Margy Osmond answers your travel questions
Virgin Australia customers will need to wait a few days for clarity after the airline went into administration, says Margy Osmond, who hopes to see limited international travel back by the end of the year.
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Thousands of Australians are counting the cost of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
With flights cancelled, and holidays on hold, the impact on ordinary travellers has been huge.
But there are also major repercussions for the industry, with cruising at the centre of many outbreaks and Virgin Australia has gone into voluntary administration.
Margy Osmond, CEO of the Tourism & Transport Forum, was online today to answer your questions.
Here’s some of what she had to say:
Q. My flight to Queensland in May was cancelled in mid-March. Do I assume that my credits with Virgin have flown away?
A. An administrator has been appointed for Virgin and there will be more information in relation to credits over the next few days.
Q. We are booked to fly to Queensland in August with Virgin. Should I think about cancelling now or just mark time.
A. It may be worth waiting for a few days for more information from the Administrator on how they will deal with future bookings.
Q. Given the news today about Virgin, does the Government need to be stepping in with a broad rescue package for the entire tourism industry?
A. The Government is very attuned to how important the industry is and how many people normally work in the tourism and hospitality sectors. JobKeeper will help but there will need to be a significant recovery stimulus package to get the industry going again.
Q. Do you see this crisis changing the way we travel long-term with more people holidaying in Australia even after the borders open? Is there another danger to our economy if that attitude is mirrored elsewhere and overseas tourists don’t return to Australia?
A. There will be a huge surge in domestic travel in the second half of 2020 – so get out that bucket list and go to all the Aussie hot spots you have always wanted to visit or relax with an old favourite. International visitors will return but we will need to work hard to attract them and the airlines that will carry them.
Q. I have the view that all international flights from Australia will be cancelled for at least 12 months. I also think that there will not be any cruise ships in Australia next summer, due to their crews coming from around the world. Would you agree?
A. It’s going to depend on the access to a vaccine. I am a bit more optimistic re: OS travel I think with the right protections we will be travelling to NZ before the end of the year and potentially other destinations in the Pacific. However, other OS destinations will take longer. Cruise is so popular that companies will be keen to find a solution that meets the health requirements asap because consumers will want to get back on board and we should see cruise options early next year.
Q. We are booked for a June departure for the USA and Canada. Our agent keeps saying she hopes to get us there. In reality how much of our prepaid fares and tours will we get back? We took any reason cancellation insurance out in September last year. Any thoughts on what international flight availability will be like after this? Wanted to take the kids on a trip of their life but not at the risk of their life!
A. I am ever the positive thinker but heading to the US and Canada in June seems unlikely. Have you contacted your insurer? That would be the first call I would make to double check and then tell your agent you want to postpone the trip for perhaps June 2021 … and take the kids with you!
Q. How long do you envision borders being closed for? We have a trip booked in December, should we be cancelling?
A. Without knowing where you are heading I would say New Zealand maybe the Pacific, possible in the last quarter of the year; other destinations not till later in 2021 … and remember if you are heading OS we still don’t know what the requirements for self isolation /quarantine might be at your destination or on homecoming … worth keeping in mind.
Q. If I have booked a cruise and it is cancelled because of the pandemic am I entitled to a refund or am I forced to take it at some later date yet unknown, do I have a choice?
A. Refund or voucher will depend on the cruise line and destination. Voucher for a further trip say in 2021 is the most common solution offered.
Q. I want to go skiing, but I fear Australia will isolate from the rest of the world until the rest of the world is clear of this virus. That won’t happen in 2020. I will have to go virtual skiing until 2022.
A. Ski season in Australia and potentially NZ could be fabulous this year if we are able to travel interstate or across the Tasman. Never under rate the snow gums and the Aussie ski fields – ski here this year!!!!
Q. Do you really think the cruise industry can come back from this and if so how?
A. Cruise is incredibly popular and these have been unprecedented times. Yes I do think it will come back and they are already seeing strong bookings for 2021 globally.
You can read more answers in the comments below.