All fights cancelled..starting to feel panicky

[Novousername]

I’m not in the U.K. but am originally from there. Seeing lots of news on the forums here about flights being cancelled to and from the uk up until April and some even as far along as August..am I missing something here but why still cancelling that late in the year?
I haven’t seen my parents for what feels like ages and they’re due to have the vaccines hopefully April/May. They were planning to come out in the summer.
It’s closing in here too, we’re on a partial lockdown and allowed out until 1 pm, it’s looking like a full one is imminent.
Just feeling really down at the thought of being trapped in all the way from my family and trying to entertain my poor toddler, who I feel sad is missing out on life.

I don’t know if I can go through this again for months and months

Does you country allow entry to foreigners at the moment? If you have strict border control there is no point in flights coming as hardly anyone will be able to travel. Airlines may make the decision on whether to operate for a full season, it's not always possible to pick and choose landing slots as and when you want them, sometimes you have to cancel the route altogether. Somewhere like Australia for example is not planning to allow tourists at all in the medium term.

Not all flights are cancelled, though there are understandably limits on travel at present. The flights being cancelled into the summer season are because demand is likely to be lower than a normal year.

@CeeceeBloomingdale I’m in Europe, in a tourist resort, this doesn’t bode well for the people here, they’re barely surviving financially with the dip in tourism as it is. I assumed by summer all would be better, especially with the vaccine?

It depends. Is it a country with many airports or just one main one serving it?

Have you tried searching for flights ?

It’s hard to know, I would assume there will be lots of restrictions for quite a few months

What can you do now to make your day to day better? Can you get out? Are you still allowed to see friends?

I assumed by summer all would be better
I’m afraid that’s naive. There are so many dependencies e.g success of the vaccination programme, border policy,economic recovery, recovery of the aviation sector and its supply chain etc. It will be a long time before there a return to a full schedule of flights simply because firms can’t guarantee the demand

Don't panic. Everyone wants things to get back to normal as soon as is sensible. There may well be fewer flights for quite a while, while the economy and demand picks up, but there will be flights.

Depending where you are they could get the ferry and drive/train (guessing France from your username?)

I'm in Europe. We're going into full lockdown again tomorrow.

I haven't seen my parents in nearly a year. They had 5 lots of flights cancelled last year. They rebooked for may saying they'd come sooner if they can get a vaccine before then.

They were very strict here about incoming flights at one point but Covid figures here are still ridiculous although there are flights to and from the UK for nationals and permanent residents. I'm quite happy to stay put for now I'm not desperate to get back but I will be gutted if my parents get their flights cancelled again.

I'd assumed both the UK and here would have the virus under control by now and my folks would have had their jabs but no such luck.

For what it's with OP. My family lives in mainland Europe and I've gone back three times and they've also come here twice since this began. I took advantage of it while it was allowed. For now it's not, unless there is a reason. But I think they could even technically come here with negative test and quarantine etc.

I've had flights to budapest in feb cancelled (not in the least surprising and not before time) and also flights to verona in August cancelled this last couple of days. It does seem a bit strange that they would cancel that far ahead.

Seeing lots of news on the forums here about flights being cancelled to and from the uk up until April and some even as far along as August..am I missing something here but why still cancelling that late in the year?

As other such as Orf1abc has said not all flights into/out of the UK are cancelled but schedules are massively reduced because demand is so low, because of testing, quarantine etc.

As for "late in the year", we have to wait and see..if there's a massive improvement in the Covid situation late spring into Summer and people can begin to travel in significant numbers again the airlines will re-jig their schedules.

Personally anytime I've travelled I've booked one or two days in advance max. Might be a idea.

@CeeceeBloomingdale Three airports

@EggBobbin I’m in Portugal, possible to drive but dad is 71 in April and driving’s not on the agenda

@thinkful
That’s it, I think hearing about the August ones felt a bit strange?why cancel those ones already when we could be in a much better situation by then? Last August, flights were in place

[quote Novousername]@CeeceeBloomingdale I’m in Europe, in a tourist resort, this doesn’t bode well for the people here, they’re barely surviving financially with the dip in tourism as it is. I assumed by summer all would be better, especially with the vaccine?[/quote]
I'm COVID vulnerable and a best case scenario is that I'll have the vaccine by September. September is what that online calculator says, and I don't imagine everything will go as smoothly as its formula predicts. Too late for a summer holiday.

2022 might be a better bet for people going on their normal summer holidays abroad.

It surprises me that flights are being cancelled that late when the tv is full of advertising from the package operators. Most are optimistic for a summer recovery. I've heard mixed responses from locals.

Op, I forgot to say at one point when there were few flights back from here the embassy was helping people who wanted to get back but the tickets were really expensive. Depends how desperate you are. I agree with PP who says it's the same in the UK. I was having real issues with DH at one point and am still to an extent but still decided it's the stress of the situation for everyone and easier if I stay depends on your circumstances though.

I'm COVID vulnerable and a best case scenario is that I'll have the vaccine by September

If you’re vulnerable you should have it feb/March time latest. The first dose anyway.

The calculator is doing something weird at the moment, it’s put everyone’s dates back. Folks think it might be about the second dose, but it doesn’t make sense.

I’m fifty two, not vulnerable other than age and my gp surgery has already texted me some questions to clarify my vulnerability as they are expecting to give it to me soon. The calculator says it will be a year away.

Seeing lots of news on the forums here about flights being cancelled to and from the uk up until April and some even as far along as August..

Do your forums have any back up sources, particularly where the up to August cancellations are being cited?

OP it's not all doom and gloom. Last year when it all started, many people thought that a full lock down would last years and it didn't. No one could imagine flying would ever be allowed again and it was fine to travel to a lot of places in the summer. I think things will get better, as they did before. I know they've got worse again, but everyone knew winter would be a challenge. We were pretty free in July and August. It should be OK soon enough.

Personally I'd be happy to see all flights / ports cancelled for all domestic reasons. New Zealand closed its way in / out and their numbers are practically zero.

I’m fifty two, not vulnerable other than age and my gp surgery has already texted me some questions to clarify my vulnerability as they are expecting to give it to me soon. The calculator says it will be a year away

Perhaps they are just checking where all their patients come in the list. My 89 year old FIL has heard nothing yet, nor my 78 year old DM with heart issues. I read in the news that some 99 year old is still waiting. Yet somehow Boris' 80 year old father is about to have his second dose.

@Bluntness100

I'm COVID vulnerable and a best case scenario is that I'll have the vaccine by September

If you’re vulnerable you should have it feb/March time latest. The first dose anyway.

The calculator is doing something weird at the moment, it’s put everyone’s dates back. Folks think it might be about the second dose, but it doesn’t make sense.

I’m fifty two, not vulnerable other than age and my gp surgery has already texted me some questions to clarify my vulnerability as they are expecting to give it to me soon. The calculator says it will be a year away.

Not true. My forecast date has just been brought forward.

Worse nightmare of living in a overpopulated island with shit weather most of the year.

Better to take one day at the time. Too overwhelming if not.

Also, this should be called moannet now 😂😂😂

there was something on the news about allowing flights but you had to have a clear test result within 72 hours.