by Tabitha Lovell
Many people ask me all the time how the cancellation and refund process works with the humanitarian flights. I have dedicated this to all of my adopting families and others who have questions about cancellations and refunds with humanitarian flights, so I can hopefully help to answer them here. Some benefits of using humanitarian airfare include the fact that these flights are refundable, minus airline penalties and fees, if you should need to cancel the flight prior to your departure date. Most flights out there on the internet are non-refundable, but the humanitarian flights are not in that category.
Missionary and humanitarian flights, unlike most flights, are refundable, minus airline penalties and fees if you should need to cancel and request a refund. These are not total refunds of 100% of your flight cost, but they do help tremendously, since most other flights are non-refundable. There are many other benefits to using humanitarian airfare as well. Humanitarian flights are changeable and usually the first change after departure does not have an airline penalty, so the change fees are much lower than changing a regular flight that you will find. Also, since humanitarian flights are only able to be accessed by a missionary and adoption travel agent, you can also expect much better service than using an online travel engine to purchase your flights.
The cancellation process for humanitarian and missionary flights can take around six weeks before you will see the refund applied back to your credit card. However, many people notice that their refunds show up closer to two or three weeks after the cancellation has been processed with the airline. There are always going to be multiple charges and credits with any refund of this nature, and many times you will need to add up the costs and credits which should all equal up to the amount quoted to you for your refund.
Sometimes an adopting family will need to cancel just the return portion of their flight for various reasons, and re-book with another airline at a later time. This is a case when the family would be very thankful that they have humanitarian flights vs. published flights. The humanitarian flights are refundable, even for just the return portion. This is always just a partial refund, less airline penalties and fees, but still helps tremendously to preserve some of the loss that would otherwise be incurred.
Generally, families who use humanitarian flights, especially for adoption travel, are very happy with them if they need to make changes to their return date. There are sometimes unpredictable circumstances that cause families to be forced to cancel their flights for adoption travel, and when these things happen, they are always very thankful that they have used humanitarian flights rather than anything they could have booked on their own.
I hope this helps in answering some of your questions!
Safe Travels!
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Manager/Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
Many people ask me all the time how the cancellation and refund process works with the humanitarian flights. I have dedicated this to all of my adopting families and others who have questions about cancellations and refunds with humanitarian flights, so I can hopefully help to answer them here. Some benefits of using humanitarian airfare include the fact that these flights are refundable, minus airline penalties and fees, if you should need to cancel the flight prior to your departure date. Most flights out there on the internet are non-refundable, but the humanitarian flights are not in that category.
Missionary and humanitarian flights, unlike most flights, are refundable, minus airline penalties and fees if you should need to cancel and request a refund. These are not total refunds of 100% of your flight cost, but they do help tremendously, since most other flights are non-refundable. There are many other benefits to using humanitarian airfare as well. Humanitarian flights are changeable and usually the first change after departure does not have an airline penalty, so the change fees are much lower than changing a regular flight that you will find. Also, since humanitarian flights are only able to be accessed by a missionary and adoption travel agent, you can also expect much better service than using an online travel engine to purchase your flights.
The cancellation process for humanitarian and missionary flights can take around six weeks before you will see the refund applied back to your credit card. However, many people notice that their refunds show up closer to two or three weeks after the cancellation has been processed with the airline. There are always going to be multiple charges and credits with any refund of this nature, and many times you will need to add up the costs and credits which should all equal up to the amount quoted to you for your refund.
Sometimes an adopting family will need to cancel just the return portion of their flight for various reasons, and re-book with another airline at a later time. This is a case when the family would be very thankful that they have humanitarian flights vs. published flights. The humanitarian flights are refundable, even for just the return portion. This is always just a partial refund, less airline penalties and fees, but still helps tremendously to preserve some of the loss that would otherwise be incurred.
Generally, families who use humanitarian flights, especially for adoption travel, are very happy with them if they need to make changes to their return date. There are sometimes unpredictable circumstances that cause families to be forced to cancel their flights for adoption travel, and when these things happen, they are always very thankful that they have used humanitarian flights rather than anything they could have booked on their own.
I hope this helps in answering some of your questions!
Safe Travels!
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Manager/Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
Do you ever wonder what foods are safe to eat in a foreign country? If you are planning a trip to any international destination, you may want to pay close attention to some safety guidelines for eating foods prepared in a foreign kitchen.
The fact is, you will most likely be dining out for the most part of your trip, unless you plan on staying for an extended time in your country of choice. There are some general rules to follow to make sure that your time of travel does not leave you sick in a bathroom, rather than exploring and doing the things that you planned for your trip.
