More of this Feature • Part 2: Your New Options • Part 3: Tour Operators Follow Suit • Part 4: Buyer Beware

Related Resources • Airline Sites • Dangerous Destinations • Travel Warnings

From Other Guides • Airlines and War • Safe Travel to France?

Elsewhere on the Web • Victoria Travel

Should you cancel your upcoming, prepaid flight overseas because of war and terrorism fears?

Many travelers would bellow a resounding 'no.'

But it's very much a personal decision that springs from your own experiences and feelings.

"It really comes to what some people describe as risk tolerance," says Vicky Mary, a veteran travel agent based in Cincinnati.

"Different people have different levels," Mary says.

"I've been in a hijacking of a plane over Guam. I've been in a bombing where they tried to kill Marcos, and a coup in Kenya.

I might have a different risk tolerance level than other people."

However large your comfort zone, you can be certain the airlines have noticed a general reluctance to purchase international travel. War and terrorism aren't the only factors.

We live in a time when stock portfolios have dwindled. Discretionary spending is tighter.

So this month, airlines have been unveiling escape clauses for ticket buyers. It started with Alitalia, and virtually every other carrier with international service to or from North America followed suit to some degree.

Bear in mind that before now, these policies of refund and reschedule were not passenger-friendly.

Health reasons were no excuse. Even in the case of a death, the entire value of the ticket was lost in most situations.

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