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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think no, there should not be additional support for people who are on holiday in Spain

272 replies

paellaandpies · 27/07/2020 16:10

If you dashed off on holiday when it’s bleeding blindingly bloody obvious that this virus has not gone away but was just subdued by lockdown, no you shouldn’t be entitled to any extra help with having to quarantine when you come home!

Some of us haven’t seen family for months, we have taken pay cuts and lost jobs, we haven’t rushed into pubs and bars and onto beaches, precisely because we do not want to see a second spike.

If you choose to go on holiday and to travel, that’s your right and your choice and it’s not illegal, but you should have been isolating on your return anyway. Those of us who have been more restrained do not want to catch it because you couldn’t wait a bit longer for a holiday, and you’re spreading it all over the place when you get back. If you chose a holiday, you can deal with the isolation to keep everyone else a bit safer.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Hairthrowaway · 27/07/2020 16:31

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss you’re spectacularly missing the point, do you just expect poorer people to starve? You’re aware that the average Brit has no savings, and that average salary is only £30k? In fact, you must be aware that there’s plenty of people who earn less than that too? What do you want people who have already travelled and can’t afford to take unpaid time off to do?

BarbaraofSeville · 27/07/2020 16:31

The people who travelled a week or two ago and came back before the end of Saturday would have probably had a lovely holiday.

Those who went just a few days later have been less fortunate. In a lot of cases they could have booked last year, saved for years to afford the holiday and would have got no refund at all if they haven't have gone and might not be able to afford another holiday for years.

Plus for a lot of the places that people would have been going, both the UK and Spanish governments have told them it is safe to travel and were nowhere near any of the Spanish places where there were new outbreaks. I can totally understand why people would travel under those circumstances.

lifeafter50 · 27/07/2020 16:33

YANBU
-was clearly a distinct possibility as was only recently lifted
I wonder what is the crossover and those between the people who went and those who are eagerly earnestly predicting a second wave

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 27/07/2020 16:35

[quote Hairthrowaway]@IceCreamAndCandyfloss you’re spectacularly missing the point, do you just expect poorer people to starve? You’re aware that the average Brit has no savings, and that average salary is only £30k? In fact, you must be aware that there’s plenty of people who earn less than that too? What do you want people who have already travelled and can’t afford to take unpaid time off to do?[/quote]
Prioritising a holiday if no savings or money for two weeks food etc is a choice made by the individuals, no one else should be bailing them out as it was a choice they made. No one needs a holiday, it’s a complete non essential want.

vanillandhoney · 27/07/2020 16:36

YANBU.

The government made it clear that all travel advice was subject to last-minute changes and that quarantines and lockdowns could be imposed with just a few hours notice.

If people chose to ignore that just so they could get a holiday, then they need to suck up the financial consequences of it.

MarshaBradyo · 27/07/2020 16:36

Agree

vanillandhoney · 27/07/2020 16:37

[quote Hairthrowaway]@IceCreamAndCandyfloss you’re spectacularly missing the point, do you just expect poorer people to starve? You’re aware that the average Brit has no savings, and that average salary is only £30k? In fact, you must be aware that there’s plenty of people who earn less than that too? What do you want people who have already travelled and can’t afford to take unpaid time off to do?[/quote]
But the government has ALWAYS said last minute changes to lockdown, travel rules and quarantines were possible.

People just chose to ignore that because they wanted a holiday. Why should the government be responsible for their choices?

Creamcakeandrhinos · 27/07/2020 16:38

I agree

Bemorechicken · 27/07/2020 16:39

@paellaandpies

If you dashed off on holiday when it’s bleeding blindingly bloody obvious that this virus has not gone away but was just subdued by lockdown, no you shouldn’t be entitled to any extra help with having to quarantine when you come home!

Some of us haven’t seen family for months, we have taken pay cuts and lost jobs, we haven’t rushed into pubs and bars and onto beaches, precisely because we do not want to see a second spike.

If you choose to go on holiday and to travel, that’s your right and your choice and it’s not illegal, but you should have been isolating on your return anyway. Those of us who have been more restrained do not want to catch it because you couldn’t wait a bit longer for a holiday, and you’re spreading it all over the place when you get back. If you chose a holiday, you can deal with the isolation to keep everyone else a bit safer.

AIBU?

I agree with some of this.

We cancelled our holiday to France -it was obvious things could change quickly and we decided to stay home instead. I haven't seem my family for 6 months nor a holiday for 12 months. It is what it is.

Perfectserenity · 27/07/2020 16:40

Absolutely no reason to blame people for spreading Covid and 'killing' people when they followed government guidelines at the time. Awful behaviour

AldiAisleofCrap · 27/07/2020 16:40

Lots of holiday's would have been booked before lockdown, if travel companies aren't cancelling people are faced with an impossible choice?
It’s not an impossible choice, it’s gutting but if you spend £1.5k on a holiday and don’t go you are still £1.5k down. All you have the following week are the memories and a sun tan.

user1497207191 · 27/07/2020 16:41

@BarbaraofSeville

The people who travelled a week or two ago and came back before the end of Saturday would have probably had a lovely holiday.

