Rescuing standed Brits

From January the writing was on the wall. Nobody knew when a pandemic was going to be “declared” but it was obvious it was going spread around the world. We decided we didn’t want to be stranded in a foreign country and that losing money on a holiday was preferable to being at risk abroad. We didn’t wait for an airline or holiday company to decide, we looked at the risks and made our own decision. Beats me how people could enjoy travelling so far from home whilst knowing it was so risky. How essential is a holiday compared to being stranded or sick abroad?

So agree about quarantine for travellers as it seems everyone has been allowed to simply go home since the initial Wuhan flights. Other countries are putting those returning into quarantine are we??

Other countries are putting those returning into quarantine are we??

Not since our community transmission became a bigger risk than transmission from people who have travelled, no. No point any more. We are one of the risky countries. People coming in from elsewhere no longer pose a greater risk than our own communities

Its a difficult and very different situation to most …...whilst I think it is unreasonable for holiday makers and second home owners to moan about the UK government not repatriating them ..even those who WERE willing to pay for themselves to come back to the UK were unable to due to airports being locked down and no flights available and the host country wanting them out ! If there is a situation of danger or unrest in a foreign country, airlines or Governments act quickly to withdraw British citizens which is fair enough . However, some people who have provided for their own transport etc are suddenly caught up in an unexpected situation which occurred after their arrival, and are then left in limbo. It is easy for us all to say Serves you right, or Why did you go ? but in a lot of cases it is, I am afraid 'There but for fortune' but they do need to pay back the air fares that is only right

Three weeks ago I came over to the US for my once yearly visit to my two daughters and only granddaughter. At that time nobody advised me not to travel, but soon after I arrived things here in the US started to kick off.

I am now at my daughter’s in Florida. I should be returning to Malta tomorrow, but my flight is cancelled and Malta airport is closed. I contacted the embassy and was told I could get a repatriation flight from Frankfurt tomorrow, but that would mean buying a new ticket from Miami, which I cannot afford, plus risking being in contact with the infection so I will not be taking that option.

My biggest concern now is whether the crisis in the US will extend beyond the beginning of June when my 90 days are up. I have been told in no uncertain terms that should I overstay I will incur a ten year ban from travel to the US. No exceptions.

With hindsight do I wish I hadn’t travelled? Of course I do. If only I had had a crystal ball. I do not expect the government to fork out for my return, just hope I can re-book my flight if and when the airline starts flying again. Very worried indeed.☹️

Two weeks ago a friend of mine got on a plane at Heathrow but after talking to the stewardess about the situation she decided maybe it was a mistake to go and got off. Back in the airport she got a call to say her trip was being cancelled so just as well she turned back when she did! The rest of the tour group were flying from Gatwick and they were meeting in Germany before going on to Morocco. She had a narrow escape! Lots of people will have made errors of judgement and part of the problem was down to the government delaying so long before locking us down so they do need to give more assistance if people set off based on foreign office advice. People cancelling trips before they were prevented from going ahead have not been able to claim on insurance so many will have gone ahead as they didn't want to lose the cost of their holiday. Now we are seeing the seriousness of the situation, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Four weeks ago and 24 hours before we were due to fly, we cancelled our trip to Asia. This was our decision and cost us a great deal of money as there was no Government warning in place and the tour company was still going ahead with the tour, so we could not claim on our insurance. But the writing was on the wall, the virus was spreading, we had been looking at the World Health Organisation data and felt it to be the right decision. So glad we did.

I booked flights to NY for October last year with an online travel agent ( via Skyscanner ). Since then, I have received regular emails from them advertising flights and holidays. Just last week they had holidays and flights from as soon as next week. I can't understand how this is possible, seeing as people can't get home, and so many airports and borders closed. I heard through the media that they may still take bookings, then cancel, and offer to conserve the holiday for later, therefore they are not losing the money they have been paid.

Three weeks ago, after much deliberation, lots of research, and taking advice from medics, we decided to go ahead with our 'dream holiday' to a country which, at that time, had single digit cases of the virus, and was not on an 'at risk' list of places to travel to. We live, and flew, from a country which seemingly had things well under control, at that time.

Within a few short days of us arriving at our destination, things rapidly changed, and the country went into complete lockdown. No real advanced warning, little time to rearrange flights home, etc. Our return flights would not be operating (although, we had no notification from the airline), and all of our hotels cancelled on us! Thankfully, we were one of the lucky ones who managed to get on one of the last flights out operated by our airline (at our own expense). Tens of thousands of other visitors to that country were not so lucky, and were left stranded, told they had to be in isolation, but had nowhere to stay!

On the day that we flew out, there were many passengers checking in for our flight, who were transit passengers flying back to UK/Europe, only to be told that they could no longer transit, and are basically stuck there! These people tried, and failed, to secure flights home, at the very short notice that was given to them, and at their own expense.

If I could turn the clock back, and knew what I know now, of course I wouldn't have gone. We're home now, doing our required home isolation, and are very thankful that we are safe. We all learn by our mistakes. But there are many thousands of travellers out there who do need help to be repatriated to their home countries, through no fault of their own.

Bellasnonna you must be very worried, I do hope you get home before your 90 days are up.

As I said upthread, we are in unprecedented worrying times and wherever possible these U.K. Citizens should be brought home.

My personal view in response to the OP Why should we pay for them to do so ? would be that we can't turn back the clock, people don't always make good decisions. Compassion is the one thing that will get us through this crisis. How could we not pay for them to get home?

Part of the reason people are abroad at this time is down to the Government's initial reluctance to be clear from the start about the potential risks. HMG was at first erring on the side of protecting the economy. With hindsight, it's clear they should have banned travel abroad around two weeks before they actually did. None of this 'advisory' stuff, either. They should have clamped down. Then there would have been less of an issue now.

So certainly people should be brought back.

Yes I dont think that people who chose to follow official advice Vs what was at the time rumour and speculation are necessarily un-sensible types.

That is USUALLY the sensible thing to do.

We have a young family member who is currently in Georgia (country not the US state) and his plan is to just stay put. At last contact with him he said there were only around 50 cases and no deaths, so he was probably as well staying where he is.

Yes, GrannyGravy, I’m beside myself worrying about it. It seems things are going to get a lot worse here in the US before they get better, so heaven knows if and when I will get back to Malta.

Also very worried about DD1 who is a radiographer at a hospital in Washington DC as she is working without the proper protective equipment.

Nansnet, I am very happy for you that you managed to get back home.

Blinko as you say, with hindsight. Wouldn't we all have done a million things differently in our lives if hed had the gift of hindsight.

Except I think HMG would have had insider/advance information, so not hindsight for them... They chose to let February slide by when they could have been gearing up.