ALERTS and ADVISORIES

UPDATED: MON, 30 AUG 2021 11.15 PM EDT / 03.15 AM (+1) UTC

 

IF YOU ARE A MEMBER CURRENTLY OUTSIDE THE U.S. OR CANADA AND NEED ASSISTANCE RETURNING HOME, PLEASE RING +1 747 777 9453 x6
(+1 888 748 7060 x6 WITHIN THE U.S. AND CANADA, SMS TEXT MESSAGE OR WHATSAPP +1 888 748 7060 IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO RING).

WE THE WILD HAS SUSPENDED ALL SERVICE FEES FOR MEMBERS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN HOME.

 

 

Current alerts and advisories

ALERT: Urgent recommendation to return home immediately

Advisory: Travel restrictions in effect by country

ALERT: U.S. travel restrictions from European countries (including UK and Ireland) now in effect

Advisory: US air carriers updated change/cancel policies

Advisory: Special notice regarding the Wuhan coronavirus / COVID-19

 

 

Urgent recommendation to return home immediately

Sun, 15 March 2020 11.15 PM EDT / 03.15 AM (+1) UTC

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We are now recommending to all U.S. and Canadian members who are travelling away from home to end their travel and return home immediately.  We expect domestic travel to be restricted over the next few days.  If you are travelling and need assistance modifying your travel, please contact us immediately.

 

 

Legal disclaimer: The preceding updates are valid for both members of We The Wild Travel, LLC (a South Dakota USA based limited liability corporation) and We The Wild Canada, Ltd. (an Ontario Canada based private limited company). Whilst we consider members of both companies "members of the Wild," we are required to make this legal distinction when providing information that might impact your travel.  [w.mc6x]

 

 

Special notice regarding potential U.S. domestic travel restrictions

Sat, 14 March 2020

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This notice has been superceded by the one above recommending all travellers to return home immediately.  There is still pertinent background information in this notice so we are leaving it up for the time being.

 

We are writing this notice in response to an increase in questions from members regarding travelling within the U.S. and Canada.

 

At this time, no restrictions on travel within the U.S. or Canada exist

 

That being said, there are a number of things happening in real-time that may, and we stress "may," impact that in the near-term. This notice will discuss that, our advice, and what we are doing to mitigate risks to our members.

 

First and foremost, it is our number one priority to assist members in returning home.  This includes members who are currently abroad and in areas impacted by COVID-19 as well as members who are travelling domestically - whether in the U.S. or Canada - and wish to return home as soon as possible.  We are operating extended hours to take calls from members as well as responding to messages sent by SMS, WhatsApp, and e-mail as soon as we can.  We are waiving all fees associated with getting you home quickly and safely as well as processing any changes or refunds related to your travel.

 

What we know and what we think

 

Today (Sat, 14 March), U.S. President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence said they are considering some domestic travel restrictions, specifically with regards to certain areas hard hit with COVID-19.  While as of right now, no one has the answers as to exactly what that might mean, we are going to speculate how we believe that might come to play over the next week or so and what proactive steps we are taking.  As a reminder, we will be speculative and provide a "best guess" on what we expect based on our knowledge of the travel industry, discussions amongst others in the travel community, and information we have received from various calls we have participated today and in recent days hosted by various agencies including the IATA (International Air Transport Association).

 

The U.S. government is considering restricting travel from "certain areas hard-hit with COVID-19." Based on the map below, the most significant clusters are currently in the Seattle, New York, Boston, and San Francisco areas.  In these places as well as any community where a cluster grows rapidly might see a restriction of travel.  We believe that any restriction may include actions taken similar to those taken by inbound flights arriving from impacted areas.  Let me be clear: flights from impacted areas are still arriving in the U.S. but only carrying citizens, legal permanent residents, or other persons with specific exemptions.  Those arriving are subject to enhanced screening which includes a questionnaire about places s/he has travelled to, people they have been in contact with, as well as a body temperature reading taken by health professionals.  Everyone returning from an impacted area is being given an order to self-quarantine in their home and avoid leaving for a period of 14 days.  Those considered high-risk, including those with a body temperature greater than 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (37.5 degrees Celsius) are stepped up to a mandatory quarantine.  We do not expect domestic air travel to be stopped or "grounded" based on these restrictions.  Of course, this can change if the situation rapidly deteriorates.  (continues below)

 

CDC data as of Sat, 14 March 2020 03.48pm EDT / 07.48pm UTC. Infographic from from the NY Times.  Copied under fair-use exemption.

