COVID-19 / A Personal Whinge

Before the enormity of the Covid -19 pandemic became apparent, we had booked three trips away, two overseas, one interstate.

Obviously with border restrictions and stay at home laws in place, all these activities became less likely to happen.

Airlines, hotels, car rental and other businesses reacted in different ways as to the funds already paid to them.

Sydney airport parking refunded all pre bookings immediately after cancellation.

Car rentals were cancelled without penalty or cost.

Some hotels would only credit for future stays, others refunded. 

Air New Zealand would only credit for future itineraries for a limited rebooking window despite the fact it was illegal for us, at the date of intended departure, to leave Australia and to enter New Zealand.

Most unfair I thought.

They have since extended the booking window to 30th June 2021 with 12 months to complete travel from the time of booking.

Ok, that now makes it more likely we will use that credit eventually.

For our trip to the USA in October, we decided that it was, under the on going situation there, not safe to go. In any case it is most likely our border would still be closed.
United Airlines allowed us to cancel without penalty with a two year booking window credit for the paid fare and returned my FF points in full immediately plus refunded the copay amount.

Fare (sic) enough!

Our interstate flight is to Tasmania. Unfortunately our airline, Virgin Australia, has gone into voluntary administration due to the virus inflicted travel restrictions so no fare refund or credit there. Whether they will be around when we are due to travel (September) is anyone’s guess despite the fact there are a number of suitors looking to bail them out. 
Add to that Tasmania’s currently closed state border and the trip looks really ‘iffy’.
Who knows what will happen to that airfare. Maybe a credit card charge back might be a route to go down.

At least we can cancel our accommodation there without penalty a month out. This is very disappointing as we were looking forward to 10 days isolation in a nice house (see above pic) on the island state’s east coast.

So that’s my personal gripe on the COVID-19 affect on our travel plans.  

Tough bikkies / stiff cheese, I know, when taking into consideration the devastation it’s causing around the world.