[mikeoz]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56682226

What do people think of this? Very little detail at the moment and everything I have heard so far seem to involve flights and not driving holidays? So what happens if you are on holiday in a Green country but have to drive via a Red too get home? Or how they would even know?

Some what frustrating imo as you then hear that 8000 tourists a day have been coming in from other country's yet until recently you could not even go camping to Wales...

[sahajesh]

You can have a holiday but it won't be cheap, what with the test costs.

I'd sooner holiday in the U.K. this year and overseas trips will resume next year.

[JR1664]

I'm looking closely at this. I booked a holiday to the Maldives (on a wing and a prayer last year) leaving early June knowing full well it might not happen.

We're transiting through Doha which is currently RED, so unless it changes its a no go as the travel agent would knock it on the head. Maldives however is expected to be GREEN - so no real issue if you can get a direct flight.

However should Doha go AMBER we could go, however we would require a PCR each to get into the Maldives. We would then require a pre departure test prior to return plus two PCR tests on return and a 10 day home quarantine.

That's eight tests at a cost of approx £800.

When abroad should Doha be put back on red thats £3500 hotel quarantine at Gatwick and there doesn't appear to be any kind Insurance policy out there to cover that eventuality.

I fully support however the measures taken to keep new strains out. Incidentally Jet2 have just suspended all flights and holidays until late June which to me is a sensible decision.

[TouringPleb]

We've booked a villa in Greece for September. Really hoping by then restrictions will be lifted.

[MY340i]

Vaccine passport would facilitate some normality in travel

[Pentland]

Originally Posted by Barsj111

Vaccine passport would facilitate some normality in travel

I just do not see what that’s supposed to achieve. If the vaccine doesn’t prevent you catching COVID-19 or stop you passing it on, what’s the point of proving you’re vaccinated?

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by Pentland

I just do not see what that’s supposed to achieve. If the vaccine doesn’t prevent you catching COVID-19 or stop you passing it on, what’s the point of proving you’re vaccinated?

There is evidence that it reduces transmission.

[lethbridge]

I'm still amazed how much air travel seems to be permitted even in lockdown - I see the BBC is reporting 10-15,000 people travelling through Heathrow alone every day with big issues over queues for checks. I just do not understand how it can be essential for so many people when the gov is rightly nervous about new variants. Surely we can survive without holidays abroad for another year but that's only fair if they properly control travel in general which just doesn't seem to be happening at present...

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by lethbridge

I'm still amazed how much air travel seems to be permitted even in lockdown - I see the BBC is reporting 10-15,000 people travelling through Heathrow alone every day with big issues over queues for checks. I just do not understand how it can be essential for so many people when the gov is rightly nervous about new variants. Surely we can survive without holidays abroad for another year but that's only fair if they properly control travel in general which just doesn't seem to be happening at present...

Agree it's hard to justify when you hear about your numbers coming in. Clearly only a small fraction is actually going in to these quarentione hotels??

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by mikeoz

Agree it's hard to justify when you hear about your numbers coming in. Clearly only a small fraction is actually going in to these quarentione hotels??

You only have to go into a quarantine hotel if from a red country. The rest are people coming in from permitted countries for permitted reasons who will be quarantining at home (like Prince Harry for example)..... The problem is that you have to allow people to travel for certain reasons (work, medical, family) and that then opens it to abuse. The South African variant issue in London has apparently been traced to someone who travelled back from Africa in Feb.... clearly their quarantining didnt work!

[Gritty]

Originally Posted by JR1664

I'm looking closely at this. I booked a holiday to the Maldives (on a wing and a prayer last year) leaving early June knowing full well it might not happen.

We're transiting through Doha which is currently RED, so unless it changes its a no go as the travel agent would knock it on the head. Maldives however is expected to be GREEN - so no real issue if you can get a direct flight.

However should Doha go AMBER we could go, however we would require a PCR each to get into the Maldives. We would then require a pre departure test prior to return plus two PCR tests on return and a 10 day home quarantine.

