Several airline employee groups and those working for ground-hounding companies are striking, resulting in delayed and canceled flights and lost checked luggage. Therefore, you should confirm with your airline if you plan to fly to/from/via Italy this Friday and preferably rebook.

ITA Airways Has Released The Following Statement:

Due to the strike announced by workers in the aviation sector, airport sector, and airport-related industries some flights operated by ITA Airways on Friday, 19 May 2023, may experience schedule changes.

To minimize inconvenience for passengers, ITA Airways has put in place an extraordinary plan and rebooked the highest possible number of travelers impacted by the cancellations: 68% will be able to fly on 19 May.

ITA Airways invites all customers already holding tickets for travel on 19 May to check the status of their flights before going to the airport on the ita-airways.com website, or by calling the airline at the toll-free number 800 93 60 90 (within Italy), at +39 +39 06 8596 0020 (from abroad), or contacting the travel agency where the ticket was bought.

Travellers holding tickets and eventually affected by a cancellation or schedule change of ITA Airways flights on 19 May can rebook their flight at no additional cost or penalty, or ask for a full ticket refund (only if the flight is cancelled or the delay on departure exceeds 5 hours) by 24 May 2023.

Italian Civil Aviation Authority Statement (Translation):

Air Passenger Rights EC 261/2004:

Remember that airlines are bound by the EC 261/2004 regulation even in case of strikes, but cash compensation due to delays and cancellations doesn’t usually apply.

The airlines must rebook affected passengers to their final destination at the earliest opportunity, even when this means moving them to other airlines. However, if the flight is canceled or there is a long delay, the passenger can opt for a refund.

Airlines must also provide Duty to Care in case of long delays, which means providing accommodation and meals.

ITA Airways Canceled Flights:

Conclusion

This appears to be a relatively widespread air transport sector strike that will affect most airlines that fly to/from Italy on that day.

I would look for other options if your plans include travel on that date on any of the flights that are not protected to operate, as there might be, and likely is, last-minute cancellations.

Railway and Transport Worker’s Union are launching a 50-hour-long warning strike that will halt all long-distance, regional, and freight traffic.

UPDATE: The strike has been called off as parties have reached an agreement at the last minute. 

Lufthansa relies on German’s rail network to provide connectivity to its long-haul flights and has issued the following guidance:

Disruptions on Lufthansa Express Rail connections from 14 May (10 p.m.) to 16 May (midnight)

Conclusion

It has been a spring of strikes around Europe in 2023 due to employees demanding higher wages because of rampant inflation + strikes in France due to pension reform plans.

The rail is the way to go for short/medium-distance travel around Europe due to stations being in city centers and high-speed rail widely available.

I just took the Eurostar on Monday and will take it back to London from Paris on Saturday. I have some rail travel within Italy coming next month too.

Argentina has tried to stop this practice and started to offer better exchange rates for transactions completed using foreign-issued credit cards. This “credit card” exchange rate is 10% to 15% less than the unofficial blue but allows you to save the VAT on hotel accommodations.

So, I made tests when I stayed in Buenos Aires and Mendoza by paying certain transactions using Visa (US), American Express (Finland), and HSBC (Hong Kong) to see how these payment networks handle this unusual situation.

Visa Currency Conversion Calculator:

Visa’s calculator lets you see the exchange rate used for transactions in foreign-issued credit cards.

Mastercard Currency Conversion Calculator:

Mastercard’s calculator does not. Instead, it gives you the official exchange rate of 228 ARS per USD when the Blue Dollar rate is 470 or so.

American Express Currency Conversion Calculator:

I couldn’t find one!

Visa Charges Argentina

Visa handles the charges coming in ARS correctly. They close at the correct exchange rate (varies daily).

Mastercard Charges Argentina

The charge closes using the official exchange rate, but you will a few days later receive a refund that is dated to the original date.

American Express Charges Argentina

The ARS transactions were first posted using the official exchange rate, and a refund was posted roughly a week later, backdated to the original transaction date.

Blue Rate Versus Credit Card Rate

There is a spread between the Blue Dollar and the credit card rate.

Exchanging Cash In Argentina:

Dollar Blues In Argentina 2023 Version – Remember To Bring Crisp $100 Notes

Conclusion

Paying hotel expenses using a foreign credit card makes sense because you don’t have to pay the 21 VAT on accommodation.

There is a 15% spread between the Blue Rate and the foreign exchange rate, and you can save more IF you bring crisp $100 notes and make the exchange in Buenos Aires at the correct rate. Unfortunately, exchange houses in Mendoza were not competitive, and I ended up just swiping a credit card there and saving the dollar notes elsewhere.