First of all, you will want to avoid eating raw vegetables and fruits grown in foreign soil on your next international trip. Raw fruits and vegetables can cause problems if our bodies are not accustomed to these types of bacteria and microorganisms. It is best to make sure that any vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, spinach, brocolli, bell peppers, and leeks are cooked thoroughly before consumption on your trip. These should be safe as long as they are cooked.
A good way of testing the food you are about to eat is to think about how it is grown. If there is a shell on top of the fruit or vegetable like a banana or avocado, it should be safe. Other types of fruits that should be safe as well are pineapple because of their thick outer coating. Bananas also have their own God-given protective covering which makes eating them safe, even in a foreign country. In Uganda, Africa, there are several types of bananas which you should be safe to enjoy!
On the contrary, fruits like strawberries and raspberries should be avoided because they do not have enough of a barrier between them and the soil to keep bacteria out of the fruit itself. Salads made of raw fruits and vegetables which are grown close to the soil without a natural shell or covering, should be avoided. Pineapple, grapefruit, and lemons should be safe because of their thick outer skin, but other fruits like berries are in a different category and have a thinner skin, so you will want to proceed with caution if you find these on your plate!
As a general rule, meat should be safe for consumption as long as it has been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria that could be present. I enjoyed things like goat meat on a stick in Uganda and I was fine and did not become sick. It would be best to avoid some types of raw fish and meats just to be safe, especially when traveling to China and Japan.
Most importantly, the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. I know this may seem like a lot to chew on, but I trust that the Lord will also guide and protect you on your upcoming trip and help you to make wise choices in what you eat and drink. We also must remember that the Lord can provide supernatural protection for us as we abide in His will for our lives.
Safe Travels,
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist/Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
Do you ever wonder what foods are safe to eat in a foreign country? If you are planning a trip to any international destination, you may want to pay close attention to some safety guidelines for eating foods prepared in a foreign kitchen.
The fact is, you will most likely be dining out for the most part of your trip, unless you plan on staying for an extended time in your country of choice. There are some general rules to follow to make sure that your time of travel does not leave you sick in a bathroom, rather than exploring and doing the things that you planned for your trip.
First of all, you will want to avoid eating raw vegetables and fruits grown in foreign soil on your next international trip. Raw fruits and vegetables can cause problems if our bodies are not accustomed to these types of bacteria and microorganisms. It is best to make sure that any vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, spinach, brocolli, bell peppers, and leeks are cooked thoroughly before consumption on your trip. These should be safe as long as they are cooked.
A good way of testing the food you are about to eat is to think about how it is grown. If there is a shell on top of the fruit or vegetable like a banana or avocado, it should be safe. Other types of fruits that should be safe as well are pineapple because of their thick outer coating. Bananas also have their own God-given protective covering which makes eating them safe, even in a foreign country. In Uganda, Africa, there are several types of bananas which you should be safe to enjoy!
On the contrary, fruits like strawberries and raspberries should be avoided because they do not have enough of a barrier between them and the soil to keep bacteria out of the fruit itself. Salads made of raw fruits and vegetables which are grown close to the soil without a natural shell or covering, should be avoided. Pineapple, grapefruit, and lemons should be safe because of their thick outer skin, but other fruits like berries are in a different category and have a thinner skin, so you will want to proceed with caution if you find these on your plate!
As a general rule, meat should be safe for consumption as long as it has been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria that could be present. I enjoyed things like goat meat on a stick in Uganda and I was fine and did not become sick. It would be best to avoid some types of raw fish and meats just to be safe, especially when traveling to China and Japan.
Most importantly, the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. I know this may seem like a lot to chew on, but I trust that the Lord will also guide and protect you on your upcoming trip and help you to make wise choices in what you eat and drink. We also must remember that the Lord can provide supernatural protection for us as we abide in His will for our lives.
Safe Travels,
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist/Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
While I was in Uganda, I observed some cultural idiosyncrasies that I made a note of and thought that it would be helpful for me to pass them along to others.
I have thought about and put together some Do’s and Don’ts of what to wear and what not to wear for your next mission trip. One thing to be cautious of is wearing scented perfumes including scented shampoos and lotions can attract mosquitoes and other bugs which can cause malaria. You will not want to wear any heavily scented items just to be safe.
There are many cultural differences in foreign countries which we are not always aware of here in America. I was riding on a “Boda Boda,” (which is more commonly known as a motorcycle) in Uganda, Africa where I was told that I need to make sure I wear a small purse because if my purse is too large, someone may think that I am very wealthy and will try to steal my purse!
I was also told that women need to wear long skirts and not pants. This was partly based upon our individual missions base, however, this was a more widely accepted way of dress for women. Someone mentioned to me that it is not considered “lady-like” for a woman to be riding a bicycle! This seemed a little strange to me due to our cultural differences here in the United States. From what I understand, this is a bit degrading for women in Ugandan culture to be riding a bicycle.
