[Travel] Holiday plans this summer?

[Sue1983]

off to kos friday

cannot wait

plan to do nothing cultural; speak to no one and do sweet fa - perfect

Enjoy.....

I've got at holiday booked for the end of September in Kos postponed from last year. Fingers crossed I will be able to go this year.

 

[Easy 10]

Good luck to all of you getting on planes.

I honestly, honestly don't know how you can be arsed. So many hoops to jump through, along with the prospect of the rug being randomly pulled at any minute. But fair play, you're clearly more determined than I'll ever be.

 

[Machiavelli]

Can NSC enlighten me, because we're getting to the crunch time between 2 weeks+ self-catering in the Dordogne, or 10 days in a field in Kent.

A couple of weeks or so ago, it was reported that the EU didn't recognise a few batches of Astra Zeneca vaccine, because the Indian factory in which they were produced hadn't gone through with the registration formalities. It just so happens that my partner's first vaccine was from this batch and, consequently, travel to France/EU becomes difficult. This to me sounds just like a technicality that can be easily overcome. Back then, even our PM announced that it would be sorted, yet despite much digging, we can't see if this technicality has been overcome.
Anyone know if it has, or whether it's forthcoming? Any suggestions (contacting Simon Calder is one, MP another that I've thought of)?

 

[Poojah]

Good luck to all of you getting on planes.

I honestly, honestly don't know how you can be arsed. So many hoops to jump through, along with the prospect of the rug being randomly pulled at any minute. But fair play, you're clearly more determined than I'll ever be.

I'm with you on that, though of course it is a personal choice. Getting away with the wife and two kids (at least my wife and too kids) is stressful at the best of times and this, evidently, ain't quite the best of times.

Incidentally, my in-laws are about to fly to Spain tomorrow. In fairness to them, they have a villa out there which they haven't been able to visit or tend to since February last year, so it's more out of necessity than for shíts and giggles but it sounds a nightmare. On top of the repeatedly cancelled flights, just trying to find somewhere with availability to do the necessary tests to come back has been really difficult.

That doesn't mean I don't want to go abroad, I'm just hoping and praying that there will be a window in the not to distant future whereby things resemble what we used to know as 'normal' a little more. I have one eye on Easter next year, though if things are indeed normal enough for a relatively hassle-free break, then I accept the costs will be eye-wateringly expensive.

 

[Springal]

If you're double jabbed I still don't see to much fuss. My main concern with a holiday booked to the Balearics is now it is Amber - what happens if it moves to Red, that is possibly a deal breaker for me

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

The Mrs & the boys have just had their flight to Florida on Aug 22 cancelled. Until now its only been put back & delayed (4 times in the last year) but Im guessing as BA have cancelled it, they wont be going anywhere now, any time soon.

 

[shingle]

off to Sicily early August. Can't see it going ahead though.

 

[Icy Gull]

The Mrs & the boys have just had their flight to Florida on Aug 22 cancelled. Until now its only been put back & delayed (4 times in the last year) but Im guessing as BA have cancelled it, they wont be going anywhere now, any time soon.

Airlines are consolidating loads of flights too as there are too many scheduled for the number of passengers booking, so 3 becomes 1 for the sake of argument and often changes by a day or so. It’s a game of Russian Roulette making holiday arrangements at the moment. You also have to sweat on your destination becoming red or whether the country you are going to makes us red, which has to be a possibility too.

Plenty of flights to certain destinations just being cancelled for the foreseeable too as has happened to you.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Cornwall in August, still not very confident that it'll go ahead, but here's hoping.

You should be OK, the problem is the crowds and, if it matters to you, the removal of masks.
This time every year we spend time in Cornwall before the school holidays, its great weather but we are not bothering because everywhere is jam packed and will get worse soon, and I only live up the road.
Even the quieter less known areas are busy so I am sitting on a rock, in Devon catching, or trying to catch some Bass.
I hope you have a nice time but the crowds in the popular places are too much for me.

 

[Balders]

Can NSC enlighten me, because we're getting to the crunch time between 2 weeks+ self-catering in the Dordogne, or 10 days in a field in Kent.

A couple of weeks or so ago, it was reported that the EU didn't recognise a few batches of Astra Zeneca vaccine, because the Indian factory in which they were produced hadn't gone through with the registration formalities. It just so happens that my partner's first vaccine was from this batch and, consequently, travel to France/EU becomes difficult. This to me sounds just like a technicality that can be easily overcome. Back then, even our PM announced that it would be sorted, yet despite much digging, we can't see if this technicality has been overcome.
Anyone know if it has, or whether it's forthcoming? Any suggestions (contacting Simon Calder is one, MP another that I've thought of)?

