Trip.com announces safeguards for travelers affected by COVID-19 outbreak

Trip.com is offering refunds for travellers, especially healthcare workers, whose travel plans were crossed by the COVID-19 outbreak

Originally announced in January with the support of industry partners, the Trip.com Safeguard Cancellation Guarantee initiative offers cancellation waivers to customers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

As part of the new provisions announced today, Trip.com will expand the coverage of the initiative to individuals directly and unavoidably affected by the outbreak, providing the following cancellation provisions for bookings on Trip.com made before 11.59 pm on February 23, 2020, for use before 11.59 pm on March 31, 2020 in the following cases:

1. Customers who are unable to travel as a result of diagnosis of the virus will be eligible for a guaranteed full refund for all products.

2. In support of the admirable efforts of healthcare workers to contain the virus, Trip.com will also provide a guaranteed full refund for all products to healthcare workers devoted to efforts directly related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, whose travel plans have been cancelled in order to remain on the frontlines of the fight against the virus.

3. Where scheduled travel becomes impossible due to published travel restrictions or mandatory 14-day quarantine requirements by destination authorities, customers from affected regions may receive a full refund for any hotel, train ticket, airport transfer, car rental, tour, or attraction pass booking.

4. All bookings for hotels that have joined the Safeguard Cancellation Guarantee initiative may be cancelled free of charge. Wherever possible, Trip.com will do its utmost to co-ordinate with hotels not covered by the initiative to secure a refund for customers.

5. Air ticketing cancellation policies will be continually updated and synchronised with airlines, and Trip.com will assist customers in processing refunds in accordance with the latest policies as they become available.

“Trip.com recognises that the volatility of the situation is causing anxiety for our customers across the globe. We believe that it is our duty at this key moment in the fight to contain the virus to support those who have been unable to travel due to unavoidable circumstances, and to recognise the admirable sacrifices made by healthcare workers to contain the epidemic,” said Trip.com Group chairman James Liang.

“We stand behind our users across the globe at this challenging time,” Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun said. “We thank our partners for their understanding and support at this critical juncture. Let us come together and work as one cohesive team and play our part in reducing the spread of the virus.”