[Closed] Holidays this year.

Not looking hopeful, can't even get to our static caravan that's about 20 miles into North Wales (48 to the border) 68ish total.

I won't be travelling abroad for a long time (been stuck twice with insurance cover - not sure you'll get cover now).

We have an annual policy already in place but until the Foreign & Commonwealth Office change their advice it won't provide any cover.

We want to go to Iceland which if I've read correctly are willing to let us in if we pay to take a test at the airport, but no insurance cover means it's a no go.

We usually pop down to stay with the mother in law.

🤞

If only there was a thread on this already....

Despite trying to make it a weird class thing by banging on about "no extravagant holidays this year", I reckon the government will probably relax the travel restrictions as soon as they can - which will mean relaxing the FCO advice. So hang in there for now.

Travel insurance is going to be the big problem in the future. Even worse after B@#£&*t once E111 is gone.

There’s a chunky sized thread on EU Holidays this year somewhere.

Personally we’ve postponed our 2 breaks (Eurocamp near Paris and Passportes in the Alps) until 2021. Too many variables and frankly the stress of worrying about it and the chances of going and being in an all but lock-down whilst we were there sealed the deal.

I’ve heard that some employers were planning to impose 2 week isolations for staff who travel abroad, even if the Gov. drop it. it seems odd to me. There are few destinations with a higher rate of infections than the U.K. you’re more likely to contract it in Blackpool than Loire. I don’t know, maybe I’m being paranoid but maybe just maybe employers are hoping staff won’t take their leave this year.

We are due to go 2nd week in July to Montenegro.

Currently the UK doesn’t meet Montenegro’s criteria for accepting tourists so not happening, week by week though we are getting closer to their criteria.

Mrs FD can return straight to work as a medic. I will just work from home for 2 weeks.

We’ve just binned our August Morzine trip. It’s not looking likely we’ll be allowed out of Wales by then!
Accommodation is bumped to next year and ferry is a credit for next year so we’ve not lost anything apart from the insurance ironically.

you’re more likely to contract it in Blackpool

Hence traveling from the UK to Europe and back again is potentially very problematic.

Mine all went to shit. Bike day trips and family weekends to Lakes (that all coincided with wicked weather), Portugal at Easter, California in August although that was cancelled on a technicality (but at least I'm not wigging out about it now). Fortunately I've got money back for everything. A pal of mine got a ski trip and a South Africa trip in prior to lockdown the bugger.

I don't work in frontline services though, my job's never been so busy and me and my family haven't had any COVID illnesses or hassle so I ain't complaining. Yosemite will be there next year unless Trump nukes the whole place.

we have an august/september 2 weeker in crete booked which we'd initially written off, but are slowly getting a little more hopeful of.
also had a few days booked in italy next month to go see a band. thatll be cancelled so we swapped our easyjet flights to crete again in october, give us a bit more chance.

We've a holiday end of July booked. Initially put it at 10 % chance of happening. Hopes raised later, however we're due to pay the balance on 24th June and the closer we get to that date, which is the last point we can really decide, the less hopeful I become again.
There are just too many barriers in the way, and I'm not really prepared to gamble any more cash on it (quarantine there and or back, official advice not to travel, whether we can actually do anything when we get there)

I am not 100% convinced that by mid July, or at least the start of the English School Holidays, that travel to Europe will NOT be possible in some shape or form.

Only booked a weeks break in New York last week, hoping to fly in October for the wife’s birthday. Worst case scenario we can amend the dates until next year. For a family of 4 the flights cost £1500, paid on credit card so hoping I’ve got that as an extra layer of security should we need it.
And it keeps the wife quiet for a bit. For the last two years she hasn’t stopped going on about wanting to go to New York for her 40th.

I am not 100% convinced that by mid July, or at least the start of the English School Holidays, that travel to Europe will NOT be possible in some shape or form.

I'd agree, but for anyone considering either paying the balance of a holiday or booking one fresh, you need to ask yourself whether that is enough to gamble on, if you stand to lose out.

