Pre booked "Amber" list holidays. Are you going?

[Piptastic]

Just that really.

If you have an existing booking for a holiday to an "Amber" country, in the next few months, are you going to go?

I've got one booked and just curious what everyone has decided after todays announcement.

Looks like those of us booked to go away half term is not going to happen:

www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/green-list-next-update-travel-b1844788.html

When will the green list be reviewed and updated?

The lists will be reviewed every three weeks “from early June” – the first update is expected to take place between 1 and 4 June. Any changes will then come into effect a week later (8-11 June).

@Piptastic
Oh ok - sorry, not being very helpful then :(

@99victoria not at all! Thank you for the suggestion! I'm desperate for a solution I don't think exists. They have us over a barrel

@99victoria

Obviously if no one is going to provide insurance for amber countries then the airlines will have no choice but to cancel all the flights and offer refunds so no-one will be going to Europe this summer. In which case they may as well have just made all countries green or red! I mean, what's the point of an amber category?

not necessarily. Travel has been effectively banned for months yet many many planes are still coming and going. I am guessing they are flying mostly cargo and have some passengers on board for critical work related reasons.

I don't expect easyjet will refund me if Spain remains Amber as the flight will likely still go. However I can change it up to a fortnight before which is good enough for me.

I do think it's a fast moving situation and things will be somewhat clearer (and greener) come July.

I am due to fly in late July to an amber country. They aren’t currently accepting any Europeans so no I won’t go unless that changes. If their border were to reopen then I still couldn’t go while it’s amber as I have to go into the office due to the nature of my role!

We've cancelled ours. Regardless of quarantine rules the queues at border control coming back will be absolutely horrendous this year. I'm not queueing for hours to show my passport when we can holiday in the UK.

@GarlicThread

We've cancelled ours. Regardless of quarantine rules the queues at border control coming back will be absolutely horrendous this year. I'm not queueing for hours to show my passport when we can holiday in the UK.

i thought grant shapps was quite clear the other day that the ridiculous queues might be here to stay, agree is very offputting.

@GarlicThread have you had to pay cancellation fees ?

I'm interested to see which airlines cancel if the country is amber. We are booked with Jet2 to a Greek island in July. Prepared to isolate when we come home. But many airlines are cancelling unless the country is green. Don't know why I kidded myself that this year will be easier. Last year I booked 8 holidays and only went on two due to having to rearrange so many times when the situation changed. Thought this year would be better!

So, on the insurance conversations. My upcoming half term trip is to Rhodes. Rhosed being as per FCDO on the gov.uk website: The FCDO is not advising against travel to the islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete.
I honestly cannot work this one out. Well of course I know that Greece is amber, but that bit about those islands being stated as FCDO says okay to go there????
So, possibly on the basis of this ....if one travels to either of those places then insurance is valid?!?
Trying to make head and tail of when traffic light colours may change and saw this in the metro: The announcement means the earliest date at which a country could switch lists will be June 7.

Yes I think you're right @NoMoreLimbo, and I work for an insurance company. Most policies say that if you travel to somewhere against FCO advice then you're not covered. But FCO have changed their advice for certain Greek islands so you should be covered. Would obviously double check with your own insurer though.

Just got off the phone with my travel agent as my final balance was due for my trip to Asia departing 9th July - which includes Singapore (on the green list) and another country on amber.

Based on the government briefing on 7th May they have cancelled all holidays to my destinations departing on and up to 28th June. The next announcement is due on 28th May at which point they will make the call on my holiday. They will only cancel my holiday before that date if one of the countries I am travelling to categorically state we will not be permitted to enter or are required to quarantine.

So don’t expect an answer on your trip until 30 days before you are due to go.

We have booked with Trailfinders so my money is safe if we cannot go but even the agent said it was a laughable situation in that we have to pay final balance now because he’ll be refunding it all in just over two weeks.

I think we should all remember that everyone is working blind here - the government, travel agents and airlines and customers. We are all so used to booking early and having something to look forward to that the not knowing and last minute nature of it all is frustrating.

@chocolatesaltyballs22 thanks! Yes I will definitely check with the insurer too.
@Zodlebud you are spot on.....

I'm booked for Costa Rica at the end of July through TUI. TBH I'm crossing my fingers and toes that we can go but I have insurance through Trailfinders, which won't be valid if the FCO advises against travel. I wouldn't mind quarantining afterwards if needed though.

So with trips to Greece (amber) currently you need a test or vaccinations to enter the country. Then a test in Greece 2-3 days before you leave to comply with the uk rules.... and then a test at day 2 and 8 (with an extra at day 5 for early release). So if you have vaccinations and don't mind isolating it will be 3 tests ? 4 to get out early? And five if you don't have vaccinations?

@ChiefBabySniffer the issue is even if you do all the tests and can isolate your travel insurance won't cover you.

Oh god.
We are booked for Crete in October. I just want to cancel it now.

My providers says they would cover us as it's not a ban on travel and flights would be going ahead ?!

[quote Piptastic]@ChiefBabySniffer the issue is even if you do all the tests and can isolate your travel insurance won't cover you. [/quote]
Not necessarily that you cant get travel insurance. I was looking into needing to go to an amber country for a family issue, and Battleface insurance was willing to cover me. Was it pricey, yes - but doable if I needed to go in a hurry...

@Zodlebud The next announcement is due on 28th May at which point they will make the call on my holiday.

Next announcement is "every three weeks from reopening" so I wouldn't expect news until first week of June:

www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-57019702/page/2

and

www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/green-list-next-update-travel-b1844788.html

When will the green list be reviewed and updated?

www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/green-list-next-update-travel-b1844788.html

The lists will be reviewed every three weeks “from early June” – the first update is expected to take place between 1 and 4 June. Any changes will then come into effect a week later (8-11 June).

@ChiefBabySniffer Who is your insurer? I have not had a chance to call mine yet..

@ChiefBabySniffer I think that may be because such a trip for you would be out of necessity, no? I.e not for "leisure" purposes. Our insurer (Virgin) was very clear they would not cover us. We called/emailed and we chatted. Same response each time, a big fat No. sob.

Ok so let's say that Greece goes Amber.

How many tests do we need?

One to get into Greece.
One to get back into the uk.
One on day two
An optional one on day 5
One on day 8.

Is that correct? And the guidance says "should not use nhs tests" not you MUST NOT use nhs?

Goes into green, not amber 🤦🏼‍♀️

Presumably with amber areas, there's a chance of last minute flight cancellations as people cancel nearer the time if they can't isolate, test positive or were just hoping it'll turn green before they go and then they have lots of empty seats that can't be filled. That's quite stressful as well.