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

fm · 24-05-2021 08:30AM

Lumen wrote: »

I think what he said is that the cert will be implemented ASAP after 1 July, but that won't necessarily be accompanied by a relaxing of restrictions for everyone. He wasn't challenged on what he meant by that last part.

He was asked would it take six weeks to which he said that he didn't think so

pc7 · 24-05-2021 08:30AM

I felt he sounded upbeat on Newstalk, really hoping fine lifts Friday and I’ll book our flights and just deal with pcr’s for smallies if needs be.

Wombatman · 24-05-2021 08:35AM

Foreign travel with kids could be tricky. Many adults will be fully vaccinated by late summer but kids won't. I wonder will kids exempt from travel restrictions because they are low risk?

gozunda · 24-05-2021 08:38AM

CruelSummer wrote: »

So your approach is to dismiss people’s travel concerns. Pretend there’s nothing stopping you leaving when there’s Gardai at the airport & a €2000 fine, and also point out the U.K. has Spain on its amber list - little detail there you forgot. Spain and greenlisted the U.K. The place you were implying was being shut out in terms of EU travel.

I didnt suggest ISAG is advising NPHET as I don’t know, however dismissing a coordinated media campaign against travel this weekend from both organisations with some social media interactions is disingenuous.

So you're approach is to think its all some big conspiracy?

But is it? Where you get that? If you have an essential reason to travel there's no issue. You can travel.

And nothing stopping people physically travelling who chose to ignore the non essential travel advisory. Yes there will be a fine etc. Thats there to discourage non essential travel - yet you will be allowed to travel regardless. Which bit is difficult to understand?

Spain is on UKs Amber list which is listed as
non essential travel for those in the UK. And yes Spain has just recently allowed travellers from the UK. Thats the facts as detailed.

ISAG? NPHET? What "coordinated media campaign". Sounds like CT suff. What media interactions exactly?

Btw in your last comment- who is the "Geography teacher / lecturer (ISAG member) acting as an immunologist / virologist" you referred to?

That and the tweet you linked to seems to make no sense tbh.

Marcusm · 24-05-2021 08:39AM

Infernal Racket wrote: »

Hi folks, I know there was a thread on this but it was shut down as the whole thread turned a bit mad with conspiracy theories etc do hopefully this one stays on track. My story is this. Myself, missus and 2 kids are supposed to be travelling to Portugal at the start of August. I looked up flights yesterday and they came in at roughly €950.

Now, when I looked in to getting 4 x pcr tests each way it worked out €1032 which is madness and made up my mind not to travel at all. We are both fully vaccinated which appears to not matter a jot at the present. My question is this. At these ridiculous prices, who would be willing to travel given the risk that one of your party could test positive at any point and won't be allowed to travel. If this happens at your holiday destination then you're really in the **** as you will have to fork out for quarantine accommodation on top of everything else.

The taoiseach is traveling this morning to sign travel documents allowing passage between EU countries but when will we ever see the back of the pcr tests? If its not scrapped it could be the death knell for airlines and any foreign travel as the vast vast majority of people won't travel given the extra exorbitant expense and risk.

At least half of this question is whether Portugal will require PCR tests by then. Spain has just dispensed with them for U.K. tourists irrespective of whether they have been vaccinated. Portugal may choose to dispense with them before you travel either under the Digital certificate or simply as a competitive mechanism. If you are going for 2 weeks then it seems certain that Ireland will accept your vaccinated status for return purposes (cert to be implemented in under 6 weeks, ie by mid August). If you are already booked, are you willing to keep the booking in the expectation that the cost will be significantly lower?

Marty Bird · 24-05-2021 08:40AM

Wombatman wrote: »

Foreign travel with kids could be tricky. Many adults will be fully vaccinated by late summer but kids won't. I wonder will kids exempt from travel restrictions because they are low risk?

I wouldn’t think so I’ll be paying for the tests, hoping it’s only going to be antigen which are only €49.

fm · 24-05-2021 08:46AM

Marty Bird wrote: »

I wouldn’t think so I’ll be paying for the tests, hoping it’s only going to be antigen which are only €49.

Hopefully, but I think returning home will be pcr for kids for sure

gozunda · 24-05-2021 08:51AM

Valhallapt wrote: »

It’s disingenuous to claim the €2000 fine does not prevent you from travelling.

If we fined children €2000 for going to school with the intention of non essential learning, it would prevent many from essential learning.

OK lol. Does not compute.

Why would you fine "children €2000 for going to school with the intention of non essential learning"?

School is considered essential fullstop. You wanting to go to Playa del Tonto or wherever isn't.

And no the fine doesn't 'stop' you from travelling. It's there to discourage people from non essential travel only . Though you can still go if you choose to do so. Though that doesnt mean you should atm. Is that likley to change? Yes - once we have the majority of adults vaccinated.

Valhallapt · 24-05-2021 08:53AM

gozunda wrote: »

OK lol. Does not compute.

Why would you fine "children €2000 for going to school with the intention of non essential learning"?

School is considered essential fullstop. You wanting to go to Playa del Tonto or wherever isn't.

And no the fine doesn't 'stop' you from travelling. It's there to discourage people from non essential travel only . Though you can still go if you choose to do so. Though that doesnt mean you should atm. Is that likley to change? Yes - once we have the majority of adults vaccinated.

