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Original poster

No sympathy for people who booked a recent holiday

624 replies

fairparie · 26/07/2020 07:13

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?

OP posts:
lazylinguist · 26/07/2020 16:26

You do realise it's possible to have sympathy for people even whem they made a choice you wouldn't have made, right OP? People are fallible and not surprising some jumped at the chance of a bit of a break.

daisychain1620 · 26/07/2020 16:46

I think the OP is getting a bit of a hard time on here. Of course it's awful that people have been left disappointed as they were looking forward to a foreign holiday but as many others have said we're still in a pandemic. Surely it was a gamble to book a foreign holiday, no one really knows what will happen.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 26/07/2020 17:01

'That said, by the time we were alerted to this thread, there were already several hundred replies on here - mainly with folk disagreeing with the OP's stance.'

Not most, I'd say it's 50/50.

Many have indeed said who tf complains when they have to go into quarantine after a jaunt to Spain, Johnson has made it perfectly clear they will put the brakes on as and when infection rates spike. They've acted quickly, that's a good thing!

LolaSmiles · 26/07/2020 17:07

I'd not gloat or be smug about people losing money because that's an arsey thing to do.

Equally I do think it's fairly short sighted to book an overseas holiday in the middle of a pandemic when your travel insurance isn't going to cover it unless you've got money to burn. It's perfectly possible to have a break without flying to Spain.

BackInTime · 26/07/2020 17:21

there should be a pop up on booking sites for people who don't watch the news, reminding them there's a pandemic and only to book if they fully understand the implications of an everchanging situation

I didn't think this was necessary as I assumed everyone understood the situation could but I really think it is something that should happen now. People need it spelled out for them that yes by all means travel but only do so if you are fully aware of the risks and have the means to deal with various circumstances such as sudden lockdown abroad or quarantine when they return.

itsgettingweird · 26/07/2020 17:33

Agree back so we really if a message just in case someone hasn't noticed Confused

And for those who choose to ignore what they don't want to hear (eg this isn't over we're just in a low transmission phase) they have to accept they may lose their gamble.

GilderoyLockdown · 26/07/2020 17:42

[quote sonicbook]@GilderoyLockdown you didn't make a point you just said 'circumstances' ... I filled in some blanks and said ah maybe visiting loved ones and you said 'no I didn't say that'

I have nowhere else to go with it. 🤷🏻‍♀️[/quote]
That's not whataboutery or anything close to it though...

islockdownoveryet · 26/07/2020 17:46

I can see both sides , yes I agree going on holiday isn't a priority and for me travelling to other countries without quarantine during a pandemic is madness in my opinion.
But it's been a difficult time and I see why people want to go on holiday and for the industry too .
But yeah just booking a holiday to go away in the next few weeks is not the best idea .

Walkaround · 26/07/2020 18:34

Posting that you are cross with people and have no sympathy with them is 98% gloating, being sanctimonious and generally bitchy, and 2% pointing out that it was always a risk booking a holiday at this time. It’s also unbelievably dim to wonder why someone would be upset to miss out on their holiday, even if they knew this was a possibility. Like yeah, we are all happy to miss out on things we wanted to do Hmm.

pontypridd · 26/07/2020 18:34

We did it. It’s not the best idea, I agree.

In normal times we are non risk takers. We still are, really. But there’s something about the last 4 months of imprisonment that’s made us actively want to take a big risk. Just one. And this is it.

supersonicginandtonic · 26/07/2020 18:43

@esveee actually no it wasn't just for essential reasons. People were encouraged to to exercise daily. Or did you miss that part?

annabel85 · 26/07/2020 20:31

'People need a break' I can understand but for one summer they can do without a foreign holiday and stay in the UK at least. It has been a good summer weather wise and they then avoid air travel and all the risks involved in going abroad this year with Covid and quarantines.

If it was booked before March then you can understand why they've gone ahead with the holiday especially if there was issues with cancellations.

