Travel right now: FAIR WARNING!

[NW-Bound]

The food is room service and the menu only has a few items because it’s a hotel in the middle of nowhere and I doubt most people eat many meals here. I am not allowed to leave my room. The tour company pays all the expenses with this. Basically one meal a day is all I can stomach. My first meal was totally cold so I called room service and explained that I can’t eat cold old food and I was stuck for awhile so I at least needed it to be warm.

Sorry this happens to you. Obviously, Ireland is more strict with COVID quarantine.

My niece was left behind in Stockholm for a week when she was tested positive. She did have some symptoms. The Swedes have been casual about COVID since day one, and my niece was able to move about. She took care to avoid infecting others, but there were no restrictions on her. After one week, she tested negative to be able to board the plane back to the US.

 

[Ian S]

DW and I have agreed that we will (for the time being) purchase only fully refundable/changeable airfare, hotel rooms, and other travel-related bookings in an effort to have some sort of ad-hoc travel insurance.

That's our approach too. You pay a bit more to have the ability to cancel things at the last minute but IMHO, it's worth it: no claims to be denied. On our trip to Hawaii last month, fights were on Southwest which has no change fees, all hotels were able to be cancelled the day prior before 1 night's charge and all tours could also be cancelled within 48 hours of the tour. And we had no tours scheduled within 48 hrs of our initial flight.

 

[Buckeye]

I am headed to Europe in early September. I surely hope the vacationing crowd already thins out by then. It seems to be, because hotel rates are lower than in August.

Some cities even lift parking fees and restrictions in September, and allow free parking. Hurray!

We are going to Paris in late September. Hoping things will be calmer with virtually all kids, kindergarten through college, back in school.

 

[Brat]

My flight disaster story: Last Sunday my grandson (14yo) was traveling with 19 of his classmates and 3 chaperones to Costa Rica via LA. The pilot on the leg to LA was the father of one of the students, and the mother of this student a chaperone. The flight from LA to Costa Rica was canceled (the same airline as the LA leg, the pilot's employer). The group flew to LA, stayed overnight in a hotel while the airline re-worked their routing. I understand that they broke the group up to find enough seats.

What a mess. My granddaughter shared that the students hung out in the hotel pool until they returned to LAX. All are now in Costa Rica.

 

[tmm99]

The food is room service and the menu only has a few items because it’s a hotel in the middle of nowhere and I doubt most people eat many meals here. I am not allowed to leave my room. The tour company pays all the expenses with this. Basically one meal a day is all I can stomach. My first meal was totally cold so I called room service and explained that I can’t eat cold old food and I was stuck for awhile so I at least needed it to be warm.

I'm very sorry to hear that the food is so bad and that you're stuck in the middle of nowhere. I really hope you can get out of there sooner than July 1st.

 

[bmcgonig]

We returned 2 weeks ago from a trip to London, Athens and Venice. We flew into and out of London Heathrow without incident on American Airlines connecting through Charlotte.



Going over, the flight on a Boeing 777-200 was 100% full, and the flight attendants said it was like this virtually every day right now. Our return flight may have had 6 unused seats, and the flight attendants used them to take breaks/naps.



The long haul flights often have flight attendants and pilots that are high seniority, older employees. They seem to show up for work because they can get their maximum monthly work/hours completed in two weeks.



The AA food was good, and service level was great. Our only negative was with the Charlotte Airport and the TSA security staff there.

Senior is right! I just flew long haul from Europe and one of the flight attendants was surely upper 70s or possibly 80. Another was easily upper 60s. I certainly admired them and hope they were working for the bennies!

 

[tmm99]

Senior is right! I just flew long haul from Europe and one of the flight attendants was surely upper 70s or possibly 80. Another was easily upper 60s. I certainly admired them and hope they were working for the bennies!

WOW!

 

[REWahoo]

Senior is right! I just flew long haul from Europe and one of the flight attendants was surely upper 70s or possibly 80. Another was easily upper 60s. I certainly admired them and hope they were working for the bennies!

The wife of a guy I worked with became a flight attendant in her 50's. He followed in her footsteps and became a flight attendant a few months ago. He's in his mid 60's.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Sorry this happens to you. Obviously, Ireland is more strict with COVID quarantine.

My niece was left behind in Stockholm for a week when she was tested positive. She did have some symptoms. The Swedes have been casual about COVID since day one, and my niece was able to move about. She took care to avoid infecting others, but there were no restrictions on her. After one week, she tested negative to be able to board the plane back to the US.

Ireland doesn’t have a quarantine requirement. They have a voluntary suggested amount of time. I think the tour company is saving money by putting my flight off. Anyway it would have been a reasonable quarantine to send me home on Tuesday. With all the trouble people are having flying I just hope it goes smoothly. Plus the company said that they have been slammed with Covid cases.

 

[aja8888]

Senior is right! I just flew long haul from Europe and one of the flight attendants was surely upper 70s or possibly 80. Another was easily upper 60s. I certainly admired them and hope they were working for the bennies!

