31 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

BACK UP OR BAIL OUT PLAN FOR OUR RAJA APRIL LANDBASED TRIP:

With travel bans to Europe until April 10th and other restrictions in place...I think our Raja Land based trip will be right on the cusp of being able to make it. However if we find we need to reschedule it having some input from our members will help me do that quickly and decisively. So please if you are on this trip (or just wished you were and would like to join us if rescheduled) let us know and we will track the dates desired by the PARTICIPANTS as well as possible dates desired by those who wish they could of joined us. Of course we will give preference to our participants but this information will be invaluable to me if I have to reschedule this.

MASTER LIST OF PARTICIPANTS OPEN FOR POSSIBLE RESCHEDULE DATES:

1. Kamala aka WreckWench (just no date we currently have a trip booked already. List is HERE)
2. Karen aka Ksue44
3. Carolyn aka Pumpkin
4. Curt aka Yurtle
5. Marcia aka LovesoDive
6. Lori aka diver diva
7. Gayle aka WindyMike
8.  Jon aka Deep Thought
9.  Ereica aka Zinfandel
10.  

MASTER LIST OF NEW MEMBERS WANTING TO DO A LANDBASED RAJA TRIP IF WE RE-SCHEDULE OR SIMPLY DO ANOTHER ONE:

1. Karen aka Ksue44
2. Jon aka Deep Thought (good with anything, waiting to see for now)
3.  

[Ksue44]

Kamala, I am so in!! Absolutely!! This trip is so dang high on my Bucket List that I am not sure God can reach it. Ive crossed 2 trips off my Bucket List:

Africa - Botswana, I went in 2006 for my 50th birthday!
Machu Picchu- I went in 2017.

A land based Raja Ampat trip is now the TOP!
I would say next April would be great! I am IN👍👍👍🥂

[Pumpkin]

Kamala,

Thanks for all the updates and your hard work.

Carolyn

[LovesToDive]

Kamala, The emails you sent today have been EXTREMELY helpful in understanding the process and what the potential plans are.  Thank you for that.  One point I would like to bring up is the major airline policies in rebooking flights if we cancel and want to change for a future date. I just had to cancel a family ski trip to Colorado since they closed the ski resorts. I was supposed to go this Tuesday on American Airlines. The policy for rebooking is the new ticket must be used one year from the DATE OF THE ORIGINAL BOOKING. That means that since I made the reservation October, 22, I must take a new trip prior to October 22, 2021. I'm not certain, but I assume other airlines may have the same policy.  We need to pay attention to those details in our plans to book a new trip.  Thanks again.

[diver diva]

Hello

 

I second what has already been said.  For 2021, I like April also.  Easter is April 4th so lets go right after that.  It is also during the dry season which is October thru April.

 

Thank you for all that you are doing for us and sending us that extremely helpful email !!!

 

Sending you love and hugs!

[Ksue44]

Kamala- thank you for ALL you do! You are our bright, shining star that keeps on making our dreams happen. I am so grateful to you AND SingleDivers. On my trips with SD, Ive been able to snorkel with Whale Sharks in Cozumel- August 2018. Ive been able to see a Sperm
Whale in Dominica in May 2016. Ive been able to see a Juvenile Smooth Trunkfish in Roatan - July 2017. Little Cayman in September 2016 gave me the opportunity to watch a Turtle swimming along the wall and at the last minute, a Reef Shark about 20 feet from me.

Its a privilege and and an honor for me to go on SD trips.

Texas sized hugs and love for you💐❤🙏

[Ksue44]

Coronavirus, will it just go away in the summer like Influenza? Will it slow down in time for our trip?

We honestly dont know, people have assumed it will act like the FLU but that has just been guessing. But some data released over the past few days is very encouraging that could actually be the case.

Research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine with China and Iran are showing that the virus is much more prevalent in colder less humid conditions. It prefers temperatures between 5C (41F) and 11C (52F)degrees with a humidity range of 47 to 79 percent. Its optimum temperature is 8.72C (47)degrees.

It also moves between 30-50 degrees latitude in a concentrated corridor.

They are careful to say that this does not mean the virus will disappear when the temperature warms up because the virus has been found in small numbers in other climates. However, this data is encouraging that as our temperature and humidity rise the spread of the virus could be slowed down.

[WindyMike]

 The time I like best is March or April 2021, which also appears to be open in the SD trip schedule.  BUT, I need to find out more about my ability to reschedule my international flight.  Qatar Airline is offering a voucher for future travel - "The travel voucher can be used for future travel with Qatar Airways, valid for one year from its issuance date."  My issuance date in Jan 28th.  It is impossible at this time to get in touch with anyone to clarify the limitations to their "coronavirus ticket change policy".

 

Thanks Kamala for all the hard work you are doing to make this possible.  I can't even imaging how time consuming all this is for you.

[WreckWench]

 The time I like best is March or April 2021, which also appears to be open in the SD trip schedule.  BUT, I need to find out more about my ability to reschedule my international flight.  Qatar Airline is offering a voucher for future travel - "The travel voucher can be used for future travel with Qatar Airways, valid for one year from its issuance date."  My issuance date in Jan 28th.  It is impossible at this time to get in touch with anyone to clarify the limitations to their "coronavirus ticket change policy".

 

Thanks Kamala for all the hard work you are doing to make this possible.  I can't even imaging how time consuming all this is for you.

