Travel- Why is this an issue?

[Switch82]

Having travelled over the summer abroad - we all had to have negative covid tests as part of the host nations rules. Why does it impact our travel industry if those from abroad now have to do the same to enter the UK?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59536795

It reduces the import of cases and in fact if I was travelling to the UK it would make me feel safer in the aeroplane knowing everyone had to test.

Because it’s a step backward, the government said they wouldn’t do it, it’s added expense, the risk of self isolating abroad (I’m currently in Brazil and wouldn’t fancy government quarantining facilities here!)

OP, I work in the travel industry. Bookings were about 50% below normal levels over the summer. It's expensive to have tests to enter a country, return to the UK and again after returning plus not everyone can quarantine until the day 2 result.

We saw a big uptake in bookings when the returning test was dropped and the day 2 PCR reduced to LFD. So the concern is that consumer confidence will be hit - customers will cancel and new bookings won't materialise as we head into the traditional peak booking period.

There's no longer furlough so how do businesses keep going? It's been nearly two years, loans need repaying and you can't keep borrowing forever.

It's also pretty much pointless - Omicron is here, it's spreading through community transmission. Making someone pay £100 for two additional tests after their holiday in Tenerife doesn't change that.

That’s exactly what we did in the summer - PCR to go out, Lateral flow when we were there to return and then a day 2 PCR here

@Switch82

That’s exactly what we did in the summer - PCR to go out, Lateral flow when we were there to return and then a day 2 PCR here

It pretty much is but in the context of the thread the problem for the travel industry is not just trying to cope with passenger reaction the virus, it’s coping with customer/passenger reaction to what HMG does…e.g. Saying HMG stating they were not going to introduce pre-departure testing, then 72 hours later announcing they were leaves everybody’s confidence in their ability to plan ahead in tatters.

We travelled abroad 3 times this summer, the flights were maximum half full, testing cost us about £150 each per trip but hey ho, that's how it is atm.

But we also allocated £4000 per trip incase of rule changes and we had to isolate in a hotel on return. Luckily we didn't have to, but was always on the back of my mind and we kept an regular eye on regulations.
Feel sorry for people that get caught by it, but its a risk you take, which you sadly have to be prepared to do.

Well on the subject of budgeting for the changes etc I think one item worthy of examination is the cost of testing in the UK…

We are now in a situation has where a single test in the UK is quite possibly more expensive than the airfare for the sector that has generated the need for the tests……

(FWIW by comparison where I am in Europe I can get a PCR test at a local lab with same day result for well under €100.)

@whatkatydid2013

We just cancelled a holiday to the canaries for next February as I’m not prepared to travel if we have to test to return to the U.K. am sure plenty of people can’t afford to find they can’t come home and return to work due to a positive test. In our case I’m not prepared to risk getting stuck isolating in a hotel with the kids. I’m sure lots of people feel the same and that’s how it impacts the travel industry

We are paying for our Easter holiday in January. However if we go depends on when GCSEs would start ..... it's a waiting game here. Thankfully we can move it to the next year so long as we do it by beginning of March

Getting the feeling another year will pass us by without a break.....