lansbury

I think making the trip is feasible, but you will need to be expecting to cope with delays and less than smooth passage. With UK hotels closed not sure what happens if you get delayed at Heathrow, for example. Yesterday I was reading some speculation that once restrictions start to lift, social distancing might be required on board aircraft. Resulting in a lot less tickets being sold per flight at a much higher cost. If you travel now you might have unknown upheaval to cope with, if you stay tickets prices might be unaffordable for the leisure traveler for some time.

In your situation, where I assume your wife is in NY and you are in good health, I think I would fly now if you can. At least you have a good chance of being able to keep away from others as much as possible, and it does seem the BA flight to Boston is still operating. If you stay here it could well be into next year before things "improve". Guess it depends how risk adverse you and your wife are, which you choose.

scrubbedexpat091

If I were you and wanted to get home and you can arrange everything you need to get home, I would come home. The flight likely wont be very full, airports are empty, and returning USC's are more than welcome to return home, really think the risk is low enough to be honest to take the risk, and I would do it.

Frankly I think my local grocery store is a higher risk than an airplane at this point.

Pulaski

I think this is doable from a US perspective, but whether you can get to LHR might be the biggest challenge. And what happens if there are still restrictions in place when you want to return later in the year? .... Would you be "guilty" of travelling between two homes and potentially liable for a fixed penalty ticket?

Whether it is sensible from a personal health perspective is a different question, and one only you can answer.

andyrebell

The first question has to be the method of transport to the airport? I know the trains are very quiet right now according to the news and I think a number of services have been cancelled. With regards to a taxi cab/private car. Are you prepared to trust that the driver whom you will be with for around an hour or more is clear of corona because a lot of these cab drivers may not care about passing it on. They will just work even with the help the government is given out.

Would the journey itself be permitted by the cops? What happens if you hit a check point or get pulled on the motorway? They may say flying to see your daughter is not essential travel?

robin1234

Well, I’m not flying to see my daughter. I’d stay with her for two weeks before going home to NYS. I’m trying to get home to New York. It’s just that I don’t want to get on to a connecting flight at Boston, because the flight to our neck of the woods in NY is a Cessna 402 which I’m not prepared to sit in for two hours in these times.

I agree, my question was partly about being allowed to drive from North Norfolk to LHR.

scrubbedexpat091

Would seem to me that repatriating to the country you reside in would be a valid reason to be travelling to the airport to leave the UK.

Suppose you could call the local authorities and ask and see what they say.

robin1234

Glad you said that, to me that’s the most important. Clearly we are both safer if we stay in place. However, if either of us get sick, we are not in a good situation since we are alone. So that’s the big dilemma.

As for getting back here, that’s not an issue - I wouldn’t try getting back here any time soon, unless things get better sooner than we all expect

robin1234

Yes, I think this is right, thanks.

robin1234

Thanks for these insights lansbury. This is what I was wondering about flights now. I’d be prepared to pay for more space, but I really don’t want to sit on a crowded flight. You really can’t tell in advance.

robin1234

Yup it looks like Cape Air are still flying their regular services to Lake Cleat and Ogdensburg. If I never have to sit in one of those Cessnas again I would be happy. $99, which is what they usually charge.

lizzyq

Well I wouldn't have stumped up for Will's flight if I didn't think it was feasible! Joking aside, I think the most troublesome bit is likely to be his train journey from Swansea to Heathrow and if he has to accept a £30 penalty so be it, though he should be OK, I shall just tell him to be polite and not get argumentative over it. Once he reaches the USA and gets though immigration I will be a much happier parent.

SanDiegogirl

How is this journey in any way essential? You have a home in Norfolk where you could stay perfectly comfortably.

Pulaski

Don't you ever read what everyone else has already posted? This has already been answered above.

SanDiegogirl

Yes, I read what everyone else has already posted - I've picked you up when you have not understood the issue at hand a few times.

While the OP would like to get home to NYS if he could, he also has a HOME in Norfolk, where he spends many months per year. The OP actually says in one of his posts that his other option would be to just stay put in Norfolk and that both he and daughter would be safer if they both stayed in place (she sounds as though she lives in Boston)

So from an essential point of view, the trip does not sound essential. The OP would like to move from one residence to another - but he certainly does not have to.

I think my comment about being essential travel is perfectly reasonable under the circumstances.

andyrebell

Something else to consider what would a fine mean for breaching the lockdown? Would it affect your U..S immigration status? You have not in your posts in this thread said what that status is so I reply to this blind. Would it be a CIMT for instance?