Will not be travelling - but is it the case that we cannot?

[Hardbackwriter]

Just to be clear, because I know I'll get posts about what a bad idea it would be to go otherwise: we are not going, we decided that a while ago, my question is about whether we cannot go, or are choosing not to.

We (DH, me, 2 year old DS) have flights booked (booked ages ago to head off the questions about why we were stupid enough to book them) for the week after next to my parents' holiday home, which is in another country - one with an air bridge to UK that doesn't require quarantine at either end (at the moment). My parents were supposed to be coming too, and have their own flights booked. We had already decided weeks ago that we wouldn't go and would just have to lose the cost of the flights. The airline does allow you to move them, but only to the end of March and that's no good to us because I'm pregnant and due in Feb, so we were just going to suck up the cost since my understanding is that this holiday would have been perfectly legal, just unadvisable, and so our choice not to go.

The area that both I and my parents live in has just gone into tier 2, so we cannot meet indoors. As far as I can see, though, we can still go abroad and under the rules of the country we would be going to we could legally stay in the same house - but not under UK rules. Does this mean we now cannot go? Again, we're not going either way, but I'm wondering if we now might have any hope with travel insurance (which we have) or the airline if we're in a situation where we can't go as opposed to choosing not to?

I reckon that you could still go. I don't think there's any restrictions on flying if the flights are still running. If you're away you're not bound by UK rules but by the rules of where you are staying

I think you can too

I'm wondering now if I can go with friends from London - about to go into Tier 2

And stay in a holiday place in Uk that's Tier 1

As far as I can see we can ? It's only at the bottom of Tier 3 households can't stay overnight together?

Ah, thank you - though I sort of wanted to hear that we couldn't and so we might have a chance at getting the flights refunded or (more likely) a more flexible policy to move them so we could go later than next March!

Depending on the airline getting a refund could be like getting blood out of a stone. If they are flying and you are in Tier 2 you could still go, and disinclination to travel is not normally covered under travel insurance. Why don't you want to go?

Hardbackwriter - There’s no ban on traveling and UK rules on not mixing won’t apply in another country so I think you can

Laurie, people who live in Tier 2 or 3 aren’t allowed to mix indoors with another household anywhere in the country (even a Tier 1 area)

Because I'm a bit worried that they'll bring in quarantine on return while we're there and then DH (teacher) will be quite screwed - the country is doing better than us right now but their cases are rising. DH is also a bit worried about the risk of me catching it on a plane at the airport, given the pregnancy (I'm not so worried, but maybe a bit naive!). Finally, I'm a bit worried that it just won't be much fun - you have to wear masks in all public places, including outdoors, it's always quiet where the house is outside the summer (it's coastal) and I suspect that now most things will just be shut. I think the stress to fun ratio will be off, though the thought that it might the only time we can see my parents for some time does give me some pause... I think you're right that we just need to accept the lost money, though.

I would move my flights to March in the hope that you might get the option to move them again next year. If it won't cost you money to move them it's worth a shot.

But I believe you could go now if you wanted.

It also just feels fundamentally a bit irresponsible to fly across Europe given the way things are at the moment. I think mum and dad might still go even if we don't and that's their choice, but it makes me feel uncomfortable to think of it - I wouldn't want other people to know, which isn't normally a sign that you're doing the right thing!

I am sad, though - apart from anything else both pregnant women and toddlers are treated very well where the house is so I had been looking forward to getting loads of fuss and indulgence of me and DS

JellyBabiessavelives

We're about to be moved into Tier 2 (we're both London) but the advice about leaving and going to holiday accommodation hasn't been updated yet

I am SCOURING the gov website for it as it updates

Having just visited somewhere in the travel corridor I know that the wearing of masks in public is not really an issue. In rural locations out walking it is permissable not to wear one, visiting a cafe or restaurant they are worn until you are seated. We did not feel that the risk was much greater than visiting a supermarket, and we can only go to places with lower infection rates than here. The possibility of having to quarantine on return is an issue, but these announcements are usually made on Thursdays for implementation on Saturday so if you are only going for a week and travel on a Friday, for example, you will know how things stand before you leave, and if the rules are changed they won't have come into force before your return. Ultimately you have to weigh up the risks versus the benefits, as with anything in life.