Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 537th issue of your monthly worldwide travel magazine. Though featuring fewer pages than in previous years, and despite all that’s happened since the coronavirus showed up, ITN is still in production. We appreciate the continuing support of those who have felt moved to respond to Evenyl Roemmich’s “Travel Resource Challenge” (July ’20, pg. 26). It truly helps. Thank you.
"My wife, Debbie, and I had fully paid for a “Pearls of Dalmatia” tour (mostly Croatia) with Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA; 888/370-6765, odysseys-unlimited.com). The tour was to be April 16-May 3, 2020, and cost just over $9,000 for the two of us, including extensions but not airfare.
"On March 16, Odysseys called to say they were canceling the tour and offered either a credit for a future booking or a full refund. We chose the full refund, and the money was returned to our credit card while we were still on the phone. ..."
Due to the excellent response, we continue to share readers’ On-the-Road Travel Tips during this continuing period of international travel downtime. (Each is followed by my own comments.) It’s exciting to see just how creative travelers can be! In submitting your own suggestion for something that makes the travel experience work better for you while actually traveling, try to keep it to 125 words or fewer; my email is at the end of this column.
As part of my continuing quest to “see the world,” during four trips taken from July 2018 to March 2020, I visited the many countries in Western and Central Africa that I had previously missed, leaving only the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
The closing of borders worldwide due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic led to the canceling and postponing of countless travel plans. ITN thought it would be interesting to compare how various tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, hotels, etc., handled the disruptions and travelers’ bookings, so we asked ITN subscribers to write in about their experiences. Many answered the call, and we printed several letters in the last two issues, with more to come.
On Oct. 15, United Airlines began to offer COVID-19 testing to passengers before they board flights from San Francisco to Hawaii. Passengers are required to pay for the tests themselves; the cost is $250. If the program is successful, United hopes to expand testing to more routes.
The traveler’s afternoon tea recipe for jet lag when flying to Europe is intriguing (“English Tea for Jet Lag,” Sept. ’20, pg. 24). Luckily, I live in a city that offers a different solution.
Instead of taking an overnight flight to London, losing sleep and battling your way into the city during morning rush hour (only to find that your hotel room is not yet ready), take a daytime flight. Daytime flights are uncommon but available, at least from New York, Washington, DC, and Toronto, where I live.
All passengers on US-based airlines must wear face masks during flights except when eating and drinking. In accordance with advice from the Centers for Disease Control, airlines have banned face masks made of lace or mesh, face masks that do not completely cover both the nose and mouth and face masks with vents. Face shields worn without face masks are also not allowed.
Major US airlines Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines all announced in late August and early September that they will be permanently eliminating ticket change fees in most airfare classes.
The airlines differ regarding the seating classes and air routes where change fees will not be charged. For the most part, passengers on international flights to non-North American countries and/or in the lowest fare classes will still be subject to change fees. Check with your carrier for details.
