Five criteria to be met for overseas travel
Holidays this summer are looking more and more unlikely due to quarantine rules and travel restrictions being in place to help halt the spread of the coronavirus. But for those planning for a late summer or autumn holiday, travel expert Simon Calder has revealed “five tests” to complete before you go on your next trip.
Simon Calder, Senior Travel Editor at The Independent, hosts his own podcast on Spotify called ‘You should have been there’ with BBC producer Mick Webb.
In this week’s episode, the pair discuss current Government guidance for travel, what will await travellers, and the “five tests” for prospective travellers.
Simon Calder:
Before you go on your next foreign trip, I’ve come up with these five tests.
Just as the British Government has five tests before easing the lockdown, the prospective international traveller must consider these five tests.
- Can I reach the airport, sea port or international rail station?
Blindingly obvious, but how many check?
At present the lockdown rules make getting to Manchester Airport, Portsmouth or London St Pancras impossible for a non-essential journey.
They then addressed what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) latest guidance is.
The UK Government website states that Britons need to consider whether their travel is necessary before they embark on a journey.
The website reads: “Before you travel, consider if your journey is necessary and if you can, stay local. Try to reduce your travel.
“This will help keep the transport network running and allow people who need to make essential journeys to travel.”
It adds: “Where possible, try to maintain social distancing when you walk or cycle, for example when approaching or passing other pedestrians or waiting at crossings and traffic lights.”
Train companies are advising do not travel unless essential, the numbers on trains are limited, LNER booking is mandatory.
2. Has the Foreign Office warning against overseas travel been lifted?
Current official advice from the FCO states:
As countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel and border restrictions, the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel.
Simon Calder added: “That’s both global and indefinite. No overseas leisure journey can be contemplated while it prevails, not least because to do so would invalidate your travel insurance.”
3. Is there a flight, a ferry or a train to my destination?
Simon Calder:
The range of travel possibilities that we enjoyed before lockdown began has shrunk down to a tiny fraction.
Some services are continuing and airlines such as Ryanair have vowed to start operations in scale in July.
But even then the frequency of flights and the range of destinations is going to be reduced.
4. Will the destination admit me?
Simon Calder:
That’s likely to be the most critical question.
Many countries around the world have some combination of flight bans and restrictions for people from certain countries.
The UK is often prominent on any list of not necessarily especially desirable aliens.
Additionally, many countries are asking for 14 days of mandatory quarantine for inbound travellers.
Simon Calder then added:
Greece is one of the Mediterranean nations that’s been looking pretty good at welcoming people in. It’s done very well in terms of keeping a lid on the coronavirus itself and it’s actively looking at restarting tourism on July 1.
Which conveniently for a lot of Europe is the first day of the summer peak.
5. Can I tolerate any quarantine rules on return to the UK?
Simon Calder:
Up until now, Britain has remained open with no checks on anyone coming into the country, you just get off the plane and are handed a piece of paper saying, ‘If you’re not feeling well then self-isolate or call NHS direct.’
Now, in the early days there were quarantine rules for people coming in from Wuhan and from those towns in northern Italy.
Then that was all removed and so now, the Government says that because of the rate of infection is going down in the UK and other countries are lifting their lockdowns, now is the time to make everyone self-isolate on arrival.
Of course, that is going to make the appeal of a weekend away or a week on the beach dwindle down to pretty much zero for most people.
Further thoughts to add to those of Simon Calder
Mediterranean countries Greece and Cyprus acted swiftly, closed borders, closed airports, imposed quarantine on arrivals, and as a result, low number of covid-19 cases, but heavily dependent upon tourism, they are now in too much of a rush to open up and risk a second wave of covid-19, far worse than the first. Both countries have covid-19 tourism protocols in place, but too lax to inspire any degree of confidence.
Italy, one of the first countries to lockdown, and until overtaken by UK, worst country for covid-19 in Europe, but now having relaxed lockdown too fast, is seeing a sharp increase in cases and deaths.
UK, insanity of Stay Alert, with lockdown breaking down, is on course for a second wave.
EU travel advice: Open borders to goods and migrant workers, only tourists from countries with covid-19 under control.
Travel insurance is essential and for travel within EU a legal requirement, but nigh impossible to obtain, and those offering have hiked the price and exclude covid-19. My annual travel insurance has shot up from under £100 to over £140 and that is with 20% discount if I renew within a month.
Few are going to be willing to travel. A survey carried out by Simon Calder, two-thirds of those who responded unwilling to take a summer holiday overseas this year.
There is something perverse, when train companies are discouraging travel, limiting the numbers who can travel, whereas airlines are packing passengers in like sardines.
Last year we had Thomas Cook go bust. This year tui, laden with massive debts and on life support from German government?
Be very wary booking holidays that do not exist, then have major problem recovering refund when holiday cancelled.
If booking a room or apartment, use fairbnb not airbnb.
My advice: Heed the excellent travel advice from Simon Calder, when do decide to travel, book direct, flight and accommodation, ensure flight and airline Atol protected, if possible pay with credit card.
