So, President Trump has banned flights from Europe entering the USA, attractions are closing left right and centre, tour and cruise companies are suspending operations and you are 100% over hearing about the ‘C’ word.
We get it. And we’re going to try and make this a little more comprehensible for you, amidst the chaos.
So what is actually going on in the USA and how will it affect your clients?
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USA Travel Ban, what does it mean for you?
Mr Trump has set strict US restrictions on people coming from Europe, China and a few other countries, in response to COVID-19. The ban does not include Australia, Britain and Ireland.
“I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well-being of all Americans. To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days”
Donald Trump, US President
The US ban should only affect a very small number of Australian travellers and have very little if any impact on Australian airlines.
This is because very few Australians fly from Europe to the US at any given time. Australians can still fly between the United Kingdom and the US, and between Europe and Canada.
A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said: “Virgin Australia does not expect to see a direct impact to its network as a result of the US suspension of travel from Europe.”
Increasing cancellations and closures
The USA seems to be coming to an entertainment standstill, with a huge number of tourist attractions closing their doors temporality, due to the worldwide pandemic.
New York City has suspended all broadway shows immediately in support of the health of the theatregoing public and the performers in the industry. The theatres are hoping for the show to go on, from the week of 13 April 2020.
In San Francisco, “basically everything, everywhere is cancelled.”
Alright y’all.
I’ve been chronicling Bay Area events for six days straight and I can say with authority that basically everything everywhere is canceled.
I’ll add some of the big ones in a thread below. 👇🏼
Over 100 canceled events listed here:https://t.co/vqnIjhfYOa
— Gabe Meline (@gmeline) March 12, 2020
Universal Studios, Los Angeles Zoo and Disneyland in California will all be closing their gates from tomorrow.
(You know something is serious when Mickey stops taking your money!)
— Disney Parks News (@DisneyParksNews) March 12, 2020
Sports fans will also have to be patient, as the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball have all delayed starts to the season.
What does this mean for European Airlines?
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, US President Donald Trump’s ban on most travel from Europe to the US could send some overseas airlines out of business.
“It is massive. This is the biggest, most valuable international route group in the world”
Peter Harbison from the CAPA Centre for Aviation.
“As a route, the North Atlantic, it’s by far the biggest and most valuable. And that means valuable to commerce but also valuable to the airlines themselves. Because a lot of the travel is business travel, corporate travel and therefore high-yielding,” Harbison continued.
As you all know, travel is already significantly down and every day there are more companies are temporarily closing their doors.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) last week warned that the coronavirus pandemic could slash the revenue of airlines by a massive $170 billion this year.
“In little over two months, the industry’s prospects in much of the world have taken a dramatic turn for the worse”
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA president.
On the flip side, this could be seen as a good time to travel domestically and nab yourself some cheap airfares!
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The current smart traveller advice for Australias is simply ‘exercise normal safety precautions’ but as the situation is rapidly changing, ensure you check with your client’s individual suppliers & airlines on their current travel policies.
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