Also you will want to make sure that you pack the lightest weight clothing as possible, based upon the weather in your destination of choice. This will help you to avoid baggage fees for your baggage being too heavy to check in at the airport. Universally, a fifty pound baggage limit is standard, so packing too much can cost you extra cash.
As a woman, I am finding that dressing modestly is very important. Many people have differences in opinion regarding this topic. However, to keep it simple, modest dress will cause less problems than dressing in a more revealing way.
I was surprised that the people in Uganda were dressed very nice. The word that I learned was a very British sounding word that is used to imply that a person looks very classy. If a Ugandan says, “You are very smart today!” (Smart pronounced “Smaat”)
This means, you look very classy and well put together! I loved hearing this from them!
It still makes me smile thinking about it.
If you are visiting an African country for your missions trip, you can expect that people will not be dressed shabby no matter how much or how little money they have for that matter. For church, you will want to dress up with nicely ironed clothes, looking neat and clean. This will help you to feel comfortable and feel like you fit with the way others are dressed, especially in Uganda.
So, what do you do with all of your gold and silver necklaces? What about your wedding ring for that matter? Well, you leave all the valuable jewels at home! Flashy jewelry and flashy hairstyles will need to be deescalated. You will want to downsize some of the “Bling” so to speak. Careful attention must be taken to avoid any unnecessary or problematic attention being drawn to yourself.
In fact, the attention should be focused upon the Lord and not on us, so we will want to deflect some of the attention away from us if possible. I suggest purchasing wooden jewelry to replace your gold and silver or precious jewelry. Many jewels and beads can be purchased while in the foreign country you are visiting. This can be an economic stimulus to the economy of the country you are visiting as well! This is just another reason to leave the expensive jewelry at home.
Ok, now for shoes!!! You will want to make sure your shoes are appropriate for the nature of your trip. If you are going to a very hot place, you may want to pack some sandals or buy them there in that country. Also, tennis shoes are very valuable in the airports for comfort when walking long distances.
I hope this information was helpful to you in planning your next missions trip! Please feel free to visit our website where you can find out about the benefits of missionary airfare for your next missions trip.
Safe Travels,
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist/Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
While I was in Uganda, I observed some cultural idiosyncrasies that I made a note of and thought that it would be helpful for me to pass them along to others.
I have thought about and put together some Do’s and Don’ts of what to wear and what not to wear for your next mission trip. One thing to be cautious of is wearing scented perfumes including scented shampoos and lotions can attract mosquitoes and other bugs which can cause malaria. You will not want to wear any heavily scented items just to be safe.
There are many cultural differences in foreign countries which we are not always aware of here in America. I was riding on a “Boda Boda,” (which is more commonly known as a motorcycle) in Uganda, Africa where I was told that I need to make sure I wear a small purse because if my purse is too large, someone may think that I am very wealthy and will try to steal my purse!
I was also told that women need to wear long skirts and not pants. This was partly based upon our individual missions base, however, this was a more widely accepted way of dress for women. Someone mentioned to me that it is not considered “lady-like” for a woman to be riding a bicycle! This seemed a little strange to me due to our cultural differences here in the United States. From what I understand, this is a bit degrading for women in Ugandan culture to be riding a bicycle.
Also you will want to make sure that you pack the lightest weight clothing as possible, based upon the weather in your destination of choice. This will help you to avoid baggage fees for your baggage being too heavy to check in at the airport. Universally, a fifty pound baggage limit is standard, so packing too much can cost you extra cash.
As a woman, I am finding that dressing modestly is very important. Many people have differences in opinion regarding this topic. However, to keep it simple, modest dress will cause less problems than dressing in a more revealing way.
I was surprised that the people in Uganda were dressed very nice. The word that I learned was a very British sounding word that is used to imply that a person looks very classy. If a Ugandan says, “You are very smart today!” (Smart pronounced “Smaat”)
This means, you look very classy and well put together! I loved hearing this from them!
It still makes me smile thinking about it.
If you are visiting an African country for your missions trip, you can expect that people will not be dressed shabby no matter how much or how little money they have for that matter. For church, you will want to dress up with nicely ironed clothes, looking neat and clean. This will help you to feel comfortable and feel like you fit with the way others are dressed, especially in Uganda.
So, what do you do with all of your gold and silver necklaces? What about your wedding ring for that matter? Well, you leave all the valuable jewels at home! Flashy jewelry and flashy hairstyles will need to be deescalated. You will want to downsize some of the “Bling” so to speak. Careful attention must be taken to avoid any unnecessary or problematic attention being drawn to yourself.
In fact, the attention should be focused upon the Lord and not on us, so we will want to deflect some of the attention away from us if possible. I suggest purchasing wooden jewelry to replace your gold and silver or precious jewelry. Many jewels and beads can be purchased while in the foreign country you are visiting. This can be an economic stimulus to the economy of the country you are visiting as well! This is just another reason to leave the expensive jewelry at home.