​

 

You should of course use all the information available to you from trusted, medically and scientifically rooted sources like the CDC, and make your own decision regarding travel understanding the risks. While you may personally belong to a class of people not at high-risk (such as factors like a young age or having no pre-existing medical conditions), your decisions to travel may impact others who are at higher risk. If you do travel, take proper precautions such as constantly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds often especially after touching any public surfaces and avoid touching your face at all times.

 

The Government of Canada has issued guidance to all Canadians abroad to return home as soon as possible (link) to avoid travel restrictions that may be put in place in other countries without notice as well as cancellations of flights by airlines.  The U.S. Government has taken the unprecedented step of using a Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" alert for domestic travel (link).  We do recommend if you are travelling internationally and are not scheduled to return home for more than one week from today or domestically and not scheduled to return home for more than two weeks from today, that you consider cutting your trip short and return home.

 

What we are doing and what you can do

 

For international travel

As of 8.30pm EDT / 12.30am (+1) UTC, we have already reached out to all of our members who are currently travelling in impacted countries of Europe, United Kingdom, Ireland, China, South Korea, and Turkey but we have not heard back from some of you.  We have no members travelling in Iran at this time.  If we have left you a message or if you're a member currently impacted and are on travel we are not aware of and did not book, please reach out to us immediately.

 

We have started but not yet reached out to all of our members who are not currently travelling but who have travel booked for the near-future to impacted countries.  We are reaching out to you proactively based on how soon your travel begins.

 

If your flights have already been cancelled, we will be refunding your payments automatically over the next week.  (Some airlines have automatically been issuing refunds, others have not in hopes they can retain some of the money towards future bookings. Either way, we will be cancelling and refunding all impacted flights since the price of air travel has significantly dropped and we expect our members would benefit from refunding and repurchasing rather than a travel credit that does not return the excess value of your price paid.)  No action is required on your part.

 

If your flights have not already been cancelled, we are reaching out to you to discuss your options.  For most travel from now through end of April that has not already been cancelled, you can - in most cases - change dates of travel, destination, or receive a travel credit without penalty.

 

For domestic travel

Beginning at 5.30pm EDT / 9.30pm UTC today, we have started to identify members who are currently travelling domestically.  For those of you travelling within an approximate 24-hour drive from your home (we have quite a few members from the NYC area currently visiting Florida, the Carolinas, and Texas) and not scheduled to return for more than five days from today, we have started to book one-way car rentals strictly as a precaution from the airport you travelled to back to the airport you departed from.  These car rentals are expensive, however we have NOT used your payment card to reserve them and you will NOT be charged unless you need the rental.  You may have already received a booking confirmation in you e-mail with an explanation about this.

 

We are doing this strictly as a precaution.  Aside from travel restrictions being put in place, other unforeseen issues can cause your return flight to be cancelled including weather, schedule changes, crew action, security concerns, among others.  If your return flights are not cancelled within 24 hours of departure, we will automatically cancel the car rental unless you tell us otherwise.  If you are travelling a farther distance (like those of you between the west and east coasts) and still wish to have a backup option such as this or a charter flight, please reach out to us.

 

If you do need or elect to take the car rental as a means of returning home, please let us know and we will help organise lodging along your route.

 

 

Legal disclaimer: The preceding updates are valid for both members of We The Wild Travel, LLC (a South Dakota USA based limited liability corporation) and We The Wild Canada, Ltd. (an Ontario Canada based private limited company). Whilst we consider members of both companies "members of the Wild," we are required to make this legal distinction when providing information that might impact your travel.  [w.mc6x]

 

 

Travel restrictions in effect by country

Sat, 14 March 2020

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IATA TravelCentre has published a comprehensive list of travel restrictions in effect by country.  These generally restrict certain persons from entering said country or impose special restrictions or requirements.  If travelling internationally soon, we recommend you locate the country in which you are visiting or transiting through to learn of any restrictions that impact you.  We are also closely monitoring this list, comparing it to booked travel within our membership, and reaching out to those impacted accordingly.  IATA is responsible for the upkeep of this list.

