Holidays 2020

[Dunners]

Ridiculous decision by the Government. Given that any Covid outbreaks are so localised, they could simply have applied the quarantine rule to flights from those regions.

Or, even better, have finger silly sausage tests on arrival and ask people to isolate for just 2 or 3 days whilst the tests come back.

As the FCO advice does not include the islands my trip is still on. Not fussed if it gets cancelled as there's good deals to be had in Italy and elsewhere.

[slacker]

I've got 2 big " events" coming up: 30th anniversary in Sept and 60th birthday in Nov, which we'd usually celebrate with trips. Maybe we still will - but I'm not booking anything right now whilst there's still so much covid uncertainty.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s funny.

You’ve got to be an absolute loon to even think about foreign travel right now.

[Orient Punxx]

Disagree - totally depends on perspective.

Whole family had it in March - would have preferred not to have had it but in the meantime going to make the most of things.

Off to Denmark and Malta before Covid 2 features.

Plane tickets at throwaway prices - accommodation subject to free cancellation.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Cool, wasn’t aware that cos you had it you’re now immune.

Also congrats on getting tests back in March, you done well to get your hands on some.

[Dunners]

No Covid in Skopelos right now. Fill yer boots.

[greyhound]

A grand for a caravan?

Quarantine for anybody going to Spain. Is insurance even going to be valid?

Think this pretty much finishes any hope of going abroad for myself.

come on pres 8 birth son.

[jamespevans]

Spending a week in Buxton mid-September. About to start my 20th week working from home so need a different environment, if only for a week. My three adult children may come with us so I've booked a three story "cottage" to give myself some breathing space.

[Orient Punxx]

Cool, wasn’t aware that cos you had it you’re now immune.

Also congrats on getting tests back in March, you done well to get your hands on some.

“Perspective”

No problem with your viewpoint - people have a greater understanding of the risks - up to them how they conduct themselves, as long as they comply with the set standards.

Btw we do have an antibody test these days.

[moonwalk19]

Been in Lanzarote since 13th July on the first Tui package flight out apparently

Puerto Del Carmen is almost deserted with 60-70% of the shops/restaurants closed. Only a handful of hotels open also but our one Rui Paraiso Resort have been super with the social distancing etc.

If you want to risk it then it's well worth getting away as you have the beach/pool pretty much to yourself

Rui Paraiso is one of my favourite hotels to stay, Food good and love the entertainment team . Love to return sometime in the near future but not this year. If you booked 2weeks then you will be returning tomorrow to spend 2weeks isolating at home.

[Dunners]

Ridiculous decision by the Government. Given that any Covid outbreaks are so localised, they could simply have applied the quarantine rule to flights from those regions.

Which, surprise surprise, is what some other European countries are doing.

[Orient Punxx]

Still waiting for my flight money back from Virgin from March. My credit card company seems to be totally inept here which is worrying!

Would urge caution in committing too much money in this environment. Can’t see all these travel companies actually fulfilling their credit note refunds before going bust.

However, a pleasure to help the club out with the purchase of a season ticket though!

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

No Covid in Skopelos right now.

We can sort that right out - let’s get booking!

[NuneatonO's]

Still waiting for my flight money back from Virgin from March. My credit card company seems to be totally inept here which is worrying!

Would urge caution in committing too much money in this environment. Can’t see all these travel companies actually fulfilling their credit note refunds before going bust.

The Company that I work for has made full cash refunds to our customers; including paying for all additional hotel and repatriation costs for people who were stuck in NZ and Australia; as far back as March.

Our costs also included rebooking alternative flights (that we also paid for); but these replacement flights were subsequently also cancelled by the airlines. The airlines would not admit any responsibility; nor so far, have they refunded any money. We rebooked these flights for customers as The Foreign & Commonwealth Office, were absolutely useless and did not offer any assistance whatsoever. Meanwhile, the British Government were similarly a complete waste of time. Along with the FCO, they would not initially commit to arranging any repatriation flights for UK Citizens for weeks. I had couples, supposed to be on their holidays of a lifetime, in tears of anguish and stress, on my phone for days. We took the responsibility and took the hit financially to get people back to their loved ones in the UK, as quickly as possible.

Due to the airlines failing to refund the Travel Agency that I work for (and we are members of ABTA and hold an ATOL Licence), we are ceasing to trade at the end of August. All deposits and monies paid to date, have been refunded as well; we will at least not cease trading owing any customer a copper coin. That's just the way that we've always done business; and why I have been happy to work for them for the past eight years. In total, 34 of us within Overseas Travel, are being made redundant.

Credit notes are pointless at this stage as they don't keep a Travel Agency afloat. It's not just Virgin; you can throw into the mix Air Canada, British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas. Companies that we have given literally millions of pounds worth of business over the years, have literally stood by and watched us dissolve.

[Orient Punxx]

Thanks for that - it’s as though the airline industry is one great big Ponzi Scheme.

Happy with the Government’s stance here - especially with Virgin.

Not happy supporting the cash flow of that tosser Branson.

Good luck with the future “Nuneaton”.

[Dunners]

Hi Orient Punxx

I appreciate people's frustration, but the airline industry is not a Ponzi Scheme. It may have many faults, but that isn't one of them. What it is experiencing, however, is a cash-flow crisis. If airlines, and other holiday companies, were to attempt to refund all of their debtors as they would be expected to under normal operating conditions, then they would go bust and all of their employees would lose their jobs.

