Because the situation with the H1N1 virus, commonly called swine flu, is fluid, travelers need as much information as possible before making travel decisions. Here’s what you need to consider as you make or rearrange travel plans.
•Keep current. Go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web page at for basic information on symptoms and updates and to media outlets for breaking news.
•Check with your airline. Policies, dates and change fees are varying even more widely by airline now. For an aggregated list of airline policies, go to and click on “Concerned About Swine Flu? Read This First!” or call your airline. As the flu spreads, airlines may extend their “rebook without penalty” dates, said Anne Banas, executive editor of , an online resource for consumer travel information, so keep checking.
•Be prepared for changes in cruise itineraries that include Mexico. Remember that the contract for carriage gives cruise lines great latitude to change an itinerary as the captain deems necessary or conditions warrant. Don’t expect a refund or credit for ports missed, although some lines will provide on-board credits as a gesture of goodwill.
•Read the fine print in insurance policies. If you have insurance, you may be covered if you want to cancel — or you may not. The “cancel- for-any-reason” policy, often an add-on to trip insurance, is just what it says it is.
•Consider your overall health. The CDC Travelers’ Health website urges people heading to Mexico from the U.S. who are at high risk of severe illness from influenza (those with chronic conditions such as diabetes or lung or heart disease, or the elderly) to take antiviral medications for prevention of swine flu during travel. Read the CDC’s travel health precautions page for more information about antiviral chemoprophylaxis and when its use is recommended.
Keep these sources close at hand:
•World Health Organization: who.int/en.
•The State Department’s pandemic flu fact sheet: travel .
•A swine flu health map: .
Los Angeles Times
