Toronto to any point worldwide (does not apply to passengers whose ticketed point of origin is Toronto or connecting through Toronto).

  • Ticket purchased on or before April 24, 2003 for travel on or before May 14, 2003, may make a change to their travel dates without penalty. All travel must be completed by December 31, 2003.

  • Customers who have commenced travel to Toronto from any point worldwide on discounted tickets and now wish to return earlier than planned to their point of origin may also re-book at no penalty. Regular travel restrictions on discounted tickets continue to apply for travel to/from all other destinations.

    http://www.aircanada.com/about-us/news/sars_policy.html
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    American Policy applies to passengers holding tickets to Toronto, Canada; Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

  • This policy applies to tickets purchased any time through April 19 for travel through May 18. To take advantage of this policy, customers must make the change by May 18 and no later than their originally scheduled date of travel.

  • Travel may be rescheduled for any date through Dec. 31, 2003. The policy also applies to travel on American Eagle and American Connection. The policy also applies to passengers who started travel prior to March 19 and wish to change their return.

    http://aa.com/content/utility/comfortpolicymirror.jhtml
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    ANA In view of advice from "The World Health Organization (WHO)" and "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan" on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) recommending travelers to consider postponing all but essential travel, the following special procedures are introduced for ANA Group airlines’ international tickets.

    For customers holding following ANA international tickets applicable cancellation or refund charges are waived if they wish cancel entire trip:

    Hong Kong/Guandong Province
    Ticket issued on/before 4/3/03 & reservation made on/after 4/3/03

    Beijing
    Ticket issued on/before 4/23/03 & reservation made on/before 4/23/03.

    Toronto/Shanxi Province
    Ticket issued on/before 4/24/03 & reservation made on/before 4/24/03.

    http://svc.ana.co.jp/eng/int/others/information/sars/index.html
    Continental Due to concerns over SARS, Continental has made provisions to allow customers with existing reservations to make one time change without penalty. The following destinations are covered under the SARS change policy: Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Singapore & Toronto

    SARS Change provisions
  • One fee waived change per ticket
  • Must re-qualify for new itinerary
  • Must pay any fare difference
  • Must forfeit any lower fare

    Toronto
    Customers ticketed to/through Toronto with tickets purchased on/before 4/24/03 for travel on/before 5/31/03 can postpone travel until 12/15/03 without penalty.

    Hong Kong, China, Vietnam & Singapore
    Policy applies to tickets purchased on/before 4/15/03 for travel completed by 8/31/03.Customers may postpone travel without penalty through 12/15/03.Rebooked travel must be at least one week later than originally planned travel.Ticketed customers must advise Continental/Travel Agency of intent to change travel prior to originally scheduled flight or 5/19/03. Whichever comes first.New international flights must be rebooked and reissued by 12/01/03 and all travel completed by 12/15/03.

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    JAL In view of advice from "The World Health Organization" (WHO) on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), recommending travelers to consider postponing all but essential travel. And in view of Foreign Ministry raising Travel Alert Level, the following special procedures are introduced for JAL Group airlines' international tickets for customers holding individual discounted fare type.
    Itinerary including:

    Gangdong & Hong Kong
    For passengers holding JAL/JAS/JAA international tickets, which have fare rule restrictions issued on or before April 3, 2003, for JAL/JAS/JAA flights departing on and after April 3,2003, originated or destined to or via Hong Kong or Guangzhou, necessary cancellation or refund charge are waived, if you wish to cancel your entire trip.

    Beijing
    For passengers holding JAL/JAS/JAA international tickets, which have fare rule restrictions issued on or before April 23, 2003, for JAL/JAS/JAA flights departing on and after April 23, 2003, originated or destined to or via Beijing, necessary cancellation or refund charge are waived, if you wish to cancel your entire trip.

    Toronto
    For passengers holding JAL/JAS/JAA international tickets, which have fare rule restrictions issued on or before April 24, 2003, for JAL/JAS/JAA flights departing on and after April 24, 2003, originated or destined to or via Toronto, necessary cancellation or refund charge are waived, if you wish to cancel your entire trip.

    http://www.jal.co.jp/en/other/info2003_0320_2.html
    Northwest Due to concerns regarding conflict in the Middle East and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in Southeast Asia and Toronto, Northwest and KLM have made special provisions to allow customers with existing bookings to change their travel plans.
    Special Provision for enroute passengers whose travel includes Beijing, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Shanghai, Singapore or Taipei: Passengers with partially flown tickets issued on or before April 4, 2003 using published or unpublished fares may return directly from any point on their itinerary or any Northwest-served city in Asia without recalculation of their fare. All bookings must be confirmed in the original class and the revised itinerary must use Northwest-operated flights except between points where other airline travel was originally intended. All other provisions of the Trans-Pacific policy, other than fare recalculation, will apply to these passengers.

    http://www.nwa.com/features/dompolicy.html
    United United Airlines understands that customers may wish to adjust their travel plans due to recent developments with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the respiratory illness. For customers traveling to, from or through Toronto, United is waiving customary change fees.
    Revised travel policies and qualifying dates:

  • Customers with tickets issued on or before April 25, 2003 for travel on or before May 31, 2003, may postpone their travel without penalty as long as it is completed by December 31, 2003.

  • For customers who choose to postpone travel and reschedule for a future flight, the full value of the unused ticket will be applied toward the purchase of the new ticket with no re-ticketing fee. If the new fare is lower than the original fare and the original ticket was non-refundable, United will issue the customer a travel voucher for the difference. If the fare is higher, the customer will be required to pay the difference in fares.

  • To be eligible for this offer, originating travel must fall within the qualifying travel dates. To postpone travel, customers will need to contact United prior to their originally scheduled departure or May 15, 2003, whichever comes first. One change per ticket will be allowed under this waiver.

  • Conditions for the postponed/rebooked itinerary are mandated by the rules of the new fare. The re-booked itinerary must be for travel at least one week later than originally planned.

    http://www.ual.com/page/article/0,1360,50388,00.html
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    Kintetsu International provides this airline policy summary information as a general guideline and as a convenience for our customers. Application of these policies is subject to the final approval of the participating airlines and result may vary depending upon the condition of individual flight bookings and tickets. Each time you voluntarily request a flight change or cancellation for a ticketed reservation our consultants will provide you with the most up to date policy information affecting your right to any refund or future flight credit. Change fees and any subsequent waiver of change fees discussed in this document refers to fees imposed or assessed by the affected airlines only.
     

       © 2003 Kintetsu International