Holiday Guidance

[bramling]

Has the current situation changed your holiday plans? Are you going away at all this summer?

We are supposed to be going to Inverness in 10 days. As it stands we are all set to depart as planned. If any issues with cross border travel crop up between now and then, we'll have to change location. Despite what the media have said (quelle surprise) not all UK holiday accommodation is sold out.

What about you?

We were supposed to be away in England this week. Thought heavily about it, but in the end decided to cancel. Everything is still a bit up in the air, and we simply felt it would be more of a chore than a relaxing break. The weather is also a little indifferent at the moment too, though we’d probably still have cancelled even if it had been fine.

Current plan is to have a blitz in September instead, two long UK holidays planned.

 

[Scrotnig]

I would suggest taking a wide berth around any businesses intending to do the latter! It's also rather a big, but vital, job to compare to the list of affected postcodes rather than just going on the basis of "Leicester". There will be places whose post town is Leicester and yet which are outwith the restricted area, and vice versa.

There’s a public postcode checker apparently.

I’m so fed up with the whole thing I haven’t bothered to test it.

This city is being destroyed to make a political point.

 

[thejuggler]

Just what we intend to do. Just need to get up to speed on any changes implemented by the cottage owners and booking companies.

My wife's week off has been confirmed for August and after both of us searching for ages on Monday and Tuesday evening we eventually managed to find a cottage in Scotland.

Only change is a slightly later time for us to arrive, but finding anything was a real trial.

 

[Richard Scott]

As I understand it hotels in UK require you to be living with someone bit you wish to share a room so sharing with a friend is out, is that true? Also does anyone know if that applies in Germany and France as planning to go to both next month? Thanks for any info.

 

[Journeyman]

As I understand it hotels in UK require you to be living with someone bit you wish to share a room so sharing with a friend is out, is that true? Also does anyone know if that applies in Germany and France as planning to go to both next month? Thanks for any info.

You could just lie - is anyone honestly going to check?

 

[Richard Scott]

You could just lie - is anyone honestly going to check?

They sometimes ask for all passports, bit harder then!

 

[Journeyman]

They sometimes ask for all passports, bit harder then!

But your passport doesn't have your address or your marital status on it.

 

[BJames]

In England plenty of places are cancelling bookings from anyone with a Leicester postcode and are telling them they won’t allow them to rebook until at least next year.

I'd be avoiding such places permanently. I hope they get bad publicity - if you've got any further information or examples of places like this then perhaps write to your MP (or send me some information and I'm happy to do so).

You could just lie - is anyone honestly going to check?

I was going to say - surely you can just make this up? Plenty of people I know have been to the pub in a group of 6 from 6 different households... three people I know have booked a hotel in this country for a couple of weeks' time and they are from three different households, there's no problem there. If there is a problem book with somewhere that doesn't care! I'm sure lots of places would be grateful for the business.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

As I understand it hotels in UK require you to be living with someone bit you wish to share a room so sharing with a friend is out, is that true? Also does anyone know if that applies in Germany and France as planning to go to both next month? Thanks for any info.

There's no such legal requirement in England, where there is no legal maximum on indoor gatherings in places that aren't raves or private dwellings.

Wales is still in the Stone Age in terms of coronavirus restrictions, with indoor gatherings with people from other households still banned by default, and hotels still not allowed to reopen to the general public.

Scotland allows up to 3 households to gather indoors.

In Northern Ireland up to 6 unrelated people can gather indoors.

So it's only in Wales, where the restrictions don't even allow hotels to be used by most, that you couldn't share a room with a friend by law.

In Germany and France the laws may vary by county/state, with some applying maximum limits to indoor gatherings, others still not allowing them at all - you should check with the relevant county/state's legislature website for details.

As you can see, the situation is completely clear, self-explanatory and justified by the science

Of course, some hotels may decide to go above and beyond what the law says, but there is no accounting for that other than by contacting the hotel in question.

 

[infobleep]

I have a credit note for an Air Canada flight to Canada I cancelled last year. The credit got extended to December due to coronavirus. It was originally a flight to Montreal.

Currently the Foreign Office are not advising against all but essential travel to Canada but one would need to self isolate for 14 days upon return. If one needs to self isolate upon return, why are they not advising against all but essential travel? If its safe to visit, surely it's safe to return home.

