Got to love it - reading “why on earth would you want to go abroad at the moment”, as I step outside my flat to p1ssing rain, wind and freezing cold for the 200th consecutive day after not stepping off this island for more than a year and a half.
Aye, why would you want to go abroad right enough
I was sunbathing oot the backdoor last week, got a lovely tan , cannae beat west coast of Scotland.
Why are some people so desperate to go abroad ?, A lot of Britains beautiful, great places to go to, Scotland has some of the best beaches you will see, the Lake District, North East coast, cornwall I could go on, stay in this country, the weather is a bit iffy sometimes , but helping the economy and local business should be the number one priority it trickles down to everybody.
When all this shite settles down and every country is safe to go too then fly away, but the risks seem to be too high at the moment.
The UK is apparently running out of holiday space. If we had a bit of weather, far more people would holiday in the UK. Endless airport queues will surely put people off. The last thing most people want on returning from a holiday, is to be faffing about in the airport for hours on end.
It is fair to say the Daily Star is disappointed by the 12 destinations named on the government's "green list" - which indicates which trips abroad from England will be allowed from 17 May without the need to self-isolate on return.
"When they said we could go on holiday we were thinking sunny Spain," it complains, "not the bleedin' Falklands."
The Guardian points out that South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - which also made the list - are only accessible by sea and there is no visitor accommodation.
But the Daily Mirror speaks of "joy" that Portugal got the green light, and says a "holidays scramble" is under way as people rush to book.
"Dust off that suitcase" is the advice from the Mail.
I have had both jabs but they would still have to pay me to go on or anywhere near an aeroplane at the moment. Why indeed would you want to go abroad yet.
Do you think that getting on a plane is more risky than sitting in a pub?
I have no overwhelming desire to do either. Can take or leave it at any time let alone now.
Would a vaccine passport make a difference to you?
Not really. Too many variants of the disease to feel 100% safe on an aeroplane where other passengers come from who knows where.
I have had both jabs but they would still have to pay me to go on or anywhere near an aeroplane at the moment. Why indeed would you want to go abroad yet.
Do you think that getting on a plane is more risky than sitting in a pub?
I have no overwhelming desire to do either. Can take or leave it at any time let alone now.
Would a vaccine passport make a difference to you?
Not really. Too many variants of the disease to feel 100% safe on an aeroplane where other passengers come from who knows where.
I was thinking that some airlines will only allow vaccinated people to book.
I would be happier sitting in a pub, if I knew that everyone, including staff, had been vaccinated.
I have had both jabs but they would still have to pay me to go on or anywhere near an aeroplane at the moment. Why indeed would you want to go abroad yet.
Do you think that getting on a plane is more risky than sitting in a pub?
I have no overwhelming desire to do either. Can take or leave it at any time let alone now.
Would a vaccine passport make a difference to you?
Not really. Too many variants of the disease to feel 100% safe on an aeroplane where other passengers come from who knows where.
I was thinking that some airlines will only allow vaccinated people to book.
I would be happier sitting in a pub, if I knew that everyone, including staff, had been vaccinated.
You are probably right. However, we usually sit out in the pub garden with the dog so less of a problem.
I have had both jabs but they would still have to pay me to go on or anywhere near an aeroplane at the moment. Why indeed would you want to go abroad yet.
Do you think that getting on a plane is more risky than sitting in a pub?
I have no overwhelming desire to do either. Can take or leave it at any time let alone now.
Would a vaccine passport make a difference to you?
Not really. Too many variants of the disease to feel 100% safe on an aeroplane where other passengers come from who knows where.
I was thinking that some airlines will only allow vaccinated people to book.
I would be happier sitting in a pub, if I knew that everyone, including staff, had been vaccinated.
You are probably right. However, we usually sit out in the pub garden with the dog so less of a problem.
Why are some people so desperate to go abroad ?, A lot of Britains beautiful, great places to go to, Scotland has some of the best beaches you will see, the Lake District, North East coast, cornwall I could go on, stay in this country, the weather is a bit iffy sometimes , but helping the economy and local business should be the number one priority it trickles down to everybody.
When all this shite settles down and every country is safe to go too then fly away, but the risks seem to be too high at the moment.
