The Lufthansa Group and Yankee Leisure Group (YLG) – the operator of Railbookers and Amtrak Vacations – have modified their cancellation and change policies due to the coronavirus outbreak. JetBlue has also extended its preexisting change waiver.
Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Dolomiti) have introduced a general rebooking option through March 31. The Lufthansa Group airlines will waive the rebooking fees for all newly booked flights worldwide and offer a one-time rebooking, regardless of the condition of the original booking fare purchased. Passengers will be able to rebook through December 31.
For existing bookings purchased before March 5 for travel through April 30, passengers will be able to rebook to a new travel date through December 31, regardless of original fare conditions.
In either case, rebooked travel must be between the original city pair, and a difference in fare may apply. The rebooking must be made before the original travel date.
JetBlue, meanwhile, has extended its general policy of no change or cancellation fees to bookings made March 6 – 31 for travel through September 8 across all of the airline’s fare types: Blue, Blue Basic, Blue Plus, Blue Extra and Mint. The offer is available in all of JetBlue’s destinations. If customers need to cancel their travel plans, the airline will credit the full amount as a JetBlue travel credit that is valid for one year. Fare differences may apply.
YLG is offering a new policy on new bookings made through April 30. For these bookings, travelers and travel advisors will have the option to change their travel dates or cancel their rail vacation up until five days prior to departure, without incurring any change or cancellation fees.
Any existing reservations can be rescheduled up to five days prior to departure date, without incurring any change or cancellation fees.
In either case customers will be issued a voucher for future travel valid for 24 months, which can be used on a new reservation for any YLG brands, destinations, itineraries/custom itineraries for any travel date and length of trip time for travel without any penalty. (Additional restrictions may apply for any rail vacations that include cruises, Belmond, Rocky Mountaineer, Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions, The Blue Train, El Transcantabrico, & Tsars Gold or other luxury trains.)
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