Cancel your Mexico trip over the flu?
On the Spot by L.A. Times Travel editor Catharine Hamm
Question: I am going to Mexico in August with my family and am worried about the flu. I called Continental and tried to cancel my reservation, but I cannot get my money back. Continental says it’s too far in the future. But I have a time share that I need to cancel now or lose my fee. I am very frightened; I have three children and a boyfriend with medical problems, so we would appreciate some advice. Whom can I call?
– Cindy Ecay, Valley Cottage, N.Y.
Answer: Ghostbusters.
Ecay is caught in an unfortunate and seemingly ectoplasmic event because of three tenets of travel:
No. 1: Travel providers don’t refund money — at least, not very often. The last refund I got from an airline was for a flight I was supposed to take five days after 9/11. I’ve canceled many a flight since then, and no hard, cold cash has ever crossed my palm.
No. 2: Travel providers rarely consider fear as a reason to cancel. If there’s a hurricane, they think we should sail anyway. If there’s an infestation of fire-breathing ants, man up and get on that plane. They don’t run their businesses on “might” and “maybe.”
No. 3: Travel providers are dispositional optimists; that is, they think the sun will come out tomorrow, Annie.
And they might be right.
But they might not. And that’s why there’s travel insurance.
That’s the good news: You can safeguard your financial investment in a vacation by buying travel insurance that covers some (but not all) situations.
The bad news? For flu coverage, you had to have bought it before April 24, generally, and even if there is a pandemic, you may not be covered if you decide to stay home. If you have cancel-for-any-reason insurance, which is usually an optional add-on, you may be covered, but, says Chris Harvey, chief executive of Squaremouth.com, a travel insurance comparison site, you won’t get back all of your money (sometimes as little as 35%), and it is expensive, sometimes adding 40% to the cost of your policy. Harvey’s not a big fan of this kind of policy, but I am, because life is so random.
So Ecay’s best bet now is to sit tight.
“What I recommend people do is stay in contact with their airline,” said Terry Trippler, an airline expert whose websites are www.terrytrippler.com (subscription) and www.tripplersview.com (free). “Your airline is the one who will know; your airline is the one who can make any special allowances. So, again I advise, regardless of where you purchased your ticket, deal directly with your airline.”
Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, thinks the window for change fee waivers may widen if the outbreak of H1N1, or swine flu, worsens. To see airlines’ policies, check www.smartertravel.com or www.airfarewatchdog.com.
Ecay may get to make her trip to Mexico, but who knows for sure? The best we can say at this point is that the sun may not come out tomorrow, but it certainly will rise in the east.
Have a travel dilemma? Write to travel@latimes.com.
[Graphic: Scott Garrett / For The Times]
19 Comments on “Cancel your Mexico trip over the flu?”
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May 7th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I’d much rather lose my money, than lose my life or the life of a loved one. But, I do feel sympathetic for Cindy and her travel plans. The travel agencies and the airlines should be more responsible in a world health situation like the one we are facing. I’m sorry, but they should put peoples health and safety over their profit dollars. It will eventually come back to them in the way of future business by grateful customers. Just my 2 cents..
May 8th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Flu is a winter sickness. It will be long gone by August. Go to Mexico have a good time. Stop worrying.
May 8th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Why not just change your destination? The insurer Travel Insured International allows you to change the dates and / or destination of your trip one time, without fee, if you have purchased a policy to go to Mexico and your tour company allows you to change your destination or dates. As long as you have not already filed a claim, you can still be covered for your changed itinerary.
May 9th, 2009 at 7:37 am
This year alone in the US, 13,000 people have died from the “normal” flu.
26? people have died of the Swine Flue world wide?
Why the disconnect? Something else is going on here, more than a flu. People must start using a bit of common sense.
If you were considering a vacation to Playa del Carmen, book it! You may never see flights and hotel deals this cheap again. There’s no flu here, probably more where you are right now.
May 9th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
No, cancel your trip to Mexico because it is a 3rd world country lacking the rule of law, because your wife/daughters could easily be raped and the crime unaddressed, because the drug cartel violence is now spilling over into every facet of Mexican society, because kidnapping is becoming a cottage industry in the country, because the country is now cesspool equal to any other in the Western Hemisphere.
May 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Some people worry too much about things that might happen. I am booked on a cruise to Mexico that is now going to Canada instead because of this flu. Living life is full of risk and as things go this flu outbreak is minor risk. Even if this flu outbreak had not happened in Mexico there are plenty of other things that could lead to pain and suffering, like acts of violence (Drug Cartels), kidnapping, theft, other disease and transmitted sickness. Just go and stop worrying or stay home and buy a new car or something.