However I'm now planning to visit someone the state of Massachusetts. This would be achieved by flying to Canada and then from Canada to New York and finally a 2 hour bus trip. This would ideally be in September. However, currently America isn't interested in having UK visitors.

I would fly direct to New York but I need to use up the Air Canada credit and whilst they might fly to New York from Canada, they don't from Heathrow.

If things get worse again in winter, I may yet have to extend my fight again and try next spring.

 

[Journeyman]

Travelling to America is extremely difficult at the moment. ESTAs have been suspended and you need to apply for a visa. Quite apart from anything else, Coronavirus seems to be rampaging out of control and it looks to me like the country is on the brink of law and order breaking down completely.

 

[infobleep]

Travelling to America is extremely difficult at the moment. ESTAs have been suspended and you need to apply for a visa. Quite apart from anything else, Coronavirus seems to be rampaging out of control and it looks to me like the country is on the brink of law and order breaking down completely.

I agree about it being out of control but is that the case in every single state? I mean they say New York is much better now than it was but southern states are not. It's a very large country.

Does one just issue advice for the whole country? I know in the past, 2016, Forgien Office advice for Turkey only applied to some areas and not all. I didn't go there despite this though. I decided it wasn't safe.

I do appreciate America don't want us right now. So I'm not forgetting that fact when I write this.

 

[Journeyman]

I agree about it being out of control but is that the case in every single state? I mean they say New York is much better now than it was but southern states are not. It's a very large country.

Does one just issue advice for the whole country? I know in the past, 2016, Forgien Office advice for Turkey only applied to some areas and not all. I didn't go there despite this though. I decided it wasn't safe.

I do appreciate America don't want us right now. So I'm not forgetting that fact when I write this.

Yeah, I appreciate that some states have got it under control much more than others, but those states also still have a lot of restrictions. The restrictions vary enormously from state to state and even county to county, and in some places the rules clearly aren't sufficient to protect you, plus you run into the classic American problem of "I ain't trustin' the guvmint" attitudes, so the rules all get ignored anyway. Add onto that the absolute outrage and/or provocation Trump causes every time he opens his mouth, and I think things could turn nasty anywhere.

It's true that FCO advice is often tailored to particular regions, but I don't think they'd do that with America even if they wanted to, because things are so volatile. Usually where "do not travel to this area" advice is given, it's due to an ongoing issue that's widely understood. I went to Ukraine last year, for example, and you're told to avoid the area illegally annexed by the Russians.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Yeah, I appreciate that some states have got it under control much more than others, but those states also still have a lot of restrictions. The restrictions vary enormously from state to state and even county to county, and in some places the rules clearly aren't sufficient to protect you, plus you run into the classic American problem of "I ain't trustin' the guvmint" attitudes, so the rules all get ignored anyway. Add onto that the absolute outrage Trump causes every time he opens his mouth, and I think things could turn nasty anywhere.

It's true that FCO advice is often tailored to particular regions, but I don't think they'd do that with America even if they wanted to, because things are so volatile. Usually where "do not travel to this area" advice is given, it's due to an ongoing issue that's widely understood. I went to Ukraine last year, for example, and you're told to avoid the area illegally annexed by the Russians.

Since international border restrictions are a federal matter in the US, like in most countries, I don't see the FCO advice changing until, at the very earliest, ESTAs are available again. Even then, I find it hard to imagine that the FCO would kick the hornet's nest that is US politics by announcing varying advice for different states within the US. You'd get one state moaning that it was a politically motivated decision, and locktivists from both here and there complaining that the advice was dangerous...

 

[Journeyman]

Since international border restrictions are a federal matter in the US, like in most countries, I don't see the FCO advice changing until, at the very earliest, ESTAs are available again.

Yeah - at the moment, I think you'd need an extraordinarily good reason to be granted a visa, and even if you got one, there's no guarantee you'd be admitted. Homeland Security officers are terrifying and unpredictable at the best of times.

 

[infobleep]

Yeah - at the moment, I think you'd need an extraordinarily good reason to be granted a visa, and even if you got one, there's no guarantee you'd be admitted. Homeland Security officers are terrifying and unpredictable at the best of times.

Well as long as I don't get allowed into Canada and not America, prior to be credit period running out....

