Tough Times To Book Travel

I am one of those guys (as I'm sure many of you are also) who enjoys immensely booking my own Jamaican trip. From selecting which place to stay, airport and flight times , and then our transfers to and from MBJ and Negril. There is always an anticipation, an "I can't wait" feeling in the air, even after 30 trips, I still get goosebumps and get a bit silly as the trip gets closer and closer. This whole process is not only fun, it also is quite satisfying when it all works out, as it always has.
This reach however, is getting a bit nerve racking. I have canceled one trip already, and hopefully will not have to cancel our November reach. The airline has changed the flight details, and probably will do it again. Our booked hotel is still not on the covid compliant list. After contacting our primary care physicians, they can't guarantee I'll get test results in time to board our flight. As careful as we are ,there's always a chance my wife and I could get infected before our departure date..
Departure is still 48 days away, and I am going to stay as positive as I possibly can. A lot can happen in that time. The Jamaica tourist board may change the entry protocols. The covid outbreak could get worse, everywhere, I doubt it could get better. Flights could get canceled. So many unknowns, no wonder we're all a bit on edge.
I guess all I'm doing is venting a bit because I really want to go on this trip, and for the first time ever, I'm not 100% sure it's going to happen. But
If all goes well, I'll be drinking a cold Red Stripe with doobie in hand on the beach November 15th, soon come!

I understand how you feel. We are at 38 days we are lucky our hotel is on the certified list. Getting our test at the health department my friend got her results in 2 days. We had to cancel our April trip but have high hopes to be in Negril Nov. 7th!

I too enjoy making my own travel arrangements. After booking my flight I decided not to make the trip this year. As it turned out, the airline [WJ] cancelled my flight anyway. I contacted WJ to discuss my options and for the first time ever they were quite rude on the phone. More like what you would expect from AC. I guess everyone is under a lot of stress these days. Difficult time to travel.

good luck phineas. keep us posted.
btw i got a collection of freak bros comic books i am looking to cash in

I live in Wisconsin and as such I do not think it is responsible for us to travel anywhere right now. Sorry JA but Wisconsin is in a world of hurt right now.

Airswift, I don’t like hearing that about WJ. We are still holding out hope we can fly in December but as days go by we worry more about flights happening. We have about 30 days till we have to decide. As you know with Canadian Airlines. We only get credits not refunds which does suck in these crazy times. Fingers crossed we can see our Jamaican friends.

If you can fly Sat. or Sun. you might be ok. [might]. It's the flights thru the week that are being cancelled. If they cancel your flight they say you have the option of a refund but you don't, only a credit. Your credit card co. will go after them because you were charged for a service you never received but it takes a few months. Not a good situation.

Same situation here after 17 trips with no problems.Now we are faced with getting the test results back and then approved in time to fly and we are cut a day short as we have to travel to Atlanta the day before we fly to get to our park and fly hotel.If all goes as planned we will see you all on the beach on November 18th!!

Airswift, we are supposed to fly on a Friday and return on a Saturday. We could goto a Saturday to Saturday but seems so short especially coming from the west. Plus we need to get to Toronto first.

Fingers crossed!

stonyplainclint, Keep checking their web site, flights Toronto to Mobay and you will see if they are continuing to cancel Fri flights. Hard decision.

All airlines are stressed to the max. After years of pocketing huge profits, they have fallen on bad bad times, facing closure. The key for their survival is flight management, forecasting loads is a prime task. So, fewer flights, with last minute equipment changes are now normal, frustrating passengers. While weekday flights to MBJ are often cancelled, the weekend flights have been run with larger more efficient aircraft. (ie:B787-A330). This doe's not help with planning vacations but in these times nothing is normal. In the future you may see more cancellations and also see non stop flights turning into one or two stop flights. But hopefully next fall, returning to normal. There is hope!!

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Originally Posted by dash

All airlines are stressed to the max. After years of pocketing huge profits, they have fallen on bad bad times, facing closure. The key for their survival is flight management, forecasting loads is a prime task. So, fewer flights, with last minute equipment changes are now normal, frustrating passengers. While weekday flights to MBJ are often cancelled, the weekend flights have been run with larger more efficient aircraft. (ie:B787-A330). This doe's not help with planning vacations but in these times nothing is normal. In the future you may see more cancellations and also see non stop flights turning into one or two stop flights. But hopefully next fall, returning to normal. There is hope!!

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All well and good, I understand that. Whats not well and good is keeping your money after they cancel you flight.

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Originally Posted by airswift

All well and good, I understand that. Whats not well and good is keeping your money after they cancel you flight.

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Agreed. Unfortunately if they are forced to refund all, they could probably claim bankruptcy, and we would see nothing. Not fair, especially after all the profit taking in the past....

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Originally Posted by dash

Agreed. Unfortunately if they are forced to refund all, they could probably claim bankruptcy, and we would see nothing. Not fair, especially after all the profit taking in the past....

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They continued to sell flights all summer knowing there was a good chance they would have to cancel and keep your money. Who else could get away with that.

If you use a PayPal Business Mastercard (free), your money will be refunded immediately, while the case is pending.

United changed both our departure and return flights. On departure we are now going to Texas?!?. Then on the way back from Montego Bay they added a leg to the flight going into Washington DC on the way to Chicago. I don't quite understand how we got to Montego Bay since they changed our Montego flight to Texas? I called orbitz I was able to cancel the screwed up United flights for refund and I rebooked with American. Hopefully these flights fill up and we get to Jamaica! 32 days!