Theimpossiblegirl · 26/07/2020 20:45

We should be on holiday now, we booked a year ago. I feel every sympathy for people who have lost their holiday/money, whether they booked last year or last week. It's shit.
But I keep telling myself it could be worse.

Smug gloating is crappy behaviour. Lots of people have been struggling through lockdown and we all deserve a bit of cheer, however we try to find it.

Rosieredapples · 26/07/2020 20:54

You sound like you are delighting in others misfortune OP.

Lots of people who have worked through this time myself and husband included are desperate for a break away and our kids are desperate to be out the house and have a break from studying.

We cannot go away as Key workers and not able to work from home, moreover other key worker colleagues depend on us being back in work so they can take their annual leave.

Lots of people have and will lose hard earned money and with nothing to show for
It only more stress piling on.

Vodkacranberryplease · 26/07/2020 20:57

@annabel85 'People need a break' I can understand but for one summer they can do without a foreign holiday and stay in the UK at least. It has been a good summer weather wise and they then avoid air travel and all the risks involved in going abroad this year with Covid and quarantines.

Are you serious? It's fine nothing but rain for the last few days.

jasjas1973 · 26/07/2020 21:12

Last year the CEO of Visit Cornwall told people to stay away from following terrible traffic jams at certain Cornish beaches - Porthcurno was one.

Now with overseas travel curtailed it will be chaos personified.

HairyFloppins · 26/07/2020 21:17

[quote Vodkacranberryplease]**@annabel85* 'People need a break' I can understand but for one summer they can do without a foreign holiday and stay in the UK at least. It has been a good summer weather wise and they then avoid air travel and all the risks involved in going abroad this year with Covid and quarantines.*

Are you serious? It's fine nothing but rain for the last few days.[/quote]
Same. It's done nothing but rain here for weeks in Staffs. Early summer was nice during lockdown.

I have been looking at UK breaks. Most places are full. These places are going to be so busy and horrendous.

supersonicginandtonic · 26/07/2020 21:23

@HairyFloppins it's also ridiculously expensive to have days out. With having to book in advance. It's cost over £200 for Flamingo land and another £100 for sea life centre. That's without any food. It's extortionate over here and you can't rely on beach days due to the weather.

Freeekedout · 26/07/2020 21:27

Can't afford to pay for UK holiday or expensive days out now as we've lost all our money to a Majorca holiday.

HairyFloppins · 26/07/2020 21:30

It's definitely not cheap here in the UK.

Drivingdownthe101 · 26/07/2020 21:33

Our 4 days in Devon has cost pretty much the same as our 2 weeks travelling round Spain would have cost.

Itisasecret · 26/07/2020 21:34

I feel sorry for people yes. I don’t think it was wise to go no.

One thing this government has been slammed for is being too slow to react. They have learnt from that and promised to slam the brakes on. That’s what they’ve done, to try and prevent importing more cases.

The economy is in trouble, they will avoid another lock down at all costs. If it means making trips abroad more difficult, especially when they are not necessary, so be it.

People took the risk to go abroad knowing Boris has said how many times now? They’ll immediately slam the brakes on if necessary. I’m no fan of his, but he he has been clear. Sometimes people need to be accountable for their own actions. They took that risk and in a pandemic, it’s not all about them.

Mascotte · 26/07/2020 21:34

Oh ffs have some compassion and stop being so judgy @fairparie

MostlyAmbridgeandcoffee · 26/07/2020 21:36

I think people can be sad about their holidays. But I definitely don’t think people who recently booked can pretend they are horrified / surprised / treated awfully and demanding apologies / money etc - it was a risky booking that unfortunately didn’t pay off or has a cost to it

annabel85 · 26/07/2020 21:42

I have been looking at UK breaks. Most places are full. These places are going to be so busy and horrendous.

Some places will be quieter than others. I imagine Cornwall will be busy through August but plenty of more remote (but nice) places if that's what you want.

I understand with UK you can't rely on the weather, the point I was making we've had a good summer weather wise. July hasn't been great but from end of March to end of June it was largely really nice.