Flights Out

jeff1234

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Spain, Portugal and other European countries are opening up and yesterday I was contacted to see if I want to rebook a cancelled condo reservation in Portugal. Of course I'd love to rebook it again but, despite the travel industry being hungry for business, its not clear yet which countries will accept travellers from places like Argentina where Covid-19 is still very active.

I did speak to Expedia about how I could use Aerolinas credits for cancelled flights. Surprisingly, despite the ban on booking flights until Sept 1, the Expedia rep was ready to book flights for me to Europe or the U.S for August or Sept. I don't know if Expedia or Aerolinas would maybe cancel the reservation later or if the Sept 1 rule might be amended if our situation improves.

Does anyone else had any form of good news about travel resuming? Any rumors? Fantasies? Outright lies? Anything?
 
Spain, Portugal and other European countries are opening up and yesterday I was contacted to see if I want to rebook a cancelled condo reservation in Portugal. Of course I'd love to rebook it again but, despite the travel industry being hungry for business, its not clear yet which countries will accept travellers from places like Argentina where Covid-19 is still very active.

I did speak to Expedia about how I could use Aerolinas credits for cancelled flights. Surprisingly, despite the ban on booking flights until Sept 1, the Expedia rep was ready to book flights for me to Europe or the U.S for August or Sept. I don't know if Expedia or Aerolinas would maybe cancel the reservation later or if the Sept 1 rule might be amended if our situation improves.

Does anyone else had any form of good news about travel resuming? Any rumors? Fantasies? Outright lies? Anything?
You may want to take a look at American Citizen Services Buenos Aires on Facebook. There have been many flights "sponsored" there direct from EZE to Miami, and a number of others to a variety of destinations. I'm surprised there hasn't been a thread here about those flights, or if there has been, I've missed it.
 
If you are in Argentina your first problem continues to be getting out of Argentina, your second problem is getting back to Argentina. The rest of the world is irrelevant at this point in time.

I work in this sector and my business at airports in Argentina is directly affected by the loss of scheduled international operations. I need to travel to Europe and US on business but can't. I would like them to resume more than anything however, unfortunately, I have no reason to be optimistic about them returning any time soon:
  • The Argentine government have been clear that resumption of scheduled international flights is the last priority; regular domestic flights need to resume first without this additional circulation causing further health issues
  • The Argentine government has yet to announce a protocol regarding the resumption of travel (e.g. if a quarantine will be required for all arrivals etc.) There is nothing to suggest they are currently working on these in detail
  • The Argentine government has started making longer term concessions to airport / aviation sector businesses linked explicitly to loss of international traffic - and I am not talking about measures for 2 or 3 months
  • Argentina has apparently not reached its "peak" yet (despite the world's longest lockdown...) and with the recent rise in the villas it is unclear when we will reach the peak
    • Watch the Presidential speech tonight around 21:00 for a general status update
  • Argentina is not following the European / US approach and does not care about being isolated for a while (what else is new)
    • The virus has not gone anywhere outside of Argentina, while cases may be reducing in Europe there is still community spread and still has far more active cases than Argetnina. No one knows for sure what will happen when intra-european and limited extra-schengen travel resumes on a wider scale in June and the impact of this may need a few months to be seen
  • If someone leaves on a repatriation flight now, they cannot come back for an indefinite period of time - these flights are not for vacations
    • Official embassy advice to foreigners in Argentina is get out or be prepared to be stuck here for an indefinite period of time
    • Argentina continues to limit the amount of repatriations allowed back into Argetnina to around 500 per day - and there continues to be a long waiting list of Argentines stranded abroad
 

29 May 2020
Coronavirus: Aerolineas Argentinas announced its protocol for when operations return

Aerolineas Argentinas announced that it has ready its new health protocols and hygiene measures that will be applied once regular operations return. The company published a document with the preventive measures that will be carried out at each stage of the journey, both at airports and in flight. The procedures were designed following the recommendations of IATA (International Air Transport Association), ACI (Air Transport Council), WHO (World Health Organization) and the National Ministry of Health.

The measures are limited to different stages of the flight, from arrival at the airport. In this first phase, what it indicates is that you arrive early, taking "into account that the preventive measures that we are adopting, may require more time to make the journey inside the airport."