May 9th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Officials have publicly stated that H1N1 flu (in Mexico) is no worse than regular flu. It’s also not really hit the coasts, so if you’re going to Cancun or something, it’s not a big deal. Wash your hands. Don’t hang out with sick people. Monitor how you feel and call a doctor if you feel sick - and you’ll be fine.
May 9th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
She has more chance dying in a plane crash on the way to Mexico than she has of getting the flu, much less dying of it.
May 9th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Mexico is a huge country, where are you going?
There have been no, zero, cases of flu in the Yucatan.
Also, this flu has turned out not to be as bad as expected.
Go on your vacation.
May 9th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Dont Panic, i live in Mexico City and we are just fine. Everything its OK, yes we are taking care to follow the sanitary instructions to prevent getting the flu and that´s it dont need to worry. USA is getting more flu cases than we are. We are not dying in the streets, we are OK. Dont listen to every news you get from Mexico. I dont even know one single person that got sick of the flu.
Come to mexico dont worry you will be fine.
Bienvenidos Amigos
May 10th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Just don’t eat the carnitas!!! The “flu”flu kills more people every year than swine flu, or H1N1 or whatever other name you want to call it will this year. This is not the plague or small pox. It’s a variation on something most all of us have had before, and yea it sucks, you might get nautious, or the chills with a fever, but you get better and in a few days and everything is back to normal. Just wash your hands, and don’t drink the water and Mexico will be just fine.
May 10th, 2009 at 3:42 am
I would just like to point out that the whole definition of a pandemic is that it has spread globally. H1N1 is already in NY. There is no reason to believe that if it even exists in August (which given the normal length of the flu season is questionable) it will be any worse in Mexico than anywhere else in the world. Furthermore what everyone seems to be missing is that the flu is always a deadly disease (especially among the young. old and infirm), and this one is turning out to be relatively mild in many cases. So unless you are planning on staying in a bubble for the rest of your life I suggest you calm down and enjoy Mexico.
May 10th, 2009 at 9:53 am
I have a friend who is now in the resort area of Puerto Villarta, as of yesterday there are substantiated cases of this flu there (in PV) and many cases in the state that PV is in. The governor of that state has again issued a close down of all public places until 5/18. ( see guadalajuara news.)
My friend has 2 airplane transfers each way, which means 4 flights, in and out of Mexico. Airplanes are petri dishes of germs.
Having said that IF you are a healthy individual there wouldn’t be a problem. This apparently is a mild flu unless like any other flu, you have underlying health problems.
My friend in her stop over going home wants to visit, here.
I have a sister with cancer on chemo with no immune system. I myself have underlying health issues. I told my friend I do not feel comf. seeing her at this time, due to the many airplane flights and the fact that the incubation period is from 1-7 days and can be passed during that time. As an RN I am not willing to take even a small chance of being exposed to this at this time. During reg. flu season we are very careful. But this currently is not a chance I want to take, due to current health issues.
May 10th, 2009 at 10:06 am
I’m going to Paris with my wife, 2 daughters and grand daughter. We live in Guadalajara Mexico will France let us enter? No one is sick my wife is a Doctor.
May 10th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Bank your timeshare week with the exchange co. If you end up canceling your trip most exchange companies allow you to bank your week up to 2 weeks before the reservation. You could also maybe consider exchanging your week for a different location and seeing if the airline will let you change your destination.
May 11th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Please do not believe all the media says, they only care to get audience, not matter is they are saying the true or not, this is just a normal flu, last year 35,000 americans died because that ill and nobody did a big issue about it, they are trying to keep us scare so we forget about the crisis… Every 3.6 seconds a person died of hunger and the media they don’t talk about… SO PLEASE GO HAVE A GREAT TIME IN MEXICO, event NY they are saying it is safe to visit the big apple to their visitors so why not Mexico…
May 11th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
The Sun,the beach, fresh sea food, margaritas coktails, that’s you will find here, no Flu, Mazatlan.Mx. PS try tripadvisor.com for better info
May 15th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Ghostbusters! great line,er—-great one worder! I laughed and laughed—thanks for the super chuckle——-of course the rest of your response was informative and funny too! thanks,keep’em coming.
May 19th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
you guys shouldnt be talking cause my MEXICANA PRIDE is on the look out FOR THE USA DEAD