The credit card acceptance is excellent, and I did not have the same issues getting a car (Uber or Cabify) when using the apps and paying using a card as on my previous trip last year.

Not sure what was taking place in Argentina over my two stays there last month, but the Blue Rate moved from 395 ARS to USD to close to 500, and it is now hovering around 470.

You will be positively surprised what will post for your hotel stays in Argentina that are always quoted in USD and then converted using the official exchange rate to ARS that you settle using the pseudo credit card blue rate and save 40% to 45%.

The European Union has had Air Passenger Right legislation EC 261/2004 for nearly 20 years, requiring airlines to provide Duty to Care (accommodation and meals) and compensation for flight delays and cancellations. Now, the U.S. intends to have something similar.

Current Situation For Flight Delays & Cancellations:

Department of Transportation Press Release:

DOT to Propose Requirements for Airlines to Cover Expenses and Compensate Stranded Passengers

For the first time in U.S. history, DOT initiates a rulemaking that would require airlines to compensate passengers and cover certain expenses for controllable delays and cancellations

FlightRights.Gov, the newly-expanded DOT dashboard first launched last summer to hold airlines accountable to passengers, shows that few airlines currently provide any compensation for airline-caused delays or cancellations

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced plans to launch a new rulemaking that is aimed at requiring airlines to provide compensation and cover expenses for amenities such as meals, hotels, and rebooking when airlines are responsible for stranding passengers. After a two-year DOT push to improve the passenger experience, the ten largest airlines guarantee meals and free rebooking on the same airline and nine guarantee hotel accommodations as part of the Department’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard. DOT expanded the dashboard today at FlightRights.Gov to highlight which airlines currently offer cash compensation, provide travel credits or vouchers, or award frequent flyer miles when they cause flight delays or cancellations. DOT’s planned rulemaking would make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight disruptions.

“When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This rule would, for the first time in U.S. history, propose to require airlines to compensate passengers and cover expenses such as meals, hotels, and rebooking in cases where the airline has caused a cancellation or significant delay.”

The planned rulemaking is aimed at addressing:

• Compensation for passengers when there is a controllable airline cancellation or significant delay;
• A meal or meal voucher, overnight accommodations, ground transportation to and from the hotel, and rebooking for controllable delays or cancellations;
• Timely customer service during and after periods of widespread flight irregularities; and
• Definition of a controllable cancellation or delay.

In addition to announcing plans to initiate a rulemaking that would strengthen consumer protections, the Department has launched FlightRights.Gov and expanded its Airline Customer Service Dashboard to give travelers more transparency about the types of compensation, if any, airlines currently guarantee when they are the cause of a cancelation or delay. The following categories were added to Commitments for Controllable Cancellations and Controllable Delays:

• Cash compensation when cancellation or delay results in passenger waiting 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time;
• Travel credit/voucher when cancellation or delay results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more for scheduled departure time; and
• Frequent flyer miles when cancellation or delay results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more for a flight from the scheduled departure time.

Currently, one airline guarantees frequent flyer miles, and two airlines guarantee travel credits or vouchers as compensation if passengers experience significant delays or cancellations that are caused by something within the airline’s control, such as a mechanical issue. No airline guarantees cash compensation when an airline issue causes the significant delay or cancellation. The Department’s rulemaking proposes to ensure that passengers experiencing controllable delays and cancellations are better protected from financial losses than is the case today. The Department plans to define “controllable cancellation and delay” in this rulemaking. Also, the Department believes that this rulemaking could result in improved airline on-time performance.

Today’s announcement builds upon work that DOT has been pushing on for the last two years. Last summer, Secretary Buttigieg urged to improve their customer service plans before the release of the Airline Customer Service Dashboard. Airlines responded. Before the Secretary’s letter, none of the 10 largest U.S. airlines guaranteed meals or hotels when the airline was at fault for a delay or cancellation. Now, all 10 guarantee meals and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes the delay or cancellation.

During the past two years, DOT has taken other unprecedented action to ensure the traveling public is protected, including:

• Last year, DOT issued the largest fines in the history of the Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection—helping to get hundreds of thousands of people hundreds of millions of dollars back. And since 2021, DOT has helped return more than $1 billion in refunds to travelers.
  
