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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it stupid to book flights to Thailand for Xmas?

82 replies

Sundiamond · 09/08/2020 13:00

We've not been anywhere since Lockdown, with no plans on the horizon.

I wanted to see how things panned out.

But thinking ahead to Xmas. I realise it could be a period of higher infections, but presuming more robust testing measures are in place globally, is planning to go further afield stupid?

OP posts:
tenredthings · 09/08/2020 13:09

Yep

Littlefish · 09/08/2020 13:09

Yes. Silly idea..

RozHuntleysStump · 09/08/2020 13:09

Yes. It is

rollerbootgirl444 · 09/08/2020 13:14

I'm looking too. It's good for my mental health if nothing else. I'm going to book on bookings.com with free a cancellation option and source flights later IF we decide to go.

Life goes on. If things aren't looking good closer to the time, I'll change our plans, it's not if I don't know it's a strong possibility. Nothing to loose. Until then, I'm throughly enjoying living the dream Smile

Bawdrip · 09/08/2020 13:18

We're hoping to go in March but it's unlikely

Doilooklikeatourist · 09/08/2020 13:23

Stupid idea ( imho )

ajandjjmum · 09/08/2020 13:28

We have flights booked last December to visit DS in Australia this December. We had an email from BA last week cancelling the outbound flight. Funnily enough, the incoming is still there - not quite sure how they expect us to get out there!

No-one knows, but it is very dodgy. I understand the need to have something to look forward to - what about planning a wonderful trip for the same time next year, when (hopefully!) we'll be sorted?

piscean10 · 09/08/2020 13:29

I dont get this desperation for people who can't survive one year without a holiday. Hmm

Original poster
Sundiamond · 09/08/2020 13:44

Just because you don't need a holiday, why judge others who do?

And who said I'm desperate? @piscean10

OP posts:
Bawdrip · 09/08/2020 15:52

Got us it's not a carse of surviving one year without a holiday. In 15 years we've only ever holidayed in the UK bar one trip to France on the ferry. This is the first year we have both the time and the money to go abroad. Like I said, we're hoping to go but realise Thailand probably won't be open to tourists.

19lottie82 · 09/08/2020 15:54

I think if you book with emirates at the moment then you can amend your flights for free, even with the cheapest saver tickets, so you could always book and then postpone if need be?

RootBeerFloat43 · 09/08/2020 15:57

Thailand is unlikely to be open to UK tourists in December, there has been talk of air bridges with other low risk countries in the area e.g Vietnam but even this has been shelved for now. Would be very risky booking flights. Totally understand the need for a holiday and something to look forward to but maybe look into other countries that seem to be opening up more as Thailand is very much locked down.

araiwa · 09/08/2020 16:05

Theyre locked down

Uk is gonna be last on the list of people allowed in

PurBal · 09/08/2020 16:19

They don't have a healthcare system in the way we understand it. There are recommended vaccinations for travelling there without COVID-19. Look as much as you want, but if you need treatment remember that the already underfunded medical "system" is overworked. Sounds like the NHS I know, but have you ever been to a hospital in a developing country? A family member needed treatment that in this country would be routine but where he was in Asia meant getting special dispensation to travel to the army hospital or repatriation to the UK. I'm looking forward to a long haul holiday too but I won't be booking until it's safe.

FinallyRelief · 09/08/2020 16:28

Just not safe OP. I wouldn't - have you thought about Brittany or the South of France? (Opposites I know just to get a break in) also they have the healthcare

heartsonacake · 09/08/2020 16:31

Sure, book. As long as you don’t mind quarantining if necessary, and if you end up stranded or in another pickle I hope you won’t be expecting help because you went there knowing there was a pandemic on and the likelihood of something going wrong was high.

Do the action, face the consequences.

vanillandhoney · 09/08/2020 16:35

It's daft. Why are people so keen to go abroad at the moment?

At best you'll be stuck in quarantine at some point (either when you get there, when you get back, or both) and at worst you'll end up stuck in a national lockdown somewhere and not able to get home for weeks or months. Or, you'll get sick and end up stuck abroad in a foreign hospital.

Why not just stay home this year?

Pittapitta · 09/08/2020 16:42

You will never get a balanced answer on Mumsnet about this. People think your silly for popping to yeh shop for milk atm so if you want to go but I’m not going on my usual Xmas holiday this year, but I wouldn’t judge you for going on yours

eurochick · 10/08/2020 08:19

I think winter is going to be a shitshow for Europe - when we will be spending more time indoors and kids will be back at school. And Thailand has taken one of the hardcore stances. I have a friend who has just moved there for work and there were incredibly stringent entry requirements (requiring clear tests and a lot of paperwork) followed by strict quarantine.

Cheesecakejar · 10/08/2020 08:21

It bugs me when people open with 'we haven't been anywhere since lockdown' what, March? A whole 5 months of no holiday, shock horror!

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 10/08/2020 08:23

If you've managed 15 years basically holidaying in the UK, you can manage one more., OP. What's the point in making this year the 'big deal' holiday one when it's very likely you will be disappointed by its cancellation. Stick with the UK and delay your gratification until the COVID-19 situation looks much less worrying and/or there's a vaccine available.

ReefTeeth · 10/08/2020 08:25

@vanillandhoney

It's daft. Why are people so keen to go abroad at the moment?

At best you'll be stuck in quarantine at some point (either when you get there, when you get back, or both) and at worst you'll end up stuck in a national lockdown somewhere and not able to get home for weeks or months. Or, you'll get sick and end up stuck abroad in a foreign hospital.

Why not just stay home this year?

Agree. Totally daft and I just can't believe anyone would actually think it wasn't.

And why would you want to go to Thailand during a pandemic 🤨

Put it this way, do you think there will be a vaccination developed by then that you'll be able to access before your trip?

araiwa · 10/08/2020 08:46

Thailand is covid free and has been for a while now. They locked down borders, closed pubs schools etc, enforced mask use, curfew, alcohol ban. They have reaped the rewards.

They dont want infected brits or yanks coming any point soon. Even returning thais must quarantine at their own cost in government ran hotels. About £800 for the two week quarantine

BlueJava · 10/08/2020 08:48

We'd love a holiday. As our two DS were finishing A Levels this year I'd planned a big family holiday. But obviously we couldn't go. But there is no way I'd be booking flights or anything else before things calm down a lot more.

InTheWings · 10/08/2020 08:48

You’ll just spend the next 4 months worrying whether it will happen or not, whether you will lose money, be forced to quarantine, won’t be able to get health insurance to cover getting COVID while away....

To go from ‘going nowhere’ to getting on a 12 hour flight with hundreds of people in a pandemic sounds mad.