To wonder why people are booking holidays abroad...

[MrsMillhouse]

... when the rules seem to change every 5 minutes?

I understand those desperate to see family. But otherwise I don’t get why you would take the risk of getting your holiday canceled or have to spend £000s on quarantine as the bloody rules seem to change from day to day

I honestly don't know why anyone is bothering to book a holiday. Fair enough if that's what they want to do, but I have no real sympathy if they start moaning when the rules change. If you decide to travel during a pandemic, you have to accept the risk that your plans will be scuppered at short notice.

I do feel very sorry for people with loved ones overseas though. It is shit for them.

Because it very much depends what you are booking.

You can get flexible train o or plane tickets for example.
I know a few people who are rebooking now last year hols (so a carry over) and many others will do the same now.

People also need a break. Even if you ‘only’ book something in the U.K., rules could change, you might need to self isolate etc… not such a huge difference really.

@pegboardsu

I booked a holiday for August 2022.

Let's see

I am about to book a flight for my DS wedding in July 2022, its not exactly abroad (Ireland) so fingers crossed it goes ahead. I thought at the start of the pandemic that it would be fine by 2022 but as time goes by and new variants appear I am not so sure, especially as there are over 100 guests at the wedding (hopefully)

Yeah I couldn't arsed, seeing family aside if fhey were abroad.

@jihhy

But as long as people have adequate insurance and manage their expectations, what's the issue?

The issue is managing their expectations, if they do that then zero issue. I meant the ones on TV or in the newspaper or my colleagues who are surprised & frustrated. My BIL is in France & is super annoyed by the recent news as he assumed he would avoid having to isolate.

Oh I see. Fair enough. Yeah, if you book right now then you can't then complain if things go tits up. I booked my trip less than a week before going, in full knowledge that it may or may not happen. Gonna try for another one in Oct, have got the time off work booked and will see where will let us in by then (if anywhere!)

@jihhy

But as long as people have adequate insurance and manage their expectations, what's the issue?

The issue is managing their expectations, if they do that then zero issue. I meant the ones on TV or in the newspaper or my colleagues who are surprised & frustrated. My BIL is in France & is super annoyed by the recent news as he assumed he would avoid having to isolate.

Well I am deeply angry at that decision too..

1- because the so called beta variant has already been in the U.K. for a while now
2- because they’ve created a new category out of thin air, just to be sure no one knows where they stand.
3- because the decision is political. Just a way for them to look tough and responsible when things are clearly going down hill here.

We had an amazing holiday last summer and I'm desperate for another one. As the virus keeps mutating the pandemic could go on forever so any time I can go I'm going to take that chance.

It’s a risk but a worthwhile one if you have a lovely holiday. Plus the press are full of shit.

I wouldn’t be overly worried about catching Covid abroad as I could just as easily catch it at home

It depends where it is. If you need a hospital it can make a huge difference.

I agree OP. I hear people say things "we just need to spend £x on tests, we've decided it's worth it" but what if someone in the group tests positive and you're all stuck out there?

Don't understand why changes are a surprise to the people who booked and are now kicking off.

I can't be arsed with the uncertainty so won't be booking .

@MyriadeOfThings but are you surprised though?

I’m going on my own. For the first time in 12 years I will have 6 days with no responsibilities. No kids, no pets. Just me for a few days, relaxing with my best friend. I’ll take my work laptop - if I have to stay there I can work from there.

@IsabellesMissingSock 🤞🏼

Because I can afford it, and I'm willing to weigh up the risks and take a punt on it because we really want to go on holiday?

It's not rocket science.

Step ladder

We are going to a family owned apartment and will be taking work laptops. If we get stuck isolating because someone tests positive, we will work out there. We have very good medical insurance and can afford to rebook different travel home.

Because I live in the EU so it’s a little easier to travel around than if I were coming from the UK.
Because I don’t mind the faff of booking tests and reading up on each country’s rules before I go.
Because I’m double vaccinated so I can bypass quarantine requirements by showing my EU Covid pass.
Because most of my ‘holidays’ are linked to a work trip so I’d be taking those flights anyway.
Because I haven’t seen family and elderly relatives in over 3 years in some cases.
Because I don’t book flights until 2-3 weeks before departure date, when it’s pretty clear they will be going ahead. I book flexible tickets and fully refundable accommodation, and I don’t moan when I have to change my plans.
Because I have solid travel insurance.
Because I don’t go to emerging ‘Covid hotspots’ or countries where there are clearly not enough protective measures against their current epidemiological situation.
Because I don’t mind cutting my trips short if needed, when rules change overnight (and in the EU, they rarely do).
Because I refuse to feel guilty for travelling in a very safe and Covid-proof manner, whilst locally people are not judged for attending football matches or going to nightclubs.

