Originally Posted by
Sam Bee
I don't give two hoots about people taking the proverbial mick out the current situation but i've got vast sympathy for the travel companies that have to deal with the consequences of legitimately booked business travellers, family emergencies and long stay travellers that neither sought to breech the guidelines or would actively have returned given half the chance, especially if they refuse to book anyone against guidelines. It's a never ending palavar of desperately trying to bring in cash to survive whilst adhering to the law, and dealing with the consequences of 16 hour notice periods whereas making the announcement a couple of days earlier would have allowed anyone to get home. Now? We've thousands of displaced people who will still come home, just taking double the number of flights, being in contact with double the amount of people, and in the riskiest of circumstances. Closing the worlds busiest air route with enough notice for only 2 flights to depart those trying to get back in time simply puts many more people at risk (although i'm glad to hear that a couple of extra EK flights are seemingly arriving).
It is indeed a very tough situation. but again Grant Schapps made no secret of the fact of the risks of international travel and he did say things can and will change at short notice. Indeed we saw how quickly borders closed and regulations changed when this godawful virus reared its ugly head at the outset. We have seen how quickly France and Europe closed borders at a drop of a hat when our new strain came to light in December and hotel quarantine has been mooted for several days.
Cases have been rising more in Dubai and more restrictions have been implemented (eg bans on non emergency surgery to free up hospital resources) so anybody with a bIt of common sense should have warned clients about the risks of essential travel and long stay holidays.
People would not have been forced agains heir will to go to Dubai and would have weighed up the risk of travel be it being stranded or havin to reroute to go home and employers would have evaluated the rIsks when sending staff there,
People affected by family emergencies aren’t just limited to travellers to Dubai. Lots of people can’t travel globally and even in the first lockdown I was unable to travel to see my father 80 miles away who was rushed to hospital following a heart attack. No visitors allowed not even my mother.
Fortunately the light is at the end of the tunnel with the roll out of vaccines and we can look forward to travel again. It might not be in May or July but we will travel and it will mean more ad I suspect tour operators and travel agents will create magical bucket list experiences for their clients.
I do wonder if 2 week mandatory hotel isolation or being tagged at home like a convict released early on license how much essential travel and holidays when permitted would have been taken.