Would you travel if you were me?

[shoulditravel]

Hi all, just looking for some advice/perspective.

I live outside the UK in an EU country where covid levels are currently quite high and more restrictions are being put in place.

I'm supposed to travel back home to N Ireland for Xmas around the 19th Dec until the 28th but haven't booked flights yet (I think we will fly directly into dublin and travel north).

I would be flying with my husband, my adult stepson, my 2 year old and 10 month old. All the adults are vaccinated.

My issue is that this trip (which isn't booked yet), will cost us a lot of money at an expensive time of year. I really want to spend Xmas with my family but am worried about another lockdown. What if they introduce quarantine for us? Even in the house it would ruin our trip. What if everything is closed, again, this feels like a waste of trip. What if flights are cancelled? That would be a nightmare with the kids/my husband's work, and we would lose a lot of money if the trip couldn't go ahead at the last minute.

So in short I am nervous about booking it at all this year. Is there anything I am missing? What would you do in my situation? Reckon it is all just media hype?

If it were me, and in light of your concerns, not a chance I would plan to go this year.

I wouldn't either. Plan for Christmas in July.

I wouldnt travel, everything is still too annoyingly unpredictable.

I would book and hope for the best, but then I’ve been travelling a lot since the pandemic started and have never encountered major issues.

It’s normal to feel nervous though. What money are you worried about losing?

If you mean flights, then book with an airline that allows free change of dates (BA and easyJet are very flexible - up to the day of departure, Ryanair also great and you can even change the route but is only free up to 7 days before departure). Then if you decide not to go you move them to summer or whenever is best for you. If the flights are cancelled the airline must either rebook you on another flight, or give you a refund.

Would you be staying with family or paying for your own accommodation? If the latter, I’d book fully refundable only.

Or do you need to take time off work and thus lose income unnecessarily if the trip was cancelled last-minute?

The fact you’d be flying into Dublin makes it easier because the EU won’t close a particular border unless there is a specific variant threat. If all the adults are vaccinated you’ll have Covid passes and will also avoid quarantine in the UK (unless a big red list change occurs).

Having said all that, if you’d rather not go then that’s perfectly valid.

I'm also an expat in Europe. All the countries around here are tightening up their rules so, hard as it is, I wouldn't be making plans

Similar situation here - I’ve been dithering and dithering and just today booked a flight to see my parents in Germany for a couple of days next week. I am not sure yet that I will actually get on that plane. It feels like complete madness right now. On the other hand if I don’t go, things might get even more difficult very soon with lockdowns etc. Please someone talk some sense into me?

@Schulte I've done Germany-UK about 8 times since the summer, last time was last week and I'm going again next weekend.

Unless something catastrophic happens in the meantime, your trip will go ahead. Who are you flying with?

Now is the time to travel. If they strengthen restrictions it will be from next week, so do it now. I don't know which Land you're going to, as some of them have closed restaurants, theaters etc, but travel is a Bundesland issue and I don't see it changing in the next week or so, so you'll most likely be fine.

As long as you're vaccinated, they don't even say anything at the border anymore.

I am going to Brazil on Wednesday. I have some concerns but not enough to stop me from going. Since March 2020, I’ve travelled over 10 times internationally and nothing has happened other than my flight being slightly delayed. Choose an airline with flexible options and pay on your credit card if possible.

@EileenGC I would fly back to the UK on Wednesday. Worried that the UK will close borders because of the new variant before I can get back! Also worried about bringing my old parents Covid. And that it will kill them. It’s so bloody hard to work out what’s right.

Avoid Ryan air if you do, they won't refund my friend due to go to Austria today because "the plane is still flying" the fact they cannot legally enter Austria and hotels are shut seems irrelevant to those charlatans

I’m on the fence now too about seeing my parents pre Christmas in Finland . Numbers are going up there too and my mum is starting to doubt staying in a villa with us with bday underlying conditions . They can only get their boosters after 2.1. and my husband in jan too . I’m getting mine tomorrow and our 16 y old his second on sun . Our 9 y old of course hasn’t had any and at her school there’s more and more cases with 12 staff members missing when I last heard . She was actually just tested herself but it was negative as was my DH . We booked flexible flights at great expense the dogs boarding should be cancellable and wasn’t that expensive anyway but the villa money ( over 2000£) is gone unless they find other customers to book it on a short notice . We’ve already once missed going before the first lockdown and then decided only a few days before due impending move so lost all our money . I haven’t seen my family for soon 2.5 y but if my mum doesn’t want to come stay with us it’s pointless to go there . I’m leaning towards feb but of course who knows what is happening then . Aaaarghhhh I would like to make a decision sooner and not have all the travel stress now if we don’t go anyway .

