Good for Canada. ??
My brother and his wife are actually going to drive through Canada to go to Alaska. I hope he is not going to have any issues.
@oldfort I believe Canada has closed its borders to U.S. citizens.
@oldfort your relatives might be OK, as the trusting Canadian govt now realizes that they have to track those who were “driving to Alaska”, not just take their word for it.
Driving thru Canada to Alaska was still allowed as of June 12 (google search).
A waitress in Banff waited on a table of customers with heavy southern drawls. She asked where they were from and they answered “Texas!” and readily spilled the beans on how they had snuck over the border to tour Alberta.
Restaurant called authorities. Owner of a campground did the same thing when they noticed all the cars with US plates at the campground. Downside is that the campground has to babysit the Americans during their 14 day quarantine. If anyone leaves authorities must be immediately called or campground would be punished.
Stupid, stupid people. Hope nobody gets sick, but their stupidity, I hope, will keep the border closed and cancel my Sept. trip!
In 2 weeks we’re planning to stay in a condo in the Berkshires for a week. Bringing my own cleaning supplies and will be mostly eating in, maybe a takeout or two. We go every year, usually go out to plays, performances, shopping, museums, eating out etc. Pretty much expect the only thing we’ll be able to do is walk/hike. DH is going stircrazy - been working in the basement office since the first week of March. I’ve had him on house arrest since he is immunocompromised with comorbidities. Saw his oncologist this week and is ok with the plan. He has gone golfing a couple times - only one in cart, mask, wiping everything down multiple times etc. Not planning on anything risky, just need to get away.
Well…I had my first round with United Airlines today. I want a refund, not a voucher, and especially since the rescheduled date is more than two years after these flights.
I went online to their site, and tried to request a refund. I was told that I couldn’t request a refund on a current reservation and needed to cancel that one first…so I did, and was immediately issued a voucher.
Then, I went back in and did the refund request which was very vague, in my opinion. I complete the whole thing. The only flight listed on it was our outbound flight…no, I want a refund on both trips. So, I submitted their form and then looked for a phone contact on their site. Good luck with that!
I googled “United Airlines Customer Service” and poof there was the number. I called and spent about ten minutes with their recorded thing which kept redirecting me back to their website. I kept saying “service agent” and eventually it figured out I wanted to speak to an agent…but first more questions. Answered them, and really, the agent was on the line in less than 5 minutes.
Agent verified that my full round trip would be “reviewed” for a refund but that the answer would likely be no. I did put that the event was rescheduled for over two years after the original date, and that was why I wanted a refund…since I won’t be able to use the voucher.
I’m guessing it will be denied, but you gotta try. We have two $450 vouchers, one for each of us. If we have to, we will find someplace to use them hopefully when the dust settles.
I think I said upstream that United is not my preferred carrier…ever. I volunteered to do their follow up survey, but they didn’t select me?
@thumper1 I would contest the charge with your credit card company. That’s what I did.
@MaineLonghorn this was billed to my credit card in December. I might call them and ask. But they paid United Airlines a long time ago.
It’s on my husbands card. He would need to make this call.
My charge was in January. They have to route it through a different department but they can still do it.
I am going to watch my granddaughter for a bit while her daycare remains closed and S and DIL figure out the next step. S can WFH but trying to work while simultaneously care for a 16 month old is not the best.
After much back and forth, we have all decided that the safest way for me to make the 650 mile trip is to fly. I am booked on an early morning nonstop Monday. Right now, the flight is about 60% full. I am the only one in my row and the adjacent rows are empty. I’m leaving from our small local airport where distancing at the gate will not be a problem. When I land at the zoo known as MIA, I will hustle my butt outside as quickly as possible. I am armed with masks and a 3 oz bottle of hand sanitizer!
Are you quarantining when you arrive before exposure to your family though? If you were my mum, I would send you to a hotel for a week and see if by some miracle you could be tested. I am in awe of you grandparents flying. You are at risk of getting infected and being carriers. It seems a lot to take on. Though 650 miles in a car to me would be a no brainer over flying, do you not drive? I never know how old posters are.
Since MIA is Miami I assume final destination is in that area, a hot spot. Unless the hotel was in some remote area and you could check to make sure they were no more than 1/2 full, a hotel could be worse. We cancelled our short trip when we found out virus was spreading faster, the hotels were filling up, people weren’t wearing masks or keeping distance. This even though we were taking almost everything with us and did not plan to be out when crowds were out. If each family stays isolated before the trip it maybe safer than a hotel.
From the Anchorage Daily News: You have to be an Alaskan returning from the lower 48 to cross Canada by car. Vacationers are not allowed to cross.
The article is from June 12 and things may have changed…
@thumper1 - I wouldn’t have said you were cancelling the trip because the event was delayed (not their problem). I would have said that your doctor advised you not to take the trip because of your age (high risk). You made the reservation pre-Covid, so there is a higher likelihood you would get a full refund due to health issue. You could go through your credit card, but if UA has it on file that you are cancelling because the event was delayed, they may not refund the money.
I don’t really condone lying to the airlines. I think you have to do the best you can in this situation without making things up. It’s tough for everyone.
I haven’t looked at United’s policy, but the airlines are being pretty good about giving credits . The event was cancelled due to covid, so the airline cancellation is covid related. When we cancelled our tickets due to the cancellation of 2 events due to Covid, it was noted as covid related. One can certainly mention their age and risk level, bu it should be fine just to say the cancellation is covid related.
I don’t see why the airline is obligated in making their customers whole when an event is cancelled, especially if it is over “abundance of caution.”
What’s covid related cancellation? When there is a shelter in for a region? When there is a quarantine? Or can it be “hmm, I don’t think I want to go now because I don’t feel comfortable?”
It timed out before I had a chance to follow up— If the request for a refund is denied, you can try requesting that they manually extend the voucher beyond the 2 years. Its possible that you may need to wait a bit a to see what continues to happens with covid, as the airlines are changing their policies constantly.
I wonder if Thumper1 would have gone even if the event wasn’t cancelled. She doesn’t want a voucher because the event is now 2 years out.