That's eight tests at a cost of approx £800.

When abroad should Doha be put back on red thats £3500 hotel quarantine at Gatwick and there doesn't appear to be any kind Insurance policy out there to cover that eventuality.

I fully support however the measures taken to keep new strains out. Incidentally Jet2 have just suspended all flights and holidays until late June which to me is a sensible decision.

They are going to need to change the testing requirements. The labs won't have the capacity to turn around all the PCR tests required in 24-48 hours once travel opens up. If someone has had the vaccine and it's been 3 weeks, only the lateral flow test should be required. If you've decided to not get the vaccine you pay for the PCR testing.

[330XDave]

Tests have been reduced to £60 now I believe haven't they?

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

You only have to go into a quarantine hotel if from a red country. The rest are people coming in from permitted countries for permitted reasons who will be quarantining at home (like Prince Harry for example)..... The problem is that you have to allow people to travel for certain reasons (work, medical, family) and that then opens it to abuse. The South African variant issue in London has apparently been traced to someone who travelled back from Africa in Feb.... clearly their quarantining didnt work!

Well you just have to look at India and how that's not a Red list country to see it makes no sense....

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by mikeoz

Well you just have to look at India and how that's not a Red list country to see it makes no sense....

Nope, they seem to have made a bit of a buggars muddle of this element (and others) - I suspect its trying to please all of the people all of the time...

[DougMcL]

Well now that India has made it onto the red list, would you believe that Heathrow still has 30 scheduled flights due to arrive before the red list begins to apply? Madness.

[mikeoz]

Originally Posted by DougMcL

Well now that India has made it onto the red list, would you believe that Heathrow still has 30 scheduled flights due to arrive before the red list begins to apply? Madness.

Yet we can't have a day trip to France, buy beer and return?
I don't actually need to but you get the point...

[Wills2]

The airlines wanted even more to be put on this week as well, utterly mental, that's a red country but not for another 5 days so please do flood back without any checks and mingle at will.

If it's red then it's red from the day it's announced and all arrivals have to go into the hotel quarantine system not sent home and asked to quarantine.

And if you can't afford to pay for that then don't run the risk and travel in the first place.

[DougMcL]

And that's exactly why this terrible government has failed to contain Covid. We really should have locked down much harder much earlier.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by DougMcL

And that's exactly why this terrible government has failed to contain Covid. We really should have locked down much harder much earlier.

Easy to say. I am no Boris apologist, have never voted Tory and likely never will, but just remember... to put people in hotels on arrival you need hotels to put them in. Not sure how it is elsewhere but Heathrow doesnt have too many options and if the flights from India had to be accommodated then they may run out of options. You have to book before you fly, and get a test that shows you are negative, so at least 24 hours notice needed. And of course if its only 24 hours you cram all your issues into that period and run the risk of chaos...

The rest of the economy isnt designed to react like A&E so some notice is required before rules are imposed (and I havent even mentioned the bureaucracy that is the passport service etc in saying that...)

[JR1664]

I've no issues with the India thing. All arrivals still had to present a negative Covid test , still have to quarantine at home and still have to provide two negative tests within 10 days.

There were 7 flights today and the last one landed earlier this evening before it goes red.

The current entry requirements appear to have been working extremely well.

[mikeoz]

So seems like Thursday or Friday we will get the rather small list which by the sounds of it will increase in June. So will have to see what comes out of it.

On another note I have spent a few days now trying to work out the NHS App. So it seems like the GPs are doing different things and my friend made one call and all was working and sync to her online GP access. My case I have had to set up the online access with GP after seeing that the App was not showing any of my records. Once set up I then have to request full access to my medical records via the GPs site which can take 28 days....then hopefully it will sync with the App but the GPs don't know much about the App either. Not sure how older people will cope?

[isleaiw1]

Spend your money in this country, help the UK economy. Let the EU look after their own. In fact, spend it in our hotels, 50% off for members in some of them now so it will never be cheaper to enjoy the fabulous sights that your own capital can offer....