 

[takno]

I have a credit note for an Air Canada flight to Canada I cancelled last year. The credit got extended to December due to coronavirus. It was originally a flight to Montreal.

Currently the Foreign Office are not advising against all but essential travel to Canada but one would need to self isolate for 14 days upon return. If one needs to self isolate upon return, why are they not advising against all but essential travel? If its safe to visit, surely it's safe to return home.

However I'm now planning to visit someone the state of Massachusetts. This would be achieved by flying to Canada and then from Canada to New York and finally a 2 hour bus trip. This would ideally be in September. However, currently America isn't interested in having UK visitors.

I would fly direct to New York but I need to use up the Air Canada credit and whilst they might fly to New York from Canada, they don't from Heathrow.

If things get worse again in winter, I may yet have to extend my fight again and try next spring.

The requirement to quarantine is based on the risk of you catching Corona and spreading it in the UK on your return. The advice against travel is based on things like your risk while there from civil unrest, extremely high risk from disease, government action against UK citizens (or outsiders generally). If life is proceeding as normal, and Corona levels aren't threatening the ability of the local health services to provide emergency care, then there is very little for a blanket advice not to travel. That certainly doesn't mean you should go there if you are in a risk group for Covid, but it's different from the US where health services are struggling and there's a substantial risk of you being affected by sudden emergency orders

 

[Mojo]

I’m in quite a tricky situation with a holiday we cancelled due to FCO guidelines being not to travel.

Of the whole four weeks, there were only 4 things that I could not get a refund on, (two hotels and two flights) so I contacted my travel insurer and let them know I wished to open a claim. They opened the claim and sent me the form and instructions. Firstly I was required to contact the company I booked with and ask them for a refund, even if it was sold on a non-refundable basis, and attach proof of them declining my refund.

I was then required to contact my credit card company, and initiate firstly the chargeback and then the s75 process if that was not authorised. For one of these I was fairly confident in being successful as the airline was refusing to refund me despite them cancelling the flight (Greece passed a law stating their airlines do not have to refund for 12 months). For the others I felt a little embarrassed doing this because I didn’t see why the credit card company was liable, and the booking confirmation which I had to provide as evidence clearly stated that the hotel rooms were non-refundable. Nonetheless the girl on the phone understood and said that they are getting thousands of similar requests and proceeded to process my chargeback requests.

To my surprise, these have all been approved, the cases closed, and the money put back into my account. When I spoke to the credit card company, they said that the merchant has 60 days to appeal, but even beyond that, if they provide any convincing evidence, the money could be taken back off me.

Not quite sure where that leaves me now. Could they take the money off me in 6 months, and where would that leave me with making a travel insurance claim!?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I’m in quite a tricky situation with a holiday we cancelled due to FCO guidelines being not to travel.

Of the whole four weeks, there were only 4 things that I could not get a refund on, (two hotels and two flights) so I contacted my travel insurer and let them know I wished to open a claim. They opened the claim and sent me the form and instructions. Firstly I was required to contact the company I booked with and ask them for a refund, even if it was sold on a non-refundable basis, and attach proof of them declining my refund.

I was then required to contact my credit card company, and initiate firstly the chargeback and then the s75 process if that was not authorised. For one of these I was fairly confident in being successful as the airline was refusing to refund me despite them cancelling the flight (Greece passed a law stating their airlines do not have to refund for 12 months). For the others I felt a little embarrassed doing this because I didn’t see why the credit card company was liable, and the booking confirmation which I had to provide as evidence clearly stated that the hotel rooms were non-refundable. Nonetheless the girl on the phone understood and said that they are getting thousands of similar requests and proceeded to process my chargeback requests.

To my surprise, these have all been approved, the cases closed, and the money put back into my account. When I spoke to the credit card company, they said that the merchant has 60 days to appeal, but even beyond that, if they provide any convincing evidence, the money could be taken back off me.

Not quite sure where that leaves me now. Could they take the money off me in 6 months, and where would that leave me with making a travel insurance claim!?

You would simply have to make your travel insurance claim down the line, explaining why you had delayed doing so. If you have followed their instructions they can hardly say anything about it.

