Trump suspends travel from most of Europe. What if you already have tickets?
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. is banning travel from Europe, except the United Kingdom, starting Friday.
“We will be suspending all travel from Europe, except the United Kingdom, for the next 30 days,” he said in a national address. “The policy goes into effect Friday at midnight.”
The “Presidential Proclamation” also bars the entry of “most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States,” according to a statement from Homeland Security.
Trump initiated the travel suspension as coronavirus, COVID-19, continues to spread. Worldwide, there have been more than 115,000 people diagnosed with coronavirus, according to CNN.
The countries included in the suspension are 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 and Switzerland, according to USA Today.
Italy has been the hardest hit, according to USA Today, with more than 800 deaths. Countries including France, Spain and Germany each have about 2,000 confirmed cases, according to the news outlet. Trump said Americans who go through screening may be exempted from the ban but did not elaborate, USA Today reported.
The suspension can thwart vacation plans for those wondering what to do with their airplane tickets.
One solution is to rebook your flight for a later date.
Some airlines, including American Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Spirit have instituted flexible cancellation policies in the wake of the outbreak, according to Forbes.
For instance, American Airlines will let people who booked tickets before March 1 for a flight up to April 30 buy a different ticket without a fee, Forbes reported.
International carriers, including Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways and Aeroflot, have implemented similar policies with some limitations, the outlet reported.
Hotels are also changing their policies in response to coronavirus.
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has waived fees for cancellations until March 31 for anyone who booked at a Four Seasons in “the Asia Pacific region and Italy,” according to Conde Nast Traveler.
Hilton has enacted similar policies for people traveling to and from Italy from Feb. 24 to March 31, the outlet reported.
Marriott is giving “case-specific refunds” to those who booked stays in “high-risk zones,” Conde Nast Traveler reported.
Airbnb may be able to issue refunds or waive cancellation fees under its Extenuating Circumstances Policy for those staying in China, South Korea and some parts of Italy, according to CNN Travel.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 11:20 PM with the headline "Trump suspends travel from most of Europe. What if you already have tickets?."