Are we there yet? Your second Travel Megathread (threadbans in OP}

acequion

JojoLoca wrote: »

I don't think people realise what they are asking for. NZ and Oz are going with the zero Covid strategy, so hotel quarantine for all arrivals makes sense. We are not doing that. Also, people seem to think this quarantine is for the level 5 only, while it would be here to stay for a long time. And they are talking about extending it to all arrivals....
For me, a foreign national living in Ireland, a perspective of not being able to travel to see my family (within the EU) for the unforeseeable future, because on the return I would be detained in the hotel for two weeks at extortionate cost, is unacceptable. We don't lock up people who actually test positive for Covid, hell, there isn't even half arsed phone call to check if they are self-isolating.
Yet they want to detain people with negative test results.

I 100% agree with you and 100% sympathise. I'm Irish but with loved ones outside the country [within the EU]], this hugely affects me.

However, are we panicking by assuming EU countries will be put on the hotel quarantine list? I know Austria is on it at the moment. But do people really think more EU will be added? Which countries are suspect? Will we really go so far?

The whole thing is worst nightmare stuff. And politically we were never worse served. The current Govt are useless, a mismatch of political parties who clearly don't get on and give in to mob mentality. And an opposition whose roots are nationalist to the extreme of former terrorist.

dmcsweeney

acequion wrote: »

I 100% agree with you and 100% sympathise. I'm Irish but with loved ones outside the country [within the EU]], this hugely affects me.

However, are we panicking by assuming EU countries will be put on the hotel quarantine list? I know Austria is on it at the moment. But do people really think more EU will be added? Which countries are suspect? Will we really go so far?

The whole thing is worst nightmare stuff. And politically we were never worse served. The current Govt are useless, a mismatch of political parties who clearly don't get on and give in to mob mentality. And an opposition whose roots are nationalist to the extreme of former terrorist.

I'd agree that most of Europe should be safe from the hotel quarantine list, but will they remove the fines?

Happydays2020

dmcsweeney wrote: »

I'd agree that most of Europe should be safe from the hotel quarantine list, but will they remove the fines?

Fines are ok if there are also domestic restrictions/fines. When these domestic restrictions are lifted, the fines will need to be lifted - The EU Commission is starting to shows its teeth on this. But expect negative noises on travel similar to last year.

josip

dmcsweeney wrote: »

I'd agree that most of Europe should be safe from the hotel quarantine list, but will they remove the fines?

Nobody going on holiday from July onwards to the EU will be fined, even if the legislation remains on the statue books at the time.
There will be too many traveling, too many marginal councillors and TDs starting to fret.
Especially with NI & Britain holidaying as normal and the proliferation of British media.
Even the naive people who have fully bought into the, 'close the airports-foreigners will kill us' propaganda, will realise how they've been duped by May.

JojoLoca

acequion wrote: »

I 100% agree with you and 100% sympathise. I'm Irish but with loved ones outside the country [within the EU]], this hugely affects me.

However, are we panicking by assuming EU countries will be put on the hotel quarantine list? I know Austria is on it at the moment. But do people really think more EU will be added? Which countries are suspect? Will we really go so far?

The whole thing is worst nightmare stuff. And politically we were never worse served. The current Govt are useless, a mismatch of political parties who clearly don't get on and give in to mob mentality. And an opposition whose roots are nationalist to the extreme of former terrorist.

I was speaking for myself when mentioning family abroad, but of course a lot of Irish people would be in a similar situation. People have families, friends, properties, businesses abroad.
Re. hotel quarantine list, I might be panicking a bit, as Government is keep saying " they will have no problem expanding the list", plus there seem to be huge support from the public to have it for all arrivals.

mandrake04

Tazz T wrote: »

People calling for mandatory quarantine for everyone coming into the country just as the pandemic ends are simply buying in on the media scaremongering. These are the same ones that will be crying for it to be gone when NI opens up in May, meaning any form of quarantine is utterly pointless and only serves to annihilate the aviation, travel and tourism industries further. Aer Lingus posted a 563 million loss for last year today. If they aren't allowed to operate normally during the summer months this year when infections are low, they're done. Even if they are, costly PCRs, government advice on non-essential travel, and ongoing general restrictions will see the end of the national airline.

