Holidays are illegal

We had a week in Spain booked for last June. The final payment was due at the end of March. Well I didn’t want to pay it in case I couldn’t get a refund , if the holiday was cancelled. Or we weren’t comfortable going. So I rebooked for this June.
And I’m in the same position again now. I’d really like my deposit back. Then I can decide if and when I go away. Even if it’s possible to go on holiday in June, I don’t want to go. But I’m going to have to rebook for next year, so I don’t loose my deposit. The deposit is £500, it’s too much to loose.
And who knows what the future will bring.

tictacnana

Just a thought... Is the queen and her household staying put or do they get to holiday in any of their royal residences dotted around the country?

More imporstant than the Queen and her holidays, if schools are due to re start on March 8th the Cambridges will need to get George and Charlotte back to London by Landrover or by Helicopter. Seems like the restrictions on travel might need to be lifted in that case! Maybe we should all be hopeful for our upcoming UK holidays after all.

I don't know what people are getting het up about. Booking a holiday now is just planning ahead and perhaps dreaming, if you can't go when the time comes, you can't go. No rules will have been broken.
But good luck to you trying to get something in July or August if they only tell you at the end of June that it is now possible to go!

I don't know which planet you live on llizzie2, but it's not one I recognise.

No, it's not confusing. Travelling within or outside of the UK for holidays is illegal at the moment. Booking holidays isn't illegal, but could be risky if virus rates remain high or begin to climb as restrictions will remain in place, in some way or other, for many months. It might also be problematic if the country you are travelling to insists on vaccination passports to prove you've had the jabs. For us older lot, we'll be fine, but it could impact younger people and especially those who refuse to be vaccinated.

Just a thought... Is the queen and her household staying put or do they get to holiday in any of their royal residences dotted around the country?

At the moment, nothing makes sense to us as citizens. Climate change activists are over the moon that there is little air travel, or any travel that forces us to lower our carbon footprint.

Right up to the General election in Britain there was world wide demands for cutting down travel not only in the air, but on the roads. They clamoured for the world to reduce the pollution levels, and hear on the news how wonderful it is and that it should stay that way. Funny they did not put climate change down to sending all those rockets up into space, probably because despite their campaigns, it was too interesting.

We are living the sort of life led by communism for centuries.

We have to cover our faces like those of islamic faith. We cannot go out to entertainments, cinema, dancing, restaurant dining. All those things are forbidden for religious reasons.

The rulers of this world at the moment are scientists. No Government can make decisions on the lives and health of their people at this present time without consulting with science. After putting up with IS and bombings, killings, beheadings for so many years we now have to accept a way of life which is so alien to Christians and other religious faiths, and for more than a year, the streets have been free of bombs.

Scientists have told us that we must not mix outside our families. If you do not like the idea that the world is - at present at least - ruled by science, then you should toe the line and put up with the present way of life so that all countries can get back to having a way of life without restrictions.

Dearknees1

The person who is confused here is Grant Shapps which is what we've come to expect of current politicians. It's not illegal to book a holiday if you want to take a chance on whether you'll be able to go. Like many others we have holidays booked for this year with no idea what will happen. I've just paid the balance on a uk holiday in May already deferred from last year. I had the option to transfer the booking but there's nothing available in this accommodation until November. I understand people's concern about not being able to book uk holidays at short notice.

Grant Shapps has problems knowing his own name.

You can travel from Australia, but you need permission from their government. My DD has a friend who came over some time before Christmas to be with her daughters, one at university and one at boarding school because they wouldn't be able to get back into Australia without quarantining. As the younger one can't go back to school, she is stuck here. Her husband and 18 year old son are in Australia, and will probably come over when they can get permission to leave.

My partner is planning to fly to the Canary Islands soon. There are 2 flights a week from an airport near us. She has to have a test 72 hours prior to arriving. As a Spanish resident she is allowed to do this as she is technically returning home. If she doesn’t go back she could loose the residency status as she has to live there at least 6 months each year. I didn’t want to get Spanish residency so I probably wouldn’t be able to go at the current time but as soon as I can fly I will do.

Aren't the rules changing from next week, PECS? So, of the sister arrives from Australia she may have to quarantine here at her own expense then quarantine again when she returns to Australia - again at her own expense.
I wonder if it's worth it?
If it's not strictly illegal then is she bending the rules?

