Category Archives: Aviation

Singapore Airlines is waiving all rebooking fees for tickets issued on or before 15 March 2020, for travel up to 31 May 2020, with immediate effect. Customers can cancel their existing flight itineraries, retain the value of their tickets and rebook their travel at a later date, when they are able to firm up their new travel plans. The new flight itinerary should be completed by 31 March 2021. This new policy will allow customers the flexibility to defer their travel plans and applies to all bookings for travel up to 31 May 2020. All rebooking fees will be waived, although a fare difference may apply for the new itinerary. SIA will continue to review its waiver policy and retains the flexibility to extend the cut-off date of 31 May 2020 as it assesses the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on global air travel in the coming weeks. For all new SIA and SilkAir tickets issued from now to 31 March 2020, SIA will also waive change fees. Customers may contact us through our online form. Customers who booked their tickets directly through Singapore Airlines may also contact their local Singapore Airlines reservations teams. Customers who booked their tickets through travel agencies are advised to contact their agents for assistance. Due to the high volume of incoming requests, we seek our customers understanding that it may take longer than usual for our service agents to respond. Customers are encouraged to only contact us if their flight is departing in the next 72 hours in order for our agents to focus on and assist those with urgent flight changes. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Air New Zealand is further reducing capacity across its network as a result of the impact of Covid-19 on travel demand. The airline placed itself into a trading halt today to allow it time to more fully assess the operational and financial impacts of global travel restrictions. On its long haul network Air New Zealand will be reducing its capacity by 85 percent over the coming months and will operate a minimal schedule to allow Kiwis to return home and to keep trade corridors with Asia and North America open. Full details of this schedule will be advised in the coming days. Among the long haul network capacity reductions, the airline can advise it is suspending flights between Auckland and Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Buenos Aires, Vancouver, Tokyo Narita, Honolulu, Denpasar and Taipei from 30 March to 30 June. It is also suspending its London-Los Angeles service from 20 March (ex LAX) and 21 March (ex LHR) through to 30 June. The Tasman and Pacific Island network capacity will significantly reduce between April and June. Details of these schedule changes will be announced later this week. On the Domestic network, capacity will be reduced by around 30 percent in April and May but no routes will be suspended. Customers are advised that due to the unprecedented level of schedule changes they should not contact the airline unless they are due to fly within the next 48 hours or need immediate repatriation to New Zealand or their home country. Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran says that while airlines face an unprecedented challenge, Air New Zealand is better placed than most to navigate its way through it. “The resilience of our people is exceptional and I …

In reference to the Notification of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, on practical guidelines for Air Operators relating to services to be provided in territories outside Thailand defined as disease infected zones of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak, including the Republic of Korea, the People’s Republic of China, including Macao and Hong Kong Special Administration Regions, the Italian Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran, passengers are required to present the following documents at check-in: 1. A health certificate certifying they had no sickness related to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) in the past 14 days. This health certificate must be issued 48 hours prior to flying and should be issued in English or Thai language. 2. Proof they hold a health/travel insurance with a minimum of 100,000 USD cover in Thailand. – This does not apply to nationals of Thailand. If unable to present the required documentation, boarding passes will not be issued and passengers will be denied boarding.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) will temporarily change its flight frequency to and from select cities. 1.International Flights (March 16 – 28) A total of 267 flights serving 23 routes to the following cities will be affected by the changes announced today, bringing the total number of affected flights to 2,224 serving 46 different routes. *Before the changes, ANA planned to serve a total of 67 international routes in March.

Qantas and Jetstar have introduced greater flexibility for customers wishing to change their travel plans, following increased travel restrictions being implemented by various governments around the world due to the evolving Coronavirus situation. These changes apply to all domestic and international flights for Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar (including Jetstar domestic services in New Zealand and Jetstar Asia’s flights between Darwin and Singapore). EXISTING BOOKINGS Customers with existing bookings on any domestic or international flight until 31 May 2020, who no longer wish to travel, can cancel their flight and retain the value of the booking as a travel credit voucher. This needs to be processed by 31 March 2020. Travel credit vouchers can be used for travel on any domestic or international flights. Qantas and Jetstar will waive the change fee once customers are ready to rebook. For Qantas customers, travel credit can be redeemed for travel for up to 12 months from the original booking. For Jetstar customers, travel vouchers can be redeemed in one booking only within 6 months of issue, for travel within 12 months of new booking date. Qantas Frequent Flyers who have booked classic redemption flights on Qantas, Jetstar and all partner airlines, and no longer wish to travel, will have change fees waived. NEW BOOKINGS To provide customers with greater flexibility and confidence when they book, customers who make a new domestic or international booking and later decide they no longer wish to travel, can cancel their flight and retain the value of the booking as a Qantas travel credit or Jetstar travel voucher. This applies to bookings made from 10 March 2020 until 31 March 2020 for travel before 31 May 2020. This …

