Covid and travel discussion

[shackattack]

Seen a couple of articles suggesting this could happen.

The whole system is up for review before 1st October, so as far as I can tell they have 3 options; scrap it, modify it or keep it as it is.

Can't see them scrapping it but some kind of modification seems the most realistic outcome.

It would be so fucking typical of these charlatans to make it a simplified process from October onwards, when the general summer holiday season is essentially over.

I swear they get pleasure from the punishment they dish out to the travel industry; months and months of truly baffling (and secretive) decisions that have completely fucked us over and the road to recovery is going to take years and years.

I hear Co-op Travel are closing all but 40 branches from October to December and putting those staff on unpaid leave.
Furlough ending is a disaster for an industry that is unable to get back on its feet thanks to these knobbers in charge.

The way they have treated the tourism industry is shocking. Lots of families rely on it directly and then you have the knock on effect to suppliers etc.
All seems dependant on coercing people to holiday in the UK and ignoring the fact we have some of the worst covid statistics in the world, so hardly a safe place to visit.
Hopefully we can also get rid of the word staycation from the vocabulary in the process

 

[xgorton]

Another lockdown more footy on TV.

 

[feedthegoat27]

Based on my experience, I'd say that the objective of the government was not to stop variants coming into the country, but to make it as hard as possible for people to travel abroad this year whilst still being able to say "Look, you can go if you want".

It cost us an extra £600 (another £400 for the next trip), meant we had to go to a clinic in Spain for a test, but I doubt that it made the country any safer. We were wearing masks about 50% of the time outdoors (and always indoors) and were probably in a much safer environment than those back home.

An utterly pointless system, and as several have said on here, if they were serious about this, they'd make people coming back from the South-West take a test.

Completely agree, the Gov had their cake and ate it with this whole traffic light bollocks.
Essentially shutting down almost all travel, without actually shutting down travel, meant they haven't had to give us any sector specific support.

I've said it before but it's akin to saying pubs can open but only sell pork scratchings, or hairdressers can open but scissors, straighteners and hairdryers are illegal to use.

I'm sure some of it is ignorance, but it mostly feels like industry sabotage.

 

[feedthegoat27]

The way they have treated the tourism industry is shocking. Lots of families rely on it directly and then you have the knock on effect to suppliers etc.
All seems dependant on coercing people to holiday in the UK and ignoring the fact we have some of the worst covid statistics in the world, so hardly a safe place to visit.
Hopefully we can also get rid of the word staycation from the vocabulary in the process

Absolutely....travel and tourism employs hundreds of thousands of people in the UK directly and indriectly, from the obvious roles of airline staff, tour operators and high street agencies right through to the person serving you a coffee at an airport shop or the taxi company that specialises in airport runs.

And one of the most grating things I've read many times in recent months is people telling others to holiday at home to support UK business, when holidaying abroad supports UK business and jobs too.

Gonna be a long, tough winter for the industry, particularly as furlough is ending as our traditional quiet time starts.

Maybe the Gov will acknowledge the damage they have caused with their baffling decisions and try to help us through the winter months but I ain't holding my breath.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Completely agree, the Gov had their cake and ate it with this whole traffic light bollocks.
Essentially shutting down almost all travel, without actually shutting down travel, meant they haven't had to give us any sector specific support.

I've said it before but it's akin to saying pubs can open but only sell pork scratchings, or hairdressers can open but scissors, straighteners and hairdryers are illegal to use.

I'm sure some of it is ignorance, but it mostly feels like industry sabotage.

Sabotage is a good word. Let us not forget that COP whatever number is happening in a few weeks time and it is an added bonus that the UK has had fewer air miles/flights and so reduced the pollution produced by said flights.

 

[The Colonel]

They will need to quarantine for 5 days and be tested.

Thanks. No go then as things stand.

 

[law74]

Good luck. Spain accepts most vaccines, including the Indian Serum Institute - what vaccine did you have?

Unhelpfully, when the vaccines are listed in the drop-down list, they all have their "technical" names.

I had one of the three "disputed" vaccines, couldn't get the passenger locator form completed as it said "not recognised in Spain".
My mate flew out on Tuesday, I booked a flight for Thursday, got a PCR and am just arriving at Belfast City Airport

 

[RobMCFC]

I had one of the three "disputed" vaccines, couldn't get the passenger locator form completed as it said "not recognised in Spain".
My mate flew out on Tuesday, I booked a flight for Thursday, got a PCR and am just arriving at Belfast City Airport

Unlucky. I didn't realise Spain disputed any vaccines. Best of luck for your holiday when you get there.

 

[feedthegoat27]

Easyjet Holidays have just launched a £100 off (min spend £700) or £200 off (min spend £2k) promo.
Covers travel right through to October 2022.

Some of their prices are already ridiculously cheap, and they offer some of the best terms in the business (balance due only 28 days before holiday, can cancel before balance and retain deposit as credit etc)

Think it's on for 5 days so anyone who has been looking for a late deal this year or further ahead in 2022, it's well worth checking out.

 

[splinter]

Travel to become a bit more easier October 1st..green-amber to be scrapped with just the red list in place, vaccinated travellers to go to countries with similarly high levels of vaccination as uk..travel industry happy with this US style of system..