Word is that soon no one can travel, at least by plane, unless they have a Covid passport showing they got the vaccination. The first ones may be rolled out in July. Denmark is the first one to work on it, other countries no doubt will follow suit.

www.9news.com/embeds/video/65-eea537d9-b5e4-4e68-ac0e-0d4da3afe71a/iframe?jwsource=fb&fbclid=IwAR2tb8reoJgtjUaERayfjlz6i3p6nEbOMXoBcmiqun_Vmmla0xklpJh6qiY

ajswan

Which facts are you suggesting I’ve got wrong? It is currently illegal to travel abroad for a holiday. That’s a fact, and it’s correct. I have not at any point said that it’s illegal to book a holiday, only to go on a holiday. Perhaps you should check your facts and not make rude and incorrect allegations. Read the thread, you’ll see that you’re wrong.

www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when-you-arrive-in-england#quarantine-for-10-days-after-you-arrive

This is from the government website ... suggests that you could be a granny arriving from Australia and just go to stay with your family... have I missed something... Media headlines have sort of implied people had to pay £2k for a 10 day quarantine hotel stay...

maddyone

I was surprised to see on the BBC news that the public are confused by the mixed messages said to be being given out by government about booking a holiday. Since holidays are currently illegal, at home or abroad, I’m unsure why people are confused. I’m not confused, I understand that holidays are currently illegal and as a consequence I won’t book any holidays at present. I hope this will change as the year progresses and we can book and go on a holiday, but whilst holidays remain illegal I won’t book anything.

Is anyone on Gransnet confused? Or do we all understand that holidays are currently illegal? Has anyone on Gransnet already booked a holiday in the hope that it will not be illegal to travel when the time comes?

I booked flights to Tenerife months ago when the lockdown ended. Due to go end of April, but it looks like this is not going to happen now. Why is this illegal, get your facts right before you join all the other Scaremongers

Most holiday companies seem to have a Covid clause allowing refunds or transferring of holidays to next year, so I've gone ahead and booked (having checked that clause carefully). That's not illegal; it's only illegal if I go while the current restrictions still apply. Fingers crossed it will be ok. Btw - I'm talking about domestic holidays, not abroad - that would probably not be a good idea this year whatever the exact rules.

The person who is confused here is Grant Shapps which is what we've come to expect of current politicians. It's not illegal to book a holiday if you want to take a chance on whether you'll be able to go. Like many others we have holidays booked for this year with no idea what will happen. I've just paid the balance on a uk holiday in May already deferred from last year. I had the option to transfer the booking but there's nothing available in this accommodation until November. I understand people's concern about not being able to book uk holidays at short notice.

Quickfire9 congratulations on your family and their efforts to keep safe. There are lots of people who have worked solidly through the pandemic and need a break.
Of course it makes perfect sense that people who have been in closest contact with the virus and at most risk of carrying it even asymptomatically should be the ones who are allowed to travel and get away on a break.

Battersea1971

My sister is due to arrive in the UK from Australia on monday. I didnt think she could do that but she assures me she can. She is staying with her son. Her flight was booked a while ago.

Well, I am surprised.

Even friends whose father is very ill here in the UK have not been allowed to travel from Australia.

Thank you railman No offence taken, but I really don't want anyone thinking I support Johnson

OH FINGERS CROSSED FOR YOU COSSY.I WOULD LOVE TO BE IN THE SAME POSITION X

Battersea1971

My sister is due to arrive in the UK from Australia on monday. I didnt think she could do that but she assures me she can. She is staying with her son. Her flight was booked a while ago.

I'm surprised. This is a quote from the Australian Gov Home Affairs website:

If you are an Australian citizen or a permanent resident you cannot leave Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions unless you have an exemption.

Exemptions are on their website.
covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

Won't be thinking of going anywhere, I'm lucky to have my garden so if the sun shines I am happy to sit in it with a book. I don't travel abroad anymore, I am happy staying in N.Irelands North Coast. My friend is devastated she probably won't get another holiday abroad this year although she has a caravan here anyway to visit.

Ginpin

June 2019 I booked 2 cottage holidays Devon and Cornwall in large holiday homes for our 3 generation family -14 of us. Booked for April '20 and April '21. April '20 in Devon got moved to Feb '21. We have missed out on that holiday twice- should (again) be there now
April '21 I have just paid the balance for because, if I didn't, I would lose the deposit of £500+. Would be lovely if we can go, but I doubt it because the Rule of 6 ( from September) will still be in place, if not lockdown or tiers. We have always been in a low tier by comparison, and Devon & Cornwall were also low tiers. Booked so early back in 2019, before Covid, because the Cornish holiday home is a VERY popular one. Not at all illegal to book holidays and at least something to look forward to.

Cornwall were 1 for a while, then 2 and quickly to 3. I doubt it would go back to 1. It struggled for a while to control number of cases They have only just started to drop. The hospital was only just coping. Only one hospital in Cornwall with ICU beds.

Allegrias1 - my apologies I had no wish to cause offence.

I find Johnson and his gang offensive and corrupt, and I hadn't seen the earlier post you referred to.

We all have to keep fighting this gang of chancers, and it is by luck and science we are not in a worse mess today.