Ski trip, go or not?

[Atalune]

We have a family ski trip booked for the French alps next week.

We have been in touch with the travel company and our insurance company. Basically if the travel company/airline etc cancel we are covered.

We are NOT covered if we decide we don’t want to go because I am worried about it.

So....as much as this is a first world problem, I can’t afford really to eat the cost of the holiday and I don’t want to put my children at risk.

I don’t know why I’m posting. I’m just nervous be stressing.

We are all thankfully healthy and fit but even so I don’t want to be stranded in the bloody alps!

@TheWayOfTheWorld - I also feel it's inevitable we will get it, whether at home or away, but would you be ok with being quarantined (esp in view of the massive lock down that's about to happen in Lombardy). That's the only thing that's giving me (quite a big) pause for thought.

I'm usually a very decisive person and this is driving me mad! If it was just me I'd go without thinking twice, but it's having small children in the mix makes it harder. That balanced against a desperate urge to go skiing as we haven't been for four years

Yeah as someone said it’s not necessarily catching it

Although airports and airlines are fairly Petri dish right now !

It’s the issue of having to quarantine there and self quarantine on your return

Sometimes I think the costs of stressing about the visit out weighs the (unfortunate) financial hit

I know since we decided to NOT travel away for Easter I have felt calmer , poorer ! But calmer

Thisisworse - re the costs of stress outweighing the actual costs loss - exactly how I feel. I've spent the last couple of weeks backwards and forewards-ing. I think we'll probably pull out and I suspect I'll feel much better when we do, despite not wanting to at all!

It’s so hard , as I want my kids to see their parent . And I think I need to make
My decision , book Easter childcare this week and not look back

But when I see all the threads and that people are travelling it makes things worse !!!!

@snowballer - yes we have considered the self-quarantine issue.

Me: I could WFH
DH: already has the following week off and looking at his rota for week after he is only due in for a couple of days.
DC: still the Easter holidays for the first week, and would then have to stay at home with us for first 4 days of term.

I did actually broach cancellation with DH on Friday - if we cancelled yesterday we would have lost 35% of the cost. If we cancel over the next couple of weeks, we lose 50%.

As it stands now, what with the general lock-down in Lombardy I am confused. We are due to fly into Milan (after the lock-down is meant to end) and our ski resort is not in the lock-down area. Are flights still going in and out of Milan, I can't find any information.

My son is due to go to Bulgaria with his friend and his father next Saturday for a week skiing, I’m worried about the situation there as there is already a regular flu epidemic that is really testing their health system, now they have reported their first Coronavirus casualties. I know my son is low risk category but what if he does need medical support whilst there also he will be scared as I won’t be there 😕

It really is business as usual at Les Arcs. We felt we couldn’t swallow the cost of losing the holiday and our insurers told us they wouldn’t refund/cancel or offer an alternative.

We are happy we are here. Very.

If we go hind and have to self quarantine. Both dh and I can wfh. Both employers are saying they are so far happy for us to return to work xx

That's good to hear @Atalune - my current quandary is whether Milan airport will be open for business or not. If not, then hopefully we can reroute via Geneva or similar.

TheWayoftheWorld the whole of Northern Italy was put in quarantine today until April 3rd- including Milan. It may well get extended.

We’re off to French Alps in 21st for a week and coming back via Strasbourg ( friends / theatre etc ) . No plans to alter itinerary unless FO advises .

@UntamedWisteria it is specific regions of Northern Italy (including where Milan airport is). According to the ski company's latest update the airport is operating normally, which doesn't make sense to me so shall be monitoring.

Where we are actually due to stay is not covered by the quarantine - for the moment....

Milan is not currently operating normally, according to this article.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/08/coronavirus-more-countries-will-adopt-italys-measures-says-austrian-leader

"While Italy’s borders with Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia remained open, Alitalia, the national airline, suspended all national and international flights from Milan Malpensa airport."

I think the uncertainty must be the worst thing.

Enjoy your holiday Atalune!

The FCO advice has now caught up, only essential travel to Lombardy (inc Milan).

I am going to get in touch with BA to see what approach they are taking. Our flight is day after lock down is "meant" to end but who knows, it may get extended. Hopefully BA will just let us switch to Geneva...

Oh god.

Good luck on your travel plans.

The ‘savoir faire ‘ region. Good old autocorrect.

What is “first defence”?

I wouldn’t go because I know I’d be worrying and it would spoil the trip.

I would not want to get stuck quarantined abroad, so for me it’s just not worth the risk.

I wouldn't be going too far from home. There will be shortly be a risk of being stuck wherever you go and I would want to be at home if stuck somewhere for weeks. Other countries night start to limit movement and the UK may stop people travelling here from other countries. I would also want to be at home if I got pneumonia or my DH or DC got it. You've spent that money now anyway. You just have to decide if you want to go and risk being stuck or getting sick away from home or not.

Personally I wish people had stopped travelling as soon as we heard about the problems China was having. We may have been more likely to contain the virus.

Also following as we are booking for Easter skiing in the Alps. We are driving down but staying in a very large crowded resort.

I am worried about getting stuck there and getting sick there. Not bothered about self isolating when we get back. We could both WFH and the DC will be on holidays anyway.

So for the moment we have decided to go unless the advice changes in the next few weeks.

@fluffiphlox, surely the whole of France is the Savoir Faire region?

So I've seen that the Aosta valley in Italy has been closed for the rest of the season now. Waiting for my ski co to confirm but at least that means we should get a 100% refund. Really sad for everyone working out there, but on the bright side it is fairly late in the season so hopefully they won't be hit too hard...

Although I am now worried they will try to rely on the force majeure clause and not refund anything... insurance won't cover because not in region covered by FCO non-essential travel advice.

Would be terrible business not to refund people though surely? I would never travel with them again if they did that and I can't be the only one.

I meant to say we are booked for Serre Chevalier, which is right near the Italian border. So not sure what to do.

Think PP means Haute Savoie. Not savoir faire.