Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

As the title says. After a year without travel back home (I usually get 3-4 visits in per year) I'd just about accepted I'd have to quarantine for 2 weeks, but with the news coming out of the UK seemingly getting worse, I'm worried this just isn't realistic.

Anyone else contemplating Christmas in Blighty?

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

We were lined up to go to my wife's hometown in Northern Thailand (Phitsanulok) in Novermber and back to my home in London for Christmas. Both have gone out the window.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

No.I subscribe to no travel unless absolutely critical. For the forseeable future.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Same here.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I'd happily go back, but totally dependant on the travel ban being lifted due to not being an LPR or a USC...

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Yep. Unless something insane happens, I'll be spending Christmas there, and will be taking sensible precautions. Although, I should add that both me and my folks are in low-COVID areas at the moment. If I lived in Florida it'd be a different story.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

We have just returned from UK, a trip which we only undertook following the sudden death of my father in law. We would have not undertaken the trip otherwise.

We were required to quarantine for 14 days in the house and could only leave for the funeral. You need to be happy to travel and stay for the Holidays on this basis.

I guess the biggest issue for us was the risks we were putting on other family members. CT is fairly safe COVID wise at the moment but you never know. While travel through JFK and on the plane was quiet, LHR was crazy busy. Only a few masks, no social distancing and little sign of cleaning in sight. So you have be aware of contact you make on your travels. In general, UK was far more relaxed than here, so not surprised to hear the cases are rising over there. We did a COVID test before we left, one in UK and another on our return, more for our peace of mind. I personally would not travel again unless it was exceptional circumstances.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

If you have the option, go, and think yourself lucky.
Those of us imprisoned in Australia are unlikely to even be allowed to leave for Christmas 2022

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I was just looking for flights to go over in Oct/Nov/Dec with my 4 year old and leave my 15 year old here with his dad for school reasons (they are not allowed to leave the state of NJ for travel or subject to school disciplinary action.
I am loosing my job at the beginning of next year and I have a new job in the pipeline so basically I need to use up 1-2 weeks of vacation time before I loose it. If and when I start the new job next year, I will not be able to take any vacation time for a while. There is part of me telling me to go for it and another part thinking I will loose my money as the flight will get cancelled or postponed (not booked anything yet). I would be travelling from Newark, NJ or JFK, NY to Manchester and then taking a train to Hull or paying for a cab to pick me up.
Does anyone think this is crazy or I should go for it before it is too late. I have not been home for 5 years, although my mum did visit us last summer in NJ for a couple of weeks. I don't know what to do.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I don't consider the UK home and haven't spent Christmas there for more years than I can remember (well before we left in 2002) but personally, though I am desperate to see my Dad, I won't be going until things improve on both sides of the pond. I'm also on a temporary visa and two immigration lawyers have advised against leaving the country.

That said, I know an increasing number of airlines are offering no-fee changes, and some full cancellations so, if that's what's putting some of you off booking, look into that. For reasons with which I won't bore you, we have just booked some fully refundable flights with Delta.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

if she wants a direct flight to Manchester...then she will have to fly United from Newark.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I've lost count of the emails I've had from various airlines about no change fees - that could be one of them (as I have an account) so worth a look.

edit: To clarify, the flights I've booked are not to the UK.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Me too. I wouldn't travel anywhere on a plane unless my attendance in person was essential, and given that IMO neither weddings nor funerals are "essential", I would struggle to find any reason to get on a plane at the moment.

My family in the UK are 200% on board with this, including my mother who is elderly, and even though she is good health, statistically there is a fair chance that she won't see me again if I don't travel to the UK before Christmas 2021.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Your last line on the post was .... I don’t know what to do ...
Well, I missed my Dad’s 90th Birthday family celebration in the U.K. recently due to my decision not to travel.
my decisions were based upon the need to take two flights, as I have no direct route from my home city ... my requirements on arrival at Heathrow, car hire, probably, public transport, most definitely not. ..... having to quarantine for two weeks at my parents home. Yes, wonderful to spend the time with them, but how much am I putting their lives at risk .... how many people would I have come into contact with on my travel time going over ..... bottom line is that I love my folks too much to place them in that position.
I hope that helps you in making your mind up whether to travel over or not. Good luck.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