 

[infobleep]

The requirement to quarantine is based on the risk of you catching Corona and spreading it in the UK on your return. The advice against travel is based on things like your risk while there from civil unrest, extremely high risk from disease, government action against UK citizens (or outsiders generally). If life is proceeding as normal, and Corona levels aren't threatening the ability of the local health services to provide emergency care, then there is very little for a blanket advice not to travel. That certainly doesn't mean you should go there if you are in a risk group for Covid, but it's different from the US where health services are struggling and there's a substantial risk of you being affected by sudden emergency orders

If Corona levels aren't threatening why would one be a bigger risk brining it back than someone going to the Republic of Ireland or even Germany?

Not that I'm planning to go to Canada given the advice. I'm just discussing this this point.

 

[takno]

If Corona levels aren't threatening why would one be a bigger risk brining it back than someone going to the Republic of Ireland or even Germany?

Not that I'm planning to go to Canada given the advice. I'm just discussing this this point.

If you are under 60 and don't have any existing conditions then your personal risk from being in a country with moderate transmission and functional hospitals is minimal. If the moderate infection comes back to the UK with you though, you could present a much larger threat to society at large. Hence you can safely go, bit we'll only be completely safe if you quarantine on your return

 

[infobleep]

If you are under 60 and don't have any existing conditions then your personal risk from being in a country with moderate transmission and functional hospitals is minimal. If the moderate infection comes back to the UK with you though, you could present a much larger threat to society at large. Hence you can safely go, bit we'll only be completely safe if you quarantine on your return

So in other words places like Canada are having a great infection rate than say the Ireland or Germany is right now.

Makes sense what you say.

 

[Jamiescott1]

I would fly direct to New York but I need to use up the Air Canada credit and whilst they might fly to New York from Canada, they don't from Heathrow.

You should still be able to book lhr to jfk direct through air canada, although not on air canada metal they should sell other star alliance airline tickets.

Don't forget if you go to montreal there's a 14 day quarantine on arrival in canada and internal travel is difficult with lots of regions in quebec currently shut off from others

 

[infobleep]

You should still be able to book lhr to jfk direct through air canada, although not on air canada metal they should sell other star alliance airline tickets.

Don't forget if you go to montreal there's a 14 day quarantine on arrival in canada and internal travel is difficult with lots of regions in quebec currently shut off from others

Thanks for that I didn't know this. Useful info. I might be able to do that when I eventually travel. Likely to be next year when it happens, all things considered.

 

[Tom B]

My usual holiday plans have changed somewhat drastically, especially for somebody who is very set in their ways and typically does the same UK-based holidays at around the same time each year. The annual leave that I usually set aside for one trip I used instead to move house; I have postponed another until early October, and will take a weekend away normally done in July, in late November instead. Naturally, these are all subject to the state of the world closer to the time; I will not book anything until a couple of weeks beforehand in any case.

 

[route101]

I hav booked a last minute getaway to the Isle of Wight and South Coast for next week.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I hav booked a last minute getaway to the Isle of Wight and South Coast for next week.

Have the Wight ferries resumed again? They seemed pretty determined, even quite recently, to tell passengers to p*** off. I certainly wouldn't be rushing to give them my custom now after everything they did.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Have the Wight ferries resumed again? They seemed pretty determined, even quite recently, to tell passengers to p*** off. I certainly wouldn't be rushing to give them my custom now after everything they did.

Yes, Lymington to Yarmouth resumed yesterday.

 

[bramling]

Out of interest, how have people fared booking UK holidays? I’ve made a number of bookings for September (some of them on a standby basis), and I wouldn’t say availability was any different to normal. None of these were in what I would regard as honeypot areas though.

I did have trouble getting a night at a Premier Inn in Chesterfield next week, but this seemed to be just isolated to one night, the rest of the week didn’t seem to be an issue. Naturally Chesterfield isn’t really a honeypot either, although it is near enough to the Peak District for some to use as a base perhaps.

 

[takno]

Out of interest, how have people fared booking UK holidays? I’ve made a number of bookings for September (some of them on a standby basis), and I wouldn’t say availability was any different to normal. None of these were in what I would regard as honeypot areas though.

I did have trouble getting a night at a Premier Inn in Chesterfield next week, but this seemed to be just isolated to one night, the rest of the week didn’t seem to be an issue. Naturally Chesterfield isn’t really a honeypot either, although it is near enough to the Peak District for some to use as a base perhaps.

In general slightly easier and cheaper than usual in the UK, but not wildly so