Transat, Sunquest, Carnival Cruise Lines Suspend Travel to Mexico
Source: CBC News
Posted: 04/28/09 4:29PM
Filed Under: Travel
Some Canadians planning vacations in Mexico are facing disruptions because of the swine flu outbreak in that country.
Dangerous Outbreaks |
Teacher Alistair Dixon,returning home from Mexico, wears a face mask as he pushes his luggage beside his father Stanley, background, after landing at London's Heathrow airport Sunday April 26, 2009. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has assumed new powers to isolate people infected with the deadly swine flu strain that health officials say has killed up to 86people and likely sickened about 1,400 in the country since April 13.The flu has spread beyond Mexico's borders with 20 confirmed cases in five U.S. states and suspected cases as far away as New Zealand. |
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PHOTOS |
On Tuesday, Transat AT postponed all planned flights to Mexico through to June 1, Sunquest cancelled its holiday packages to Mexico until June 4 and Carnival Cruise Lines suspended all stops at Mexican ports.
The move by Transat AT affects all its business units, including Air Transat, Transat Holidays and Nolitours (in Canada) and Vacances Transat and Look Voyages (in France).
Citing the World Health Organization's decision to raise the swine flu alert to Level 4, Transat AT announced it is bringing its customers and employees in Mexico back to Canada.
The holiday travel company said its return flights will leave as planned, and it will add more flights as needed.
It is postponing its flights from Canada to Mexico until June 1 inclusive, and from France to Mexico until May 31 inclusive.
Customers booked for future trips with Air Transat, Transat Holidays, Nolitours, Vacances Transat and Look Voyages scheduled to fly to Mexico between now and June 1 can change their travel plans with no additional charges, the company said.
Sunquest said in a news release that customers booked to Mexico can change their trips to any other Sunquest destination for travel any time up to Oct. 31, 2009.
Carnival said it cancelled Mexico stops for three ships scheduled to visit the country on Tuesday, but it hasn't yet announced a decision on future stops there.
Carnival and competitors Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Lines tried to allay guest fears by emphasizing how thoroughly the ships are cleaned.
Norwegian's Pearl is on a special voyage with stops in Mexico. The company says it is monitoring the situation and asking passengers about their health before cruises start.
Cuba suspends flights to Mexico
Also on Tuesday, Cuba suspended flights to and from Mexico, becoming the first country to impose a travel ban to that country as a result of the flu outbreak.
The Public Health Agency of Canada issued a travel warning late Monday advising Canadians to postpone any non-essential travel to Mexico until further notice.
The agency urged travellers to take precautionary measures such as getting a flu shot, frequently washing their hands, and covering coughs and sneezes.
The United States issued a similar warning earlier Monday, suggesting "non-essential travel to Mexico be avoided."
Meanwhile, Mexico's Ministry of Tourism and the Mexico Tourism Board issued a joint news release Monday, stating that their No. 1 priority is the health of tourists.
They said they "respect the precautionary measures that certain countries are implementing with regard to travel to Mexico and other countries where similar cases have been confirmed."
Authorities in Mexico say more than 1,900 people are being monitored for suffering swine flu symptoms. The WHO has put the number of confirmed cases in Mexico at 26, while Mexican officials have said only 20 people are confirmed to have the disease.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
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