Thanks to all of you who have written me with your travel questions and problems. If you have a question and don’t see it answered in one of my rounds, e-mail me at peter@petergreenberg.com.
EMAIL: Erika & Amir Ameri
Dear Peter
We love your programs and all your recommendations and advice.
We are three families (15 people) living in California who take vacations together. Last September we booked a private vessel to cruise Croatia coast for one week (Aug 8-15-2020). We executed the attached contracts for chartering the yacht. We have made two installment payments for the trip per the agreements (approx. $35K) which is 50% of the total fee due. Considering what is happening with Corona-virus in Europe we feel that we should cancel this trip. We were hoping that maybe you can guide us as to the best way to go about this.
FYI, we started the process by contacting American Express Travel Desk who in turn put us in touch with the broker Endless Blue in Naples Florida who helped us book the vessel from Agency Representative Zantium Travel in Zagreb.
Please let me know if you need any additional information.
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Erika & Amir Ameri
Josian & Philip Cohanim
Goli Ameri
Peter Says: At this point, if you are not getting a refund directly from the travel provider, dispute all the charges directly with American Express and. keep copies of all your records/transactions.
EMAIL: Donna Cocomazzi
My annual trip to Croatia is usually Aug. 16-Sept. 24. When will it be possible to make my plane reservations? Are there any new restrictions for overseas travel that you know of?
Thank you for all of your informative and up-to-date news on travel around the world. I look forward to hearing back from you. Stay Safe!
Warm Regards,
Donna Cocomazzi
Peter Says: It’s ok to make reservations now, using a credit card. If coronavirus restrictions are still in place in August and your flight cancels, you will be entitled to a full refund.
EMAIL: Marshall Takafuji
Aloha Peter
Thanks for all the interviews with CEOs and other travel industry experts this past Sunday
Could you please invite others to discuss what will happen to our status?
I have earned my first tier of Silver with UAL and no one from UAL can tell me what the plans are to qualify and maintain my status.
I could make my PQF in 4 round trips but the PQP will require more flights.
I would have had 10 PQF by May and only about 900 PQP
I realize that if they do not have the info then the airline probaby doesn’t know either.
I am hoping that they will extend the qualification date out into the following popular travel seasons and not
Just x amount of months from the pandemic date.
Hawaiian extended their renewal date for my Premier status and I am appreciative of that.
Mahalo for your time
Marshall
Peter Says: Marshall, most airlines have already agreed to extend current frequent flyer status for their members by a year.
EMAIL: Richard Geronemus
Peter:
As you so graciously offered to help-
Inclosed are three correspondences with Smartours :
1)Paid statement for South Africa Highlights and business class on South African Air
2)letter from Smartours announcing cancellation of the trip
3)request for full refund(at the time SAA had not cancelled all flights from US).
We have had to date no answer to our request.
I appreciate your help for a full refund for me and my wife(Stephanie Simon).
Thank you,
Richard Geronemus
Peter Says: The U.S. Department of Transportation rules apply to any foreign carrier flying to or from the U.S. However the rule only applies to airlines, not tour operators or hotels. Since I presume you paid for this with a credit card, now is the time for the non-airline portion of your trip to dispute those charges directly with your credit card company.
EMAIL: Chuck Adams
I finally got an email notification today that Norwegian cancelled our flight from SFO to CDG on 5/19/20 (and I assume I will get another one for the return flight on 6/10/20 from Gatwick to SFO, since that date now shows no flights in their calendar even though other flights in June are still supposedly available). We paid for a “Low Fare” flight and Norwegian is only offering a credit plus 20% for any flight in the next 12 months (currently “Flex” and “Flex+” provide refunds.). From what you have said in your weekly updates, it seems that we should be able to get a full refund as opposed to just the credit, regardless of nonrefundable status.
Thanks so much,
Chuck Adams
Peter Says: Last Friday the U.S. DOT strongly reminded all U.S. airlines as well as all foreign airlines that fly to and from the U.S. that they had to honor the existing DOT rules on cancellations and refunds. So please reach back out to Norwegian, and they will have to give you a full refund — as soon as the flights are cancelled, not before.
EMAIL: Paul Vieira
Hi Peter,
Hope you are well. I actually met you at Collette’s 100 year anniversary event a few years back.
I’m writing just like others are regarding airlines refusing to provide refunds. Iberia is my problem child.
I had booked a flight back to the US from Barcelona on Iberia only to secure an earlier flight on another airline. I attempted to cancel my reservation, as I made my decision to fly with another carrier within 24 hours, and could not get through to Iberia nor was I able to cancel on their website. After hours upon hours of waiting on hold and being disconnected I gave up.
As my travel date approached I still could not get through to Iberia. Fearing being a “no show” and losing all my money I submitted the online request for a voucher ONLY for the flight to then be cancelled the following day. I received the cancellation notice before the travel voucher.
I was finally able to speak with someone from Iberia today and they stated that since the voucher has been issued they are not able provide me with a refund. I challenged them stating their service was canceled and they did not provide me with the service I paid for hence they owed me a refund. The representative stated he could not issue a refund and that I could not speak with a supervisor as he was working from home and he did not have the ability to transfer me.
Please help!
Paul Vieira
Peter Says: Paul, they are not telling you the truth. Under the DOT rules, they already violated them when they didn’t give you a refund and didn’t mention you were entitled to it. The DOT reminded the airlines just a few days ago that since they didn’t mention the refund, they now have to cancel the voucher and issue a refund for the full amount.
EMAIL: Karen Bower
I booked the Square Hotel in Copenhagen for a bike trip that has been cancelled.
The hotel website sent me to reservations.com. I hate booking thru third parties but this is apparently what Square hotel uses. The deposit is “non refundable.” I called to request a refund of the deposit. I was told they will let me know within a month whether they will give me my money back.
Should I open a dispute with my credit card company, or just wait?
Peter Says: Open the dispute NOW.