• Earlier this year, Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines to commit to fee-free family seating. Before his urging, no airline committed to guaranteeing a parent or caregiver could sit next to a child aged 13 or under without paying junk fees. Now three airlines have committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating, and DOT is pursuing a rulemaking that would require all airlines to do so. Secretary Buttigieg also submitted to Congress a legislative proposal to require that airlines provide fee-free family seating. To further assist consumers in assessing airline family seating commitments, last month, DOT rolled out a new family seating dashboard that highlights the airlines that guarantee fee-free family seating, and those that do not, making it easier for parents to avoid paying junk fees to sit with their children when they fly.
  
• The Department’s proposed rule on Airline Ticket Refunds, if adopted, would: 1) require airlines to proactively inform passengers that they have a right to receive a refund when a flight is canceled or significantly changed, and 2) define a significant change and cancellation that would entitle a consumer to a refund as more than three hours for a domestic flight, and more than six hours for an international flight. The rule would also 3) require airlines to provide non-expiring vouchers or travel credits when people cannot travel because they have COVID-19 or other communicable diseases; and 4) require airlines that receive significant government assistance in the future related to a pandemic to issue refunds instead of non-expiring travel credits or vouchers when passengers are unable or advised not to travel because of a serious communicable disease.
  
• The Department has proposed a rule that would significantly strengthen protections for consumers by ensuring that they have access to certain fee information before they purchase their airline tickets. Under the proposed rule, airlines and travel search websites would have to disclose upfront—the first time an airfare is displayed—any fees charged to sit with your child, for changing or cancelling your flight, and for checked or carry-on baggage. The proposal seeks to provide customers the information they need to choose the best deal. Otherwise, surprise fees can add up quickly and overcome what may look at first to be a cheap fare. 
• The Department has proposed a rule to refund passengers for services they paid for that are not actually provided (e.g., broken WiFi).

Conclusion

The devil is in the details of what can be considered a controllable cancellation or delay and what airlines wish to be considered out of their control.

Many of these delays and cancellations are airlines’ own making. They schedule more flights than crews can operate without going overtime or having inadequate preventative maintenance, an old fleet, and many last-minute mechanicals.

I wish that when the DOT introduces the compensation rules, they are crystal clear, unlike in Europe, where many airlines fight hard not to compensate. However, DOT in the United States has power and often fines airlines that fail to follow the rules. The fines, however, are insignificant compared to what airlines save for breaking them.

The proposed rulemaking would exclude delays and cancellations outside of airlines’ control, unlike in Europe, where those are eligible for duty to care (accommodation & meals) but not for cash compensation.

Let’s see what the exact rule is once finished. Undoubtedly, airlines are heavily lobbying for relaxed rules and the lowest possible compensation.

You can expect possible delays on May 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 25, 26 & 27, and the First Wing Security is likely closed, like during the previous strike period.

British Airways (the airline at Terminal 5) is sending out the following email to passengers:

Your upcoming trip is almost here and we can’t wait to welcome you on board. We’re sorry to say that Heathrow Airport has informed us that its security staff will be taking part in industrial action when you are due to travel but don’t worry, we’re working closely with them to help ensure you travel as planned.

Please follow these top tips to make everyone’s journey through the airport smoother.

1. Check in online from 24 hours before your flight departs. You can download the British Airways app to get your digital boarding pass and go straight to the self-serve bag drop desks, if you have checked baggage. Learn more.

2. Double-check your baggage allowance and don’t forget to leave some room in your case for all those souvenirs and shopping. See what you can take on your flight here.

3. Please take as few items of hand baggage as you can. During this busy travel period you can check in your hand baggage free of charge.

4. Plan to arrive at the airport in good time. Three hours ahead of a long-haul flight and two hours ahead of a short-haul flight, but not before this.

Conclusion

There were minimal disruptions during the last strike period when the airport could find alternate staff to fill the positions adequately.

The First Wing was open during the previous strike, but the First Wing security was not. So you can check in there, but then you need to go through the usual security.

I am going to London this week and will take Eurostar out on Monday.

All travelers to Japan, including its citizens and permanent residents, must be triple-vaccinated or have a negative Covid test not older than 72 hours at the time of departure. However, these are no longer mandatory from tomorrow.

These measures are to be lifted before the Golden Week holidays are set to begin and in anticipation of a surge of travel.

The government has also lifted random Covid tests from mainland arrivals.

A testing trial will be launched on May 8, 2023, at major airports for passengers with Covid like symptoms, but even that will be voluntary.