With places like Australia and New Zealand looking at permanent facilities for quarantine, is that what people want here? Those countries won't be open for years.

I'm astounded by the herd mentality of 'shut the airports' on every travel related thread on Facebook. Utterly pointless at this stage. It's time to putting in place measures to open up and save, if possible, what's left of the countless industries that depend on international travel.

Australia is returning to international travel from October when the majority of the population who want to be vaccinated will have been fully vaccinated, even with variants is not so much a concern as they are a AZ vaccine producer they also going start producing RNA vaccines onshore as well so will be making booster etc. and not having to worry about euro-crumbs. The restrictions on travel were always going to be temporary to buy time, while the virus onshore was dealt with and until the rest of the world sorted itself out which it didn't.

The quarantine has served them very well, majority of the country has been open since May/June last year (apart from Melbourne) and national unemployment is 6.3% compared to 5.2% this time last year not too shabby. Plus they have learnt a lot and tried to avoid what USA and Europe had done which is a kind of big joke.

Not sure where this permanent facilities lie is coming from, people just wanted travellers out of the cities so they were going build temporary camps in less populated areas. Temporary is not permanent.

dmcsweeney

Happydays2020 wrote: »

Fines are ok if there are also domestic restrictions/fines. When these domestic restrictions are lifted, the fines will need to be lifted - The EU Commission is starting to shows its teeth on this. But expect negative noises on travel similar to last year.

We could be restricted to 10km by July unfortunately :pac:

josip

dmcsweeney wrote: »

We could be restricted to 10km by July unfortunately :pac:

There won't even be a 10km vertical restriction in July
Seriously, many people are ok with restrictions now because it's still February, and they can understand the benefit of getting to low case numbers.
But once we get to low case numbers and the vulnerable vaccinated, there's no reason to keep all the current restrictions.

2 months time will be a different world.
Many old people (the grey vote), now fully vaccinated, will want to emerge from isolation and move around a little.
Do you think on the first sunny weekend in June that the guards will have a ring of checkpoints keeping all the 'inlanders' away from the beaches?
Not going to happen.

dmcsweeney

josip wrote: »

There won't even be a 10km vertical restriction in July
Seriously, many people are ok with restrictions now because it's still February, and they can understand the benefit of getting to low case numbers.
But once we get to low case numbers and the vulnerable vaccinated, there's no reason to keep all the current restrictions.

2 months time will be a different world.
Many old people (the grey vote), now fully vaccinated, will want to emerge form isolation and move around a little.
Do you think on the first sunny weekend in June that the guards will have a ring of checkpoints keeping all the 'inlanders' away from the beaches?
Not going to happen.

Thanks, you've brightened up Friday no end

Tazz T

mandrake04 wrote: »

Australia is returning to international travel from October when the majority of the population who want to be vaccinated will have been fully vaccinated, even with variants is not so much a concern as they are a AZ vaccine producer they also going start producing RNA vaccines onshore as well so will be making booster etc. and not having to worry about euro-crumbs. The restrictions on travel were always going to be temporary to buy time, while the virus onshore was dealt with and until the rest of the world sorted itself out which it didn't.

The quarantine has served them very well, majority of the country has been open since May/June last year (apart from Melbourne) and national unemployment is 6.3% compared to 5.2% this time last year not too shabby. Plus they have learnt a lot and tried to avoid what USA and Europe had done which is a kind of big joke.

Not sure where this permanent facilities lie is coming from, people just wanted travellers out of the cities so they were going build temporary camps in less populated areas. Temporary is not permanent.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-16/victoria-looks-at-alternative-to-melbourne-cbd-hotel-quarantine/13157224

Let us know how temporary it is in October. Any link to that return to international travel then?

Micky 32

Tazz T wrote: »

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-16/victoria-looks-at-alternative-to-melbourne-cbd-hotel-quarantine/13157224

Let us know how temporary it is in October. Any link to that return to international travel then?

