Will you travel? [Mod Note in Post #1 - Travel Discussion Only! Megathread]

Tenzor07

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

The simple reality whether you choose to accept or not (and the high court found it to be true) is that travel in and out was never stopped either legally or functionally.

The reality is that people who could have travelled during the summer didn't because of the De-facto travel ban. And when anyone who wanted to come here saw that the 14 day quarantine requirement was never lifted then they avoided Ireland, even in the short window where bars, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions opened briefly.

Many EU countries had the bars, restaurants and tourist attractions open in the summer when FFFG and Holohan had shut down ours, yet planes to the EU were running up to 70% empty, because of the flight shaming tactics used by RTE and other media outlets like the Journal.ie and the "Independent"... like I said before, anyone in the Civil/Public service and vast numbers of private companies all required employees to take an additional 14 days leave upon their return....so less of condescending instructions on taking the battle to the unions or the legal terms of employment! No one's going to risk losing their job or damaging the relationship with them and their employers, no one!

Tenzor07

Charles Babbage wrote: »

Given that a lot of the Covid now circulating in Ireland has been linked to a Spanish strain, we have paid a high price for the lack of proper enforcement of the 14 day isolation.

I blame the Danish Minks who came here on holidays!

Fann Linn

Hoping to go booking over the next few days for next year's holidays. However, the wife's passport expires in a few weeks and there is no passports currently being processed.

Will I be okay putting down my wife's details as per current passport for flights etc or does anyone know the procedure? Looking at going next Aug/Sept so vaccine hopefully will be working its magic.

Thanks.

mmclo

Fann Linn wrote: »

there is no passports currently being processed.


Thanks.

Really? I got mine a week or two back although I asked for the card too and that hasn't arrived which I thought strange

acequion

Fann Linn wrote: »

Hoping to go booking over the next few days for next year's holidays. However, the wife's passport expires in a few weeks and there is no passports currently being processed.

Will I be okay putting down my wife's details as per current passport for flights etc or does anyone know the procedure? Looking at going next Aug/Sept so vaccine hopefully will be working its magic.

Thanks.

If I were you I wouldn't be booking this far ahead. Now hopefully life will be a lot more normal by then but the fact is you just don't know and you don't know for certain that flights won't be cancelled.

I'm hoping to make up for lost time next summer but won't be booking anything until much closer departure and I'm not deciding on exact departure dates/duration either until closer the time.

Re the passport, your wife should be able to get it renewed and again I'd urge caution on the details. I'd book with the new passport, the one she will be travelling with.

That's my two cents anyway.

Fann Linn

mmclo wrote: »

Really? I got mine a week or two back although I asked for the card too and that hasn't arrived which I thought strange

I went on the passport site last week and it said that although they are still accepting applications they are not processing at present.

I_NoScoped_JFK

Can’t wait to step off the plane again and feel the heat hit the face. Managed it in September to Greece. Here’s hoping it’ll be sooner than that time next year

stargazer 68

Fann Linn wrote: »

I went on the passport site last week and it said that although they are still accepting applications they are not processing at present.

You dont need your passport to book flights, just need them when you are checking in. But I agree with Acequion, I wouldn't be booking anything that far ahead at the minute.

fisgon

I can speak a little about the contrast between Spain and Ireland, as I know Spain well, follow the news there and was there for July this year.

Their first lockdown was much harsher than ours, but then it needed to be as their case numbers were enormous. Since June, though, their efforts at imposing restrictions have been piecemeal - the virus was out of control in Madrid and all they did at one stage was tell bars that they had to shut at 1am.

A dance school I know in Madrid is still open, legally, and has been since June, offering partner dancing. When I was there most bars were open, with little social distancing. Another Facebook page I follow posted photos a couple of months ago of an event they had in Malaga in a bar, with lots of people with their arms around each other, hugging, in close contact. No-one condemned them in the comments, or even commented on people jammed together in a bar in the midst of a pandemic.

The virus levels in Madrid at one stage were close to 800 per 100,000 per 14 days, and yet the local government were doing everything they could not to put in any more citywide measures. The central government had to step in. We closed down at 300.

So, for good or ill, the pandemic has been taken much more seriously in general in Ireland than in Spain - after the first lockdown. But then there are many more low paid workers in Spain, a lot of people on the breadline, probably less financial support from the government.

And one thing is for sure, the virus and death rates tell this tale - Spain's death rate is 900 per million, ours is 408, and they now have 400 people a day dying from Covid, and have had 1.5 million infections.

Tenzor07

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Unless you personally stood at the docks and listened to everyone’s accents and checked all car registrations then what you’ve stated is just your opinion and not fact.

And the fact is that tourism from outside the state has collapsed this year. I’m sure someone will Goggle those figures for you.