All of those places are high risk, if you are not concerned about catching it and don't care about spreading it, this should be fine. I think the airline will move your ticket without fees. Personally I would not risk it, but I have a low tolerance to risk, and avoid situations if possible. The worst that could happen is that you get hospitalized in the UK .

https://imperialcollegelondon.github...anchester.html
https://imperialcollegelondon.github.io/covid19local/

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I've never been back to the UK for Christmas since I moved to the US. I was actually planning to be in Italy Christmas/New Year but gave up on that idea a long while ago. I'm now wondering whether my two month trip around Euro 2020 that I postponed along with that tournament until June 2021 will happen.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

:goodpost: My sentiments exactly.

Not that I actually have a choice, since my lot are in Oz, but I still wouldn't. I have missed a funeral and am shaping up to miss my sister's wedding. The best thing we can do to look after and celebrate each other is stay apart. Gives us all the best chance of catching up when safe and well in future.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

thats great when you know you will have the option to catch up later. For many its less clear cut.
All the people I love are in the UK. i'm stuck in Aus with failing eyesight, possibly blind before I can travel home again. So I am unlikely to ever see anyone again unless I ravel now - and the government refuses to let me

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I'm curious to know why the immigration lawyers have advised against travel. What visa are you on?

I left the country in July and returned in September via non-schengen route and was permitted entry fine.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

the ‘she’ I referred to was moi...she stated she wanted to fly from The NJ/NYC area to Manchester.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Well, there's an awful lot that can happen between now and whenever I am able to go back (with them and with me). So I'm not counting any chickens :unsure:
It's also the hugs that are most important.

Can't you not even repatriate from Oz? I can understand them wanting to limit people leaving and coming back, but not letting people leave one-way?

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

No change fees are great if your airline still exists when you are able and want to fly down the road. But I certainly wasn't going to take airlines' stupid vouchers for the raft of flights they cancelled on me this past summer. Thankfully all my credit card chargebacks succeeded.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

E3. Could be fine, just not prepared to risk it. (Company's immi lawyer advised not to, got independent advice and that was similar.)

Understood - I was just saying it's worth checking if you're determined to go. moi cited this as a concern.

Yes it's a bit scary. We initially took credits for all our cancelled trips but eventually I applied for and got full refunds. (With the ones I've just booked, that we hope not to use, not our money.) As for the half a million Qantas points we have banked up, we were advised months ago to spend those in the online shop. But it's Oz based so all I'd be doing was buying presents for friends there.

The annual travel insurance was a bit of a write-off.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Nope.

I know people here in the US who have died after contracting this from asymptomatic family members, and there's no way I'm willing to risk killing my own family members in the same way.

I can see my family next year, once there's vaccines out on the market and this is all hopefully (somewhat) under control.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

When we lived in NJ, I used to fly regularly from Newark/Manchester. It is now the only non stop flight from the New York/New Jersey area. A couple of times I have flown via Heathrow, but it puts hours on the journey. When I fly on the red eye the last thing I want is to hang around a busy airport, waiting for another flight, which may or may not be cancelled.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I spoke to my DIL by FaceTime Sunday, she is a sister at Bradford Royal Infirmary A&E. She was recovering from COVID. By her own accounts she didn't get it too bad, if that wasn't too bad I would hate to see what someone who was bad looked like. Not only does she work on the front line, she and my son have two little ones 5 & 2, so she is on the go all the time normally, and quite full of energy and life. She looked absolutely worn out and semi collapsed on the sofa and I was shocked by how worn out she looked, and was still struggling to breathe.

