If South Korea is in your travel plans over the next couple of months or so, you may want to consider delaying your travel — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information pertaining to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, of which at least 2,618 people have died of the minimum of 79,331 confirmed cases worldwide.
Travel Alert February 2020: South Korea Now Affected by 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Of the at least 833 confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus — which is now also known as COVID-19 — in the Republic of Korea, a minimum of eight people have died. 681 of those cases were confirmed in the city of Daegu and its surrounding province of North Gyeongbuk.
“A senior health official at the forefront of South Korea’s fight against Covid-19 has tested positive for the coronavirus — and identified himself as a member of the religious group linked to hundreds of other cases”, according to this article written by Park Chan-kyong for the South China Morning Post. “Consequently, 50 other health officials who worked with him have been quarantined at their homes as a precautionary measure.”
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, which is located in the Hubei Province of China.
Investigations to learn more about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus continue to be ongoing in this rapidly evolving situation.
The TravelCentre of the International Air Transport Association has a comprehensive list of countries which have imposed entry restrictions as a result of the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus worldwide; and the list is updated every day.
Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations
If you are traveling to South Korea over the next couple of months or so, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.
If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.
Here are four airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in South Korea:
- American Airlines has issued a travel alert for Seoul-Incheon for Monday, February 24, 2020 through Friday, April 24, 2020; and Tuesday, June 30, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Delta Air Lines has issued a travel alert for Seoul-Incheon for Friday, January 24, 2020 through Thursday, April 30, 2020; and Sunday, May 31, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- United Airlines has issued a travel alert for Seoul-Incheon for Monday, February 24, 2020 through Thursday, April 30, 2020; and Monday, April 30, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Korean Air has issued travel alerts for China and passengers with entry restriction regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, which are being handled on a case-by-case basis.
Summary
Additional airlines may issue travel waivers to and from South Korea as a result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus — in addition to the airlines which have issued travel alerts to and from China as well as have issued travel alerts to and from Hong Kong, hundreds of hotel and resort properties have temporarily closed.
Please refer to this article pertaining to whether you should be concerned about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus — which was written on Friday, January 24, 2020 here at The Gate — for additional details and information, although some of the information is now outdated.
Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.
Photograph ©2019 by Brian Cohen.
