Are people ever going to stop asking about holidays?!

[Tequilala]

Hi,

Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love a holiday! Who wouldn't?! But honestly, if I see one more "Hancock says it's too early to give holidays the go ahead" type headlines, I'll lose what I have left of my mind!

The same pointless questions at the briefings are an absolute waste of time. Why do they bother? As if Boris, Hancock etc will just turn round and say "ah.. well actually, Laura, it's good news! We're still in lockdown, but sod it! Get your castanets out and your sombrero on, it's time to book that all inclusive afterall! 🥳"

I feel for the travel industry, I really do, but it's quite clear that right now, it would be very unwise to book anything, unless you can get a full refund I suppose.

It reminds me of when your kids keep asking the same question over and over, until you finally cave, just to get a bit of peace! Is thar what the press are hoping to happen?

Press: "Boris, can we go on holiday?"
Boris: "Alas, I'm afraid it's just too soon to say".
Press: "Boris, can we go on holiday yet?
Boris: "No"
Press: How about now?.....Now?....How about now?..

🤦‍♀️🤯

We were supposed to go last March to Tenerife the first holiday for 6 years then Covid happened , we literally have a fist full of euros , suitcases packed and a prepaid card
Now all in the loft .. my husband is desperate to go , he doesn’t use all of his annual leave because his job is intense and stressful , he just wants to go
I get it ...I really do but I don’t want to lose the money we put on the prepaid card ( do they have a shelf life ?)
If we don’t lose money I’ll quite happily go 2022 .. but I do think this year at least before this September is out of the question
He is very ready to book for next June 2022 .. I’ll wait ( change of job , possibly in a school )

It will then be 8 years when we went away together

Agree.

I was saying today at work that last year it was always "he over promises and under delivers"

Now he's refusing to make promises he isn't sure he can keep due to lack of data it's "why won't you promise us?"

We need some better journalists in this country!

I love holidays and getting back to normal for me will definitely include a holiday somewhere warm and sunny, but also travel for ‘non essential’ reasons in general is a massive thing for some people. I have family abroad who I very much want to see, my niece has decided to go ahead with her wedding in NZ this March as there’s no way of knowing how long she’d have to put it off for to facilitate the UK family being able to go, and my son doesn’t know when he’s going to be able to see his partner again who is in Oz. It’s not just whinging about missing out on holidays. Although I have had my finger on the book button for a cottage in Cornwall more than once this past week, and I’m probably going to press it so that we’ve got something lined up if we can go. It feels like it would be good to have something tangible to look forward to.

@Crazycatlady83, yes, I do understand that. As I said, I feel for the industry and many others. It's awful. It's all awful, but right now they just don't have an answer and not just for the travel industry. On the 22nd, hopefully things will be a little clearer, but things switching and changing, spanners being thrown in the works and general uncertainty is, unfortunately, the nature of the beast.

I had a look on TUI the other day for May half term package holidays. Some of them had "five places left". So someone is booking them, unless the number of places left info is made up.

Its a squirrel.
To distract from other issues.

What I find utterly depressing is the number of people who they MUST go abroad this year as if its some sort of right. And are getting properly wound up about it.

I think there is a reality check due because overseas travel will be more expensive going forward for a variety of reasons. And it will be more difficult, even with covid cases coming down. Lots of people may even find it impossible to travel (can't get travel insurance or face issues over criminal convictions or other interesting brexitty related issues that people are yet to discover).

Theres a shock coming for many as I suspect many who took it for granted that they could go somewhere will find they can't go anymore.

Personally I don't think its the big deal its being made out. Ive booked something away. Its not my dream holiday, but its a break. If we can't go, we can't go. Its not going to ruin my year. It reflects the situation we are in.

I'm bloody going to enjoy this summer regardless of where I am. And I'm going to appreciate it rather than being a moaning british stereotype.

Its a squirrel. To distract from other issues

Good point.

Imagine if the news headlines were that vaccine hubs were currently operating at two thirds below capacity and millions of people are not getting the vaccines they should:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9249063/Covid-vaccine-centre-standing-idle-rigid-NHS-priority-rules.html

@itsgettingwierd

Agree.

I was saying today at work that last year it was always "he over promises and under delivers"

Now he's refusing to make promises he isn't sure he can keep due to lack of data it's "why won't you promise us?"

We need some better journalists in this country!

The issue is the public not the journalists on that one.

The public are too used to being fed sweeties by government because they don't like being told no. Johnson for once is treating them like grown ups not children.

The journalists reflect the public questions. So if they are saying things like this, Johnson needs to manage it. Even if he's doing the right thing.

Because its his fucking job. Just as its journalists' job to ask these questions and reflect public mood.

Because people need something to hold on to/look forward to. Christmas was taken from us, Easter doesn’t look likely, now the focus is on the summer.

I would just like to leave my house lawfully and do some mundane, boring shit without restriction and protocol. Sitting in Starbucks right now would blow my mind and that thought alone is so pathetically exciting, never mind a holiday! I'd happily forgo any foreign travel if people could just live their lives at home.

No, I don't think they will stop asking about holidays. It's what keeps a lot of people going.

As a PP said, most of my disposable income goes on holidays and I get a huge amount of joy from planning them and going on them.

@goldielockdown2

I would just like to leave my house lawfully and do some mundane, boring shit without restriction and protocol. Sitting in Starbucks right now would blow my mind and that thought alone is so pathetically exciting, never mind a holiday! I'd happily forgo any foreign travel if people could just live their lives at home.