Anyway the reason for mentioning that, is having seen and spoken with someone who is recovering from a "mild" case of COVID, it has reinforced my view point, similar to Pulaski's, that nothing comes close to being essential enough to risk getting COVID. Going back just because I haven't been for two years, doesn't even warrant consideration.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Normally I would agree with you. But on the present schedules PDX to MAN is a best 21 hours, to LHR best is 13 hours. I can drive from LHR to N Yorkshire and be there before I've got to Manchester. I'm sure unless people are close the Newark, others face a similar dilemma. Not that I have any intention of going anywhere,

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

but moi lives in NJ and wishes to travel to Manchester. Direct flight takes around 6 1/2 hrs.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I realized that. I wasn't clear I wasn't talking specifically about moi, but about getting to UK regional airports in the current scheduling mess.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Covid may be breaking our historically recent addiction to cheap long distance travel.
My mother had siblings who emigrated to the USA and to New Zealand. My father had asister who emigrated to Melbourne. None of them considered visiting the "Old Country" after settling, Of course cost was the principal factor. I am told that pre-1939 a passage to the USA cost the equivalent of a year's waged for a skilled worker. i suspect that was the case right up to the 1970s.

Perhaps Covid-19 is bring us back to Normality ?

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I'm really sorry to hear this. I have read just this week that up to 75% of people that get "mild"covid suffer from long covid. I don't understand the complacency and it make me angry. I really hope she fully recovers. Looking after young kids is hard enough , without this terrible illness. Also the UK does not recognize it as a disability yet, which makes it even harder.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

We're obviously talking at cross purposes and there's something I'm not getting across clearly so I'm going to bow out now.

Lansbury - I imagine that working in BRI A&E is a challenge at the best of times, your DiL has my sympathies. I remember fearing for my own life late one Friday night when I took a friend in.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I am fault too. :o

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I'd be wary of getting on a flight these days myself or any mode of transportation that isn't self enclosed away from others, so basically unless I am in a private vehicle alone or with my spouse, no travel for me.

I wont even take public transit at the moment.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Thank you both. I am amazed she hasn't been ill before now. She is in charge of the nursing staff on a shift and leads from the front. I've meet most of them on visits and they are an incredible bunch, who all worked long hours when the department was swamped with COVID cases early on.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

Sorry to hear about your DIL, and here's to as fast and full a recovery as possible.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

How do the authorities even know that you are quarantining when you arrive in England after you give them the address you will be staying at? Also, are you supposed to quarantine back in the US for 14 days when you arrive back here? Again, how do the authorities here even know that you are quarantining here on arrival? And what if you have to get back to work when you get back.

I am leaning toward not going now, especially that the UK is introducing another lockdown soon, but still curious as to how it all works. God knows when I will ever get back now.
I am aware of the direct flight from EWR to MAN with United, which is best with a preschooler and I have used that flight several times in the past, but it is pricy.now.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

I have not searched for a flight in since my trip to Europe back in Feb, I went to see elderly family then knowing what was coming (even then I was already having issues buying masks and Lysol wipes for the trip, I was transiting thought İstanbul the day all China flights were canceled) I highly doubt UA is operating a direct EWR-MAN with these loads, searching a few random dates in December show everything via Germany on LH. I normally fly enough UA to keep 1K every year. Even if they are running it they used 757’s on that route when I have flown it and they are a single isle narrow body, so that would not be an ideal aircraft at the moment.

Tracking could be from spot checks, cellphone tracking, monitoring in person payments, I doubt they will publicize what they are doing. But if people do feel the need to travel and risk peoples lives I hope they are held financially and criminally liable if they break the rules that are there to safeguard vulnerable parts of the population.

I can’t really think of any reason I would travel now, the only one I could possibly think of would be to take my family to NZ ( I have no family there) if things got really bad here (they mange / enforce quarantine, which is the way they should do it everywhere). But the risk of flying on a connecting commercial flight would make the bar for even considering that really high.

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

The UK government has now introduced fines up to £10,000 for folks who do not self-isolate as instructed or advised to do so. This follows a returning traveller who caused a big spike in infections in Bolton last week. I don't know if or how they will actively track folks ongoing who are supposed to be self isolating but hopefully the threat of large fines will make some folks think twice about breaking the rules.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-didnt-isolate

Re: Who else is concerned about trip to UK for Christmas with family?
 

We had a couple of EWR to MAN flights booked over the summer but United stopped flights into MAN. They rebooked us on to LHR flights but we chose to cancel because didn’t want to risk catching Covid and then possibly passing it onto others, especially our very elderly parents. We have family come over here every Christmas but this year we’ll have to make do with Zoom instead. No flying anywhere for us for the foreseeable future.