The domestic holiday market will get a big boost this summer. Many people who would otherwise travel abroad will be holidaying at home this year.
It's worth remembering that booking holidays abroad also helps out the UK economy; travel has been decimated for well over a year now and there is no real end in sight, and this is an industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people either directly or indirectly.
It's a bit too simplistic to just say 'holiday at home' though. The weather, the inflated prices, the fact most people spend 99%+ of their time here....it's understandable why some people will still want to head abroad despite the uncertainty and hoops to jump through.
But the local holiday market will definitely see a boost in business this year and probably next too.
That's the beauty of travel; you can do as much or as little as you want, and go as far or close to home as time/money/inclination allows.
(I'll be going abroad cos for the price of a weekend in Devon/Cornwall you can get a week or 2 in Greece, no brainer for me)
I have had both jabs but they would still have to pay me to go on or anywhere near an aeroplane at the moment. Why indeed would you want to go abroad yet.
Do you think that getting on a plane is more risky than sitting in a pub?
I have no overwhelming desire to do either. Can take or leave it at any time let alone now.
Would a vaccine passport make a difference to you?
Not really. Too many variants of the disease to feel 100% safe on an aeroplane where other passengers come from who knows where.
I was thinking that some airlines will only allow vaccinated people to book.
I would be happier sitting in a pub, if I knew that everyone, including staff, had been vaccinated.
This won't be the case, not this year for the European market anyway.
The Mail on Sunday says a row about Perspex screens could lengthen queues at Heathrow when international leisure travel resumes a week on Monday.
The main union representing Border Force staff alleges that not enough screens have been installed at immigration desks - meaning they cannot all be used - because airport bosses are reluctant to make additional investment if social distancing rules will soon be scrapped.
A Heathrow source insists the claims are "absolutely ridiculous", and any delays will be solely the result of the Border Force not having enough workers.
Separately, the Sunday Mirror reports that holidaymakers are still owed £500m from package holidays and flights which were cancelled last year because of the pandemic.
One complaints-handling website says tens of thousands of families are waiting for refunds worth an average of £600, most of which have been rolled into vouchers.
It is fair to say the Daily Star is disappointed by the 12 destinations named on the government's "green list" - which indicates which trips abroad from England will be allowed from 17 May without the need to self-isolate on return.
"When they said we could go on holiday we were thinking sunny Spain," it complains, "not the bleedin' Falklands."
The Guardian points out that South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - which also made the list - are only accessible by sea and there is no visitor accommodation.
But the Daily Mirror speaks of "joy" that Portugal got the green light, and says a "holidays scramble" is under way as people rush to book.
"Dust off that suitcase" is the advice from the Mail.
Do you think that there was any point in including countries that we are not allowed to travel to, in addition to others that you can only get to by sea, and those that dont actually have any holiday accommodation, in this list?
Holidaymakers at Heathrow may face queues of up to TEN hours because of farcical row over lack of Perspex screens to protect Border Force staff from the threat of Covid
The dispute centres on whether there are enough transparent plastic screens in place to help protect Border Force staff from the threat of coronavirus.
Beer garden drinkers brave five inches of rain and 60mph winds to make the best of their Saturday (so they'll be looking forward to the 73F sun tomorrow)
People still managed to enjoy a meal or drink outdoors at restaurants and pubs in Britain today despite the damp and windswept conditions, after a deep low pressure system swept in overnight.
Matt Hancock ruins half-term holidays: Ministers are accused of treating British families like 'fools and children' as EasyJet boss says Greece and Spain must move from amber to green in three weeks
Matt Hancock was last night accused of sabotaging the nation's half-term holiday plans as the backlash over the Government's overseas travel blueprint intensified. Fingers were pointed at the Health Secretary and his department amid anger about how Downing Street chose the first 'green list' of 12 countries cleared for quarantine-free holidays after May 17. Many of the countries are extremely remote or are not allowing tourists to enter. Other potential destinations with low infection levels and high vaccination rates, including the Greek islands, were given 'amber' status, meaning holidaymakers would need to isolate when they returned to the UK.