 

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm

 

Legal disclaimer: The preceding updates are valid for both members of We The Wild Travel, LLC (a South Dakota USA based limited liability corporation) and We The Wild Canada, Ltd. (an Ontario Canada based private limited company). Whilst we consider members of both companies "members of the Wild," we are required to make this legal distinction when providing information that might impact your travel.  [w.mc6x]

 

 

U.S. travel restrictions from European countries (including UK and Ireland) now in effect

Thu, 12 March 2020 (updated Sat, 20 March 2020 02.35 PM EDT / 06.35 PM UTC with new information about travel restrictions from the UK and Ireland. Earlier updates: airline fare caps from Europe, authorised arrival airports for inbound exempt flights, answers to FAQ, additional specifics regarding detailed timeframes and protected groups of people exempt from the restriction.)

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At a glance / answers to FAQ

 

• Travel from Europe (including UK and Ireland) will be limited to US citizens, legal permanent residents, and other exempt groups starting Friday night. This adds to an already present restriction of travel from mainland China and Iran.
• One-way airfares from Europe or the UK to return to the US have been capped at 799€/£ ($884/$984 respectively) on Delta, American, and United Airlines.
• If you're coming back from Europe (including UK and Ireland), expect health screening and a mandatory quarantine if you have a fever of at least 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (37.5 degrees Celsius).
• Travel within the U.S. is wholly unaffected however you can make changes to your individual travel without penalty for travel through 30 April 2020.
• Travel between the U.S. and other countries is not restricted, however airlines are reducing or modifying service to keep up with reduced demand and individual cancellations. We will notify you if this impacts your individual itinerary.

 

Details of travel restriction

 

Effective Monday night, 16 March 2020 at 11.59pm EDT, the United States wil ban foreigners travelling to the U.S. from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

 

Effective Friday night, 13 March 2020 at 11.59pm EDT, the United States will ban foreigners travelling to the U.S. from the 26 countries participating in the Schengen agreement (which allows borderless travel between member countries).  These countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

 

The ban will be in effect until cancelled (at this time, it is anticipated to be a minimum of 30 days with an expected end date of Sunday, 12 April 2020.)  The ban will not apply to persons who departed on a commercial flight destined for the United States prior to Friday, 13 March 2020 at 11:59pm EDT even if the arrival time is after the ban begins.

 

We have already begun reaching out to members who are impacted by this ban to discuss your options.

 

It is important to note that travel by US citizens, legal permanent residents, and other protected groups such as members of the US Armed Forces and their immediate families returning from impacted countries are excepted from these restrictions.

 

Exempt persons returning from impacted countries will be required to return to one of 11 specific airports in the United States that have been set up for enhanced screening.  Individuals returning from impacted countries considered high-risk including, but not limited to, those with a fever above 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (37.5 degrees Celsius) would be required to undergo 14 days quarantine in a medical facility and all others be required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

 

The only 11 airports that can received flights from impacted countries (including the 26 European countries listed above, the United Kingdom, Ireland, as well as mainland China) are as follows:

 

    Atlanta: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

    Chicago: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

    Dallas-Fort Worth: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

    Detroit: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

    Honolulu: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)

    Los Angeles: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

    New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

    Newark, New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

    San Francisco: San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

    Seattle: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

    Washington, D.C.: Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)

 

If you have travel booked on a flight returning to any other U.S. airport directly from a flight in the impacted area, that flight has been or will be cancelled shortly.  This does NOT impact flights that include their first stopover at one of the above airports.  For example: If you're flying from Paris-CDG to Charlotte-CLT with your first stop in the U.S. as Atlanta-ATL, then your flight is not impacted.

 

For more details on the specific groups of persons exempt from the ban, read the detailed proclamation on the whitehouse.gov website at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-immigrants-nonimmigrants-certain-additional-persons-pose-risk-transmitting-2019-novel-coronavirus/

 

Airlines with waivers in force specific to this ban

 

All airlines with flights from impacted countries have issued fee-waivers for changes.  Under rare circumstances will the airline attempt to not offer refunds for impacted travel.  We will be handling all refund/change requests on your behalf and will contact you to discuss options.

