Airlines offer refunds on tickets to Zika-affected areas

ATLANTA, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Some airlines are offering refunds on tickets for flights to destinations in Latin America affected by the mosquito-born Zika virus outbreak.

The virus causes dengue fever-like symptoms and has linked to a severe birth defect called microcephaly. It is believed to be spreading from Central America to other parts of North and South America.

The World Health Organization said Monday it expects the virus to spread to the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned pregnant women to avoid visiting Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Paraguay, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname or Venezuela.

American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein said customers can receive a refund on purchased plane tickets to San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Panama City, Panama; or Guatemala City, Guatemala, with a doctor's note demonstrating they are unable to travel to those cities due to pregnancy.

United Airlines will give customers "who are traveling to the affected regions the opportunity to rebook at a later date or receive a full refund," it said.

South American carriers LAN and TAM list Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, French Guiana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Surinam and Venezuela as destinations for which pregnant passengers {link:can exchange tickets. : "http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/27/news/zika-airlines-travel-advisory-refunds/" target="_blank"}

Delta Airlines has not yet announced a policy on refunds or waivers, but Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant said the carrier is "in close contact" with the CDC and WHO.