We had our June trip this year canceled and have airline credit just sitting out there waiting to use it. It would have been nice to get the $ back, but we are looking at it as a positive that our flights should be mostly paid for when we can go next year. But we're sad. I'm also in Wisconsin and agree, with the way our state is handling this I feel obligated to stay put for now. We're hoping to book for June 2021. And I hate to say it, but I'm not even sure what that will look like or if it will be an option. I thought back in march that this would all be over in just a couple of months. I was hoping we would still get some of our summer to enjoy. Now I just don't know what to think. I hope you all get there for the dates you have planned and please share pictures with those of us who can't go right now.

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Originally Posted by airswift

stonyplainclint, Keep checking their web site, flights Toronto to Mobay and you will see if they are continuing to cancel Fri flights. Hard decision.

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Further to West Jet (WJ) and cancellations, another good point would be to check the mobile app often. WJ seems to like to send notifications of an itinerary change when one flight lands 6 minutes later than on the itinerary but when it comes to cancelled flights they don't put that on the web, or even notify you via email. March the 21st when the world changed forever, we never got an email saying our flight out of MoBay was cancelled and in fact WJ was still selling fares back to Canada for March and April. Wife and I changed out April departure to March 22nd just because our esteemed leader JT told us to come home. The 22nd flight was listed and they took our money but March 21st our neighbour downstairs said all flights after midnight on the 21st were cancelled. I went back on the website and WJ was still selling tickets for March/April but when we checked the mobile app it said all flights were cancelled. This left us scrambling to get off the island. At 9AM we got a flight to Toronto for 1 PM same day.
Check the mobile app often.

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Originally Posted by brownsd54

Further to West Jet (WJ) and cancellations, another good point would be to check the mobile app often. WJ seems to like to send notifications of an itinerary change when one flight lands 6 minutes later than on the itinerary but when it comes to cancelled flights they don't put that on the web, or even notify you via email. March the 21st when the world changed forever, we never got an email saying our flight out of MoBay was cancelled and in fact WJ was still selling fares back to Canada for March and April. Wife and I changed out April departure to March 22nd just because our esteemed leader JT told us to come home. The 22nd flight was listed and they took our money but March 21st our neighbour downstairs said all flights after midnight on the 21st were cancelled. I went back on the website and WJ was still selling tickets for March/April but when we checked the mobile app it said all flights were cancelled. This left us scrambling to get off the island. At 9AM we got a flight to Toronto for 1 PM same day.
Check the mobile app often.

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On their web site select flights Toronto to Mobay. Don't enter the departure date. Click on it and it will show available departures. Right now they are still selling weekday flights in Nov. Don't count on it.

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Originally Posted by stonyplainclint

Airswift, I don’t like hearing that about WJ. We are still holding out hope we can fly in December but as days go by we worry more about flights happening. We have about 30 days till we have to decide. As you know with Canadian Airlines. We only get credits not refunds which does suck in these crazy times. Fingers crossed we can see our Jamaican friends.

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WJ just cancelled weekday flights for Nov. into Dec. They were selling flights in Nov. up until Sat.

Airswift, thanks for the heads up. I actually had called WJ last week to try to get some more information, the flights that I am looking at for Friday in December are only at 20% capacity right now. Looks like they are funnelling us to Saturday and Sunday flights. At least those have been going, so I might have to readjust come November once I see their latest update. Still holding out hope that the Calgary directs will happen, fingers crossed.

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Originally Posted by stonyplainclint

Airswift, thanks for the heads up. I actually had called WJ last week to try to get some more information, the flights that I am looking at for Friday in December are only at 20% capacity right now. Looks like they are funnelling us to Saturday and Sunday flights. At least those have been going, so I might have to readjust come November once I see their latest update. Still holding out hope that the Calgary directs will happen, fingers crossed.

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Met some folks from the west who took the red eye to TO and picked up ws2702 south. Not the best but doable. Not sure about your return with the 14 day and the connecting flight. Good luck.

Airswift, that is what we usually do our of Edmonton. Midnight run and then 2702. This year it’s harder to do, thus Calgary might be the way to get that connection. But there is a slight chance of that direct via Calgary. The airlines have jacked our flight via Toronto which is a head shaker.

Soon come is still in our future though.

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Originally Posted by stonyplainclint

Airswift, that is what we usually do our of Edmonton. Midnight run and then 2702. This year it’s harder to do, thus Calgary might be the way to get that connection. But there is a slight chance of that direct via Calgary. The airlines have jacked our flight via Toronto which is a head shaker.

Soon come is still in our future though.

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Hope it works out. I gave up this year. If you get there have a stripe for me. Again, not sure about the 14 day requirement if you have a connecting flight on your return.

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Originally Posted by airswift

Hope it works out. I gave up this year. If you get there have a stripe for me. Again, not sure about the 14 day requirement if you have a connecting flight on your return.

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Airswift...
When you arrive in Canada at your airport hub... you'll remain in the airport, masked etc until your connecting flight.

If you arrive home the same day...assuming you have no symptoms...you'll be required to self isolate in one place for 14 days.

If you have to over night... you'll follow the required precautions to your hotel and the same on your return.

The 14 day count starts on the day of your arrival into Canada.

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Originally Posted by Bnewb

Airswift...
When you arrive in Canada at your airport hub... you'll remain in the airport, masked etc until your connecting flight.

If you arrive home the same day...assuming you have no symptoms...you'll be required to self isolate in one place for 14 days.

If you have to over night... you'll follow the required precautions to your hotel and the same on your return.

The 14 day count starts on the day of your arrival into Canada.

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Thanks Lisa. Stay Safe