No sympathy for people who booked a recent holiday

[fairparie]

Headlines this morning have got me cross. People who are 'devastated' that their holiday to Spain that they booked last week won't go ahead as they can't quarantine on return and lost all their money.
How stupid to book a holiday when you know it is a risk. We were going to go away and had not booked anything as was leaving it till the last minute. . We still could but I would not expect my work to pay for me in quarantine on top of two weeks away. It is understandable if I had booked before the pandemic but why should a firm pay for quarantine for those who knowingly knew it may be a risk.
I have full sympathy for those that booked before the pandemic and at least they will be insured. But c'mon how can you be upset that you have lost your money for a holiday you booked last week and now can't go on due to quarantine?

I took a very small risk because everything in life is a risk, even staying at home forever is a risk, you could have a fire, fall down the stairs, anything.

Agreed there is a degree of risk in everything there are known risks and unknowns. The risk of lockdown abroad or quarantine restrictions on return right now is a known risk. People can accept this, take their chances and plan accordingly but please, please do not appear on tv 'shocked and outraged' and claim that you never knew that this might happen.

And the generation thing... my MIL who is absolutely gutted she can’t visit is 67. So is it her generation that is selfish and entitled? Or mine? Or just everyone alive today?

Being gutted because she can't visit is acceptable - but it is far removed from the posters on here who MUST have a holiday abroad because they (and presumably only they) have had a terrible time lately, and can't see why they can't do whatever they want whenever they want and to hell with everyone else. And then moan because things don't go according to plan and no-one warned them.

I just think it shows how much some people still trust in our government to manage things well and don't bother to do much research or thinking for themselves. I do feel sorry for people who have lost money and really needed a break, but I think it was obvious this type of decision might happen at any time. What have the WHO been saying for weeks? How many u turns have the UK government made in recent weeks? How many experts do you need to hear saying autumn could be a big problem? The two most prominent government scientist are becoming increasingly outspoken and have you noticed we've dropped the following the science phrase?

We have better easier access to world wide news than ever, vast amounts of information on the internet at our fingertips, and people rely on Boris's government to spoon feed them information. Expensive lesson for some people though.

Also, those who think we shouldn't get on a plane again until 2027. If no tourists go to any of these places, there probably won't be any industry to go to eventually.

1. In all probability there will either be a vaccine or more succesful treatment options next year so it's just skipping one year.
2. The industry will start itself again when necessary. Nobody is going to say next year: "oooh all those tourists are coming and we could make a mint if we open a restaurant/ b&b/ hotel/ minigolf. Aaah too bad we're not going to do that". Because of course people will invest in these opportunities again.

We booked very recently. We’ve been stuck in a small flat with no garden, working and home schooling for months. It’s been intense.

If our holiday gets cancelled we’ll take it on the chin. We took the risk and it didn’t work out.

Still wouldn’t blame anyone for trying though.

Do think jealousy comes into it too

If you think people are jealous of a week in the Costas then you haven't lived.

@SantaClaritaDiet people don't seem to understand that mental health and immune are connected and you definitely need a good immune to fight this disease. By locking yourself up since March turning into a bitter person when not in a vulnerable group is just ridiculous. Stay alert to control the virus but take precautions ie social distancing, practice good hygiene and wear a mask. I feel some of the comments here are

@SantaClaritaDiet sorry I accidentally pressed post as DS took a tumble lol. I feel some of the posts and views here are from the very same people who post scaremongering crap on the DailyMail

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Do think jealousy comes into it too

If you think people are jealous of a week in the Costas then you haven't lived.

🙄 because everyone who wants to go to Spain was planning a week in the costas, obviously. Had we not cancelled our trip to Spain we were planning a week with the in laws in Valencia, then a week travelling to a few of our favourite vineyards in the Rioja region for wine tasting, followed by a few days in Madrid visiting friends we made when we lived there, and then the same in Barcelona. But you know what? Even if they are going for a week in the Costas then that’s fine too. You’re a snob.

pontypridd I think the concern would be if you get stuck out there and flights cancelled. If you've booked a package then I believe it's down to tour operator to get you back, but if you have flights separately then people have ended up having to pay huge amounts to get back and/or government laying on flights for them.