Would traveling 'in some shape or form' be what you really wanted to do anyway?

We had decided that Spain at the end of July wasn't happening and were prepared to lose the 300 notes deposit for flights. BA has now cancelled the flight, which surprised me a little! Manchester to Malaga

Worst case scenario we can amend the dates until next year

Surely the worst case scenario is the flight is still running but the us isnt letting you in, thus no cover from insurance nor cc?

Mrs FD can return straight to work as a medic.

Not a dig at you at all but that just seems especially crazy, even by Gov.uk standards!

We've written off any foreign holidays this year. We have deferred some accommodation that we had booked for this year to next year.

We have booked a week's camping in September in Cornwall (happy to lose the money if we cannot travel) and yesterday we booked a week in Devon for July, the accommodation owners are happy to move dates if restrictions are still in place.

We're supposed to be flying out to Cyprus on the 14th July with EasyJet to stay at my parent's house. If the flights aren't cancelled and there's no travel restrictions, we're going, but I'm not optimistic.

There's EasyJet flights to Split in Croatia in October for under £40 return right now and I'm wondering if I should take a punt on them.

Travel beyond five miles is expected to be still banned in Wales for the next 6-12 weeks. I'm hoping we'll be able to book something UK based last minute in September / early October if the weather looks good but guess lots of people will be thinking the same!

Was meant to be in France last week, luckily flights got cancelled and we got a credit note for the accommodation which we'll use next year

Over night I had an email from EasyJet saying they understand if I want to change my flights to another date, and because they are so generous they will give me a £10 voucher if I do so.

That to me makes me think that they think they will be flying, and need to reduce the number of people on the flight.

Question- so if our flight was full previously, and because of social distancing they can now only fill half the aircraft, can they just cancel 50% of people booked on the flight, or are they obligated to put another flight on too?

Supposed to be going to French Alps early July and Annecy with family beginning of aug. France ok with Europeans apart from UK, due to UK imposing quarantine to all. If UK drop the stupid unenforceable quarantine, then France will allow us in.
Driving through tunnel for both holidays, so probably safer than being in UK anyway.

Not gonna happen for us until the virus is properly under control, and I really can't see that happening this year.

If and when we can travel we'll be having a couple of days away to see the in-laws who we haven't seen since Christmas, and who, frankly, we weren't sure we'd see again given their health conditions.

Well, not expecting to go anywhere abroad this summer. We were lucky enough to have had a skiing holiday and both still have jobs, so no cause for complaint.

We are booked with Eurocamp for France in Aug, (but the deposit is small at £99) - we have no realistic expectation that it will be working. for the reasons above. On top of that, our holiday insurance renewal came through and it specifically excludes Corona. I think the insurance is going to be a big blocker for a lot of people.

I think the UK camp sites/cottage rental type places are going to be busy.

Anyone got some DIY they want to crack on with instead??? We are trying to avoid ours...

We had already booked a cottage in Yorkshire for October so that will hopefully be our only holiday this year. The only spanner in the works is that it is a large family holiday so my family, my sister and her family and my parents. Could be an issue if we still aren't allowed to see people in October or a second spike occurs causing lockdown.

The joy of not having kids...

We're just going to roll out the driveway on our bikes and see where the road takes us. Once campsites are open that is.

I 've just been for beach walk and sea swim first time this year, in Spain, it's all quite normal down there, bars are open, people nicely spaced apart. Pretty much business as usual but mid June there aren't the summer crowds yet.

The odd solo person wearing a face mask, no idea why but if it makes them feel better.

Letting wise I have a few villa lets but just regulars, not from uk.

The odd solo person wearing a face mask, no idea why but if it makes them feel better.

I thought face mask were compulsory in Spain outdoors?

We flew out today, the flight was half empty (full rows empty), Palma airport was like a ghost town, we have been out here out of season a few times and the airport was quieter than in February in a normal year. No issues at all looking forward to a great holiday with far few less people around.

Palma airport was like a ghost town

Good to know. Two of my daughter's are flying out on Monday to stay with a friend.

