Amid rising concerns over the global outbreak of COVID-19, people are scrambling to mediate changing travel situations.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced restrictions on travel from 26 European nations — putting more pressure on an industry already suffering from the turbulence of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

All big U.S. airlines have warned investors that their finances will take a hit, and many are canceling flights because of slumping demand. The International Air Transport Association forecasts a potential $113 billion in revenue losses for the industry worldwide.

Travel agent Dan Lauser, president of A+ Travel Adventures, based in Green, said that Trump’s announcement also jammed up air travel to the U.S. as Americans abroad scrambled to move return flight dates up.

“Last night just created a lot of confusion,” Lauser said. He said the announcement made it seem as if Americans would not be able to return after Friday night, but really there is no deadline for U.S. citizens to return — though travelers can expect extensive screenings.

“The problem right now is everybody is trying to get back, and flights are scarce,” Lauser said. “Some flights

have been eliminated, and (airlines) weren’t expecting everybody to want to rush back to the U.S. right now.”

Lauser said a client called Thursday seeking a new ticket to bring a daughter home from Barcelona, though she has a ticket to return in a few weeks. The parents scrambled to find an earlier flight, but they couldn’t get seats.

Lauser advised anyone considering traveling out of the country before April 30 should “really think about whether they want to do it.”

“Everything to Europe is coming to a grinding halt,” Lauser said.

Lauser said anyone experiencing travel problems should contact a travel agent, as agents have access to flights and prices for all airlines.

He said though domestic travel is trending down, it’s still reasonable to book flights. Almost all domestic airlines are waiving change fees associated with rescheduling flights, and many are offering vouchers for canceled flights. He said travel to the Caribbean and Mexico also is still viable.

Lauser said he urges clients not to wait until the last minute to cancel trips with tour agencies, as many companies also are beginning to waive change fees or are helping travelers make alternate arrangements.

In light of changing travel situations, Warren native Madeline LaPolla, 24, canceled a trip home.

After returning to Auburn University from a spring break trip to visit friends in Chicago, LaPolla decided not to chance another flight next week to visit her parents and attend the Warren John F. Kennedy High School auction. She cited concerns over potential travel restrictions.

“I changed my plans due to being worried about having to stay in Ohio so close to graduation, other academic deadlines and not wanting to expose vulnerable individuals in my cohort and in the rest of the Auburn community,” LaPolla said.

CRUISES

The cruise industry, especially the international cruise industry, is in a state of flux as companies change policies almost daily.

“This whole week is going to be crazy,” said travel agent Perry Hvizdak of Youngstown-based Cruise Ahoy. “It’s going to snowball temporarily. It’s going to be day to day to see what is going on.”

Hvizdak said cruise lines that last week had amended policies to allow passengers to cancel trips on short notice without fees, or to receive full credits for another trip, now are suspending all travel.

Thursday, Princess Cruises announced a voluntary suspension of global ship operations for 60 days, impacting voyages through May 10. Princess Cruises has had to quarantine several ships due to outbreak of COVID-19 onboard, including the Diamond Princess, where more than 200 people — including 46 U.S. citizens — tested positive for the virus during a two-week quarantine near Tokyo.

Viking River Cruises, based in Switzerland, Wednesday suspended river and ocean cruises through April 30.

Hvizdak said his short-range cruise bookings have “fallen off the chart,” but people still are booking trips for later in the year.

Hvizdak said many tour companies already suspended tours in Italy, where the virus has closed borders and nearly shut down parts of the country. Hvizdak said considering March is the offseason, he did not have any local clients in Italy.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

avugrincic@tribtoday.com