Our Japan Reopening Coverage:

Japan Ends Border Control Measures On May 8, 2023

Japan Entry Experience March 2023 Through Tokyo’s Haneda Airport

Reminder: Use “Visit Japan Web” To Record Your Vaccination Information To Ensure Smoother Entry

Japan No Longer Recommends You To Wear Mask

Japan Relaxes Visitor Arrivals From China On March 1, 2023

Japan Plans To Lower Covid Categorization From 2 To 5 On May 8, 2023

Japan Entry Experience Through Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport January 2023

Japan Launches “Visit Japan Web” That Incoming Passengers Must Use From November 14, 2022

Japan Reinstates Visa-Free Travel & Removes Daily Arrivals Cap On October 11, 2022

Japan Non-Guided Tour & ERFS Issuance For Tourist Visa Purposes

Conclusion

Japan was one of the last countries to reopen to international visitors in late 2022. I arranged a “personal tour visa” before the opening and enjoyed very reasonable hotel rates for a few weeks.

When I flew to Japan last time in March, I only had to “certify” during the online check-in process that I was either sufficiently vaccinated (I am – four shots) or had a recent Covid test. Lufthansa did not check these at any point, but I uploaded them to the Visit Japan Web to get clearance and a stress-free entry.

I am glad that Japan has now removed the last barriers to entry, but remember that vaccines save lives.

Airlines are told to cancel 33% of flights at Orly Airport and 25% at Paris Charles de Gaulle. In addition, the strike will affect flights that use French airspace, as overfly flights are also affected.

Air France has issued the following guidance:

Strike action of air traffic controllers planned on May 01, 2023

Updated:  April 27, 2023  4:45 PM Paris local time

Following a strike by air traffic controllers, te French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has requested all airlines to reduce their flight schedule to and from certain French airports on May 1, 2023.

On this day, Air France plans to operate:

• all its long-haul flights,
• nearly 7 out of 10 flights on its short and medium-haul network.

Last-minute delays and cancellations cannot be ruled out.

The flight schedule is currently being updated. Customers affected by cancelled flights will be notified individually by SMS and e-mail or via the Air France application.

Commercial measures can be consulted below, allowing customers to bring forward or postpone their flight free of charge and, for customers whose flight is cancelled, a voucher or a full refund in the event that they no longer travel.

Air France regrets this strike action and is doing everything possible to limit the impact on its customers.

Passenger Rights

European Union EC 261/2004 Air Passengers’ rights do apply in case of strikes, but the requirement of delay compensation doesn’t not.

Airlines must rebook affected passengers to their final destination at the earliest opportunity, even when this means moving them to competing carriers.

Airlines are also responsible for Duty to Care which means meals and accommodation in case of long delays.

Passengers can also opt for a refund (their choice) if the flight is canceled or significantly delayed.

Conclusion

The French President tries to push through a minor pension reform that many in France are vehemently against, hence these strikes and frequent demonstrations.

You should monitor your flights to/from/through France from late Sunday to early Tuesday for delays and cancellations.

These strikes are getting close to home, as I am flying back to Europe on Monday for the next five weeks. My travel so far has not been affected, but I believe I will eventually run out of luck.

Lufthansa has informed that it will operate all flights TO Berlin, but it appears that all departing flights, including those of Lufthansa, have been canceled (Lufthansa likely flies planes out without passengers).

The airlines are required per EC261/2004 to rebook the affected passengers at their earlier convenience (passengers’, not the airlines’), or passengers can also opt for a refund if they so wish, even on noncancelable and nonrefundable tickets.

Passengers are also eligible for Duty to Care, which means accommodation (hotel) and/or meals in case of long delays.

Lufthansa’s Announcement:

Conclusion

They really should find a solution for the security staff strikes in Germany, although there is quite a gap between what the trade union demands and what the other party is willing to accept.

I am scheduled to fly through Frankfurt Airport in less than two weeks and need to closely monitor the situation, as should you, who have flights to/from/through Germany, until this issue has been resolved.

There is an official exchange rate that you can use to convert currencies to local pesos, but you cannot use the official rate to convert pesos to foreign currencies, and this has created a vast black market called Dolar Blue.

You cannot get cash from the local ATMs using a competitive rate, but only the official one that currently (April 21) sits around 1 USD = 218 ARS.

If you use a foreign-issued credit card to pay, however, you get a semi Blue Rate of around 395 pesos per USD (Visa calculator), when the Dolar Blue rate is 432 pesos per USD.