Neighbor a few houses down is a career flight attendant and is still working flights at 68, but she is looks ten years younger.

 

[luckydude]

I and the family flew from LA to Heathrow at the beginning of June on AA. Flight was fully booked but thankfully not cancelled.

DW and the kids flew back to LA from Heathrow last Sunday on AA and she reported that the flight was half empty in the cattle class and passengers were able to find empty rows to lie down.

I've been traveling around in East Anglia and the Midlands in a rental car this week, and roads here have been busy (especially those heading into London) with the rail workers across the country going on strike.

Also, for anyone flying British Airways in the coming days or weeks, BA workers have voted to strike. No dates have been set just yet. I am due to fly back to the States on BA next week, so I'm crossing my fingers.

 

[USGrant1962]

We had a good trip today from Dulles through Charlotte to Grenada on AA. Arrived 45 mins early. Dulles seemed deserted for a summer Saturday morning - usually it is chaos. On the other hand Charlotte was packed with people. But no delays for us.

Nice because we had terrible delays on our trip last month on AA.

 

[NW-Bound]

Senior is right! I just flew long haul from Europe and one of the flight attendants was surely upper 70s or possibly 80. Another was easily upper 60s. I certainly admired them and hope they were working for the bennies!

Eh, we wish we can still work when we get to that age.

Having that health is a blessing, compared to being bedridden in a nursing home, like people I know.

 

[NW-Bound]

Ireland doesn’t have a quarantine requirement. They have a voluntary suggested amount of time. I think the tour company is saving money by putting my flight off. Anyway it would have been a reasonable quarantine to send me home on Tuesday. With all the trouble people are having flying I just hope it goes smoothly. Plus the company said that they have been slammed with Covid cases.

You said they did not allow you out of the room. Could you at least put on a mask and walk around a bit instead of being cooped up in a room?

Do you get some TV channels to watch, or understand the accent?

 

[Teacher Terry]

You said they did not allow you out of the room. Could you at least put on a mask and walk around a bit instead of being cooped up in a room?

Do you get some TV channels to watch, or understand the accent?

No if I leave my room the tour company will quit paying my expenses and literally leave me here. I get a few tv channels that mostly suck. I am reading, napping and talking to family and friends through the messenger app.

 

[gayl]

For the 1st time since 2019 I am flying out for a cruise the same day I board. Feeling very uneasy. Flight in 4 hrs.

For my next one I'm flying out 2 days early. And I only do nonstops. Wish me luck

 

[Amethyst]

No exercise! I would go out of my mind. I'm not exaggerating. I would undoubtedly create a scene and get myself in trouble.

No if I leave my room the tour company will quit paying my expenses and literally leave me here. I get a few tv channels that mostly suck. I am reading, napping and talking to family and friends through the messenger app.

 

[Out of Steam]

I'm starting to regret flying on the trip to Colorado I have scheduled for the week after next. My two friends are driving there in a van, but I didn't want the extra six days away from home.

Starting to look like I may not save enough time to deal with the hassles and risks from sitting in airports.

 

[audreyh1]

For the 1st time since 2019 I am flying out for a cruise the same day I board. Feeling very uneasy. Flight in 4 hrs.

For my next one I'm flying out 2 days early. And I only do nonstops. Wish me luck

Best of luck!

 

[ShokWaveRider]

This thread is NOT very promising for those (Like Us) who like to go international...... So Sad.

 

[iloveyoga]

The food is room service and the menu only has a few items because it’s a hotel in the middle of nowhere and I doubt most people eat many meals here. I am not allowed to leave my room. The tour company pays all the expenses with this. Basically one meal a day is all I can stomach. My first meal was totally cold so I called room service and explained that I can’t eat cold old food and I was stuck for awhile so I at least needed it to be warm.

I’m sorry this is happening to you good luck and best wishes.

 

[tulak]

This thread is NOT very promising for those (Like Us) who like to go international...... So Sad.

Teacher Terry, I’m very sorry you are going through this. I hope it gets resolved soon.

My take away is not to avoid international travel, but to stick with self guided travel. If you do that, a lot of these obstacles can be avoided. Or at least only do local tours, not a full package. And stick with tour groups that have a good reputation in dealing with issues when they arise (aka Rick Steves).

I’m on my second trip to Europe this year and so far it’s been fine. Lots of people, but considering the precautions I see (little to none), I’m guessing there’s a lot of covid out there.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, definitely self-guided travel for us for a while, taking the same precautions as we take at home. The long flights would be our main concern.

 

[gayl]

Best of luck!

Plane left LAX gate to come to OAK 45 minutes late. Already late at beginning of day (was scheduled to leave at 5 am ... LA must be a mess,)

 

[retired1]

Been postponing vacation for two main reasons: airline schedule disasters and high gas price. Were planning Yellowstone and they plan also cancelled.
Staying put & enjoying backyard gardening until after travel peak seasons end.