Honestly - are we going to be able to go abroad

[Moonstone1234]

Hi All,

I really want some honest answers please regarding your thoughts on travelling abroad this year. I know there are people around who want to be locked down for the forseeable future (maybe they are on furlough?) and people who are generally half empty people or people who just dont see the appeal of a holiday abroad, the different cultures, the WEATHER, the excitement of choosing and booking a holiday in another country just doesnt do it for them,

I know as well there are some who want us all to stay in the UK but the prices for medicore places within the UK are shocking and we all have the weather which is iffy in the UK, crowds etc to deal with.

So - my question is - I am happy to book something, most of the good operators are offering 2-3 changes without penalty, CV19 cover if you have to T&T etc.

However what is putting me off completely is how many tests you will potentially need to do on the way out and the way back! Additionally the cost of UK quarantine for a family of 4 for example is £8K at present if you come from a red list country. Looking at last year we did manage a 1 week break to Spain at the beginning of Sept but there was numerous u turns, travel corridors changing every week and little notice when a country was put on it by the UK government.

So - honestly honestly. Do you think the testing process will sort itself out? Maybe rapid tests, testing at airports etc. We were due to go last year to Africa and the cost of ONE test was nearly £200 each! We didnt go in the end but the testing company told me they were overwhelmed with bookings and that was only from the brave souls who wanted to go abroad.

Yes I think you will. Plenty traveller last year and plenty will this year.

I have a feeling the vaccination passports will be setup for this year and there will be agreements in place to certain countries.

@BiddyPop

Just across the Irish Sea, we've been told not allowed go beyond our 5km limit until May, and strongly advised to not even think about travel abroad for the rest of the year.

I haven't seen my parents or DMIL (both in this country) since July and likely won't until July again.

And as for holidays, just to be able to stop working and sit and do nothing in the garden would be good at this stage. Or watch a whole movie on the tv.

I am Irish, living in the UK, had a baby last Nov, my parents live in Ireland. I am devastated at how long term the Irish lockdown plans seem to be. I dont know when they will ever stop. The irish seem .... lacking in all hope. Just bad news after bad news. Every day the news is 'it's terrible! People are dying! Dont leave your house til May!'. I havent been home in 18 months. I had hoped to see my family in summer so they can meet my baby. Just heartbroken.

@AnyFucker When were you due to go ? I'm flying with Ryan air mid june but to be honest I'm not fussed about going now as it sounds a massive faff.

@userxx May

I think potentially in summer, but i would wait until the last minute to see what the red list is like.
Also while FCO advice is don't travel it invalidates insurance which may mean that while a travel firm offers covid cover, you might not be covered if you got injured/robbed etc while abroad.
I'm staying hopeful for a trip in August

I had 5 holidays cancelled in 2020 - all fairly last minute & safe at the time of booking.

U-turns were the cause of 4 of the cancellations.
I won't book anything while B.J. is still P.M.

Why don't you book extremely last minute OP? You are at the mercy of testing rules and quarantine that is subject to change in two countries. Nobody can predict what will happen. Let's say you go to Spain and a new dangerous variant is discovered there that week, you can assume you'll be paying for hotel quarantine plus tests on return here. If there's a new, virulent strain here, Spain might stop Brits entering.
Book last minute. Take the hit on any costs. At least you'll actually go.

Diana - I was thinking that too. We aren’t stuck with school holidays. We can go with two weeks notice, maybe less. I love the Italian Lakes. I guess in the height of summer with rates very low and if we book say 10 days in advance the rules in place as is are likely to stay as is.

Blimey... what a minefield.

I’ve booked a couple of changeable holidays. We may get a deal with say Greece where neither county has to isolate.
I managed to get a week in Turkey last year after three other holidays were cancelled.

I definitely think we’ll be able to go. Well for us we’re going on 23-3rd October to Greece so really don’t see us being banned to travel all the way till then. We’ll all probably be vaccinated by then too. And Greece said they’d welcome tourists in the summer If they showed proof. We’re with tui, so if we’re on the red list/ have to quarantine etc we get a full refund or change dates/destination. We also paid by credit card so protected if company goes bust. There’s nothing to lose imo

Yes, I think foreign travel will be allowed again, but as of today the rumours are that it won't be until August. Realistically, I think the UK needs to vaccinate its entire adult population before it can reasonably safely start to allow people to go abroad again, because people travelling to Spain last summer apparently brought back Covid variants and now we know of that risk it would be madness to let that happen again.

As for tests - yes I suspect they will be required even if people are vaccinated. What would be a huge game changer is if fast, cheap tests were to become available. Ones that could be done at home, at the airport or anywhere else, that cost a few pounds/euros/dollars per person. I know there's a British company working on this very issue and testing a prototype at the moment.

So if you're hoping/due to travel after 1st August then I think it's possible, probably to a limited selection of 'travel corridor' destinations. As other countries get on with their vaccination programmes, hopefully that list will increase, but only if the risk from new variants remains low.

We have flights booked to the US for August - rearranged from last year. We're citizens with family over there and would love to go if we can. However, if we have to quarantine either way or if Covid cases are rising we won't be going. No way would I quarantine in a hotel room for 10 days with our two DC for £1750 pp!

I know there are people around who want to be locked down for the forseeable future (maybe they are on furlough?) and people who are generally half empty people or people who just dont see the appeal of a holiday abroad.

I think it's really pretty offensive to suggest that people who are not desperately craving a foreign holiday are empty and uncultured or are loving lockdown because they are on furlough.

You do realise that lots of people who aren't clamouring to be allowed to go abroad are people who love going abroad but are just a bit more patient than you, right? Or they are people who can't afford to go on foreign holidays, either because the pandemic has put them in financial difficulties or because it was always something they could rarely afford.

We go abroad on holiday once every couple of years. We had our trip cancelled during the first lockdown. We'll go abroad when it's allowed. Maybe that will be this summer, maybe not. We can wait.

@zafferana Where have you seen the August rumour ?

Also wondering where you saw the August rumour @zafferana ?
I really really hope that we will be able to go abroad. Mainly as I have one remaining ailing parent in an EU country. Also, because I am desperate to get some sun. Last year I managed to get to Greece and Madeira. All felt very safe. So hopefully this year with the vaccines we will be. The countries that rely on tourism certainly hope so to.

I think it was on the Daily Mail website this morning. They often get the scoops, although I haven't seen it anywhere else. Given that the latest estimate for all adults having been offered at least one dose of the vaccine is mid-July though, it makes some sense.

Ok, lets hope he gives us specific dates later on........ alas, i'm doubting it!

I very much doubt we'll be given actual dates for a return to foreign travel today, as the latest govt mantra is 'data not dates' ...

I think travel will be allowed - allegedly from August - but I think there will be the faff of testing and quarantine and additional costs.

Although to be honest, if it’s “safe” and we’re vaccinated, I’ll probably do it anyway.