Ryanair recently has announced the suspension of its full flight schedule to/from and within Italy, following the decision of the Italian Government to “lock down” the entire country to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. These additional cuts will be implemented as follows: From 24:00hrs Weds 11 Mar until 24:00hrs Wed 8 Apr, Ryanair will suspend all Italian domestic flights. From 24:00hrs Fri 13 Mar until 24:00hrs Wed 8 Apr, Ryanair will suspend all Italian international flights.   All affected passengers have received email notices today informing them of these flight cancellations. Passengers looking for repatriation can obtain a free move to an earlier Ryanair flight operating up until midnight Fri 13  Mar. Affected passengers will be able to choose between a full refund or a travel credit that can be redeemed on Ryanair flights in the next 12 months. Ryanair continues to comply fully with WHO and national Government guidance and travel bans. The situation is changing on a daily basis, and all passengers on flights affected by travel bans or cancellations, are receiving emails and are being offered flight transfers, full refunds or travel credits. Ryanair apologises sincerely to all customers for these schedule disruptions, which are caused by national Government restrictions and the latest decision of the Italian Government to lock down the entire country to combat the Covid-19 virus.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister (I/C), Civil Aviation, said that the civil aviation industry has ushered in a new era of expansion, driven by factors such as Low Cost Carriers (LCC’s), modern airports, FDI in domestic airlines, advanced IT, and our growing emphasis on regional connectivity. Speaking at ‘WINGS INDIA 2020’ in Hyderabad today, Shri  Hardeep Singh Puri said, “We are at a point where we need to bring aviation turbine fuel under GST and by and large there is acknowledgement from across states to make it happen.” He further added that the current situation arising out of Corona Virus is a challenge, especially for the civil aviation sector. “It is personally being monitored and directed by the Prime Minister and his office. Within hours of the first evidence becoming available we had started screening passengers coming in from 12 most affected countries. We then increased it to include screening of passengers coming in from any country across the world. Our airports constitute a benchmark for how airports should be running across the globe, specially the 30 airports where proper screening is already in place. We have screened 10,876 flights coming in from across the globe that include 11,71,061 passengers, 3,225 of these passengers required further screening. I am sure that once people get the right perspective, know where we are, look at the recovering numbers, we will not only overcome this challenge, but will see robust vibrant growth in the civil aviation sector.”

In a recent mailer of IndiGo airlines, the airline has- “Here at IndiGo, the safety and health of our passengers, and of our employees, has always been our highest priority. I wanted to help you understand everything we’re doing as an airline to make sure that the risk for everyone in our care is minimised, and that you can continue to rely on us to help you reach your destinations safely and in good health, while also helping to contain the spread of COVID-19. At every stage of your journey with IndiGo, we’re taking every measure possible to ensure compliance with the best advice from medical authorities and the government. The ground staff you meet at our international terminals – at check-in counters and boarding gates – will be wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriate for their role. This gear may include masks, gloves, and shoe covers which are appropriately disposed of at regular intervals. The crew on all aircraft are following personal protective measures as well. Crew members aboard international flights wear PPE – as a mandate – that is changed every 8 hours. And because this disease is most easily transmitted through surfaces, each and every aircraft is cleansed with cleaning agents and disinfectants that are approved by the WHO and Airbus. Areas that are most often touched – tray tables, arm rests, overhead nozzles, lavatories, galleys – are paid particular attention to. On all international flights, we use a disinfectant used to sterilise surgical equipment in hospitals, to clean the cabin and cockpit. This is followed by a thorough fumigation.We have especially taken note of aircraft that have arrived from affected areas and have disinfected each one …

Ethiopian Airlines has updated health advisory on COVID-19. Rebooking policy: Change fees are not applicable to tickets issued anytime for travel from March 1 2020 onwards till June 30. If there is a difference in airfare o applicable taxes, due to the reissue or rerouting of the ticket, the additional amount will need to be collected. Customers can change the booking to travel on or before December 31, 2020. Refund Policy: Full refund is authorised for travel dates, between March 1 and 30 June 2020. Refund can also be made free of charge by issuing a voucher of equal amount to be used within one year or issue. If voucher latter required to be refunded to cash, it can fully be refunded to cash, it can be fully refunded till 31 Dec 2020. Tour code for all above waivers: HDQ409B Rerouting Policy’ Rerouting is permitted applying the applicable differences in fares, fees and taxes.  

In a recent mailer, Somon Air has said, “Somon Air is temporarily suspending its operations from Delhi until further notice. However, we are operating a flight on 15th March 2020 and  any Indian or Tajik nationals who want to avail direct services can book the tickets at our office. After the situation is normalised the flight operations will start again.”