I just got an email from Qatar Airways cancelling my ATL to JNB flight in late September. I was hoping things would be improved by then but it isn’t looking too good. Guess I will combine my plains game hunt in RSA with my buffalo hunt next year in the Caprivi. Luckily they are with the same outfitter.

Not encouraging. I'm "scheduled" for TZ trip at the same time in Sept.

Airlines are having a field day changing/ canceling flights. I paid extra earlier in the year for a one-hop trip, last week Delta re-routed and added a stop, adding about 2.5 hrs to the trip. Then they pushed flights 2 and 3 by 5.5 hours. Total trip went from just under 8 to over 16 hours.

I feel your pain brother. The uncertainty is the bitch. If we just had a date to shoot for...

I have had 2 hunts cancelled already. I am concerned about July to Namibia.

I too am supposed to leave for Namibia in July, Larry. Supposed to be on Qatar direct into Windhoek. No word yet on flights being cancelled. Booked through TWG. Hurry up and wait some more...

If a QA flight to RSA is cancelled for September, I wouldn’t hold out much hope for July....

I know you are correct, but I choose to be unrealistically optimistic.

quote:

Originally posted by 300SAKO:
I know you are correct, but I choose to be unrealistically optimistic.

We are booked on Qatar DFW - Windhoek late July, return early August. As of 4:00 pm today Qatar says flight is still on.

Good luck! My email notice was at 4:30 CST. Maybe things look better from Dallas than from Atlanta.

The truth is nothing you hear today, from any one source, regarding international travel, can be taken as fact.

I am beginning to hear all sorts of different airlines, and different countries, opening up.

But, to be honest, this means absolutely nothing.

Because it is all speculations.

We are all concerned about travelling to African countries, and so far nothing definite is coming from there.

Greece is hoping to open up in June, but airline has reported flying there.

Airlines in the UK have opened flights to Spain. Spain has not opened for visors.

One of our local cheap airlines has opened flights in June o certain countries. Non of these countries accept visitors yet.

Reports say Australians will not be allowed out of the country before October.

These are just examples of what a shambles air travel has become.

My suggestion is if you are booked on an airline that seems to be in trouble, try to get your money back, by whatever means you can.

Other airlines which have posted their refund policies, like Emirates, my suggestion is to keep your bookings open, as you can change your ticket for up to two years.

Now, I certainly hope this dilemma is not going to last for two years.

I it does, it is going to be a new ball game, and I hate to even think about it.

We have airline bookings in July, August, September, October and December.

I am not hanging anything, and just wait and see what develops.

All I know is QA cancelled my September flight and offered 110% future or 100% refund. I’m taking the refund....

I'm planning on Zimbabwe in July via Emirates. I would be curious to know what Steve at TWG has to say on this issue.
Cal

Hmm? Very interesting.

Please carry on shamwari.

***
One Mile at a Time (May 6, 2020)

Qatar Airways Will Fly To 80 Cities By June 2020

Unlike some other airlines, Qatar Airways has continued to operate flights throughout this pandemic, though at a reduced rate.

Qatar Airways has maintained service to at least 30 destinations, and has transported more than a million passengers. While some airlines grounded their fleets completely, Qatar Airways increased service in some markets.

Of course the airline has still struggled greatly, and we just learned that cabin crew will soon be laid off.

Well, the Doha-based airline has now announced plans to increase service.

Qatar Airways will fly to 80 destinations by June 2020

Qatar Airways has revealed plans for phased expansion, above the current 30 destinations they fly to:

By the end of May, Qatar Airways hopes to serve 52 destinations

By the end of June, Qatar Airways hopes to serve 80 destinations

Frequencies will vary, and in some markets we’ll even see multiple daily frequencies.

Where will Qatar Airways fly?

Let’s take a look at the roughly 80 destinations that Qatar Airways plans to serve by the end of next month.

Qatar Airways will fly to the following six destinations in Africa:

Addis Ababa (ADD), Cape Town (CPT), Johannesburg (JNB), Lagos (LOS), Nairobi (NBO), Tunis (TUN)

Qatar Airways will fly to the following four destinations in the Americas:

Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Sao Paulo (GRU), Montreal (YUL)

Qatar Airways will fly to the following 33 destinations in Asia-Pacific:

Guangzhou (CAN), Hong Kong (HKG), Seoul (ICN), Tokyo (NRT), Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), Bangkok (BKK), Jakarta (CGK), Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Manila (MNL), Singapore (SIN), Ahmedabad (AMD), Amritsar (ATQ), Bangalore (BLR), Mumbai (BOM), Calicut (CCJ), Kolkata (CCU), Colombo (CMB), Kochi (COK), Dhaka (DAC), New Delhi (DEL), Goa (GOI), Hyderabad (HYD), Kathmandu (KTM), Chennai (MAA), Male (MLE), Trivandrum (TRV), Islamabad (ISB), Karachi (KHI), Lahore (LHE), Melbourne (MEL), Perth (PER), Sydney (SYD)

