Looking forward to travel but what about costs of covid tests?

Pollycat

photome said:

CKhalvashi said:

photome said:

Summer holidays are extremely unlikely this year according to the headline in BBC news website

It is not a good idea to trust unfounded speculation.

The government have released a timeline, and we are waiting now for further information on this timeline. The next update for this particular issue will come on or around April 12.

Hardly unfounded given the scientist is on the government advisory body. If cases carrying on rising in Europe I think it unlikely that travel corridors will open any time soon

I agree.

I read that article too.

It might be unfounded if it came from the tea boy on The Sun who got it from a bloke down t'pub's Aunt Sally.

But it cannot be discounted.

JamoLew

When our roadway to normality was announced we had no way of predicting how other countries would be faring.

Anyone who booked anything based on the proposed timeline was imo taking a huge risk/gamble

Personally, it takes a better person to change their mind in light of additional info than one who just piles ahead regardless.

Either way, the government is damned if they do and damned if they don’t- as long as what they are doing is for the best for us, our country and the world then I’m quite happy for them to change their mind/the advice/ the rules/the law

Grumpy_chap

As soon as the current "road map" was announced, holiday companies started advertising to travel from 17th May and people started booking.

That was too early to be booking, and it still is, IMO.  I'd love to take a holiday somewhere, but there are a whole load of ducks to be aligned before travel can be certain:

1. UK virus level stay low and vaccine implementation stays high.  This actually looks positive, so relaxation of most social restrictions in the UK and permission to go on holiday looks likely for this summer, even if 17th May is missed.  
2. Wonder whether it will need first dose or both doses vaccine before an individual is permitted to travel?
3. What tests before allowed to travel?  Same for the return visit.  
4. Rules from the airlines?  A total unknown at present.
5. Will the country you wish to travel to permit entry?  Will you need any kind of quarantine once you get to your holiday destination?  Popular tourist destinations look like they'll let people in, whether wise or not.
6. Is the infection rate higher in the holiday place than UK?  Are there restrictions in place in resort that have already been lifted in UK?  It would seem illogical to leave the UK with low restrictions to go somewhere sunny but then find curfew in place.
7. Can we get back into the country?  The press has been reporting delays of 4 - 7 hours at Heathrow customs / passport control even with hardly anyone flying at present.  If the number of people travelling increases, the airports needs to be able to process them in a timely fashion.
8. Will it be necessary to quarantine once back?  Quarantine at home, or the hotel quarantine (which is expensive).  Even if a country is "OK" when you depart, by the time you return, it could be a lock-down place where the hotel quarantine is enforced.
9. What tests on return?

So, far more questions than anyone can answer.

CKhalvashi

I've argued that we should have a different approach for restrictions.

If a country has a known variant in wide circulation, we should be operating to the £210 package as now for many countries, with a mandatory 10 day isolation.

If the country has a higher incidence rate per 100k in the last 2 weeks, stay at home should be mandatory with a test both before departure and at the airport on return (at a cost of £80 or so). If the test returns negative, isolation is released, however.this must be applicable for the whole flight (1 positive case = .the whole flight spends 10 days in mandatory isolation at home)

If the country has a lower incidence rate on the same basis, a pre-departure test could (maybe should) be required, with free testing at random for those returning for sample collection, but that's it.

I am aware that an app owned by a foreign government cost around £120k to develop, which can track location and sent message at random intervals requiring a photo within 15 minutes, which using geolocation confirms that someone is at home. Maybe we could license this technology for a reasonable fee (£1-2/person maybe, added to the cost of flights) to ensure compliance.

This would have a more efficient economic impact than the government operating hotels at a supposed loss.

TELLIT01

CKhalvashi said:

The government has already orange lighted international travel from May 17 (the subject of this thread), which is going to leave a lot of angry consumers if everything is cancelled again and they stand little to no chance of receiving money back from airlines, hotels etc.