Personally i couldn’t give a toss what Australia do. I have no interest sitting on a plane for 24 hours or any interest to visit the country . So let them build their prison camps.

mandrake04

Tazz T wrote: »

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-16/victoria-looks-at-alternative-to-melbourne-cbd-hotel-quarantine/13157224

Let us know how temporary it is in October. Any link to that return to international travel then?

Well you might be still locked in your house by October. LOL


https://www.9news.com.au/national/qantas-announces-record-1-billion-half-year-loss-and-resumption-of-international-flights/0ef2933c-6bc7-4d21-8ec1-09cc8adabb35

Tazz T

mandrake04 wrote: »

Well you might be still locked in your house by October. LOL


https://www.9news.com.au/national/qantas-announces-record-1-billion-half-year-loss-and-resumption-of-international-flights/0ef2933c-6bc7-4d21-8ec1-09cc8adabb35

An airline boss is responsible for Australian travel policy. This is the equivalent of Michael O'Leary saying travel will commence restriction free from tomorrow.

None of us are locked in our houses, or will be. Assuming you're in Australia, however, you will still be locked inside your country.

josip

Tazz T wrote: »

An airline boss is responsible for Australian travel policy. This is the equivalent of Michael O'Leary saying travel will commence restriction free from tomorrow.

None of us are locked in our houses, or will be. Assuming you're in Australia, however, you will still be locked inside your country.

We have a GP responsible for ours.

Tazz T

josip wrote: »

We have a GP responsible for our travel policy.

I was responding to Mandrake who said Australia would be flying internationally in October because the head of Qantas is restarting flights then.

mel123

Has anyone here gone away in the last week or so or does anyone work in the airport? Are the guards still in the airport checking on people flying out?

mandrake04

Tazz T wrote: »

An airline boss is responsible for Australian travel policy. This is the equivalent of Michael O'Leary saying travel will commence restriction free from tomorrow.

None of us are locked in our houses, or will be. Assuming you're in Australia, however, you will still be locked inside your country.

Yeah but but you are limited to 5km, being locked in Australia is not so bad still plenty to do here. Even if I could leave where would I go? everywhere is either sh!te or closed due to lockdowns.

Sure I could travel home to Ireland where I would have to sit at home, cant even go to pub or restaurant.

You have no idea how much I laugh at people like you.

Tazz T

mandrake04 wrote: »

Yeah but but you are limited to 5km, being locked in Australia is not so bad still plenty to do here. Even if I could leave where would I go? everywhere is either sh!te or closed due to lockdowns.

Sure I could travel home to Ireland where I would have to sit at home, cant even go to pub or restaurant.

You have no idea how much I laugh at people like you.

Seriously.

You just admitted you were wrong on both counts of us being locked in our houses and that Australia would be flying internationally in October and you're laughing at people like me.

Good luck with that.

snotboogie

Tazz T wrote: »

Seriously.

You just admitted you were wrong on both counts of us being locked in our houses and that Australia would be flying internationally in October and you're laughing at people like me.

Good luck with that.

I think you can fly between Australia and New Zealand now? No? I'd be pretty surprised if there wasn't travel open between Australia and places like Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand by October.

mandrake04

Tazz T wrote: »

Seriously.

You just admitted you were wrong on both counts of us being locked in our houses and that Australia would be flying internationally in October and you're laughing at people like me.

Good luck with that.

Did I?


I’m laughing at you trying to say that I’m somehow in a worse position than you, you still have 6 weeks of L5 and then probably L4 to June.

I been living fairly normal since mid last year, I still got a job and my kids had an extra 2 weeks holiday at Easter last year but otherwise never missed a day off school. I enjoyed a fantastic sun holiday by the beach, plenty of hours on the ski, restaurants etc with all the trimmings, you have had months of lockdowns you won’t ever get back. So much for living with Covid.

Sure if the vaccines work then there is no reason not to lift travel restrictions is there? Is that not what you been told in Ireland, vaccinate to ease restrictions it’s the only way out?

