Today's Zoom meeting was with Joanie Forkish and Joyce Nathan from FROSCH Travel. They are in Los Angeles and spoke to us about the effect of Covid on the travel industry. FROSCH Travel is one of the largest travel companies 54 offices world wide. https://www.frosch.com/
The travel business is fluid. They got to know Bill a number of years ago when they booked a cruise for him and Kathy. Pre meeting notes. Ted Ramirez was being silenced on his Zoom allegedly because he is a lawyer.
Brenda rang her lipstick bell. She was hoping that no one wound up at our meeting place. Next week, we will start meeting at MCL (Medicare Lounge) in addition to being on Zoom. Our schedule will be the first three weeks each month will be at MCL and Zoom and the forth week will be Zoom only. We are going to get a gift for Claudia for all her years of great service to us. Let Mark Schwieterman hot much you are willing to donate for her gift.
Bill Lindahl introduced the speakers. Joanie and Joyce have been in the travel business for a number of years.
Looking forward, there are a lot of positive indications for next year. There is a lot of pent up travel. There is as lot of business travel that has to happen. Companies want their employees to travel for meetings rather than virtual meetings. The airlines have been running at about 25% of what they have done in the past It is anticipated that they will bring back flights in September, but they will do it when it is safe. Overall they will come back as smaller companies. The small travel agencies are being swallowed up by the larger companies. As a result they will be able to offer many more services. Because of the shut down, over $ 1 million in refunds. (She may have said a billion but I don't think so, that is a really BIG number) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS0niyiKlcw&list=PL1MFPYbHMusfAiGYgu7SdFJYwavTfk3Oa&index=269
It is best to use a travel agent so if you need to get a refund you don't have to wait on hold for a significant amount of time. When you travel it is suggested to bring your own pens, snacks etc.. The average age of the traveler before Covid was 50. Now it is 29. You should now check on your destination to make sure what restrictions there may be. Most all airlines will require to travel and she recommended changing your masks after 4 hours. It is anticipated that the airlines will be back but that it will be a slow roll out for a recovery. most places are trying to treat current travel as painless as possible. They will take temperatures and they want to see proof from the travelers of a recent Covid test. Overall if we need to travel, it is safe. She would not recommend traveling to Venezuela, not because of Covid but due to the unrest in the country. They think the cruises will start back up sometime between October and December, whenever the companies determine it is safe again. It will be based on the release from the CDC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4ltLp30KVs&list=PL1MFPYbHMusfAiGYgu7SdFJYwavTfk3Oa&index=277
Companies are being very accommodating as they try to get business back. If you are going to buy travel insurance, get it from a travel insurance company rather than from the business you have booked your trip. Flights are leaving the middle seat on flights open and taking other precautions to make the travel as safe as possible. Airlines are laying people off but not going out of business. In travel, a lot of companies are now requiring travelers sign a waiver as protection to the companies. They are very suit skittish. Hotels now no longer offer valet parking service.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTVjnBo96Ug&list=PL1MFPYbHMusfAiGYgu7SdFJYwavTfk3Oa&index=282