Greeks say holiday cancellations 'pouring in' after the country is designated amber by UK government
Greece is disappointed that it has been designated an ‘amber’ destination by Britain, with hoteliers reporting that cancellations are “pouring in” from British tourists.
Greece had hoped to be declared a safe ‘green’ country on the UK’s controversial traffic light system of tourist destinations. But along with Italy, Spain and other countries popular with British visitors, it was judged to be ‘amber’.
That means that Britons returning to the UK will have to go through a 10-day period of self-isolation and two PCR tests. The decision is set to be re-examined in three weeks.
Would it be safer to have unvaccinated pilots in control, or vaccinated pilots? Asking for a parachute manufacturer friend.
Currently, no Flight/Cabin crew are required to be tested or have vaccination. This has been the same stance since the pandemic restrictions first began.
Comments
If we had a bit of weather, far more people would holiday in the UK.
Endless airport queues will surely put people off.
The last thing most people want on returning from a holiday, is to be faffing about in the airport for hours on end.
I would be happier sitting in a pub, if I knew that everyone, including staff, had been vaccinated.
It's worth remembering that booking holidays abroad also helps out the UK economy; travel has been decimated for well over a year now and there is no real end in sight, and this is an industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people either directly or indirectly.
It's a bit too simplistic to just say 'holiday at home' though.
The weather, the inflated prices, the fact most people spend 99%+ of their time here....it's understandable why some people will still want to head abroad despite the uncertainty and hoops to jump through.
But the local holiday market will definitely see a boost in business this year and probably next too.
That's the beauty of travel; you can do as much or as little as you want, and go as far or close to home as time/money/inclination allows.
(I'll be going abroad cos for the price of a weekend in Devon/Cornwall you can get a week or 2 in Greece, no brainer for me)
Could be more of a thing in the future though.
The Mail on Sunday says a row about Perspex screens could lengthen queues at Heathrow when international leisure travel resumes a week on Monday.
The main union representing Border Force staff alleges that not enough screens have been installed at immigration desks - meaning they cannot all be used - because airport bosses are reluctant to make additional investment if social distancing rules will soon be scrapped.
A Heathrow source insists the claims are "absolutely ridiculous", and any delays will be solely the result of the Border Force not having enough workers.
Separately, the Sunday Mirror reports that holidaymakers are still owed £500m from package holidays and flights which were cancelled last year because of the pandemic.
One complaints-handling website says tens of thousands of families are waiting for refunds worth an average of £600, most of which have been rolled into vouchers.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-57043949
The dispute centres on whether there are enough transparent plastic screens in place to help protect Border Force staff from the threat of coronavirus.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9557925/Holidaymakers-Heathrow-face-queues-TEN-hours.html
People still managed to enjoy a meal or drink outdoors at restaurants and pubs in Britain today despite the damp and windswept conditions, after a deep low pressure system swept in overnight.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9557015/UK-weather-Britain-hit-60mph-winds-five-inches-rain-washout-Saturday.html
Matt Hancock was last night accused of sabotaging the nation's half-term holiday plans as the backlash over the Government's overseas travel blueprint intensified. Fingers were pointed at the Health Secretary and his department amid anger about how Downing Street chose the first 'green list' of 12 countries cleared for quarantine-free holidays after May 17. Many of the countries are extremely remote or are not allowing tourists to enter. Other potential destinations with low infection levels and high vaccination rates, including the Greek islands, were given 'amber' status, meaning holidaymakers would need to isolate when they returned to the UK.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9557867/Ministers-accused-treating-British-families-like-fools-children-holidays.html
Greece is disappointed that it has been designated an ‘amber’ destination by Britain, with hoteliers reporting that cancellations are “pouring in” from British tourists.
Greece had hoped to be declared a safe ‘green’ country on the UK’s controversial traffic light system of tourist destinations. But along with Italy, Spain and other countries popular with British visitors, it was judged to be ‘amber’.
That means that Britons returning to the UK will have to go through a 10-day period of self-isolation and two PCR tests. The decision is set to be re-examined in three weeks.
https://uk.yahoo.com/style/greeks-holiday-cancellations-pouring-country-154711328.html
Asking for a parachute manufacturer friend.
This has been the same stance since the pandemic restrictions first began.