The coronavirus situation continues to unfold worldwide. Entire industries have ground to a halt so individuals can obey orders to shelter in place and avoid spreading the disease. As a result, if you had a trip coming up, you probably feel anxiety and disappointment.
It’s natural to focus on your frustrations and vent them. However, travel safety concerns prove paramount, not only to protect yourself but also your loved ones. Here’s what you should do now to recoup your losses and move forward despite the inconvenience of having a trip canceled.
Should You Cancel or Reschedule?
The first question you must ask yourself is if you should cancel your trip entirely due to COVID-19. Part of the answer hinges on where in the world — and when — you intended to travel. Multiple countries have now implemented restrictions. For example, several European nations have closed their doors to visitors recently arriving from the U.K., and the U.S. recently enforced a travel ban to Europe and the U.K. If you planned on flying into England or Italy, you might have no choice but to postpone or cancel.
Another determining factor hinges upon your mode of transportation. If you had planned on driving to Canada or Mexico, you might only need to wait for the borders to reopen. However, if you were going on a cruise, you might want to cancel and request a refund. There’s no way to know how long the crisis will last, and unless you want to risk quarantine on your vacation, it’s probably better to pass. Coronavirus travel may be a risk not worth taking.
When might you want to reschedule travel you planned before the coronavirus outbreak? Right now, it’s challenging to determine, but if you had scheduled to take off for a month, you probably incurred a significant expense. Eventually, the world will return to normal, so you might find it easier to bear if you consider this a delay, not a complete loss. Contact your airline and hotel now to find out what options you have to reschedule at an undetermined later date.
Finally, you need to consider whether you can afford the trip at all. The House has yet to approve a stimulus package to aid those affected by COVID-19. Millions of self-employed and service workers are waking up to discover they have no income. When the crisis abates, you will need to rebuild. Even if you have steady employment that allows you to work from home, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the number of tasks awaiting your return to the office.
How to Request Refunds on Flights and Accommodations
Travel is expensive. If you decide to cancel your trip due to the coronavirus, you could find yourself out more than a few pennies. While many airlines and hotels have scrambled to update their cancellation policies, many offer travel vouchers instead of cashback.
If you do opt to cancel, do so quickly. Many companies have waived cancelation fees, but only if you contact them by the end of April. If you had planned on renting your property on Airbnb while you were away to help finance your trip, you could cancel as a host, too, without suffering any penalty.
The best way to see what your carrier will do is to contact them directly. If you ordered your tickets from a commercial travel agency, it might be able to assist you with online cancellations, but it also needs to abide by the rules its carriers follow.
What if You Planned to Study Abroad?
If you planned to study abroad during this spring or summer, your plans might change. Many universities have canceled international study programs to particular nations such as China. Travel to other countries may hinge on international restrictions. The best thing to do is to stay in contact with your college or university.
You might also want to consider how safe you feel. If you hesitate to travel out of fear, you won’t get the full value of the experience. Rescheduling for the fall may prove best.
Coping With the Emotional Aftermath
Right now, you probably feel a slew of emotions, namely disappointment and frustration. You probably also have considerable anxiety. You might feel tempted to overindulge in unhealthy habits to manage your stress, but doing so will only make matters worse in the long run. Instead, try one of the following healthy coping mechanisms to regain your center.
Project yourself into someone else’s shoes: You might be missing out on what you consider the trip of a lifetime, and that’s a legitimate reason to feel sad. However, if you have a roof over your head and are still healthy, you are far more fortunate than many others at this time.
Practice meditation: You can find a ton of free guided meditation channels on YouTube, so if you do have some downtime due to the outbreak, you can use it to unwind the natural way.
Get some exercise: You may or may not want to confine yourself to home. In many areas, you can still venture outdoors for solo exercise, and doing so could improve your mood significantly. Even if you restrict yourself to the confines of your home, you can perform lunges, squats, yoga or exercise videos in your living room.
Avoid alcohol and drugs: Yes, you may feel tempted to drown your sorrows, but creating an unhealthy pattern can have significant adverse health effects. Worse, it can make you a bear to live with if you have family members stuck indoors with you.
Canceling and Rescheduling Travel Due to Coronavirus
You are entirely justified in feeling frustrated if your travel plans are canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, by taking rapid action, you can recover many of your fees and move forward on an alternative schedule — or, at least, remember to be grateful for what you do have right now.
About the Author
Alyssa Abel is an education and study abroad blogger with a passion for travel. Follow her @alyssaabelblog on Twitter.