milliondollarbbw

I have got tickets for Paris for early December. They are non-refundable. I am wondering if I should try and see if I can change them to London instead, and just stay in London and maybe catch a train to Paris if things have calmed down.

This trip is a trip of the lifetime and I sooo want to go to Paris. Changing the dates may not be feasible at this time. Ugh.

Has anyone tried to change any tickets they bought through travelocity?

Travelnut

I don't see why you should change your trip (at this time, anyway) as the city of Paris is reported to be calm by those reporting here and on TA that live in Paris. Also, there has only been one incident within Paris reported by the media, and that evidently wasn't considered to be anything that unusual.

Just keep reading both the media/news, and the reports from travelers who post here and TA, and decide later. A non-refundable ticket can usually be changed for a fee, probably around $200.

milliondollarbbw

Thank you for your advice! I am starting to freak out...this is a big deal trip for me...one I don't know if I will get the chance to do again.

As long as they do not cancel my flight, or restrict flights into Paris, and as long as all the attractions aren't closed, I am going to freaking go!!!!

I know, I know, it sounds crazy....I just have wanted this for so long.

clevelandbrown

If you've just bought the tickets recently, look into travel insurance, but be sure the policy covers insurrections or rioting; I know acts of war are almost universally excluded.

I've read that changing tickets when you have bought through one of the discount agencies, such as Travelocity, can be difficult. First, some of the deepest discount tickets they sell may in fact not be changeable. Second, you are asking them to put a lot of effort out, when they are making very little money, and I suspect they don't have a lot of people sitting around with the time, training, and initiative, to get the change made. Third, the airline usually won't deal with you, since you bought your ticket from someone else. Fourth, if you do find a way to get the tickets changed, it is likely to involve fairly high fees.

I personally would not plan a trip there now, but if I already had planned one, I would monitor the situation closely hoping that the rioting lessens or stops before the time of my trip. Meanwhile, I would try to find out precisely where the violence is, and make a listing of things to see that are not in those neighbourhoods.

I hope you get to go and enjoy your trip.

Travelnut

If you read all the threads on the board, you'll know 'where' the uprisings have occurred; 99% have been -outside- of Paris, you'd never know about it. Two incidents have occurred in Paris, one by Republique and one in the northern-most part of the 17th. Neither were anything more unusual than has happened at other times, with rowdy youth/gangs; ie. only 1 car was torched and the market set up around it anyway.

You need to seek some balance in all of this - I'm sure the media outside of France is getting their licks in by sensationalizing the situation (which is serious enough as is).

crefloors

I'm a real wuss when it comes to things like riots etc., but the news from Paris is good right now. If the government will get off their butts and start clamping down on this, it should begin to settle down. I saw two Amreicans interviewed on the news this morning, and they are IN Paris, and said they have seen nothing. There were also several Americans interviewed a couple of nights ago, and again, they have seen nothing. There is also a post from Michael, in Paris..I'm thinking it might be Michael Osman, an American artist and tour guide living in Paris, and he also has seen nothing. There was ONE incident of a car burned on the very outskirts of the Marais...and not really in the Marais. Like I say, I'm pretty chicken about things..I see people going to all kinds of places in Africa and going to Indonesia etc..NOT on my list for right now...but...if I had plans to go to Paris within the next couple of weeks, I would still be going. These are very personal decisions, and I'm sure all on the Africa board would tell me there is nothing at all to worry about, but that's just ME, and it's MY comfort level I'm talking about....so, YOU have to check YOUR comfort level. I hope you can still make your dream come true.

mikemo

No worries, we had Apr '04 shuttle (JFK - mid town) tickets purchased with the Hot.
We couldn't use the return, but got a near immediate credit.
M