Please back this up. Countless reports? Maybe we follow different news channels but the only people I have seen mention as travel resuming during the summer are tour operators, for obvious cash flow reasons.

And I agree that this is a sensible position to take, because no-one knows when it will be safe (or even possible) to travel again.

But I also read that the Austrian government is lobbying the German government to open their mutual border as soon as it is safe to do so, so that Germans and Austrians can holiday in each other's countries (though this might be with one eye on the tourist income from Germans with nowhere to go but Austria).

Countries do take decision from unqualified ministers. Look at us and Rishi.

Just kidding...

But it's the ministers who will make these decisions, not the health experts. We vote for MPs to represent us and make decisions, not health advisors. Not that their advice should be ignored, of course. But, inevitably, health experts will want the lockdown and restrictions to go on and on and on forever, until they can be sure of another way to reduce it. They don't care about the effect that has on the economy. Rightly so, that's not their job. But it is the job of the "unqualified ministers" to take that advice on board and weigh it up against everything else the country has to do, and, the overriding public feeling in their country. Right now, the overriding feeling in the UK is that this should continue. But, it won't stay that way for long. That includes easing lockdown, and eventually, reopening their respective countries.

Luckily tourism ministers have close to zero authority over anything.

I guess that�s pretty much the case - although whether they do, or do not, is in many ways immaterial to me.

It�s a fact that I cannot enter any foreign country whose Government closes its borders to visitors ; and, equally, the fact that a Government may subsequently (very possibly for economic reasons) choose to �re-open� will not - of itself - determine whether I then wish to travel there. That will be based on my own assessment of available advice and comment from those best qualified to evaluate the health risks of overseas travel.

It's impossible to plan, things change so much and the pubic are also getting more and more restless.

Again tourism restrictions depend on how much of a country's GDP is tourism based, Greece would have much more interest in opening borders than let's say Austria or Germany.

For upcoming flights in May and June, are BA basing reservations on blocked middle seats on current flights?

Because O'Leary apparently just said " either the government pays for the empty middle seat they force us or we won't fly if we have to block out the middle seat"

Actually, 87% of the British people believe the lockdown should continue, with only 7% against.

Devil's advocate - But how is that trend in comparison to when it was imposed? Also, the longer it goes on, the more the %s will slide from one to t'other. The media's approach to reporting doesn't do much to help the country's mood, everything is negative at the moment. I'd personally like to see some good news about this virus, like more stories of recovery. Although I do concede that if they starting reporting that 1000s are recovering compared to the daily death total, there are those that will flout lockdown as they'll have a reduced perception of the current risk.

I think I said way upthread, may even have been in a different one, I originally thought that we would start to reopen in stages from mid-May and be fully open (domestically) by June. Now, I don't foresee that timeline being realistic any more, but I still really do not think this is going to last anywhere near as long as some posters here believe. Perhaps mid-June/early July, a month longer. Now of course, it is down to each of us individually, at the time what, if any, restrictions are eased, if we want to exercise those freedoms. Some people won't, they'll remain in isolation/lockdown of their own volition. Others, like myself, will use them - if they tell me I can go to the pub, cinema or restaurants again, I probably will. As will I simply go out to town to wander around, casually browse in shops.

Provided the USA is "open" again and the FCO has rescinded its Do Not Travel warning, I'll be going to NYC in March.

I think we will see some foreign holiday travel from the UK this year, probably not until late August/early September, with business travel being allowed before that. More than likely with reduced capacity on board enforced in some way. I still think rapid testing will help with this, but that obviously depends on how quickly an accurate, reliable rapid test is developed and mass produced.

I don't think schools will resume en-masse this academic year, with a full return done in September. I don't think anywhere that we can gather as a mass will be allowed to reopen without some form of social distancing, which will probably be in the form of reduced capacity in some form.

I still believe that waiting out a vaccine isn't practical, and we're more likely to see some form of anti-viral to alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of death as a result of contraction.

Was this trip a BA vacation?

It is yes. I've since had an offer of a voucher this lunchtime which includes the seat fees paid and flights but not the hotel!

Currently, to have a voucher covering your hotel, your trip should start before 31 May 2020 according to BA.com
Probably, the e-mail you received was an auto e-mail sent to everyone.

They might extend the date of the voucher for hotels on a future date, depending on how the situation evolves so your best option would be to wait.

Bloomberg reporting about Australia and in my view many other countries to follow:Australia will keep its international borders closed for at least three to four months to protect itself from the coronavirus pandemic that continues to deepen in other parts of the world.

Border restrictions would likely be the final measure lifted and would stay in place even if other rules were eased according to Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Thursday. Murphy told a government inquiry focusing on the Australian virus response the measures still had scope for exceptional circumstances.

”The international situation at the moment is such that any relaxation of border measures would be very risky,” Murphy said.
We had a family trip through HKG to SYD in August, so disappointing but the right decision.
Anybody else holding out hope for that summer holiday should maybe dampen those hopes.

@ stevie - I�m a regular visitor to Australasia, and have tentative plans to attend the AO Tennis Championships in Melbourne next January. I would count myself lucky if such a trip actually happens.

And as far as NZ is concerned, I believe that - having done so well to contain fatality stats to such remarkably low levels - they will, understandably, be even more reluctant to re-open their borders to any without a legal right of abode.

BA4469 (DUB-LCY) on 16 June cancelled

How long do I have to accept the new flights they have proposed (just 2 hour difference), or request the refund does anyone know?