The technicality is that the Serum Institute of India as Manufacturer of those batches of the Astra Zeneca vaccine neglected to apply for Marketing Approval from the EMA (European Medicines Agency) so the latter doesn't recognise this as an acceptable vaccine. However it is down to individual European countries as to whether they follow this guidance and a number of countries don't (Greece, Germany etc.) Malta wouldn't accept it initially but apparently that's now been resolved and is now ok. Incidentally before it was resolved, it was luck of the draw as to whether it was picked up (the batch nos appear on your NHS Covid Certificate) Some visitors to Malta with this vaccine were accepted and others weren't!!

France is one of the Countries that follows the EMA Guidance, although it states that on the gov.uk France page, it's not as specific in respect of the batch numbers as it was with Malta.

So the best advice I can give is "who knows"........

 

[Seagulls1974]

Good luck to all of you getting on planes.

I honestly, honestly don't know how you can be arsed. So many hoops to jump through, along with the prospect of the rug being randomly pulled at any minute. But fair play, you're clearly more determined than I'll ever be.

What “hoops” are these ?

I only see the need for proof of double jab and that’s it ?! I agree it’s all a bit strange at the moment but I don’t see it being a gamble of any sorts (and yes I do have a dog in this fight ).

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

We had roll over flights to Seville from last year that we moved to the 1st of August cancelled a week ago, so the wife who is determined to get away re booked flights to Barcelona. I understand the wife has mainly worked from home, other than traveling to Camden once or twice a week for the past year, is really itching to get away.
However I am not sure I want to have a test, go through the agro of the airport and so called massive ques everywhere.
Also checking on the Catalonia web site this morning, it appears they are going through another surge and curfews are being talked about between midnight and 6am.
We are not going for the night life with our daughter in tow, but the status could change very quickly over 18 days, Then you have the hassle of getting home, another test another long que at Gatwick, I have not got the heart to tell her I am worried and don't really want to go !

Whats the alternative though, Last year we went to Devon and everything was so packed and over priced accommodation, to add injury to insult the weather was boiling in Brighton and pissing down in Devon. Our second week in Cornwall following on directly from Devon was cancelled on the day (we later found out we were gazumped) so we had to drive home and spend a week in a.... you guessed it wet Brighton, everyone mopping about.

It is a nice problem to have talking about holidays, and I should be grateful, but I am torn between that and anxious about going away.

Anyone been to Spain lately or any news ?

We have not booked anywhere to stay yet, as we are keeping our options open up and down the coast from Barcelona.

 

[Balders]

What “hoops” are these ?

I only see the need for proof of double jab and that’s it ?! I agree it’s all a bit strange at the moment but I don’t see it being a gamble of any sorts (and yes I do have a dog in this fight ).

Umm not quite as simple as that! Even if you are double jabbed, the hoops for both Green and Amber are:

Entry Requirements of the destination country outbound - although some will let you in with just your vaccine certificate, others want a negative PCR test 48/72 hours prior to arrival or departure (yes they differ making it more complicated) and if you are lucky a cheaper Lateral Flow 48 hours prior to arrival or departure. Most of not all want a pre completed Passenger Locator Form.

Coming back to the UK you need either a negative PCR or Lateral Flow test result 3 days before back to the UK. Then within day 2 of returning you need to take another PCR test that has to be pre booked before you travel as the details of same are required for the UK Passenger Locator Form that has to be completed before you return.

Also make sure that you have decent Travel Insurance should you test positive before you return (plenty of reports of this happening) which will pick up extra accommodation/flight costs. Also if you are travelling to an Amber Country, the impact of that potentially turning Red while you are out there (when double jabbed means nothing!)

Yep, a walk in the park and that's just for those that are double jabbed.....

Sent from my T770H using Tapatalk

 

[Lower West Stander]

The technicality is that the Serum Institute of India as Manufacturer of those batches of the Astra Zeneca vaccine neglected to apply for Marketing Approval from the EMA (European Medicines Agency) so the latter doesn't recognise this as an acceptable vaccine. However it is down to individual European countries as to whether they follow this guidance and a number of countries don't (Greece, Germany etc.) Malta wouldn't accept it initially but apparently that's now been resolved and is now ok. Incidentally before it was resolved, it was luck of the draw as to whether it was picked up (the batch nos appear on your NHS Covid Certificate) Some visitors to Malta with this vaccine were accepted and others weren't!!

