Traffic light system for holidays

[Butterflyfluff]

If what’s in the media today is correct, even green countries will require 3 tests to / upon return

And that’s before any tests needed to enter the destination country

All those tests are going to make family holidays really expensive

There also doesn’t seem to be any benefit of being vaccinated - there were rumours that vaccinated people could avoid quarantine if they had been to amber countries but there’s no mention of that today as far as I can see

I don’t agree that being vaccinated should be the only way trial is allowed as not everyone has had a chance to be vaccinated yet, but surely it should have some benefits

@EasterIssland

Same. Happy to jump through whatever hoops and if I’m vaccinated twice and test three times following the holiday (once before the flight and twice when home) I’m minimal risk to everyone else.
Just get me on a plane.

Well that was great news to wake up to this morning. We cancelled our May flights and moved them to August so really hoping we can get away to Europe this summer.

Our holiday insurance covers us fully and prepared to quarantine when we get back.

More good news (tho tbh it’s more expensive the tests in the uk than abroad)

The transport secretary has said But, I am undertaking today to drive down the costs of those tests and looking at some innovative things we could do. For example, whether we can help provide the lateral flow test that people need to take before they depart the country that they are in to return to the UK.
And also drive down the costs of the test when they get home if it’s in the green category, where it’s just a single test.”

All of us will welcome the fact that if you are going to a country that is green, where there’s very low risk of variants of concern, very low levels of Covid, that you won’t need to quarantine when you’re back.”

He added: “If you are a British citizen, you’ve been fully vaccinated, and are going to somewhere low risk such as Israel or the United States, not only do you have to have a test before you get on the plane coming back to show that you don’t have Covid, you then have to take an expensive PCR test after you arrive to demonstrate again.”

I wanna do two trips. One of them will be green / orange ans the other one unless loads changes then it’ll be green most likely so I can most likely avoid one of the quarantines. So despite I was hoping of ko pcrs for being fully vaccinated this is still good news for me

Jet2 has suspended flights now until June 23rd.
At a cost of £120 per test it adds a lot extra onto a family holiday.

Defo feeling positive about going away somewhere later this year. Not going to book anything just yet, but will do once things are a bit clearer.

I think separated parents will struggle with the 10 days quarantine - most would be using up most of their legally ordered time with the kids for a 5 day break. Quarantine, even at home, will make holidays abroad impossible for those families, and there are a LOT of those families among travel industry customers.

And, yes, I've taken a chance and booked hols.

Flights and hotels are flexible, so I can cancel. How many others will cancel if their destination turns from green to orange (especially red)?

id cancel if red. one of them I'd cancel maybe If it moves to orange (which is really unlikely) , the other one is visiting my family who I've not seen since 2019 so unless red id fly and quarantine if required to

I’ve cancelled. It just all looks too risky to me. I don’t want to pay extra for tests and I can’t quarantine so that was the end of that. May go later in year if looks any better but Jet 2 doing that indicates to me that even the airlines haven’t got a clue and the number of free child available for summer indicates that demand is not high. I can see travel being back to maybe 30% of its usual but no more than that and god knows what the rules will be once there. Think I will go to the US next year to make up for it.

It’s the quarantine hotel or the self isolating which is going to ruin holiday plans for many families.

it's the fact that a green country could turn amber or red at 2 days notice (happened last year) that would bother me. Isn't going to be much holiday if I'm constantly worrying about that.
Booked for late August, luckily we can change up to two weeks before, so no decisions necessary yet.

@Frazzled2207

it's the fact that a green country could turn amber or red at 2 days notice (happened last year) that would bother me. Isn't going to be much holiday if I'm constantly worrying about that. Booked for late August, luckily we can change up to two weeks before, so no decisions necessary yet.

I’ve not read about it today but when they started talking about it few weeks ago they said they’d give a bit more of time to avoid what happened last year However , before flying you could kind of see what could happen whilst away I.e if France was amber when I left ... and the current situation goes much longer I’d expect it to be red. I’d not expect a country like Maldives I.e to go from green to orange atm.

I'm really frustrated about this. I'm booked to travel to Egypt on 17th May with First Choice and they are currently allowing free changes to dates up to 28 days before which is the 19th April. But apparently we won't find out which countries are on the list until early May?

I dont want to travel in May it's an amber or green country. I wont be vaccinated and I'm pregnant so it's too risky. I also dont want to move it again (already moved from May 20 when it was cancelled) because the prices are fucking ridiculous now. Almost double for the same holiday in 2022.

I just want my money back tbh and wish I'd asked for a refund last year instead of changing the date.

Anybody else in this situation?

@Sprockerdilerock
Jet2 have canceled all hols until end of June I suspect other tour operators will do the same tbh

We’re waiting for Travel Republic to follow Jet2 and cancel our holiday, due to go end of May. I think it would be the best outcome right now, as the uncertainty is getting stressful and I’d just like to book a UK alternative!

Those of you that have travel insurance that is comprehensive for Covid - who have you got it through? I’m particularly worried about being tracked and traced/close contact.... I’m not booking anything until we’re actually allowed to travel as a lot of the policies don’t cover for a change (from green to amber say) if travel wasn’t legal at the point of purchase.

I am very frustrated. One minute they are saying traffic light system. Next it all changes and even us with full vaccinations now need to pay for tests.

Now this. Jet2. I understand why they did it. They need clarification from Government.

But. It causes distrust and panic.

I think the vaccination thing was always our hopes (those vaccinated) but I had never mentioned in the uk. I’ve in Europe but not uk and bearing in mind the European current situation to me it makes sense that as annoying as it’s they request the pcr

@SlipperyLizard

We’re waiting for Travel Republic to follow Jet2 and cancel our holiday, due to go end of May. I think it would be the best outcome right now, as the uncertainty is getting stressful and I’d just like to book a UK alternative!

Hopefully Ryanair will follow suit too.

Anyone got Spain booked for end of August?

@Waitingfor12th

Anyone got Spain booked for end of August?

No, mid June.

@Waitingfor12th

Anyone got Spain booked for end of August?

Mid July but I’m visiting my family so accommodations for me is not a problem

@Waitingfor12th

Anyone got Spain booked for end of August?

yes. Watching and waiting.