Those who went just a few days later have been less fortunate. In a lot of cases they could have booked last year, saved for years to afford the holiday and would have got no refund at all if they haven't have gone and might not be able to afford another holiday for years.

Plus for a lot of the places that people would have been going, both the UK and Spanish governments have told them it is safe to travel and were nowhere near any of the Spanish places where there were new outbreaks. I can totally understand why people would travel under those circumstances.

Firstly, the UK govt has never told anyone it's "safe" to travel.

Secondly, life isn't fair. Some people are lucky, others aren't - that's life. As the 3 million self employed who have fallen through the cracks in Rishi's support schemes have found out, the Govt can't protect everyone.

Batshittery · 27/07/2020 16:42

Your OP sounds harsh. I feel sorry for those that have had holidays booked before the pandemic. Once the restrictions were lifted, they couldn't get refunds. I imagine that some of those people had saved hard for their holiday and didn't want to lose the money.

I have been shielding and haven't been to any bars etc. I was also lucky that I got refund for the holiday we had planned and paid for, as I didn't want to go. I don't blame those who decided to travel and they couldn't really have foreseen a lockdown as quick as this one happened.

BatShite · 27/07/2020 16:44

Not sure what to think really. But going away when government had said quarantine was not needed, then discovering on your last day that its all changed would be a bit shitty. At the same time though, not everything can be given warning. Like the mask thing, government were quite silly to say 'oh masks will be mandatory as they are very important, but not for 2 weeks', so giving notice about quarantine would annoy a lot of people too.

Hairthrowaway · 27/07/2020 16:45

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss none of that is relevant now as what’s happened has already happened. It doesn’t change the fact that some people went on holiday under the previous guidance, which changed whilst they were away, and may now face financial hardship as a result.

Yes, they wouldn’t have had to be bailed out if they were more financially savvy, similarly they also wouldn’t have been in this position if mandatory quarantine was in place before they travelled rather than the previous guidance so they could make an informed decision prior to the fact.

People will put the basic survival needs of their family over random strangers, especially if they’re asymptomatic. The government bailing them out during their mandatory quarantine doesn’t actually bother me if it stops them from attempting to go to work - and I am in the higher rate tax band.

tiredanddangerous · 27/07/2020 16:46

Yanbu. Anyone who decides to ignore the warning that the situation can change very quickly and go abroad regardless is completely fucking daft.

BatShite · 27/07/2020 16:48

Also the only person hit by the quarantine thing (in theory) that I know, is a frontline NHS worker who booked last minute once it was declared 'safe'. Says her mental health was massively suffering and she deserves a break. I can't disagree with her tbh..

But apparently, she doesn't actually have to actually quarantine because shes needed at work? Not sure how that one works.

Original poster
paellaandpies · 27/07/2020 16:48

It was so obvious that cases were rising that I have no sympathy for anyone who went on holiday or travelled for work knowing that they couldn’t isolate if it became mandatory whilst they were away. If you can isolate upon return, that’s different (although I do not have enough faith in human nature to believe that everyone will adhere to it, sadly).

I do think there should be some sort of exception for frontline workers though, people who’ve had it or been at much greater risk of catching it to look after others. People in those professions should get a government backed refund perhaps? Not the same as a holiday, but at least they haven’t lost out.

OP posts:
Fluffybutter · 27/07/2020 16:49

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FourTeaFallOut · 27/07/2020 16:50

This was always a possibility. It was a risk to jump on a plane and cross your fingers that you wouldn't be told to isolate when you got home. It's a risk that hasn't paid off if you go to Spain.

There will be people who chose not to go to Spain even though they had paid up for their holiday in case they would be asked to isolate on return. No doubt half of MN would have told them they were dementing loons a week ago.

pussycatinboots · 27/07/2020 16:51

YANBU.

If someone chooses to go abroad for a holiday during a global pandemic then that is entirely up to them. In no way shape or form should the taxpayer have to subsidise either early flights home or "sick pay" for while they have to isolate for 14 days.

TabbyStar · 27/07/2020 16:51

There are 3m of us who have had no support since the beginning of the pandemic, some are losing homes and businesses, spending retirement savings or house deposits and some are suicidal. I don't really have an opinion on the holiday thing, but the way in which support has been provided or not is massively inequitable.

Original poster
paellaandpies · 27/07/2020 16:51

Well - I guess I would rather be a self righteous twat than a selfish virus spreading twat, @Fluffybutter

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 27/07/2020 16:52

We’ve reached the limit of financial support, holiday makers will have to deal with it.

DancingInDespair · 27/07/2020 16:53

@EasterIssland

Yabu. Would you also ask the same to those that are doing non essential stuff in the middle of a pandemic? I.e not socially distancing , doing parties with families or friends , going to bars or nail bars or restaurants or cinema ? If not then I don’t see any difference.
Well, none of that is exactly wise. Just because it's allowed, doesn't mean you have to do it. Really we should all still be socially distancing and staying away from others as much as is practical still. We don't need the government to close things to do that. We all have a choice.