Your hotel charges are tax exempt (21%) if you use a foreign credit card to settle, so you no longer need to exchange USD to ARS to save on accommodation, as the VAT savings are more significant than the spread between the Blue Dollar and the foreign credit card exchange rate.

I don’t usually suggest anyone use a Western Union, but they also offer a convenient service if picking up ARS at a competitive rate and funding it using a credit or debit card.

Money Exchange in Buenos Aires

The “official” exchanges either don’t show exchange rates or the official ones with a better rate for tourists.

You should not use them; you can get a much better rate elsewhere.

Just walk around Calle Florida, and every few meters, there is a person or two offering foreign exchange services, mainly from dollars, euros, or reais to Argentinean Pesos.

You should always check the latest exchange rates for Blue Dolars, and several websites are tracking them (you can access some of them here, here, here, and here).

You pick up one of the persons and start to negotiate. If your bills are crisp $100 ones, you should get close to the blue dollar rate shown on one of the websites.

You then walk with your handler to one of these “illegal” exchanges all over the center, usually in an unmarked shop.

You hand them your dollars, and soon the cash-counting machine goes through the stack of notes you will end up with. I have never been given an incorrect amount or fake notes from these places. I did not exchange my $20 notes, as the rate offered for them was not good, and it was a wise choice.

I didn’t get through the 158,000 ARS from the first exchange, and the ARS devalued over the week against the dollar by 8%.

The restaurant bill above would have been $160 using the official exchange rate, $97 by settling using a foreign credit card, or $89 using ARS from the Blue Dolar exchange.

Previous Dolar Blue Coverage:

• Dollar Blues In Argentina (Bring $100 Notes & Don’t Use Cards)
• Report From Buenos Aires: TO BLUE OR NOT TO BLUE (OR HOW ARGENTINA CAN BE 33% CHEAPER
• REMINDER: Exchange Cash Locally In Argentina & Save 33% (DON’T USE CREDIT CARDS!)
• Dolar Blue Take Three: Reminder To Exchange Cash Locally In Argentina And Not To Use Credit Cards
• REMINDER: Take Cash To Argentina And Not To Use Credit Cards (Dolar Blue)
• Argentina Lifts Currency Controls – Dolar Blue Gone For Now?
• Argentina In Crisis – Dolar Blue Makes A Return?

Conclusion

The exchange rate of USD to ARS was 1 to 3 when I was in Argentina for the first time, and now it is 1 to 427. The current largest note (1,000) is soon worth $2, and the 500 peso one a buck. You need stacks of notes to pay for any significant expenses.

Not sure why the country’s government has this silly practice in place. Who do they believe they can mislead by having essentially an exchange rate nobody uses and then these Blue Dolar and foreign credit card ones?

It is excellent that you can now pay hotel expenses using a foreign-issued credit card and do better than the blue rate because the 21% VAT is waived. You only need to bring cash to cover other expenses. This saves you around 10% to 15% over paying using a card, as long as these two rates move hand in hand.

I will update you about using a credit card to pay in Argentina and how this also affects earning points for hotel stays when all these charges have cleared and stays posted.

The two-day strike expands to include Stuttgart airport for a day on Friday (April 21, 2023), and airlines have already canceled almost all flights.

The airlines are required to rebook affected passengers at their earliest possibility, even when this means moving them to rival airlines. Passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed can also choose a refund.

Passengers are also eligible for Duty to Care in case of long delays. This requires airlines to provide accommodation and meals.

Lufthansa’s Announcement:

Conclusion

So, three airports are essentially closed for today (Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn & Hamburg) and four tomorrow (Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn & Hamburg + Stuttgart), affecting a significant number of passengers.

It is really unfortunate that there has been no resolution for the wage raises for these security employees at German Airports.

Several airlines have issued travel alerts that some of their services may be canceled or delayed, but ITA Airways, as usual, has not released any guidance pretending that flights will go forward as scheduled.

You should monitor changes to your flights to/from/through Italy for Friday, as they might be affected by this strike activity.

Usually, these strikes in Italy affect flights between certain hours of the day, and there is a minimum service that is guaranteed.

The EC 261/2004 requires affected passengers to be rebooked at their earliest convenience (passengers’, not the airlines). Airlines must also provide Duty to Care (accommodation and meals) in case of long delays.

Conclusion

This spring, there has been a relatively active strike season in Germany, Italy, and France that has significantly affected air travelers.

Due to rampant inflation, employees demand significant wage raises, and employers are unwilling to meet them. Let’s see how this goes on.

Hamburg airport has already announced that there won’t be flights on these two strike days, and most flights at the other two are likely canceled too.