If vaccines don’t work then travel is off the table I still be happy enough, but at same time you probably still be in for another winter lockdown.

Anyhow travel is overrated, I’m delighted to have a break from it for a change.

Tazz T

snotboogie wrote: »

I think you can fly between Australia and New Zealand now? No? I'd be pretty surprised if there wasn't travel open between Australia and places like Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand by October.

The Aussie-NZ no-quarantine corridor was closed a couple of weeks ago due to cases in NZ. Don't know if it opened again.

Tazz T

mandrake04 wrote: »

Did I?


Anyhow travel is overrated, I’m delighted to have a break from it for a change.

Good for you. Like last year, when you weren't travelling either, I'll be holidaying in Greece this summer.

mandrake04

snotboogie wrote: »

I think you can fly between Australia and New Zealand now? No? I'd be pretty surprised if there wasn't travel open between Australia and places like Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand by October.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/international-travel-could-return-in-months-vaccine-passport-air-new-zealand/9d9ffa60-cee7-4fd8-b16c-1027f33ff025

josip

mandrake04 wrote: »

Did I?


I’m laughing at you trying to say that I’m somehow in a worse position than you, you still have 6 weeks of L5 and then probably L4 to June.

I been living fairly normal since mid last year, I still got a job and my kids had an extra 2 weeks holiday at Easter last year but otherwise never missed a day off school. I enjoyed a fantastic sun holiday by the beach, plenty of hours on the ski, restaurants etc with all the trimmings, you have had months of lockdowns you won’t ever get back. So much for living with Covid.

Sure if the vaccines work then there is no reason not to lift travel restrictions is there? Is that not what you been told in Ireland, vaccinate to ease restrictions it’s the only way out?

If vaccines don’t work then travel is off the table I still be happy enough, but at same time you probably still be in for another winter lockdown.

Anyhow travel is overrated, I’m delighted to have a break from it for a change.

Something that always puzzles me, is if it's so great where you are, why do you spend so much time on an Irish discussion board?
When I was living in Oz and NZ, I checked maybe once a week if the lights were on back home if even that.

Theboinkmaster

Anyone have any thoughts on when the passport office will re-open?

Their website says after level 5 lifted and will process backlog in 4-8 weeks.

So on 5 April will we move from level 5 to 4 and passport office opens - giving them April and May to process backlog?

Or could it be another month - open up 5 May, but assume backlog much bigger then?

mandrake04

Tazz T wrote: »

Good for you. Like last year, when you weren't travelling either, I'll be holidaying in Greece this summer.

Sure you will. Lol. just remember to wipe your feet on the way out.


I don’t understand why you think that it’s a big deal that I didn’t get to travel, I usually travel to Europe for business once a year and visit my folks in Ireland for a few days when I’m there.. I’m not that fussed on it anyway.

I live in a land of sun, palm trees and some of the best beaches in the world...not to mention warm 23C water ...I rather spend time locally and my money on something I enjoy rather than put it in the pocket of some grubby foreigner.

Just not interested

mandrake04

josip wrote: »

Something that always puzzles me, is if it's so great where you are, why do you spend so much time on an Irish discussion board?
When I was living in Oz and NZ, I checked maybe once a week if the lights were on back home if even that.

Because I’m actually Irish and enjoy the banter

faceman

mandrake04 wrote: »

Did I?


I’m laughing at you trying to say that I’m somehow in a worse position than you, you still have 6 weeks of L5 and then probably L4 to June.

I been living fairly normal since mid last year, I still got a job and my kids had an extra 2 weeks holiday at Easter last year but otherwise never missed a day off school. I enjoyed a fantastic sun holiday by the beach, plenty of hours on the ski, restaurants etc with all the trimmings, you have had months of lockdowns you won’t ever get back. So much for living with Covid.

Sure if the vaccines work then there is no reason not to lift travel restrictions is there? Is that not what you been told in Ireland, vaccinate to ease restrictions it’s the only way out?

If vaccines don’t work then travel is off the table I still be happy enough, but at same time you probably still be in for another winter lockdown.

