Travelling with Swine flu risks: Safety vs Bargain

August 19, 2009 8:12 PM

Safety and budget -wise, should I buy a heavily discounted ticket now to SE Asia in January 2010? More details inside...

Hi guys!

I am calling on the powers of mefi to help me in a time of swine flu fear...

I am afraid of the Swine flu getting worse and I hear it's pretty serious in those hot tropical countries.

While at the same time I would like to know whether there would be cheap flight deals leading up to Jan next year, based on historical trends. Any bargain travel shoppers here who can speak from experience?

If it is unlikely, I will have to just take up the bargain and hope that Swine flu doesn't get too bad in around 5 months time!
If likely, I will play the pragmatist and just wait it out a little more for the next hot airfare deal.

Many thanks.

posted by gttommy to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

Wash your hands and get the cheap tickets. We got round trip from US to Indonesia for $800. Best deal in a decade!
posted by Burhanistan at 8:38 PM on August 19

Oh, just buy the ticket. Unless you have some sort of issue that compromises your immune system, or swine flu suddenly mutates into Captain Tripps, you should be fine.
posted by lunasol at 10:27 PM on August 19

I live in the Philippines. The initial panic has died down; we're actually more afraid of YOU guys bringing the darn swine flu thing in.

So come on by, barring any major outbreak (unlikely, in my opinion) you'll be safe.
posted by micketymoc at 1:09 AM on August 20

Buy the ticket. I've got a friend in Malaysia who recently e-mailed me (I'm in Canada) and was concerned because she'd heard that Swine Flu was quite bad here. Same thing with SARS - I think these things have a tendency to be blown out of proportion.

Who knows what it will be like in 5 months, but I don't think it's worth worrying about.
posted by backwards guitar at 5:16 AM on August 20

I just got back from 3 months in SE Asia (I'm Canadian) and people were more scared they would catch swine flu from me than the other way around. There was a Chinese family that wouldn't share a cabin on the train with us!

I say go for it, none of the travellers over there seem too worried about it right now, just be prepared to have your temperature taken at some land borders (the one they stick in your ear - and they don't wipe it between people, it's pretty gross)
posted by piper4 at 3:57 PM on August 20