27 October 2009

Would you fly with the flu?

A majority or 51 percent in a TripAdvisor.com poll said the high costs of change fees would make them go ahead with an airline trip despite being ill.

"While the thought of paying a $50 to $150 ticket change fee may cause heartburn for many travelers, we strongly recommend against flying while you're sick with the flu, both as a courtesy to yourself and your fellow travelers," said Bryan Saltzburg, TripAdvisor general manager of new initiatives. He added:

"If you're worried about getting sick this season, you may want to take a look at trip insurance for flights being booked during peak flu months."

He added, however, that participants should sure to read the fine print in the policy to make sure it covers the flu, though, as some only offer reimbursements for major illnesses.

Flu or not, the last of the network airlines matched a $10 increase in the price of many round-trip tickets, making it likely the fare boost will not be reduced.

Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare, said it was the fifth increase in US ticket prices this year.
Airlines sometimes roll back fare increases after a day or two, but Seaney said that was unlikely to happen this time because the major players matched the hike so quickly.

By David Wilkening