It clarifies in this first stage that "Only passengers with flights from that terminal may enter. Companion access is not allowed."
Furthermore, the protocol cites:

• At the access door, they will monitor your temperature. Remember to wear your chinstrap or face mask at all times.

• It is recommended to arrive with a minimum of 2 hours in advance (domestic flights) to carry out the entire acceptance and transfer process in the terminal in an orderly manner.

• For passengers who require a wheelchair, it is advisable to request them 48 hours before and clarifies that they are "sanitized" according to the recommendations.

Regarding the next phase, check-in, the measures he recommends were already in regular use (having the check-in ready, carrying a single object in hand for the cabin), although he adds the distance of one and a half meters in case of having to check in at the counter. And they remember that "you can carry in your hand luggage a gel alcohol of up to 100 ml."

In the next phase, boarding, in addition to the usual (entry to the ship is made from the last rows forward, with the business and executive sector being the last to climb), indicates that the call will be made in small groups, that if available, manga will be used and otherwise, the transfer will be made in the buses but also in small groups.

He clarifies that "momentarily" the VIP lounges in Ezeiza are closed.

In the "flight" phase, the most complex situation is going to be recorded since the crowding is inevitable. The protocol indicates:

• The use of chinstraps or face masks is mandatory at all times. Our crews use it throughout the flight.

• Limit your movement within the plane as much as possible. If you need to go to the toilet, check that the availability indicator sign is lit in green before you get up from your seat and do not line up.

• Reading materials, blankets, pillows and headphones are suspended.

Food and beverage services are temporarily suspended on Cabotage and Regional flights.
In the Internationals, "the food and beverage service on board is limited. We offer a contingency menu in individual bags, made up of fresh and industrialized products. At the end, we will ask you to discard all the items in the same bag in which they are stored. you received to decrease interaction with the crew. "

And he clarifies that "the services of special meals and bassinets are temporarily suspended."

Remember, on the other hand, that on international flights, a declaration requested by the health authorities must be delivered signed.

He then details the cleaning protocol that is carried out before each flight in the cabin, and explains that due to the need to reduce the amount of objects inside the cabin, "food and beverage services are temporarily suspended, the magazine on board, blankets and pillow "

 
he adds the distance of one and a half meters in case of having to check in at the counter

ha! they can barely enforce the concept of lines at AEP, how the hell are they going to get people to respect any distance?
 
I assume that other international carriers will adopt similar guidelines. The following one is a given.
....Remember that on international flights, a declaration requested by the health authorities must be delivered signed.

But the rest?
Reading materials, blankets, pillows and headphones are suspended.

...due to the need to reduce the amount of objects inside the cabin, "food and beverage services are temporarily suspended, the magazine on board, blankets and pillow. "

Food and beverage services are temporarily suspended on Cabotage and Regional flights.
In the Internationals, "the food and beverage service on board is limited. We offer a contingency menu in individual bags, made up of fresh and industrialized products. At the end, we will ask you to discard all the items in the same bag in which they are stored. you received to decrease interaction with the crew. "


What joy!
 
It is an AR flight attendant's dream come true... they sit in their jumpseats in the galley and play games and gossip the entire flight and now have a "protocol" to be rude to customers to avoid actually engaging in anything that resembles customer service - "SIT DOWN SIR/ MAM, SIT DOWN".

I flew AR GRU-EZE in mid-March on my way back from Europe. There was no F&B service even in Business Class. Not even water. Health declarations were required when we arrived at EZE and we were allowed off the plane one by one after they collected our declarations and had our temperatures taken. Hardly one of the most enjoyable flights. This actually sounds like a slight improvement.

Most international carriers already have their own protocols. They range from strict to almost nothing.

The big question is what Argentina will plan to do with international arrivals - quarantine, test, special travel permissions etc.
 
If you are in Argentina your first problem continues to be getting out of Argentina, your second problem is getting back to Argentina. The rest of the world is irrelevant at this point in time.

