Who is flying/catching planes at the moment?

[OFAHmusical]

I’m just curious (and I’ve tried Googling but the only articles I can find are from last year).

I can think of very few reasons why someone would fly in or out of the UK right now. Business travel is surely stopped for now. Holidays aren’t happening - even if someone came here for a holiday, everything is shut. Of course some people will need to rush to see parents who are elderly, possibly dying etc but there can’t be that many of those.

I totally support the government’s plan to quarantine people who fly in ... I’m just wondering who they are?!

University students - I’m doing an AHP course and they are still expecting some to travel into UK to complete clinical placement (travelling from eg Ireland)

Actors and (i'd imagine) film crew. Mads Mikkelsen came back in the last week or so to continue on Fantastic Beasts. Probably not a huge number of them either though!

I wonder that every time I see a vapour trail up above, OP. I am on Leeds Bradford airport corridor and could usually see a few. None at the moment.

Business travel is surely stopped for now.

That is absolutely untrue,
I wrote the list out elsewhere, but basically lots of people can still travel & don't have to isolate, either.

You may or may not agree with the list. Many types of business people and specialists of many descriptions: technicians, engineers, scientists, diplomats, oil platform workers, people escorting body tissues/organs/medicines. Vets. And basically anyone who can show they regularly commute in & out of GB to work.

Plus there is free movement RoI to Norn, of course, possibly a lot of free movement Norn to GB?

Plus the air crew.

I heard on radio that the flights reduced from 600/day to 20/day at some airport ?Gatwick? so the reduction is drastic. Most of those 20 will be fairly empty of actual passengers.

@lljkk

Yes that does make sense - people who travel for practical business purposes rather than just meetings. Glad to know that it is massively reduced (if not for the aviation industry, who of course are affected by all this!)

Individuals are flying to join families. My partner flew to the UK from his country last month. His visa has a limited time for him to travel so he had to fly in. Visas are still being processed so people will still fly in and out.
I know others who are flying abroad for family emergencies.

I know someone who has just got back from a holiday abroad. They said the rules aren't being enforced, no one is doing checks to see why you are travelling.

@Waxonwaxoff0

I know someone who has just got back from a holiday abroad. They said the rules aren't being enforced, no one is doing checks to see why you are travelling.

Yep. I know several families who have been to the Maldives, St Lucia, Dubai and many other places because not many restrictions on the other side, and they don't both quarantining when they get back.

Yeah I know loads of people who had holidays over Christmas and New Year.

A friend of mine just flew to Nigeria on business.

A second friend is now quarantining back in New Zealand after visiting his kids in the U.K.

Another friend flew back from a holiday in Dubai a week ago. I did judge that one.

My DF has been in and out of the country once recently as one of my grandparents' passed away in their home country. He is planning to go again ASAP as has lots of things to sort out over there and needs to be with siblings. But you already thought of that reason.

DH is working in the Middle East just now. He's support crew for large sporting event so in the tour bubble.

One word - CARGO!!!!!!

Elite sports exemptions, too, though they go charter, straight to hotel if it’s an overnight, straight to training, game, and straight back to airport. Strict testing regime for everyone in the team bubble.

@CostaDelCovid

If you read the OP you’ll see I’m asking about people - cargo is not people, and I’m
assuming whoever comes with the cargo won’t have to quarantine for 2 weeks on British soil or the system of moving goods around would rapidly come to a halt.

My mother flew out on 12th December and was due back 23rd January but had to come home early as flights to her destination were stopping.

I think she was a bloody fool and the irony of her now refusing to have a gas man in her place when she was willing to fly is astounding

UK citizens who live or work abroad are still allowed to come and go as normal. I know several people who've been in and out multiple times in the last year and until yesterday, when all travel corridors were closed, there are citizens of countries with low incidences of virus that are free to travel.

I flew last week. I'm an expat and was home from mid dec until mid Jan for Christmas. Flew back for work. No one asked me why I was flying.

Carers. Companies who provide full time live in care for clients often source them from overseas. My DF has one on rotation who comes from Poland, all tested and everything. But flights are now disrupted bc of lockdown and we don't know when he's coming back.

Elite sports exemptions, too, though they go charter, straight to hotel if it’s an overnight, straight to training, game, and straight back to airport. Strict testing regime for everyone in the team bubble.

DH has mostly been flown commercial although obviously needing a negative test within 72 hours of boarding. Only one job where they had a private flight.
It also depends where they go as to how strict things are in the local area. Where he is just now it's strictly hotel and site, but a prior job in Dubai they could move around at will.

DSIS & DBIL moved back to the UK from USA after his contract ended. Furniture etc went by sea freight and they travelled by air. It was more problematic trying to get the dog home as not many airlines are taking animals on board.

I can think of very few reasons why someone would fly in or out of the UK right now.

A few examples -

British citizens returning home, foreign nationals going home.

Workers of various nationalities, Brits and others, in the essential worker categories travelling to/from from their home outside of the UK to place of work within the UK ("frontaliers" in European speak). There a lot of those in for example the oil/gas/maritime/aviation/logistics industry.

Business travel is surely stopped for now.

Depends what you mean by "business".

The business suit, business meeting brigade, may not travelling much at the moment, OTOH some engineers/technicians/inspectors with niche/specialist knowledge are having to travel to and fro to examine/fit/maintain equipment and facilities.

Basically plenty of legitimate reasons why people are still flying into/out of the UK.

As someone has said above, university students. I have one who is missing my seminar today because she's going to be on a plane. I have no idea why, all the teaching is online and she actually chose to go home to her European country during the November lockdown.

I've been flying throughout the pandemic. I currently have no trips planned to the UK as my industry is completely dead there (I'm in performing arts). But I regularly travel to other countries within Europe who have kept their work going.

It's impossible to work 'from home' when you need to be on a concert stage to actually do your job, and I can't turn down work wherever it comes up, it's my only source of income. I've always had to test before and after travelling and I've isolated when required.

Sports and arts are still functioning in other countries and I have some colleagues travelling in and out of the UK when they get offered work in another country. We also need to pay our bills and food.

@EileenGC I work in theatre - I totally understand about having no work and needing to go where the work is. Unfortunately I work in the West End, which is of course closed, and no one’s inviting me for gigs abroad. I didn’t even know that sort of work was possible at the moment!