Ok, now for shoes!!! You will want to make sure your shoes are appropriate for the nature of your trip. If you are going to a very hot place, you may want to pack some sandals or buy them there in that country. Also, tennis shoes are very valuable in the airports for comfort when walking long distances.
I hope this information was helpful to you in planning your next missions trip! Please feel free to visit our website where you can find out about the benefits of missionary airfare for your next missions trip.
Safe Travels,
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist/Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
When taking an international missions trip, you will want to make sure that you have taken care of some very important last minute details. Here are a few helpful steps for preparing yourself for your missions trip before your departure.
A few things to keep in mind:
1. Make sure you have at least 2 copies of your passport in case your original is lost. Storing one of the copies in your checked baggage is a very good idea.
2. Purchase a secure silk money belt for your travel which can be hidden under your clothes for safety. The silk material is very nice as it allows your skin to breathe which is very important when traveling for a long time in the airplane.
3. Taking a baby aspirin during your travel is a good idea when sitting long hours on the plane to help with the risk of blood clots (make sure you check with your doctor about medications.)
4. Make sure that you remind yourself to take small walks during safe walking times while in the air to help with the risk of blood clots as well from sitting in one position where blood can pool.
5. Make sure you have an electricity converter so that you can plug your appliances into an outlet.
6. Check to find out what Immunizations are needed by contacting the CDC website.
7. Check the weather where you are traveling to pack appropriate clothes for the season.
8. Bug Spray (Including DEET) is recommended for travel into areas with mosquitoes to help prevent malaria from bites.
9. Good shoes for walking in the airports and working on the mission field are a must!
10. Check Baggage Limits with the airline to make sure that you don’t have to pay extra for bags over the limits.
11. Make sure you have purchased trip insurance from a reliable source.
12. Bring Cash Money with you on your trip in large bills with newer dates. Banks in Africa will not take small bills less than 50 USD.
13. Bring toiletries in carry on baggage using the new regulations for carry on liquids. (Treat carry on bag as survival bag in case checked bags are lost during your flight. You will want to make sure contact lenses, solutions, and medications are in carry on bag.)
14. Reconfirm your flights 72 hours prior to departure with the airline.
I hope that you take time to make sure that all of these details have been taken care of! We pray that this will help to equip you for your next missions trip!
Also, keep in mind that seeking the LORD is the most important step! Make sure that before all else, you have allowed the LORD to work in your own heart to prepare you…..the rest will fall into place as you desire to walk in His wisdom.
Safe Travels,
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist and Licensed Nurse /Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC
by Tabitha Lovell
When taking an international missions trip, you will want to make sure that you have taken care of some very important last minute details. Here are a few helpful steps for preparing yourself for your missions trip before your departure.
A few things to keep in mind:
1. Make sure you have at least 2 copies of your passport in case your original is lost. Storing one of the copies in your checked baggage is a very good idea.
2. Purchase a secure silk money belt for your travel which can be hidden under your clothes for safety. The silk material is very nice as it allows your skin to breathe which is very important when traveling for a long time in the airplane.
3. Taking a baby aspirin during your travel is a good idea when sitting long hours on the plane to help with the risk of blood clots (make sure you check with your doctor about medications.)
4. Make sure that you remind yourself to take small walks during safe walking times while in the air to help with the risk of blood clots as well from sitting in one position where blood can pool.
5. Make sure you have an electricity converter so that you can plug your appliances into an outlet.
6. Check to find out what Immunizations are needed by contacting the CDC website.
7. Check the weather where you are traveling to pack appropriate clothes for the season.
8. Bug Spray (Including DEET) is recommended for travel into areas with mosquitoes to help prevent malaria from bites.
9. Good shoes for walking in the airports and working on the mission field are a must!
10. Check Baggage Limits with the airline to make sure that you don’t have to pay extra for bags over the limits.
11. Make sure you have purchased trip insurance from a reliable source.
12. Bring Cash Money with you on your trip in large bills with newer dates. Banks in Africa will not take small bills less than 50 USD.
13. Bring toiletries in carry on baggage using the new regulations for carry on liquids. (Treat carry on bag as survival bag in case checked bags are lost during your flight. You will want to make sure contact lenses, solutions, and medications are in carry on bag.)
14. Reconfirm your flights 72 hours prior to departure with the airline.
I hope that you take time to make sure that all of these details have been taken care of! We pray that this will help to equip you for your next missions trip!
Also, keep in mind that seeking the LORD is the most important step! Make sure that before all else, you have allowed the LORD to work in your own heart to prepare you…..the rest will fall into place as you desire to walk in His wisdom.
Safe Travels,
Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist and Licensed Nurse /Owner
Adoption Airfare LLC