You don't believe that I saw many many English.reg cars and campers over the summer?
Maybe you were stuck in your house but I was out working the whole year.

johnire

I'd have to agree with this person. I live not too far from an extremely popular seaside venue and the caravan Park over the Summer months was full of English reg cars and caravans and having walked past the site on numerous occasions I can most definitely say the occupants were indeed English.

bubblypop wrote: »

You don't believe that I saw many many English.reg cars and campers over the summer?
Maybe you were stuck in your house but I was out working the whole year.

acequion

fisgon wrote: »

I can speak a little about the contrast between Spain and Ireland, as I know Spain well, follow the news there and was there for July this year.

Their first lockdown was much harsher than ours, but then it needed to be as their case numbers were enormous. Since June, though, their efforts at imposing restrictions have been piecemeal - the virus was out of control in Madrid and all they did at one stage was tell bars that they had to shut at 1am.

A dance school I know in Madrid is still open, legally, and has been since June, offering partner dancing. When I was there most bars were open, with little social distancing. Another Facebook page I follow posted photos a couple of months ago of an event they had in Malaga in a bar, with lots of people with their arms around each other, hugging, in close contact. No-one condemned them in the comments, or even commented on people jammed together in a bar in the midst of a pandemic.

The virus levels in Madrid at one stage were close to 800 per 100,000 per 14 days, and yet the local government were doing everything they could not to put in any more citywide measures. The central government had to step in. We closed down at 300.

So, for good or ill, the pandemic has been taken much more seriously in general in Ireland than in Spain - after the first lockdown. But then there are many more low paid workers in Spain, a lot of people on the breadline, probably less financial support from the government.

And one thing is for sure, the virus and death rates tell this tale - Spain's death rate is 900 per million, ours is 408, and they now have 400 people a day dying from Covid, and have had 1.5 million infections.

The bit in bold is one of the reasons I'd rather be in Spain. Thrilled to hear that no one condemned anybody in the comments and not surprised because you just don't have that toxic finger wagging, curtain twitching mentality over there. Here it's all oppressive and to say the virus has been taken seriously in Ireland is in line for understatement of the year.

However, you are right in the figures you cite in your last paragraph but do remember that Spain is a huge country, multiples the size of Ireland and there are parts of Spain with infection rates less than in parts of Ireland. Madrid, being one of the worst affected is not representative of the entire country.

fisgon

acequion wrote: »

The bit in bold is one of the reasons I'd rather be in Spain. Thrilled to hear that no one condemned anybody in the comments and not surprised because you just don't have that toxic finger wagging, curtain twitching mentality over there. Here it's all oppressive and to say the virus has been taken seriously in Ireland is in line for understatement of the year.

However, you are right in the figures you cite in your last paragraph but do remember that Spain is a huge country, multiples the size of Ireland and there are parts of Spain with infection rates less than in parts of Ireland. Madrid, being one of the worst affected is not representative of the entire country.

Lots of places were worse affected than Madrid, at various times - Catalonia, the Basque country, Aragon were all in serious trouble at times, and still are to a certain extent. Their restrictions were patchy, at best.

I don't agree that we have a "finger-wagging" mentality - I think it is more about people feeling that they are giving up a lot by abiding by the restrictions, and others who don't give a sh1t are spoiling it for the rest of us. The resentment is understandable.

And again, Spain's death rate is much, much higher than ours, so you would have to ask whose approach was better. Ours has saved lives. And for the majority of the last few months, every region in Spain - except the Canaries - has had higher infection rates than Ireland.

IrishStuff09

mmclo wrote: »

Really? I got mine a week or two back although I asked for the card too and that hasn't arrived which I thought strange

I applied for a book/card renewal on the 28th October and still waiting. Fairly strange, but at this stage I'd expect they'll process it once restrictions ease

acequion

fisgon wrote: »

Lots of places were worse affected than Madrid, at various times - Catalonia, the Basque country, Aragon were all in serious trouble at times, and still are to a certain extent. Their restrictions were patchy, at best.

I don't agree that we have a "finger-wagging" mentality - I think it is more about people feeling that they are giving up a lot by abiding by the restrictions, and others who don't give a sh1t are spoiling it for the rest of us. The resentment is understandable.

And again, Spain's death rate is much, much higher than ours, so you would have to ask whose approach was better. Ours has saved lives. And for the majority of the last few months, every region in Spain - except the Canaries - has had higher infection rates than Ireland.

No it hasn't. If you read this thread consistently you'll notice posts by a poster called Faceman who frequently gives information about the Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa areas and quotes stats showing these areas to be doing consistently better than Ireland. There are other places in Spain as well that have done/are doing better than parts of Ireland again at various times. Not all of Spain was so badly affected though yes you are right about Catalonia, Aragon, the Basque country and Madrid.

I would very much disagree with most of your sentiments about the Irish mentality.

fisgon

acequion wrote: »

No it hasn't. If you read this thread consistently you'll notice posts by a poster called Faceman who frequently gives information about the Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa areas and quotes stats showing these areas to be doing consistently better than Ireland. There are other places in Spain as well that have done/are doing better than parts of Ireland again at various times. Not all of Spain was so badly affected though yes you are right about Catalonia, Aragon, the Basque country and Madrid.