 

Yes my ticket is in that general time range as well. And we have a trip the 24th of April so earlier April is fine or March.  If you find out about the ticketing caveat...please let us know. That will help us decide what to do IF we can do anything else.

 

There is one other possibility if we have to do Jan... I have to be in Raja for our LIVEABOARD trips so we could do early Jan if that would work. The weather is lovely and  conditions good!

[Ksue44]

06 March 2020
Press releases
Airlines customers can alter their booking date free of charge or receive a travel voucher in case their plans change

DOHA, Qatar Qatar Airways has launched a new commercial policy to provide customers with maximum flexibility to suit their travel plans. Passengers that have booked or will book flights for travel up to 30 June 2020 will be offered the flexibility to change their travel plans free of charge by altering the dates of their booking or exchanging their ticket for a travel voucher valid for one year. Both changes apply up to three days prior to departure.*

This commercial policy is designed to provide Qatar Airways passengers with confidence and peace of mind when booking flights in light of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and its impact on global travel.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Bakar, said: The safety, security and good health of our passengers and employees is our highest priority. Although we maintain the very highest standards of hygiene across all parts of the business, we recognise that some passengers may wish to alter their existing travel plans. We hope this new policy, alongside our robust hygiene practices and safety record, will allow our passengers to travel with confidence.

As an airline, Qatar Airways maintains the highest possible hygiene standards, which include the regular disinfection of aircraft, the use of cleaning products recommended by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and robust staff training.

In addition, Qatar Airways aircraft feature the most advanced air filtration systems, equipped with industrial-size HEPA filters that remove 99.97% of viral and bacterial contaminants from re-circulated air, providing the most effective protection against infection. All the airlines onboard linen and blankets are washed, dried and pressed at microbial lethal temperatures, while its headsets are removed of ear foams and rigorously sanitized after each flight. These items are then sealed into individual packaging by staff wearing hygienic disposable gloves.

Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (QACC) was the first organisation in the world last year to achieve ISO22000:2018 certification from Bureau Veritas with UKAS accreditation, confirming its Food Safety Management System meets the highest standards. All meal service utensils and cutlery are washed with detergents and rinsed with demineralized fresh water at temperatures that kill pathogenic bacteria. All sanitized equipment is handled by staff wearing hygienic disposable gloves, while cutlery is individually re-packed.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named Worlds Best Airline by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named Best Airline in the Middle East, Worlds Best Business Class, and Best Business Class Seat, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted Skytrax Airline of the Year title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), to more than 170 destinations worldwide. The worlds fastest-growing airline added several exciting new destinations to its growing network last year, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; Langkawi, Malaysia and Gaborone, Botswana. The airline will add Luanda, Angola; Osaka, Japan; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Trabzon, Turkey; Santorini, Greece; Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan; Almaty, Kazakhstan; Cebu, Philippines, and Accra, Ghana to its extensive route network in 2020.

*Terms & Conditions:

Valid for any of Qatar Airways published fares only purchased either directly from QR or through Travel Agents.
Change Fees will be waived if reservations are changed at least 3 days before departure. Fare difference may apply.
Travel Voucher Reissue unutilized value for a voucher To be used for future travel. This voucher will be valid for one year from its issuance date. Refund penalty shall be waived if cancellations are done at least 3 days before departure

[WreckWench]

That is excellent news Karen!

 

This WILL PASS. We just need to stay as positive as we can and keep working our back up plans.

[Pumpkin]

For most airlines:

 

If they cancel or change your flights, they are suppose to give you the option for a refund. Korean Air is going to refund the cost of the ticket for me. I know someone on a recent American booking that got a refund because American changed the routing. She had to insist on a refund.

That is AA did not volunteer one, whereas Korean Air volunteered a refund.

 

If you cancel or change the flight, a credit is about all you can hope for unless you purchased a refundable ticket.

[diver diva]

Good news about Korean Air as I am on this airline also.

 

In regards to one other possibility for 2021, I would not prefer early January as this is so close to Christmas.  Need some recooperation time from the holiday.

[WindyMike]

After reading the post from Ksue44 (and then rereading the Qatar website), I am questioning my initial reading of Qatar's Voucher for future travel deadline date.  It sounds like it is one year from the date of Voucher Issuance, not one year from the date of Original Ticket issuance (which I said in my last post). That would be good news.  Thank you Ksue44.

 

I have been trying to reach Qatar by phone, but they are so overwhelmed by calls that most times all I get is a busy signal.  This morning I was able to get through to their Chicago office, but the recording stated that they were only dealing with passengers that had tickets for travel within the next 48 hours.  They directed me to the website and to their Facebook page.  I tried posing the question to them via a message, but received what seems to be a computer generated response directing me to their website (again!).

 

If I get through to them I will try to get a definitive answer to the Voucher deadline question and also to find out how far into the future we can get re-ticketed for if we chose that option.

 

Either way, we have up to 3 days before the booked flight date to chose either option, so best to wait till then to give us the greatest flexibility for travel dates in 2021.  March or early April works for me.  Three days before my current ticket date would be April 10.

[WindyMike]

Opps.  One more thing from Qatar...

 

Changes cannot be done on-line

 

"The free of cost changes can only be done through our offices and fare difference may apply. Kindly read our travel alerts page, for updates and reach out to your travel agency, for assistance with the changes."