[quote Schulte]@EileenGC I would fly back to the UK on Wednesday. Worried that the UK will close borders because of the new variant before I can get back! Also worried about bringing my old parents Covid. And that it will kill them. It’s so bloody hard to work out what’s right.[/quote]
Yeah it's definitely stressful.

I (hopefully not too naively) believe the UK government would give you at least 24h notice to get back if they do suddenly close the borders. The red list update today becomes effective in 36 hours.

It does feel a bit March-2020 in that we've had 3-4 months of stability and now everything is changing quickly again...

I would go if you're on a route with multiple flights a day, should you need to come back earlier than planned. If you can easily get a Berlin-London flight for example, it's less risky than Manchester-Hamburg or something like that... of which there might be only 2 flights a week.

@gogohm

Avoid Ryan air if you do, they won't refund my friend due to go to Austria today because "the plane is still flying" the fact they cannot legally enter Austria and hotels are shut seems irrelevant to those charlatans

Your friend needs to claim through her insurance then. Which should be covering for changes in government-issued travel policies.

I doubt any airline is refunding Austria tickets right now, just because.

Thanks! London Frankfurt so lots of flight options and can hop on a train too if I must.

Thank you for all your responses...they are helping me figure out where my head is at!

Our route is only possible with Ryanair and there are only 2 flights a week so that makes things trickier.

We are flying to NI just because of me and my family. If we end up going and not being able to go out and do anything, or to get back easily or have to change plans and rush back, then I am ruining Christmas for my DH, SS and two kids.

Just wondering if we should postpone until spring and have a nicer holiday then.

I just wanted to spend this Xmas at home with my sister, her family and my mum as my dad passed away recently and it is our first Christmas without him. But honestly I am so shattered from being a SAHM (I spent 3 months over the summer in NI with the kids on my own whilst my father was dying), and picking up the pieces with my grief, as much as I want to be there with my family, I also don't know if I can handle the stress and pressure from this uncertainty...does that make sense?

I wouldn’t book flights anywhere at the moment.
The signs are all heading for further restrictions.

Cancelled this morning after a sleepless night. Upset but also strangely relieved. With the news that the new variant is already in Germany I think we could see travel bans and lockdowns shortly

@Schulte I'm so sorry...but I also understand your relief.

We are waiting a week before we make our final decision whether to travel or not. Whatever I do I will be upsetting someone...such a nightmare.

My DS worked offshore only home for Xmas every other year. My advice fly after Xmas ask them to keep decorations up and enjoy a later Xmas

[quote shoulditravel]@Schulte I'm so sorry...but I also understand your relief.

We are waiting a week before we make our final decision whether to travel or not. Whatever I do I will be upsetting someone...such a nightmare.[/quote]
I know the feeling exactly - can imagine how torn you are. There’s nothing worse than trying to do the right thing when circumstances are so unpredictable and change all the time.

Perhaps the decision will be made for you in the end by what’s currently happening. I dreaded telling my parents I wasn’t coming after all but I think they also felt secretly relieved as they just want all of us to be safe. Everyone will understand, whatever you decide. And there’s virtual meetings and sending recorded messages and surprise presents and all that.. so many ways to show your love even if you can’t be there in person.

Good luck, whatever you do.

Sorry to hear your trip was cancelled @Schulte. It’s such an uncertain time.

I believe the variant is now everywhere in Europe, it will only take a couple of days for each country to come forward and say they’ve found some cases.

The new travel rule which makes day 2 PCRs compulsory and isolation is required whilst waiting for them… will complicate travel for many people now. It’s impossible for me to even have this as an option, and it will make it very difficult for families at Christmas now.

What a shitshow.

I'm in a similar situation and haven't seen my family for more than 2 years. We won't be travelling anywhere. In fact, I am keeping any mingling opportunities to a minimum with the numbers increasing like they are. My teenager does enough mingling for everyone.

Indeed the announcement about the PCRs and Isolation has potential to ruin a lot of Xmas plans

@shoulditravel so sorry about the loss of your Dad. Can I be controversial - do you want to go or are you going because you feel you should? If more of the latter then don't go. Grief and stress and high emotion - the first Christmas after I lost my dad was horrific and I wished I hadn't travelled home to my mam even though I know it was the right thing for her. And that was before a pandemic. Sending you best wishes in any case.

In your position I think I’d wait a bit longer, and see. The decision may be made for you by your current country’s government, or Ireland’s, or Stormont.