By delaying such refunds, whilst in breach of regulations and potentially even unlawful, the fallout of Covid on the industry may be more limited. There's no pain free way out of this, and many people (unfortunately, such as NuneatonO) will still loose their jobs. But the least worst outcome right now may be the best we can hope for.

Obviously, individual airlines, and the major shareholders, may illicit individual feelings and a response.

[NuneatonO's]

Thanks for that - it’s as though the airline industry is one great big Ponzi Scheme.

Happy with the Government’s stance here - especially with Virgin.

Not happy supporting the cash flow of that tosser Branson.

Good luck with the future “Nuneaton”.

Cheers fella.

Personally, for 'she who must be obeyed' and myself, it has meant that our retirements are brought forward; so we're working on our emigration plans three years earlier than anticipated.

However, many of my colleagues are absolutely devastated; particularly as the job market locally appears absolutely dire. Despite their various skill sets and experience, there has not been ONE of the people that I work with, who has so far managed to progress further than a job application stage. As I keep getting told on our Redundancy WhatsApp Group, the internet will indeed show lists of vacancies. The reality is that in most cases, you apparently hear absolutely nothing whatsoever after the initial job application acknowledgement. The majority of people I work with have kids; and mortgages or rents to pay; and they are extremely scared about their futures. Many of their partners have also been made redundant; predominantly from Jaguar Land Rover.

I'm so pleased that you are getting refunded; albeit not initially by Branson I note. Well there's a surprise!

You are quite right to urge caution about booking any element of a holiday at this time; particularly not without folk double-checking with their Travel Insurance Company in the first instance; with particular emphasis upon the Repatriation element, not just the medical level of cover. Moreover folks, if you are thinking of travelling, be absolutely honest if you have to declare any Pre-existing Medical Conditions, particularly in this current climate.

[EastDerehamO]

Feel for anyone impacted with holiday plans, especially those who booked a long time back before anyone knew about Covid.

But those booking recently abroad are throwing the dice, taking the chance that there won’t be an increase in cases where they are and that they won’t face restrictions of quarantine on return, so I see it as their risk really.

At the end of the day there’s a world-wide pandemic on, and the fate on one’s holiday is less important in the bigger picture of people’s lives. The mrs has a big birthday – today in fact – and wanted Verona or Rome this year, but in the current climate neither of us would consider it, so next year maybe, and maybe a short-notice week in a cottage somewhere over here in September if it’s looking safe enough.

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

Cool, wasn’t aware that cos you had it you’re now immune.

Also congrats on getting tests back in March, you done well to get your hands on some.

Hi Red. This made me check with the latest thoughts on the NHS. They’re keeping an open mind on immunity and advising self-isolation if symptoms reappear. I suspect (!) this is on the back of talk in the Press recently that antibody numbers appear to decline after a month or two, leaving you exposed again.
Best advice seems to be to assume the worst and err on the side of caution.
I’ve just been shopping in Bishop’s Stortford; most people have face coverings but shopper numbers seem still to be seriously lower.
Stay Safe.

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

And this is a sobering read too ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53544345

[Thor]

I've just been talking to a paramedic and both he and his work colleague both had Covid19 back in March, both were tested both were positive. They went into isolation got cured and both are now fine, thankfully. Interestingly they were both tested for anti bodies to Covid19 later as apparently they are tested for that as part of working for LAS, both were negative.

So does that mean the virus is stopping the body from creating an immunity to it or is there a chance the first test was false?

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

I've just been talking to a paramedic and both he and his work colleague both had Covid19 back in March, both were tested both were positive. They went into isolation got cured and both are now fine, thankfully. Interestingly they were both tested for anti bodies to Covid19 later as apparently they are tested for that as part of working for LAS, both were negative.

So does that mean the virus is stopping the body from creating an immunity to it or is there a chance the first test was false?

I think it means C-19 is a clever little s@d that is not simply going to roll over and be defeated.

[JimbO]

don't have any empathy for people who've booked an overseas holiday since lock down began as this was always on the cards.

people would've moaned more if they hadn't done it and it caused x amount of people to die.

What about the Spanish fans that came over to play Liverpool in the champions league.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

I've just been talking to a paramedic

Relentless

[NuneatonO's]

This report, just released, is quite timely - as it backs up exactly what I was saying yesterday.

Foreign Office neglected Britons abroad after Covid-19 travel bans, says report

MPs say ‘cost-cutting’ to blame for government’s slowness to charter repatriation flights

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... ays-report

Amazing, yet again, when one compares just how effectively the German Government dealt with the repatriation situation. It throws the "yes but these were unprecedented times" defence out of the window really, doesn't it.

So there you go.

Thanks F.C.O. Johnson, Raab and all of you other in Government, for your sheer incompetence and lies.

I know at least 34 Travel Agents that you've put on the dole.

Want to hear about it? No..........of course you don't.

Suffice to say folks if you are thinking or travelling abroad, be informed that if the proverbial hits the fan and you have to repatriate (unless you've used a reliable Travel Agency) you'll be at the mercy of this godforesaken, bungling mob of gormless, incompetent charlatans. Good luck with that!