Rescuing standed Brits

Spain wasnt particularly in our news at that point. It was later on.

2 weeks ago here we thought we would just isolate the vulnerable a bit

Barracking to be repatriated from New Zealand?

Safer where you are...

The government have allocated £75 million. I think that some people chose to ignore the obvious. However I don't think that the government have much choice. However it does seem that there are thousands of people stranded and some may not get back for a while.

My niece is at University in Australia and booked a flight home at the first opportunity, but it and the four subsequent flights she has booked have all been cancelled. She now has a flight booked (with BA) for 2nd April and her parents are frantic to get her home. She is very lucky that her parents have been able to financially support her and that she's with a couple of friends, but many young people who were backpacking are alone and have very little money to pay the exorbitant prices being asked by the airlines.

A GNer posted about travelling abroad (or far??) for a funeral and most replies said "I would go".

I only remember this thread, notanan, from 13 March. The majority advised the OP not to go and it’s obvious from the posts that people could see she might have trouble getting back.

www.gransnet.com/forums/bereavement/1274577-Coronavirus-should-l-travel-abroad-to-my-sisters-funeral

Actually, the same poster started two threads (I thought I remembered there being more replies ).

There were even more posters on this one advising against going.

www.gransnet.com/forums/coronavirus/1274633-AIBU-to-go-abroad-for-a-few-days?pg=1&order=

There will always be some people who will need rescuing/ bailed out etc and sadly they will never learn.
They just rely on others to save them, think of flooding with no house insurance.
Others will always step up to help them, it is human nature on both counts.

We are currently in New Zealand staying with my son and his family. We've been here since January, so obviously before we had any idea that this situation was going to happen.
It is currently impossible to get out of here. A friend bought three tickets with different airlines but the transitioning airports closed - no notifications from the airlines, no refunds to date. This was before all flights into and out of NZ were stopped altogether.
We planned to return on 1st May (and feel much safer here than in the UK and are being useful looking after GS while DS and his partner who are both doctors, work), but are now wondering that if these 'rescue' flights are put on would we be obliged to get on one or face not being able to get home for months?

Would your travel insurance cover you for a much extended stay GrandmaKT?, particularly under the present circumstances and the fact that your DS and DIL may be working on the front line.
I'd be inclined to stay but would be concerned about medical cover.
Are you are relatively young and fit?

It may seem like a long time but it really wasn't that long ago that things were relatively OK. None of us have ever dealt with a pandemic like this. Mad cow desease, bird flu, why would people think it any different until very suddenly it was? Of course they should be brought home.

One of DH's friends is in India and is asking for people to try and help get him out. He had previously been in Spain since the outbreak commenced. When we heard of the virus in China we said we would not make any arrangements to travel anywhere, it was clear early on that this was going to be pandemic.

I know i am of mixed feelings as well. I know of one couple in Mexico that had an arranged flight early in April to come home, but didn't want to spend extra for an earlier flight. Do I feel badly for them? Not really. I heard they had a terrible run-around and ended up in Winnipeg instead of Vancouver, and had to drive home to BC (2400 km!) in a borrowed car from a relative. Flew into Canada on Saturday and are still driving...

When the government advises travellers to come home, they should listen. Some chose not to listen, while others tried but could not find room on flights, meanwhile some countries closed their borders. I wonder if they could assist with housing or medical costs while stuck in foreign countries instead. Not sure what is the better answer.

As soon as I saw the title of this thread I knew it would be someone grumbling about the cost of bringing Britons home from far flung places.

What is wrong with so many people? Why are they always looking for things to criticise others about?

Nobody's perfect and most people have done unwise or ill thought out things at some time in their lives. If you had a son, daughter, grandchild, mother, father, etc, etc. marooned in another country - particularly at this frightening time - would you be so damning of them or would you want our government to help?

As other posters have already said, events re the virus moved very quickly from initially being a matter of some concern but not unduly alarming, to being a full blown emergency affecting virtually the whole world.

annsixty I'm pretty sure that if someone lived in an area prone to flooding they would want to get home insurance. However, home insurance generally can be quite expensive and in parts of the country that are more known for flooding it can be extremely expensive. If, as has happened with some areas over the last few years, flooding has occurred on several occasions, premiums are increased significantly, together with excess rates and for some areas people can no longer get insurance. Thank goodness there are people who do not feel the need to judge and who are kind enough to step in and help.

It's not that easy. I know of one guy nearly "trapped" in NZ because Australia blocked his return as he would need a domestic flight to make a connection and would therefore technically be entering Oz and so be subject to quarantine. He'd only be going from the international to the domestic terminal at Melbourne and vice-versa at Sydney but that was sufficient. Fortunately Air NZ and QANTAS worked a way around it for him.

Yes, I'm concerned about the insurance Callistemon. The so-called phone helpline is giving an unavailable message and I'm waiting for a reply to the email I sent 3 days ago. Good job it's not an emergency situation! I'm 61 but DH just turned 70. Both very fit and healthy though.

My son is travelling in India. He has been there for two months initially with a friend for 3 weeks and now on his own. He is currently staying in a room in Bangalore. He has a flight booked home for the end of July. Initially he thought he would sit it out but as the crisis worsens he is thinking of coming home earlier if that is possible. Thank goodness for WhatsApp.

I’m more concerned about what all these travellers will do when they arrive back. Will they be tested and self isolated, or will they just be allowed to go home on trust?
Looking at pictures from Peru and other places, they are crammed together, some masked, some in hostels with people with the virus.
I would think they ought to be separated similar to those who returned from Wuhan initially.

Bring them home, they should then be quarantined for 14 days before being allowed to return to their families/homes.

This is an unprecedented event and calls for unprecedented measures.

momb you must be very worried

Surely, there are lots of individual stories and good reasons why the Govt should help people.
I have a friend who was spending 3 months in the Caribbean over the winter (I am NOT envious!) and who travelled out long before all this started. She was planning to come home in March, in time for the birth of her new grandchild.
She shortened her stay but was very concerned about changing planes in New York, as she didn’t want to be ‘quarantined’ there.
She finally managed to get a direct flight (without Govt help, of course), is home and her new grandchild arrived safely. ?

I hope your son gets an earlier flight back momb. On his own, in India, in one room? Sounds like my worst nightmare and for the next 4 months?

Seems charter flights are being organised by Raab.

There is apparently a million Brits still overseas, some want to come home, massive problems getting to the airport to catch a flight when transport shut down. For many getting money transferred and sitting tight might be a better option because when they get home there will be no work either. These rescue flights are going to be paid for by the passengers so not cheap

Bring them home, quarantine for at least 14 days - they can repay the costs at a later date. It serves no purpose to blame people for going away - what's done is done.

mumofmadboys I hope your boy stays safe and gets home early. It's enough of a worry at any time when they are travelling: my daughter left Kutar a couple of days before the bombings years ago. As you say, thank heavens for WhatsApp

Hindsight is wonderful thing isn't it. Some people made errors of judgement, some were genuinely trapped but the end result is the same. I agree with oldwoman get them home and worry about the cost later.