I agree! I would just like to go for a countryside walk without fear. The police where I live are STILL turning people away, fining people who have driven more than 5 miles (a totally made-up distance that isn't even in any guidance or law).

I’ve booked two U.K. breaks. Soz Boris 😂 it’s something to hope for & look forwards too. Full refunds & you don’t pay in full until nearer the time so 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’d rather be disappointed at a cancellation than disappointed I didn’t bother to book anywhere. I’m happy to accept not going abroad this year.

Anyone can book a holiday or 10 if they want but at least this February when you book you have some realisation that there is potential for some fucking annoying virus to fuck up your plans and who knows where you'll stand with rebooking and refunds. Hopefully all fine and dandy but we all know soneoneckast year who had a nightmare getting rebooked or refunded so just bare that in mind and decide yourself what you're prepared to risk.

Christ I want my old job back. Cabin Crew. I miss travelling. I want my holidays back. I want normality back so badly.

The fact is if you are one of the people asking but when can we go on hiday then you probably don't fully understand what's going on with the virus, vaccine and mutatio risks. There was a fab professor on the TV late last night who really spelt out the potential risks ahead of us with regards to the virus v vaccines and set it very simply and clearly. I think it might have been on Preston or Peston. Sorry I can't recall, I'd never seen the program before.

Meanwhile, let's all dream of our favourite holiday place and keep hoping

@Crazycatlady83

How dare a whole industry want to know when they can open up, if they can save their businesses and the 1.4 million people it employs, whether they will have a job in March / April (you know they are citizens and tax payers as well right?)

Is it the industry making the most noise? I feel it’s the public drowning them out.

There are legitimate concerns to be voiced by the industry that people are piggy backing on. Granted all of those add weight for the industries position but let’s not pretend that the average persons concern is for other peoples jobs, they want a jolly (as do we all).

How dare a whole industry want to know when they can open up, if they can save their businesses and the 1.4 million people it employs, whether they will have a job in March / April

Of course they want to know, everyone, including politicians want to know.
But most of us realise it's impossible to predict anything for sure at this stage and there's no point in continually asking the same question.

@Tequilala with the greatest of respect - that is absolutely not what they are saying. They are saying “don’t book any summer holidays”. This is an industry which is really important but with massive costs, being told “it’s illegal to run your business” but getting the same level of support from our government as your local book shop. Now, not only quarantine hotels / Red lists / not to vaccine passports (which will probably be widely required by most other countries) they are now being actively briefed against (I.e don’t spend your money on holidays - UK or abroad)

Most people are quite prepared to stay home, save the NHS etc., but not indefinitely put their lives and livelihoods on hold. And like it or not, this includes the million + people who work in the travel industry in our country alone.

It’s not just holidays. With the government saying nothing apart from the usual piffle waffle, we can’t plan ANYTHING. This is having a serious effect on the mental health of all of us. It’s becoming more obvious by the day that this is all about the government enjoying their power, and seeing how long they can string us out for before we finally lose our minds. If the government really cares about the greater good (and it looks if they don’t, as they keep toying with our heads) they need to FUCKING TALK TO US.

It’s becoming more obvious by the day that this is all about the government enjoying their power, and seeing how long they can string us out for before we finally lose our minds

What benefit would the government get from doing this?

Laura and her bloody castanets! 😂

@wanderings

It’s not just holidays. With the government saying nothing apart from the usual piffle waffle, we can’t plan ANYTHING. This is having a serious effect on the mental health of all of us. It’s becoming more obvious by the day that this is all about the government enjoying their power, and seeing how long they can string us out for before we finally lose our minds. If the government really cares about the greater good (and it looks if they don’t, as they keep toying with our heads) they need to FUCKING TALK TO US.

Trouble is that until the data about how effective the vaccine is, neither the scientists nor the government know themselves what the situation is.

They would be irresponsible to start making promises and plans for reopening until they get that in.

Thats going to be a few weeks yet.

Everyone needs to get this into their heads that realistically we have no choice but to be patient. And even then there are no guarantees and we need to be flexible until we are further down the line.

Thats just the nature of the situation.

Its not anyones fault. No one can magic things out their backside and go quicker because people need to know now like a stomping toddler.

They can't tell us what's happenning when sadly cos the Virus keeps.fuckingbusnover.

They dared mention thatbtheybwouldmlile.tompossibly just maybe start sending some kids back to.school from 8 March if the conditions re the virus make it safe to do.so. There are parents threatning suicide if "they don't keepnthier word". People.clingingbin to this 1 date and are going to feel devestated if it.does.jit happen or if it's not their kids year group etc.

Nothing can be planned weeks in advance with Covid. Its been a year of this virus throwingbtwiats and turns at us. Ffs it's been a year of disappointments and cancelled.plans. I don't get why people dont get it. Fuck All can be planned with certainty anymore.

Dontnexpect anything. Hope and plan for whatever you like bit be semi.prepared for.dissapointment or having to rearrange.

I honestly want travel back more than anything but we need to be realistic. No one can say yes May 1st.will be a great date.for us all to return to normal, not yet becsusevits too far away. I want my job I love so much back. Aviation is fucking doomed at the moment.

YANBU. I guess it’s to give us all a ray of hope that things might return to normal one day soon, and also to deflect attention away from other issues (as I receive an email from our primary school today to ask me to collect a new teaching pack hmmmm)

They could at least APOLOGISE for the effect this sustained lockdown with no end in sight is having on our mental health, just like Boris grovelled about the dead - but I suppose they don't want to apologise for any ill-effects of lockdown, because they're afraid we might start rioting.