Anyhow travel is overrated, I’m delighted to have a break from it for a change.

While you are in a privileged position where you are, throw caution to looking down at those from the ivory tower. Should you have to leave it, those peasants will be there to mock you

Also assuming you’re not a native Australian, it’s not fair to say travel is overrated given you’re a migrant

But pettiness aside, as lucky as you are the elephant in the room is if you needed to travel for emergency, family or compassionate reasons. You’re royally screwed. One poster has already highlighted someone denied entry to Australia after his father died. It’s clear the empathy expressed on this and other examples highlight in the media perpetuate the stereotype that the world has about Australia and to a lesser degree New Zealand.

What happens if you have family abroad or they fall ill and you need or want to travel? It’s not quite as simple as biting the bullet and booking a quarantine hotel. Rooms are in short supply so there may be no availability for force majeure travel reasons.

What happens if you have children at school or college age who wish to study abroad? That’s potentially curtailed too.

The optics of domestic freedoms is overshadowed by totalitarian control of liberties with limited or no compassionate grounds. Quarantine hotels, isolation and all that are welcomed by all until someone is effected by it and they realise that the freedoms and humanity we take for granted is taken away swiftly.

To contrast with Europe. Many European countries have a travel ban on U.K. travelers visiting their countries. Even here though exceptions can be made through official channels in emergency circumstances.

a clanger

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Anyone have any thoughts on when the passport office will re-open?

Their website says after level 5 lifted and will process backlog in 4-8 weeks.

So on 5 April will we move from level 5 to 4 and passport office opens - giving them April and May to process backlog?

Or could it be another month - open up 5 May, but assume backlog much bigger then?

Read THIS article from the IT. The implication is that the Level 5 so no passports is just an excuse. I think you are being optimistic with an April return to work at the passport office. In fact I'd go so far as to say you will probably be able to sit down inside a restaurant order a meal and toast the re opening !!. I think the summer season will have passed before backlog/normal service resumes. If we take a basic assumption that 10% of the population require a new passport every year. If we say 50% of them belong to a family that now cannot travel because one family member has no passport ....you suddenly end up at 20-30% of the population who are stuck at home. Of course the Govt can then say "well thats the passport office not our problem , extraordinary times , hold firm various platitudes etc etc "

caveat emptor

Most of your post is whataboutry. Can't live your life whatabouting everything.

faceman wrote: »

While you are in a privileged position where you are, throw caution to looking down at those from the ivory tower. Should you have to leave it, those peasants will be there to mock you

Weren't you in Spain during the summer telling us how amazing it was? I remember your posts like a weird sort of pandemic travel advert :eek:

Also assuming you’re not a native Australian, it’s not fair to say travel is overrated given you’re a migrant

Migrants love travel as much as the next person. To think otherwise is kinda racist / xenophobic./ condescending. What do you call a white immigrant? an expat..... :pac:

But pettiness aside, as lucky as you are the elephant in the room is if you needed to travel for emergency, family or compassionate reasons. You’re royally screwed. One poster has already highlighted someone denied entry to Australia after his father died. It’s clear the empathy expressed on this and other examples highlight in the media perpetuate the stereotype that the world has about Australia and to a lesser degree New Zealand.

What happens if you have family abroad or they fall ill and you need or want to travel? It’s not quite as simple as biting the bullet and booking a quarantine hotel. Rooms are in short supply so there may be no availability for force majeure travel reasons.
whatabout someone close to you dies and there is availability in a hotel and you keep your community safe? you would be some sort of hero.


What happens if you have children at school or college age who wish to study abroad? That’s potentially curtailed too.
whatabout someone close to you dies with covid?

The optics of domestic freedoms is overshadowed by totalitarian control of liberties with limited or no compassionate grounds. Quarantine hotels, isolation and all that are welcomed by all until someone is effected by it and they realise that the freedoms and humanity we take for granted is taken away swiftly.


To contrast with Europe. Many European countries have a travel ban on U.K. travelers visiting their countries. Even here though exceptions can be made through official channels in emergency circumstances.