Personally if you want to take your chances, that's fine by me, but I do feel at this stage of the game, government shouldn't be paying to get people back. But then - having said that - government were unduly hasty in getting air bridges in place.

Instead we’re doing 4 days in Devon where the locals will probably tell us to fuck off home 🤷🏻‍♀️

Everyone makes decisions based on their own circumstances so sweeping statements are really unhelpful.

We were due to go to America so that’s postponed until next year but I’m still not excited as I’m not convinced it’ll happen. By then time it was confirmed we definitely weren’t going all the holidays for the weeks we have annual leave booked are booked up. We’ve booked a night away in October in the U.K. but are taking the opportunity to get a puppy. It’s always been on our agenda but dh will be mostly working from home long term and dc are what I believe are great ages for a family dog. We’ve never not had a holiday so this year feels quite flat and we’ve been working full on as both key workers but dh was working from home so school wouldn’t take dc so he’s been supporting home schooling for 3dc. A holiday is much needed but we don’t want to take the risk so we’re sucking that up. That’s our decision for our family. I have colleagues heading to Greece and France and I’m secretly jealous (while looking at them photos of my cute puppy).

OK.

Not having read this whole thread I might be missing the point-

But getting out of this country (not in a plane) actually feels far safer than staying at the moment. We’ve balanced the risks.

I wouldn't have booked one. My friend has (not Spain) but I will feel sorry for her if that country goes same way.

Have you?

If you get ill when you're there, does your insurance cover it? Can you afford a potentially expensive treatment and stay abroad?

I think too many are assuming that the only risk with travel is the risk of catching the virus. They are focusing on the numbers at their destination, saying they can social distance staying at a villa and it's safer there than here and so on. The real risk is more likely to be what has just happened in Spain and/ or the risk of a sudden lockdown or quarantine abroad, delayed return, unable to return to work, lost income and the knock on effect of this.

Good to see others have called out the inherent nastiness in starting a no sympathy post. Has the OP no better things to do with her time ?

I have colleagues heading to Greece and France and I’m secretly jealous

You won’t be when they come back looking like this

@Drivingdownthe101 lol 😂 they probably will tell you F off and it would cost you more and you won't have a guaranteed hot weather but hey ho

Our insurance covers everything, including getting Covid. It doesn’t pay if holiday is cancelled though.

We live in a very crowded city and are going somewhere very remote. Not intending to eat out or do anything other than cycling, walking and swimming in a huge lake. Shopping in a supermarket will be the most risky activity.

I’m guessing some took a calculated risk.

Group of friends of mine took the decision not to cancel a group holiday to a villa in France. Really intelligent people, one actually works in risk management.

Before paying the balance, they spoke about the possibilities and decided to go ahead knowing they could lose out.

They arrived in France yesterday. Could be they will have to quarantine on return. They knew that.

On the same basis, we cancelled a long time ago and booked a uk holiday instead. Glad we did, just different attitude to risk. Could have gone either way, but actually our return flight was cancelled so we were wise to have ditched the foreign holiday.

What I can’t understand is people booking a foreign holiday more recently and then being upset when they lose it. You’d only book it if you could afford to lose it, or to quarantine.

Totally different if you booked it before the pandemic and decided to take a chance rather than lose £££

Drivingdown- well said.
Sadly, certain posters on MN are well-known for their goading and sheer bloody nastiness to others whatever the argument. Can only think what sad little real lives they must lead. More to be pitied maybe as if this is their real life persona they can't have many people loving them.

Why can't people just be nice. It's ridiculous.

People lost money, that's horrible, have a bit of empathy. Yes it's a risk to book a holiday and for some this has backfired. Gloating about their misfortune isn't a good look.

Also, people couldn't help being furloughed (I wasn't), no point bashing them either.

I hope all the travelling won’t cause a spike. It’s not just about people’s personal risk but if it contributes to spikes in the U.K. and in the host country it affects all of us.