I had 15 flights booked between July and August. 4 already out of the way, only 1 out of 15 cancelled so far, and they immediately rebooked me on another one - so instead of 18:45 I was leaving 17:45.
The only ones I might not make are those to London, unless rules change before I fly out. I’m happy to lose the money because they cost £16 return, but it’s Ryanair anyway so I get two free changes of dates.

I’m travelling and booking (flexible) holidays because life needs to go on and I refuse to stay trapped in the same country for another year, when for me it is perfectly doable to travel at the moment.

I've got flights to Italy booked for early September. I booked the flights because I'd meant to go last year, moved those flights three times, and wanted to have something to look forward to. At the moment its the 5 day isolation required by Italy which is deterring me - if it looks as if that's going to be in place by September I obviously won't go and will exchange my flights for some in the spring. Otherwise, I'm double-vaxxed, and wfh all the time anyway, so if I were to get stuck there or have to self-isolate when I get home, I could manage.

Because we’re desperate to see family. And we’re desperate for grandparents to see our kids, some of which they haven’t seen for half their life now. This is all happening at a family wedding.

@MyriadeOfThings

Because it very much depends what you are booking.

You can get flexible train o or plane tickets for example.
I know a few people who are rebooking now last year hols (so a carry over) and many others will do the same now.

People also need a break. Even if you ‘only’ book something in the U.K., rules could change, you might need to self isolate etc… not such a huge difference really.

I disagree on the last part. If you’re driving, there are a bunch of scenarios where you can get home from the UK when you couldn’t if you were abroad. You’re not dependent on the travel rules of 2 governments.

We have holiday booked for Gran Canaria for the last week of October. When I booked I naively thought all of this would be over by then.

I'm still hoping but got an email from the travel company offering options yesterday so preparing to have to move it.

Some people like to gamble and think the stakes ar worth it. I know a few people who have managed to go abroad I. The last 17months and have a fabulous holiday and come home with no issues. And I am so so jealous. But I couldn't stand the stress of thinking things could change or go wrong. For them it was a gamble worth taking. I'm just too unlucky to risk it

Others are going to see family etc and the rewards are higher than the risks.

I've got a holiday booked for 2022 (moved from 2020 - 2021 - 2022) and I alternate between pending desperate excitement and sickness at the thought of it all being cancelled again especially as I think it would be end of the road for that type of holiday (we've been putting off TTC until after as it's a big holiday, but can only put it off so long). If we can physically go next year we will have to weigh up what the situation is with testing etc.

I will hazard a guess at the reason being... because they want to?!

We went to Greece last August for 2 weeks and have recently returned from Majorca. No isolation with either and had brilliant holidays which we all loved (3DC)
If you don’t want to go that’s fine but there are some of us that do and that is also fine.

@avamiah

I don’t know why but I have a friend who has booked 2 weeks away for her and OH and 3 kids in August to Portugal. She told me that she only pays for hotel when she arrives and they have only paid for flights which are fully refundable 🙄

I was actually lost for words when she told me but Que Sera,Sera .

That’s a zero risk booking, she can cancel right up to the last minute, so not sure what your point is?

I don’t know anyone making bookings right now. Everyone still has so many holidays rolled from the last 18 months.

DS1 18 just returned from ten days in Majorca. Did all the tests no problem. Not difficult if you get organised. He had a great time.
We're supposed to be going to Halkidiki in four weeks (moved from last year). I had Covid last year and the rest of us two months ago. All PCR positive. Two of us fully jabbed. One under 18 so no need to SI on return and will pay for test to release on day 5 for DS1 who's in the middle of a long summer holiday prior to uni anyway.
Our UK alternative will cost £400 in train fares. That's before anything else. I'd rather pay that for swabs and go to a small hotel in Halkidiki with our own private pool.