The Government hasn't orange lighted anything.  Their information is always stating the date before which the situation is not going to change.  That is totally different to saying everything will start on that date.  Even if the Government does nominally lift the travel ban on 17th May, it doesn't mean to say that there won't be conditions applied either on places people can travel to, or on isolation/quarantine on their return.  At long last the Government actually does seem to be working on the basis of scientific evidence rather than saying what they think people want to hear.

maman

TELLIT01 said:

The Government hasn't orange lighted anything.  Their information is always stating the date before which the situation is not going to change.  That is totally different to saying everything will start on that date.  Even if the Government does nominally lift the travel ban on 17th May, it doesn't mean to say that there won't be conditions applied either on places people can travel to, or on isolation/quarantine on their return.  At long last the Government actually does seem to be working on the basis of scientific evidence rather than saying what they think people want to hear.

I can't share your benevolent view of the government 'road map'. Despite saying they would be guided by 'data not dates' the PM then gave dates which businesses are patently obviously working to. Just as an example, my inbox is full of restaurants telling me when they will be open for outside dining.

As for the evidence, it's not particularly transparent so plenty of scope for smoke and mirrors. My guess is that the scientists are putting their advice into the public arena deliberately (as they have for some months) so that the government can't blame them for the decisions they choose to make.

As for the testing, it's not just cost to consider. Last summer, when travel was possible for a while, some test results weren't returned in time for flights.

Also, it's not just people who want to book for this year but there must be thousands of us who, instead of taking refunds or vouchers, rolled holidays forward to 2021. 

zagfles

maman said:

TELLIT01 said:

The Government hasn't orange lighted anything.  Their information is always stating the date before which the situation is not going to change.  That is totally different to saying everything will start on that date.  Even if the Government does nominally lift the travel ban on 17th May, it doesn't mean to say that there won't be conditions applied either on places people can travel to, or on isolation/quarantine on their return.  At long last the Government actually does seem to be working on the basis of scientific evidence rather than saying what they think people want to hear.

I can't share your benevolent view of the government 'road map'. Despite saying they would be guided by 'data not dates' the PM then gave dates which businesses are patently obviously working to. Just as an example, my inbox is full of restaurants telling me when they will be open for outside dining.

As for the evidence, it's not particularly transparent so plenty of scope for smoke and mirrors. My guess is that the scientists are putting their advice into the public arena deliberately (as they have for some months) so that the government can't blame them for the decisions they choose to make.

As for the testing, it's not just cost to consider. Last summer, when travel was possible for a while, some test results weren't returned in time for flights.

Also, it's not just people who want to book for this year but there must be thousands of us who, instead of taking refunds or vouchers, rolled holidays forward to 2021. 

The roadmap makes it obvious that the proposed dates for domestic unlocking are far more certain than international travel. So restaurants, pubs etc may be making plans to reopen with reasonable confidence, as things are going well here, but there's nowhere near as much confidence in international travel reopening, and with what restrictions/requirements, indeed how can there be as our govt has no control over what happens abroad. And things are going badly in a lot of usual holiday destinations.

No way am I going to book a foreign holiday yet!

Sea_Shell

I wouldn't want the stress, either end, of waiting for a test result before I (or anyone in my party) could fly out, or fly home!!

twopenny

The statement was forcefully made when the 'roadmap' was announced that each stage was dependent on infection rates.

Half the country is still finding high infection rates and with the shenanigans that has been going on lately even some of the lower ones are likely going to see an increase.

Other countries are seeing a thrid wave of infection. They aren't going to open up. Too busy trying to keep it together.

Believe me I'm keen to go but I've had the bug, it's not something you want to be away from home with. I've looked at the isolation hotels in some places and I defo don't want to go there.

I sold the family home to move smaller to have the money for my last big trips but I don't want those to be fraught and mask wearing, avoiding everyone and on alert. So I'm still planning, still dreaming and hoping for good weather in the Uk while I do so.

silvercar

Hopefully there will be places, with high vaccination rates that can open up to travel corridors. Gibraltar has nearly vaccinated 100% of the population, Seychelles and Malidives aren’t far behind.