I would very much disagree with most of your sentiments about the Irish mentality.

Whatever about what Faceman says (who, afaik, is one random person posting on a public forum), the figures are clear - at the mo Spanish regions have 14 day infection rates of 300, 400, 600, up to 769. All much, much higher than Irealand's. Only the Canaries is below ours. You can check the official figures here, scroll down to the table, the relevant figures are under the first IA (Incidencia Acumulada) heading.
https://diariosanitario.com/casos-positivos-coronavirus/

It has been like that for months. Spain's numbers have actually come down in the last few weeks, though they are still about 4 times higher than Ireland's. They have not done well with this at all.

Hector Savage

Do people think testing will become cheaper at airports ? as right now for a family I see travel as just too risky and unaffordable ...

munchkin_utd

johnire wrote: »

I'd have to agree with this person. I live not too far from an extremely popular seaside venue and the caravan Park over the Summer months was full of English reg cars and caravans and having walked past the site on numerous occasions I can most definitely say the occupants were indeed English.

what though is the problem with english coming over and specifically camping ?
Camping in itsself is a self contained form of holidays. You stay in your tent/ chalet, you cook and eat with the people you stay with.
Its the opposite of say going to spain on the batter where you eat out, drink, socialise the whole time

Now.....
Where did Irelands second wave come from ??
a ) english people over camping who were barely within 2 metres of other people and not in any irish persons home or any community events.
b ) irish people on the batter in spain in bars and clubs, and then came back to Ireland to continue their hectic social schedule in the irish community with like minded social animals ????

j@utis

fisgon wrote: »

<...>
And one thing is for sure, the virus and death rates tell this tale - Spain's death rate is 900 per million, ours is 408, and they now have 400 people a day dying from Covid, and have had 1.5 million infections.

..with covid not from covid. And how spanish people are feeling about it? How many of those 1.5mln infections on the paper were actually really sick?

Back on topic now: I don't think we'll be traveling a lot next year because of high probability of cancellations and/or getting stranded somewhere and also I see costs of traveling skyrocketing due to decimated supply.

I see sheep

Hector Savage wrote: »

Do people think testing will become cheaper at airports ? as right now for a family I see travel as just too risky and unaffordable ...

The cheaper option is not getting a test. This will cost you zero euro.

SB71

I see sheep wrote: »

The cheaper option is not getting a test. This will cost you zero euro.

Just fly back via Belfast instead of paying obscene amounts of money for a test.

Tenzor07

SB71 wrote: »

Just fly back via Belfast instead of paying obscene amounts of money for a test.

You'd have to be desperate to want to do that.. If you drive then factor in fuel, tolls and parking costs.. probably not save a cent over getting a test..
If you get the bus then it will probably take longer than your flight.

Not worth it.

Tenzor07

j@utis wrote: »

Back on topic now: I don't think we'll be traveling a lot next year because of high probability of cancellations and/or getting stranded somewhere and also I see costs of traveling skyrocketing due to decimated supply.

Well now you have it, Ryanair and AerLingus will run 30 or 40% capacity until April at least, so fewer flights, higher costs, the aircraft that do run will be full but a lot of routes will be cancelled unless to busier routes like the UK and Spain.

I see sheep

SB71 wrote: »

Just fly back via Belfast instead of paying obscene amounts of money for a test.

Yeah could do, but there's no need - anyone can fly into Dublin, and just not take a test.

Hector Savage

I see sheep wrote: »

The cheaper option is not getting a test. This will cost you zero euro.

Eventually it will be mandatory ..

Stevek101

Will still need a test to arrive in most nations.

SB71

I see sheep wrote: »

Yeah could do, but there's no need - anyone can fly into Dublin, and just not take a test.

true but you still have to give your details whereas in Belfast you just arrive and walk through and theres never even any border security.

SB71

Tenzor07 wrote: »

You'd have to be desperate to want to do that.. If you drive then factor in fuel, tolls and parking costs.. probably not save a cent over getting a test..
If you get the bus then it will probably take longer than your flight.

Not worth it.

not really,done it a few times, granted it takes a few hours longer but the cost is much cheaper than getting a test, bus from the airport to Europa and jump on a coach to Dublin which takes 2 hours so not that long really just watch a film or a box set you dont feel the time going, works out much cheaper than forking out €150+ for a test.

Hector Savage

Qantas CEO has confirmed vaccination mandatory before getting on one of their planes - but hey, it's just a conspiracy ...

SusanC10

Hector Savage wrote: »

Qantas CEO has confirmed vaccination mandatory before getting on one of their planes - but hey, it's just a conspiracy ...

I wonder will the European Airlines bring that in for travel within the EU ?