Swine Flu Travel Advisory

CDC's Travel Health Warning recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico, in effect since April 27, 2009, has now been downgraded to a Travel Health Precaution for Mexico. CDC has been monitoring the ongoing outbreak of novel H1N1 flu in Mexico and, with the assistance of the Mexican authorities, has obtained a more complete picture of the outbreak. There is evidence that the Mexican outbreak is slowing down in many cities though not all. In addition, the United States and other countries are now seeing increasing numbers of cases not associated with travel to Mexico. Finally, the risk of severe disease from novel H1N1 virus infection now appears to be less than originally thought.

At this time, CDC has removed its recommendation that U.S. travelers avoid travel to Mexico.

CDC continues to recommend that travelers visiting Mexico take steps to protect themselves from getting novel H1N1 flu.

CDC recommends that travelers at high risk for complications from any form of influenza discuss with their physicians the risks and benefits of travel in the context of their planned itinerary to Mexico, and may want to consider postponing travel.

Travelers at high risk for complications include:

• Children less than 5 years old
• Persons aged 65 years or older
• Children and adolescents (less than 18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection
• Pregnant women
• Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders
• Adults and children who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

Airlines
Many airlines have relaxed their re-ticketing policies as a result of the swine flu outbreak. These policies vary from airline to airline, so be sure to check the specific airline you are traveling. If your airline is not listed, please contact your travel agent for an update. In conjunction with the airline policies and date ranges, Montrose Travel will waive their transaction fee for reissue of tickets to Mexico.

Air Tran
AeroMexico
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta Airlines
Frontier Airlines
JetBlue
Mexicana Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Spirit Airlines
Sun Country
TACA Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways

Further, please be advised that Mexico has instituted swine flu screening at airports and land borders for travelers departing Mexico, according to Mexican health authorities. Passengers showing symptoms of swine influenza will be asked to submit voluntarily to physical examination and further evaluation, if needed. Entry and exit screening may cause significant delays at airports. At this time, the United States is not conducting enhanced entry screening of passengers arriving from Mexico, nor is the United States conducting exit screening of passengers departing for Mexico.

Cruise Lines
Major cruise lines will resume visits to Mexican ports of call based on the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, which is no longer recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico. Once all voyages with previously modified itineraries are completed, those vessels will revert to their original routes featuring stops in Mexico. Most itineraries were modified through mid-June.

All cruise lines indicate that their ships and medical staff are already well equipped to prevent and contain the spread of contagious diseases, including swine flu. Even though the risk of contracting this illness is very low, we will be taking extra precautions, and will be guided by advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Insurance
If you purchased an insurance plan with the optional "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage, you could cancel your trip and receive the benefits outlined in the policy. With a typical travel insurance plan that does not include Cancel for Any Reason coverage, cancellation due to fear of contracting the virus while traveling would not be a covered reason for cancellation. Additionally, a number of travel insurance plans do include coverage for trip interruption and travel delay if a traveler is quarantined to an area because of possible contact with the swine flu. Regardless of where you are traveling, it is important to make certain that you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance plan that includes travel delay, trip interruption, medical expense and emergency medical evacuation coverage as well as 24/7 emergency medical and travel assistance.

In Conclusion
No matter where you are traveling, it is important to prepare for the unexpected. Montrose Travel is advising its customers to take precautions when traveling to areas recently affected by the swine flu outbreak. While in no way do we want to minimize the seriousness of this outbreak, our first concern is for our customers to remember to take precautions, and as with any health advisory, be prepared, but not panicked.