I work in this sector and my business at airports in Argentina is directly affected by the loss of scheduled international operations. I need to travel to Europe and US on business but can't. I would like them to resume more than anything however, unfortunately, I have no reason to be optimistic about them returning any time soon:
  • The Argentine government have been clear that resumption of scheduled international flights is the last priority; regular domestic flights need to resume first without this additional circulation causing further health issues
  • The Argentine government has yet to announce a protocol regarding the resumption of travel (e.g. if a quarantine will be required for all arrivals etc.) There is nothing to suggest they are currently working on these in detail
  • The Argentine government has started making longer term concessions to airport / aviation sector businesses linked explicitly to loss of international traffic - and I am not talking about measures for 2 or 3 months
  • Argentina has apparently not reached its "peak" yet (despite the world's longest lockdown...) and with the recent rise in the villas it is unclear when we will reach the peak
    • Watch the Presidential speech tonight around 21:00 for a general status update
  • Argentina is not following the European / US approach and does not care about being isolated for a while (what else is new)
    • The virus has not gone anywhere outside of Argentina, while cases may be reducing in Europe there is still community spread and still has far more active cases than Argetnina. No one knows for sure what will happen when intra-european and limited extra-schengen travel resumes on a wider scale in June and the impact of this may need a few months to be seen
  • If someone leaves on a repatriation flight now, they cannot come back for an indefinite period of time - these flights are not for vacations
    • Official embassy advice to foreigners in Argentina is get out or be prepared to be stuck here for an indefinite period of time
    • Argentina continues to limit the amount of repatriations allowed back into Argetnina to around 500 per day - and there continues to be a long waiting list of Argentines stranded abroad


Profound Information. 100% correct, basis my own research.
 
I flew AR GRU-EZE in mid-March on my way back from Europe.

I flew on 14 March from North Brazil to EZE via Sao Paolo. It was astounding to me that both flights were 100% full. And at least 75% people were tourists or leisure travelers. Lots of kids in both the flights. I was wondering, "Do these guys ever read newspapers or watch the news or if they are practicing 'News hygiene - at least look up for travel advisories, when traveling ".

Few days later, around 23 March, I saw many Argentina passengers getting angry on television, when struck abroad on their vacation!
 
I flew on 14 March from North Brazil to EZE via Sao Paolo. It was astounding to me that both flights were 100% full. And at least 75% people were tourists or leisure travelers. Lots of kids in both the flights. I was wondering, "Do these guys ever read newspapers or watch the news or if they are practicing 'News hygiene - at least look up for travel advisories, when traveling ".

Few days later, around 23 March, I saw many Argentina passengers getting angry on television, when struck abroad on their vacation!

Hm. Maybe we were on the same flight. It was completely full - I booked Business Class as wanted to distance myself from others as I was coming back from a red-zone. I informed the airline upon booking and at check-in and they assured me the seat next to me would be kept free as there were only 2 other booked in business, then they ended up upgrading Y pax and filling the cabin anyway. So much for social distancing or taking precautions.

Once there were rumors of a lockdown there was a surge in last minute ticket sales to popular vacation destinations in Brazil, Mexico and Dominicana... many thought they could "outsmart" the looming boredom of being stuck at home for a few weeks while the kids were off school.
I heard of a local family going to Italy on vacation in late March onboard a Neos repatriation flight for Italians (Airline was selling empty seats super cheap - under EUR100 - so the family thought they would go with a one way ticket instead, see family and travel Europe which was still open at the time)

Then all these people started complaining that they were going bankrupt with the 30% PAIS tax on an extended stay and going homeless in Cancún... now since there are less varados, most who are still stranded are being financed by the Argentine tax payer in order to quieten down the media circus that ensued (with airbnb and supermarket costs being reimbursed) as now the frequency of repatriation flights has slowed right down.
There was an interview on TV last week with one of them who was asserting their entitlement to government handouts as a tax payer herself and claiming her expenses in Madrid from the embassy including alcohol and foie gras. Maybe it is nicer and cheaper life than in her own apartment back in Quilmes.

There were also many Brazilians who came this way, but they soon realised it was no fun when they needed to quarantine in their hotel rooms and most left with the mass round ups of tourists by Migraciones and PFA that took place early in the quarantine.
 
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