You can access Lufthansa’s page for strike information here.

Note that this strike affects all airlines operating from these three airports. UPDATE: There are 700 flight cancellations at the affected airports on Thursday.

The airlines must rebook affected passengers at the earliest opportunity and provide Duty to Care in case of long delays and cancellations (accommodation and meals) per EC 261/2004.

Lufthansa’s Announcement:

Conclusion

There has been strike activity in Germany this spring among security employees that have significantly affected flight operations from various airports, sometimes grounding most flights.

Air Traffic Controllers have confirmed that they will participate in this action, also affecting trains and public transportation.

During these strikes, there is usually a 20% to 25% reduction in allowed flights from select French airports, which also affects flights that utilize French airspace.

Air France intends to fly their long-haul schedule and flights to/from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. There will be roughly a 20% reduction in all other flights.

Air Passenger Rights

The EU’s EC 261/2004 regulation covers passengers caught in this strike.

Remember that EC 261/2004 applies to all flights from the EU/EEA and community carriers’ flights outside the EU/EEA to the union. The UK has also instituted similar legislation, UK261.

Passengers can choose a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly delayed, even when the ticket is non-refundable.

Airlines must also rebook affected passengers to their final destination at the earliest opportunity, even when this means rebooking them on other airlines.

Significantly delayed passengers are also eligible for airline paid accommodation and meals.

Air France’s announcement:

National call for strike action planned on April 13, 2023

Updated:  April 11, 2023  06:30 PM Paris local time

The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has asked all airlines to reduce their flight schedules to and from some French airports on April 13, 2023 as part of the national strike action in France. For this day, Air France plans to operate :

• all its long-haul flights,
• all its flights to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle,
• nearly 8 out of 10 flights to and from certain French airports.

Delays and last-minute cancellations cannot be ruled out. The flight schedule is being updated and customers affected by cancelled flight will be notified individually by SMS, e mail or via the Air France application. Commercial measures allow customers whose flight is cancelled to anticipate or postpone their trip free of charge or to obtain a voucher or a full refund in the event that they no longer travel.

Conclusion

The demonstrations against the retirement age and benefit changes have plagued France for the past few weeks.

Most flights have gone forward, but there have been some delays and cancellations on flights that merely utilize the French airspace. If your travel tomorrow involves flying to/from/through/over France, you should monitor your itinerary for possible changes.

I am scheduled to be in Paris in early May but taking Eurostar from London, which has had a few of its services canceled during these strikes, but claims that all services should go forward as planned this coming Thursday.

The mask-wearing requirement in public transportation is removed, although still recommended. EVA Air and China Airlines likely follow this guidance by Taiwan’s CDC.

Taiwan Centers for Disease Control Press Release:

CECC announces plans to relax mask rules on public transportation; eased rules scheduled to take effect on April 17 if pandemic situation remains stable

On April 7, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that it will implement general rules for eased mask requirements on public transportation starting April 17 if the coronavirus situation remains stable and under control. Related details are listed below.

I. Masks should be worn at all times indoors in the places/spaces listed below. These places include:
A. Health care facilities: healthcare, medical, and senior welfare institutions, long-term care facilities, veterans homes, children and youth services, and care institutions for physically or mentally disabled people.

B. Ambulances.

In the following situations, wearing a mask will not be required in the places/venues above: eating, taking photos, during checkups, treatment, or activities where wearing a mask is not appropriate or feasible.

II. Wearing a mask is recommended in the situations listed below.

A. When a fever or respiratory symptoms are present;
B. When elderly people or people with weak immune systems go out;
C. When people are in a crowded place where proper distance with others cannot be maintained or ventilation is poor;
D. When people come into close contact with elderly people or people with weak immune systems (especially those who are not fully vaccinated);
E. When using public transportation and designated vehicles: paratransit buses and school buses for transporting students.

III. Members of the public are free to choose to wear or not wear a mask in other indoor places or spaces by themselves.

IV. The abovementioned measures are general rules, and relevant details may be enacted according to the competent authority’s regulations.

Conclusion

I flew with China Airlines on Delta issued award ticket (which must have been in January) and cannot remember the mask situation on board or at the airport in Taipei (I slept through both flights).

Remember that you can continue to wear a face mask if you so feel, and definitely should if you have any flu-like symptoms.

I have not been back to Taiwan since the pandemic began, although I circled Asia extensively last year and am currently in Sydney. I’ll try to fit it into my schedule when I return to the region this fall.