Should we go to Oshkosh?

[FlyingVizsla]

Here's the announcement from EAA

 

We Don’t Gamble, We Need A Sure Thing

AirVenture 2020 is officially canceled

 

My fellow EAA’rs. It is May here in Wisconsin, and unfortunately like many of you across the country, we are still under a stay at home order through May 26. Normally, this is the month when we start our preflight planning for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. By this time, we should have begun ramping up our entire site in preparation for our July convention. Volunteers from across the country and world would have descended on Oshkosh. Together they would have formed work parties, our suppliers would begin start setting up tents and infrastructure. Our EAA staff would be printing wrist bands, campers guides, programs and an assortment of EAA collateral as full-on AirVenture execution begins.

 

But because of circumstances beyond our control, none of this can happen now. We cannot even get to the hangar so our preflight is left to watching the prog charts. While this certainly makes the ability to prepare for the event a scheduling problem, it does not preclude the bigger issue of predicting what will be the health guidelines in July. Right now, there are three phases that have been defined in Wisconsin as the recommended procedures. As I write this, we are not in Phase 1 yet. Phase 2 restricts gatherings to 50 people. Phase 3 allows for mass gathering with restrictions.

 

Our convention attracts EAA members not only from the U.S. but around the world. Today we cannot predict when we will be at a point that our event meets the all clear Phase 3 milestone for mass gathering with restrictions. As your leader, I see no clear path to meet our own requirements to insure the health and safety expectations our organization demands for our employees, members, volunteers, exhibitors and attendees. That includes sanitization, separation and personal protection requirements.

 

My conclusion is, like in any good flight planning, don’t take the risk. Therefore, I have no choice but to cancel AirVenture 2020. Together, we can come back stronger, safer and ready for AirVenture 2021 and create a memorable world class aviation event. Because of our dedicated and enthusiastic EAA members, our Association is strong. We know that at some point this storm will pass. And over the next 12 months we will continue to support all of you as we again, together, grow EAA in the Spirit of Aviation.

 

Respectfully,

alt=Jack J. Peltonhttp://pages.eaa.org/rs/910-SEU-073/images/signature-jack.jpg[/img]

Jack J. Pelton

Experimental Aircraft Association

CEO and Chairman of the Board

[Flightrite]

Yeah got that email this morning. I sure dodged a bullet there! I was just in the throws of looking into hire vans, Accomm and air fairs etc when the first rumblings started about the hysteria we where in for! Maybe next year but after this mess who knows?

[pmccarthy]

I had paid my Qantas ticket (I know I have whinged here before) and still cannot get a reply out of them two months after they cancelled my flight. Not by phone or email.

[WayneL]

You should see the number of complaints about Flight Centre. They were charging $300 per person cancellation fees and the wait for a refund is over 3 months. Now the have capped it to $600 cancellation fee. Many unhappy ( non) travellers on a couple of Facebook sites. My wife and I were to fly to the UK on ANZAC day for a month. Booked flights on flight centre site, they will only give us credit to travel next year. Got back 75% of motorhome hire but will be out of pocket $4000 for other expenses that I can't get back.

Wayne

[tillmanr]

pmccarthy, if you log into your account or booking on the Qantas site then manage my booking you from memory , will be offered to cancel the flight.

[kaz3g]

I read one of the US newsletter that the Oshkosh has been cancelled. Anyone else?

 

just found this

 

https://fox6now.com/2020/05/01/disappointment-eaa-airventure-oshkosh-2020-canceled-due-to-covid-19-pay

[tillmanr]

EAA members received a cancellation notice a couple of days ago.

See post #51

[pmccarthy]

pmccarthy, if you log into your account or booking on the Qantas site then manage my booking you from memory , will be offered to cancel the flight.

Rob No it doesn’t. It just offers a flight credit. There is no option to cancel for a refund, with or without a cancellation fee. And even then, it will not accept my booking code because the flight has already been cancelled. It just says wait to hear from us, and there will be a long delay.

[440032]

I had August flight to Sydney turned into QF flight credit on 7 April. No actual notification came that they cancelled the flight. Went to the manage my bookings page and there was an option to request refund. So I did. No sign of it yet, still showing as a flight credit. About January, I was throwing around the idea of trying to get to Airventure (the real one) again.

[pmccarthy]

Today I received my refund for the Oshkosh flights, five months after it was paid and four months after it was cancelled by Qantas. Hooray. It came into the Westpac credit card account that I paid from originally. Westpac will now charge me $150 to transfer it back into my bank account.

[Jerry_Atrick]

I didn't know they legalised theft these days...

[kgwilson]

Today I received my refund for the Oshkosh flights, five months after it was paid and four months after it was cancelled by Qantas. Hooray. It came into the Westpac credit card account that I paid from originally. Westpac will now charge me $150 to transfer it back into my bank account.

Just leave it there and spend it as you go & save the $150. I use my credit card for everything unless they charge an additional fee & pay it off monthly. Free credit and no costs.

[pmccarthy]

Just leave it there and spend it as you go & save the $150. I use my credit card for everything unless they charge an additional fee & pay it off monthly. Free credit and no costs.

Good idea

[onetrack]

$150?? What an absolute rort. Nearly as bad as HSBC. I had a credit card with them, the stepdaughter transferred money to me to pay for a major item I bought at auction for her ($2700 worth) - but the auction house dropped the item in handling it, and destroyed it.

I got my money back from the auction house (the CC payment to the auction house was reversed) - then when I drew the cash out to return it to the SD, HSBC charged me a $25, "cash advance fee"!! - just to get my own money back!

Needless to say, I cancelled the CC, and do not deal with HSBC, and never will again.

[Jerry_Atrick]

It is clear the credit laws in Australia need an overhaul.. 'nuff said...