France is one of the Countries that follows the EMA Guidance, although it states that on the gov.uk France page, it's not as specific in respect of the batch numbers as it was with Malta.

So the best advice I can give is "who knows"........

To my mind, when it gets as micro as this, you know it’s a can of worms.

I’m going to Wales - that’ll probably be bad enough.


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[Seagulls1974]

Umm not quite as simple as that! Even if you are double jabbed, the hoops for both Green and Amber are:

Entry Requirements of the destination country outbound - although some will let you in with just your vaccine certificate, others want a negative PCR test 48/72 hours prior to arrival or departure (yes they differ making it more complicated) and if you are lucky a cheaper Lateral Flow 48 hours prior to arrival or departure. Most of not all want a pre completed Passenger Locator Form.

Coming back to the UK you need either a negative PCR or Lateral Flow test result 3 days before back to the UK. Then within day 2 of returning you need to take another PCR test that has to be pre booked before you travel as the details of same are required for the UK Passenger Locator Form that has to be completed before you return.

Also make sure that you have decent Travel Insurance should you test positive before you return (plenty of reports of this happening) which will pick up extra accommodation/flight costs. Also if you are travelling to an Amber Country, the impact of that potentially turning Red while you are out there (when double jabbed means nothing!)

Yep, a walk in the park and that's just for those that are double jabbed.....

Sent from my T770H using Tapatalk

Yeah, perhaps I need to look in to it a bit more. Although the family has had COVID and were double jabbed. The lateral flow tests are easy to do and will be negative. Just the small thing of the country going red !

 

[Balders]

Can NSC enlighten me, because we're getting to the crunch time between 2 weeks+ self-catering in the Dordogne, or 10 days in a field in Kent.

A couple of weeks or so ago, it was reported that the EU didn't recognise a few batches of Astra Zeneca vaccine, because the Indian factory in which they were produced hadn't gone through with the registration formalities. It just so happens that my partner's first vaccine was from this batch and, consequently, travel to France/EU becomes difficult. This to me sounds just like a technicality that can be easily overcome. Back then, even our PM announced that it would be sorted, yet despite much digging, we can't see if this technicality has been overcome.
Anyone know if it has, or whether it's forthcoming? Any suggestions (contacting Simon Calder is one, MP another that I've thought of)?

Just a heads up, it's just been announced that if returning from France, you now have to Self Isolate for 10 days regardless of whether you have been double jabbed.

So another hoop and Amber rules become even more micro.....

Sent from my T770H using Tapatalk

 

[happypig]

Good news and bad news
Good news : Bulgaria on the green list from monday
Bad news : Bulgaria bans britons.

(https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...reen-travel-list-12357302?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter)

 

[cloud]

The lateral flow tests are easy to do and will be negative. Just the small thing of the country going red !

There's no guarantee the tests will be negative. What if one member of the family is positive but not the others?
Not only do you need the funds to potentially extend the stay for another week or two, but you may have to demonstrate that you have the funds at border control, before being let into the country.

There's also the issue of having to quarantine once you're back in the UK. You can pay extra to reduce the time from 10 to 5 days, but if the test is positive that means 10 days without being able to leave the house, with potential police drop-in checks to make sure you're at home and not popped out for some milk. So you'd need to pre-book a supermarket delivery once you've had your pre-return flight test come back as negative.

Potentially all the supermarket delivery slots around then will be taken, and the cost of PCR tests and track & trace will have rocketed, as it's free market economics. Some test suppliers charge hundred pounds per test, which is a risk if there are shortages due to everyone travelling in August.

Plus need to factor in quarantine times with working, return to school and so on.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yeah, perhaps I need to look in to it a bit more. Although the family has had COVID and were double jabbed. The lateral flow tests are easy to do and will be negative. Just the small thing of the country going red !

Sounds like you need to look in to it a LOT more. Lateral flow tests aren't the ones you need. You need PCR tests which are a completely different thing - and a completely different price. Good luck!

 

[Seagulls1974]

Sounds like you need to look in to it a LOT more. Lateral flow tests aren't the ones you need. You need PCR tests which are a completely different thing - and a completely different price. Good luck!

It’s either proof of vaccination letters from nhs OR pcr test. We have the proof of vaccination letters so will be ok.