If the city of Washington in the District of Columbia is in your travel plans — whether it is your final destination or you are connecting from any other external jurisdiction — over the next week or so, the change fee and any difference in fare may be waived due to both the inauguration of the new president of the United States tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, 2021 and the events which led to the deadly incident which occurred on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 of a mob which swarmed the Capitol building.
Travel Alert January 2021: Waivers For Travel to Washington, District of Columbia
Additionally, other measures have been temporarily enacted for flights in and out of the District of Columbia area — including the banning of firearms in checked baggage and passengers required to remain in their seats within the last hour of the flight during arrival towards Washington or within the first hour of the flight during departure away from Washington; and an enhanced policy of the enforcement of wearing masks or cloth coverings over the nose and mouth while at the airport and while aboard an airplane.
Flight Waivers
If the city of Washington in the District of Columbia is in your travel plans over the next week or so, you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.
Here are five airlines which have issued travel alerts for all travel to, from, or connecting through Washington in the District of Columbia as a result of the aforementioned inauguration of the new president of the United States tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, 2021 and the events which led to the incident which occurred on Wednesday, January 6, 2021:
- Alaska Airlines has issued travel alerts for Washington Dulles International Airport, Washington National Airport, and Baltimore Washington International Airport:
- Banning the transport of firearms and weapons in checked baggage between Saturday, January 16, 2021 through Saturday, January 23, 2021.
- Passengers must remain in their seats for one hour after departure and one hour prior to arrival.
- Enhanced mask policy enforcement in at the airport and aboard the airplane.
- Delta Air Lines has issued travel alerts for:
- Travel at or around the time of the inauguration of the new president of the United States — no actual dates have been specified and no airports have been identified; but you can cancel or modify your itinerary without any change fees.
- Washington Dulles International Airport, Washington National Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Richmond International Airport banning the transport of firearms and weapons in checked baggage between Saturday, January 16, 2021 through Saturday, January 23, 2021.
- United Airlines has issued travel alerts for Washington Dulles International Airport, Washington National Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Richmond International Airport banning the transport of firearms and weapons in checked baggage between Saturday, January 16, 2021 through Saturday, January 23, 2021.
- JetBlue Airways has issued travel alerts for Washington Dulles International Airport, Washington National Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Richmond International Airport banning the transport of firearms and weapons in checked baggage between Saturday, January 16, 2021 through Saturday, January 23, 2021.
- Frontier Airlines has issued travel alerts for Washington Dulles International Airport, Washington National Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Richmond International Airport banning the transport of firearms and weapons in checked baggage between Saturday, January 16, 2021 through Saturday, January 23, 2021.
Summary
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 ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