Well they will be in quarantine for 14 days when they get back; unless it's before Monday.

I wonder what employers will do. Holiday for two weeks, then quarantine for two moe coming back - that's another 2 weeks leave needed surely, unless they allow home working !

Think I’ll give it a miss this year. Will be the first year since 2012 that I haven’t been away at least once but I’m happy with that

@hanchurch just been announced you’ll need to quarantine for a fortnight when you’re back now I think 😳
Is your employer still happy for you to do that? Hope you still enjoy your holiday.

BBC reporting that quarantine will come into effect in small hours of Sunday so, effectively, unless you're in the airport waiting for your return flight you've copped 14 days.

I fly home from the Canaries tomorrow.

Looks like I’ll have 2 weeks off quarantined followed by a week off on Factory shutdown. Oops.

Canaries is OK - it's Mainland Spain.

Canaries is OK – it’s Mainland Spain.

Nope, canaries are included.

Coronavirus: What are the UK travel quarantine rules? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52544307

PHE are continuing to monitor the situation in the Balearic and Canary Islands closely. Travellers there should continue to check this advice regularly.

That might change after they get official figures from the islands.

This exact scenario that's now playing out with Spain is why I won't be leaving the UK this year. Which is really annoying as I'm being made redundant and could have easily nipped off to the Alps for a week or 3, job searched in the evenings and ridden all day!

There's going to be a lot of moaning about all of this if the press headlines are anything to go on but it was entirely possible to see this happening, more than once too.

Not quite. All Spain is included in the 14 day quarantine. The difference for Canaries/Balearics is that the “non-essential travel” ban doesn’t apply.

So you can still go ta-ta-hot-hot but not come back without ending up on the naughty step. Ridiculous.

Two weeks at home on our return will be fine, my wife is working from home and I think I will get full pay anyway as it is a government instruction that was not in place when we left.

Been in Ainsa, Spain for 2 weeks, no obvious problems or draconian measures just people wearing masks in shops & sanitisers everywhere. Crossed over to France just after the quarantine thing was announced (seems a bit more blasse compared to Spain) and we're heading to Finale, then back to bsm prob wont be back in blighty for a month, every day in non quarantined countries comes off your time when you get back in the uk, so fingers crossed should be ok....unless it goes tits up in France of course.

Two weeks at home on our return will be fine, my wife is working from home and I think I will get full pay anyway as it is a government instruction that was not in place when we flew out.

I'm at home watching Neflix working from home for two weeks. I can't actually assemble heavy plant at home but work have been very accommodating and are dropping off a laptop so I can do every training course under the sun.

There’s going to be a lot of moaning about all of this if the press headlines are anything to go on but it was entirely possible to see this happening, more than once too.

I too am struggling to provide a great deal of sympathy for anyone caught out by this and tbh I don't think employers should either if you are unable to work on your return. With the world going to shit holiday trips abroad were really not necessary this year. It was entirely likely this was going to happen and leaving on your holibobs without even an inkling this might happen shows a crushing lack of imagination.

I too am struggling to provide a great deal of sympathy for anyone caught out by this and tbh I don’t think employers should either if you are unable to work on your return.

Both me and my employer accept that there is a chance that I could come back from a MTB or Skiing holiday broken or even dead. Helps that the director is a keen skier himself.

I wouldn't expect to be paid if I could not work (SSP or furlough in current situation), but the flip side is I would find any further discrimination or repurcussions based on this to be wrong, and hopefully grounds for a wrongful dismissal case.

Given that any employee could be forced to spend 2 weeks at home quarantining at any point if thier family is sick or they went to the wrong pub, a business must either have plans for this, or just accept it as a risk.

Given that any employee could be forced to spend 2 weeks at home quarantining at any point if thier family is sick or they went to the wrong pub, a business must either have plans for this, or just accept it as a risk.

Agreed - but there are limits.

If a family need to quarantine because a member of the family has inadvertently got it going about their day to day life you would hope the employer would be understanding. If the family got it because you won a dare by streaking through a covid ward licking the patients, not so much. For me electing to leave the UK for a holiday and risk the situation changing whilst you are away falls on the numpty side of the given a bit of latitude fence.