Qatar Airways will fly to the following 23 destinations in Europe:

Athens (ATH), Budapest (BUD), Moscow (DME), Istanbul (IST), Amsterdam (AMS), Stockholm (ARN), Barcelona (BCN), Brussels (BRU), Paris (CDG), Copenhagen (CPH), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), Rome (FCO), Frankfurt (FRA), London (LHR), Madrid (MAD), Manchester (MAN), Munich (MUC), Milan (MXP), Oslo (OSL), Berlin (TXL), Vienna (VIE), Zurich (ZRH)

Qatar Airways will fly to the following 14 destinations in the Middle East:

Amman (AMM), Beirut (BEY), Baghdad (BGW), Basra (BSR), Erbil (EBL), Teheran (IKA), Sulaymaniyah (ISU), Kuwait (KWI), Muscat (MCT), Mashad (MHD), Najaf (NJF), Sohar (OHS), Salalah (SLL), Shiraz (SYZ)

Qatar Airways’ expectations of recovery

Here’s Qatar Airways’ explanation of how they’re going about adding service, and how they see demand recovering in the short term:

While the situation remains hugely dynamic, Qatar Airways has made a number of assumptions based on its unique perspective, having been one of the only carriers to operate globally in recent months. With entry restrictions constantly evolving, accurately predicting future travel is challenging.

However, while the expectation is that short haul travel will rebound first, business between large global cities will pick up more gradually and there will be a move towards visiting family and friends following months of lockdowns.

This matches most expectations within the industry. Generally speaking the expectation is that domestic demand will recover before international demand (which is tough for an airline exclusively with international flights, so Qatar Airways is relying on short haul travel), then leisure demand will start to recover, and then business demand.

Bottom line

Qatar Airways plans to serve 52 destinations by the end of May, and 80 destinations by the end of June. Given how fluid the situation is, I wonder if the airline will actually follow through with this level of expansion, or if this is just a pipe dream.

Being an airline that flies exclusively internationally sure isn’t ideal at this point. That’s even more true when you account for the Gulf blockade, which means that many nearby countries are off limits as well (the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.).

***

Looks like they are only going to service Dallas and Chicago. Maybe I will see about rerouting through Dallas.....

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
I'm planning on Zimbabwe in July via Emirates. I would be curious to know what Steve at TWG has to say on this issue.
Cal

I suspect he would mumble something like pass me another scotch, no rocks.

Jeremy

quote:

Qatar Airways will fly to the following six destinations in Africa:Addis Ababa (ADD), Cape Town (CPT), Johannesburg (JNB), Lagos (LOS), Nairobi (NBO), Tunis (TUN)

I don't see Windhoek on that list.

With reports of CV-19 deaths on the rise in Tanzania, who knows when Africa will be open to international travel.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52505375

The airlines have been a cesspool of contagious diseases for a long time. The planes are filthy for the most part and forget it if you think they will wipe seats and other surfaces down with a sanitizing product.

The fact that there is very little fresh air in the cabin is disgusting. I don't care if you are in first class or cattle class. Those planes are nasty. I do not see them changing one bit.

Seats on airplanes do need a wipe, but cabin air is exchanged about every 4 minutes and is continually mixed with fresh air. Usually it flows from the overhead vents front to back and exits by your feet through HEPA filter. It’s cleaner than any office setting.

Ann,

It is encouraging to hear someone speak the truth about the bio disasters known as passenger aircraft.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

Seats on airplanes do need a wipe, but cabin air is exchanged about every 4 minutes and is continually mixed with fresh air. Usually it flows from the overhead vents front to back and exits by your feet through HEPA filter. It’s cleaner than any office setting.

If air quality and airborne pathogens were a problem on commercial aircraft, pilots and aircrew would be dropping like flies. Commercial buildings have 4 air changes per house (ACH) as compared to commercial aircraft which have 10 - 15 ACH. That's 3 times higher than the average hospital operating room.

In regards to surfaces and potable water on board aircraft, forget about it, they are beyond filthy. Wipe down all touch surfaces the moment you sit down and disinfect your hands often.

Also, it helps to sit upfront.

The UK announced 14 day quarantine for visitors!

Not sure how long this will stand, as it will basically any idea of anyone going there - except going back home.

I bet airlines will have a hay day with this.

American Express Travel has been notified flights to Joburg start July 2. We leave 4th but I find it hard to believe. And then internal flights are one big screw up with SAA problems. Seen no other notices of this. Not cancelling but little hope.

We'll be lucky if half of the airlines are still in business by next year sorry to say.

quote:

Originally posted by LR3:
American Express Travel has been notified flights to Joburg start July 2. We leave 4th but I find it hard to believe. And then internal flights are one big screw up with SAA problems. Seen no other notices of this. Not cancelling but little hope.

Good news indeed!

You might wish to check what happens once you arrive in South Africa.

I am sure you have no wish to be quarantined.