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Many have heard and experienced the dreaded phrase “cancelled travel plans” within the last 18 months. Lockdowns, flight cancellations, and travel restrictions have rained on our holiday parade. In addition to the disappointment of missing vacations, destination weddings, and family reunions, cancellations have cost us a lot of money.
The easiest way anybody could have saved themselves from this plight is by applying for international travel insurance online.
Flights
If you had to cancel your travel or it was cancelled for you by the government, the first step is to review your airline’s policy on flight cancellation refunds. If they are willing to issue a full or partial refund without charging a substantial cancellation fee, that’s fantastic. As the airline industry presently suffers heavy losses, the likelihood of this happening is low.
If you’re still awaiting a refund, examine your airline’s new COVID policy. The best location to find this is on the organisation’s website. See if you can change the travel date without incurring any costs. Instead of flight ticket cancellation, check if you’re eligible for a voucher or airline credits redeemable in the future due to travel insurance for Schengen countries. Ideally, it should grant you a one-year or longer extension, given the unpredictability of the circumstance.
Hotels
Your hotel, Airbnb, or homestay will also have a cancellation policy. Again, the first step is to verify this. You must contact the hotel directly (even if you booked through an aggregator) to determine how to resolve it. As you have yet to determine your next trip, requesting a refund is the wisest action. Unlike flights, there is a high likelihood that the benefits of travel insurance will let you obtain your refund from accommodation property, as many of them are temporarily closing to reduce operational costs.
If this does not work, contact their call centre and speak to them directly to request an extension or cancellation credits. Remember that they are also experiencing difficult circumstances, so be courteous and kind. Not only is it the appropriate thing to do, but it also increases your possibilities of having cancellation fees waived and possibly receiving additional benefits, credits, or future flexibility.
How to schedule travel during COVID outbreaks
The advent of COVID has drastically altered travel. The uncertainty compels us to take additional precautions. There are five things to remember when planning a trip to the new normal.
- First and foremost, always book refundable flight tickets so that you can rescind or reschedule if necessary.
- Look for flexible return dates so you can alter the ticket date by a few days if the situation in the country you are visiting or your home country changes.
- Book hotels that permit free cancellations up until the day of arrival.
- Be calm and courteous in your negotiations with hotel proprietors. You will be astonished by their helpfulness.
- Obtain international travel insurance online to cover your flight ticket cancellation, flight delay, hotel cancellation, missing luggage or passport, accidents, medical emergencies, etc.
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