There were plenty of holiday makers interviewed this morning 'incensed' that their employers might make them take the two weeks away on their return as unpaid or holiday leave, not that they might lose their job.

There's no SSP for quarantining unless you are actually sick.

If a family need to quarantine because a member of the family has inadvertently got it going about their day to day life you would hope the employer would be understanding. If the family got it because you won a dare by streaking through a covid ward licking the patients, not so much. For me electing to leave the UK for a holiday and risk the situation changing whilst you are away falls on the numpty side of the given a bit of latitude fence.

Some of my colleagues have been to the pub/restaurant twice a week since you were able to. I've been to Morzine (by car, catered chalet) for a week, other than that, outside of my work I've only been inside supermarkets and my parents house since March.

I know which part of my personal life I valued, which is why I was extra careful before my holiday.

Which, overall, is more risky from a self isolating point of view?

I’ve had it confirmed today I will get full pay if the quarantine for the Balearics stays in place but it’s looking like it will be lifted for here and only be mainland Spain.

We’ve been told all along that if we have to quarantine for 14 says then you have to take it as holiday or unpaid. This is despite the fact that many of us have been working from home since the middle of March and could continue to do so quite easily (unless too ill etc). The reason being that some people work out on sites and don’t have the option to work from home - it wouldn’t be fair if some workers were to continue working from home while quarantining?!

So. I’m going camping in the highlands instead. In August. I must be mad!

We're not going abroad for a year or so until some sort of normality resumes, seems too sketchy to me can't afford 2 weeks quarantine aswell as the hols being self employed. Booked a cottage in Cornwall for next year, maybe a long weekend somewhere later this year.

Which, overall, is more risky from a self isolating point of view?

Personal risk taking is entirely irrelevant to this conversation. A very valid thing but irrelevant to this conversation.

This is about voluntarily putting yourself the wrong side of a border when a national wholesale change of policy occurs. For a holibob. And expecting others to dry your eyes and pay you whilst you wait it out.

Do it - sure. Have a great time. Just you should go expecting if things take a turn for the worse globally you end up taking unpaid leave if it means you can't work on your return because of your decision. Not the government (read, the rest of us) or your employer. Otherwise crack on.

Exactly, we went when the WHO advise was it’s ok to travel and having an air corridor, but also knowing that it could change (as it has), we also went not knowing if I would be payed to quarantine if we had to. It’s a calculated risk we took as a family knowing exactly where we would be staying and the area. I realise that I am very lucky to be in the position to be payed to quarantine and also realise the vast majority will not be in this position.

if the quarantine for the Balearics stays in place but it’s looking like it will be lifted for here and only be mainland Spain.

Nope.
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-uk-revises-spain-travel-advice-amid-quarantine-row-12037005

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain

From 27 July, the FCO advise against all non-essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks in the country.

Asking for a friend...their daughter went to Tenerife last Friday due beck next Saturday so will have to isolate on return all understood so far but do other family members also have to isolate for that period if they stayed at home. The daughter and her mum both work in school so not really a problem the dad doesn't. Gov website is predictably unintelligible. Not asking for any sympathy for them just need to know where they stand
Thanks

Only if the daughter starts to show symptoms.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk

That's it thanks for that doomanic I will be sure to let them know 😉

Only if the daughter starts to show symptoms.

I read that as they have to isolate from other people in the household, regardless of any symptoms, after all you could be completely asymptomatic

I don't...

The only friends and family who you can have contact with are those who travelled with you or people who you are staying with.

Contact yes, but isolate as in 2m distance and carefully washing down bathrooms etc is my understanding...

During this time, you should:

Stay home unless you absolutely must leave, such as for essential medical appointments
Separate yourself from other household members and pets
Use a separate bedroom and bathroom if possible
Not share utensils, dishes, cups/glasses, bedding, towels, and other personal items

Should go to Estonia if you feel the urge to travel abroad