All 3 big U.S. carriers to offer refunds on Zika concerns
Updated Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 4:15 p.m. ET
All three of the USA's biggest airlines are allowing some customers to cancel or postpone their trips if they’re ticketed to fly to areas affected by Zika. The move by the carriers this week comes amid rising concerns about the mosquito-borne virus.
United and Delta will allow customers concerned about the Zika virus to cancel or postpone their trips if they’re ticketed to fly to affected areas. American Airlines also said it would allow pregnant women to do the same if they have a note from their doctor.
Other U.S. airlines are also making moves. JetBlue, which has a big presence in the Caribbean and Latin America, said it also would have fees for fliers concerned about Zika. Southwest doesn't have a Zika-specific policy, noting its customers can always change their itineraries without a fee. It is the lone big U.s. carrier that does not charge change fees.
Polices now in place
United's policy includes travel to all areas mentioned in a Centers for Disease Control alert. So far, American's covers flights to four destinations in Central America.
“We are offering customers who are traveling to the affected regions the opportunity to rebook at a later date or receive a full refund,” United spokesman Charles Hobart said in a statement to Today in the Sky on Tuesday.
CDC issues travel alert on Zika virus, which is linked to birth defects
Women advised to avoid pregnancy as Zika virus spreads
United is basing its exception policy off the guidelines issued by the CDC. Hobart says customers ticketed to regions listed by the CDC should contact the carrier if they have concerns.
“For travelers who feel they’re at risk, we’ll provide them with options,” Hobart added in a follow-up call on Wednesday.
Delta announced a similar policy on Wednesday afternoon, though it said customers must request refunds or make changes by Feb. 29 to avoid fees.
American posted its policy on its website Thursday afternoon, saying pregnant women and their traveling companions will be able to request a refund if they're flying to a region where Zika is present. "To qualify, you must provide a doctor’s note confirming your pregnancy and stating your inability to travel due to Zika virus," American's policy reads.
At JetBlue, spokesman Doug McGraw said in Thursday statement to Today in the Sky that "customers planning to travel should review the CDC alert, which recommends enhanced precautions rather than avoiding non-essential travel entirely. We will accommodate customers with concerns of traveling to Zika-impacted areas with a refund or rebooking."
In a statement, Southwest said it would "continue to follow the established CDC guidelines for air carriers on matters such as the Zika Virus. As always, Southwest Customers can change their travel itineraries without a change fee, and if traveling on refundable fares, they can cancel their reservation at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of their flight."
Rising concerns about Zika
The Zika virus has been in the news since the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a travel warning alert earlier this month warning about the risk of traveling to countries in the Americas affected by the virus. Zika has been linked to an epidemic of birth defects in Brazil and is thought to be spreading to other regions of North and South America.
The CDC's warning focused mostly on pregnant women or those seeking to become pregnant.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued its own alert on Monday, saying it expects the Zika to eventually spread to the United States and most of the Americas.
Currently, the CDC's advisories mention the following countries and territories in the Americas: Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Paraguay, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname and Venezuela.
American, Delta and United are the three large U.S. carriers with a significant international presence. Each flies to numerous destinations in Central and South America.
Outside the United States, the the largest carrier in Latin America also announced that it will waive fees or offer fees to pregnant women seeking to travel to nations affected by Zika, The Associated Press reports. LATAM, which includes both LAN and TAM airlines, says its policy will cover travel to Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, French Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela.
Contributing: Liz Szabo and Josh Hafner