 

For members currently abroad on travel NOT booked by We The Wild

 

If you are currently travelling abroad on travel that We The Wild did not book, please send us an e-mail with your travel itinerary immediately.  We are waiving Conflict/Hazard Resolution service fees for members and will coordinate with air carriers on your behalf to ensure you can get home.

 

Urgent assistance

 

If you are a member and booked travel with us, we are already aware of your itinerary and any risks associated with it and will be reaching out to you between now and Monday to discuss your options. We're working down the list by those most impacted.  If you are a member and are on travel you did not book with us or if you have an urgent need for assistance, please use the following methods to reach us.  At this time, we are suspending Conflict/Hazard Resolution service for non-members, including family of business/corporate members unless they are travelling with you.

 

1. E-mail specific information regarding your situation to covid19 at wethewild dot com.
2. Send us a text message via SMS or WhatsApp to +1 888 748 7060
3. Ring our freephone hotline at +1 888 748 7060 x6. It's staffed from 7a-10p ET / 11a-2a UTC daily.

 

 

Legal disclaimer: The preceding updates are valid for both members of We The Wild Travel, LLC (a South Dakota USA based limited liability corporation) and We The Wild Canada, Ltd. (an Ontario Canada based private limited company). Whilst we consider members of both companies "members of the Wild," we are required to make this legal distinction when providing information that might impact your travel.  [w.mc6x]

 

 

 

 

US air carriers updated change/cancel policies
Wed, 4 March 2020

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All US air carriers have updated their change/cancel policies for ALL travel (regardless of original ticket purchase date or destination) between 5 March and 30 April 2020.

 

You may make a one-time change to your travel arrangements under the revised policies.  If you change to a new flight, you are required to pay any fare difference but the change fee is waived. If you are unsure of when you wish to travel at this time, you can cancel your flight and be issued a credit for the value of your ticket.  The specifics of when that credit can be used differs by airline and is listed below.  In most cases, unless your flight is cancelled by the carrier, you are not eligible to receive a refund to your original method of payment unless you booked a refundable flight.

 

• Delta, American, United, and Alaska Airlines allow you to use the full value of your purchased ticket for travel within one-year of the original ticket issue date (in most cases this is the date you purchased your ticket, not the date your trip was scheduled to begin.)
• Frontier Airlines allows you to use the full value of your purchased ticket for travel to be completed prior to 9 November 2020. (This means you must have returned to your original destination before this date.)
• JetBlue Airways allow you to use the full value of your purchased ticket for travel to be completed prior to 24 October 2020. (This means you must have returned to your original destination before this date.)
• Spirit Airlines allows you to use the full value of your purchased ticket for travel within six-months of the date the credit was issued (the date you cancel your original flight.

 

 

Legal disclaimer: The preceding updates are valid for both members of We The Wild Travel, LLC (a South Dakota USA based limited liability corporation) and We The Wild Canada, Ltd. (an Ontario Canada based private limited company). Whilst we consider members of both companies "members of the Wild," we are required to make this legal distinction when providing information that might impact your travel.  [w.ay3c]

 

 

Special notice regarding the Wuhan coronavirus / COVID-19
Tue, 11 February 2020

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We ask our members to take special considerations whilst travelling - especially in airports and airplanes - to protect themselves.  Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face, eyes, or mouth after touching public surfaces.  To help expedite your return home, we are recommending travellers keep documentation of their international travel whereabouts (such as receipts from restaurants, taxis, retail purchases, hotel folios, etc) that identify location and date.  As the situation is rapidly changing, U.S. Customs and Border Protection may request this information when returning to the U.S. if it is suspected you have visited or transited through countries that have been impacted by the virus - even if you have not.

 

Current countries with heightened scrutiny include:

All European countries participating in the Schengen agreement (UK excepted), China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Iran, South Korea, Japan, and Turkey.

 

We will continue to monitor this ever changing situation and inform you about any important information regarding your travel.

 

Legal disclaimer: The preceding updates are valid for both members of We The Wild Travel, LLC (a South Dakota USA based limited liability corporation) and We The Wild Canada, Ltd. (an Ontario Canada based private limited company). Whilst we consider members of both companies "members of the Wild," we are required to make this legal distinction when providing information that might impact your travel.  [w.mc6x]