But the fine wouldn’t stop children learning?

Tazz T · 24-05-2021 08:57AM

fm wrote: »

Hopefully, but I think returning home will be pcr for kids for sure

I'm hoping antigens for the kids as well, but some countries have put caps on prices of pcrs anyway (Greece is €60). Plus, there is an fund being provided to facilitate cheaper testing in the digital covid cert plan, but how that is distributed/implemented is anyone's guess.

I will be ready to hit the book button the second they say when that ridiculous fine goes. I'd expect flight/hol prices (and passport office delays) will go through the roof from that moment.

Lumen · 24-05-2021 09:00AM

pc7 wrote: »

I felt he sounded upbeat on Newstalk, really hoping fine lifts Friday and I’ll book our flights and just deal with pcr’s for smallies if needs be.

edit: I realise you referenced Newstalk, this was on RTE

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21957337
09:20 onwards

Transcript:

Simon Coveney wrote:

Well, I mean, first of all, politically this has already been agreed last week. So it's really a matter of...it's just a sequencing now of implementation, really, so what's been agreed is that the EU green passport system will be up and running by the start of July. That means that every country in the EU from that date, will have six weeks to implement it, in other words to have the data systems in place so that when people are traveling between EU countries, when they're traveling through airports, they'll have a scan code, presumably on their phone, which will be able to give authorities their covid status, either whether they've been vaccinated fully, whether they had a PCR test that's negative or whether they have had covid last six months and have recovered then member states will be able to make decisions on the removal of restrictions on the basis of that data set. So I hope that Ireland can be an early adopter from when this is introduced on the first of July. I don't expect that it would take effect on the first of July, but I certainly hope that we will be able to benefit from removing restrictions on international travel for many people who are traveling perhaps, not everybody. But for many people at some point in July and we will be making decisions on that and getting more clarity in relation to it on Friday.

Valhallapt · 24-05-2021 09:02AM

Tazz T wrote: »

I will be ready to hit the book button the second they say when that ridiculous fine goes. I'd expect flight/hol prices (and passport office delays) will go through the roof from that moment.

I don’t think prices will go through the roof, even if they relax the restrictions and bring them in line with the EU, there is still a lot of hesitancy out there. A lot of people I’ve spoken are of the mind to leave it to October/November or even next year

Tazz T · 24-05-2021 09:05AM

I dunno. Prices are already considerably higher in September when a lot are booking. July is still decent prices. June is ridiculous for obvious reasons. I found a €10 return to Santorini recently.

Tenzor07 · 24-05-2021 09:11AM

Valhallapt wrote: »

I don’t think prices will go through the roof, even if they relax the restrictions and bring them in line with the EU, there is still a lot of hesitancy out there. A lot of people I’ve spoken are of the mind to leave it to October/November or even next year

With the amount of cash that people have lying around in the bank: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/pandemic-triggers-surge-in-saving-with-12-6bn-more-on-deposit-this-year-1.4423488

and around Europe too I'm sure... then there's going to be a lot of money around for holidays... and with the tourism industry needing to make up for lost trade then you can be guaranteed prices for 2022 will be €€€€€€€'s

dalyboy · 24-05-2021 09:20AM

Tazz T wrote: »

I dunno. Prices are already considerably higher in September when a lot are booking. July is still decent prices. June is ridiculous for obvious reasons. I found a €10 return to Santorini recently.

The prices being sky high and the airport being rammed has me thinking that the ferry to France will be my secondary fallback.

That said , from Friday (if the announcement is travel positive) I reckon the ferry will also explode in price etc

Lumen · 24-05-2021 09:20AM

The issue with waiting is that you risk ze Germans beating you to the sun loungers.

pc7 · 24-05-2021 09:29AM

Tazz T wrote: »

I'm hoping antigens for the kids as well, but some countries have put caps on prices of pcrs anyway (Greece is €60). Plus, there is an fund being provided to facilitate cheaper testing in the digital covid cert plan, but how that is distributed/implemented is anyone's guess.

I will be ready to hit the book button the second they say when that ridiculous fine goes. I'd expect flight/hol prices (and passport office delays) will go through the roof from that moment.

Might take a look Thursday and if AL good do the price lock

Valhallapt · 24-05-2021 09:31AM

Infernal Racket wrote: »

Hi folks, I know there was a thread on this but it was shut down as the whole thread turned a bit mad with conspiracy theories etc do hopefully this one stays on track. My story is this. Myself, missus and 2 kids are supposed to be travelling to Portugal at the start of August. I looked up flights yesterday and they came in at roughly €950.

Now, when I looked in to getting 4 x pcr tests each way it worked out €1032 which is madness and made up my mind not to travel at all. We are both fully vaccinated which appears to not matter a jot at the present. My question is this. At these ridiculous prices, who would be willing to travel given the risk that one of your party could test positive at any point and won't be allowed to travel. If this happens at your holiday destination then you're really in the **** as you will have to fork out for quarantine accommodation on top of everything else.

The taoiseach is traveling this morning to sign travel documents allowing passage between EU countries but when will we ever see the back of the pcr tests? If its not scrapped it could be the death knell for airlines and any foreign travel as the vast vast majority of people won't travel given the extra exorbitant expense and risk.

Well if it’s an option for you you can go to Spain via the Belfast/England and avoid PCR that way.

I’ve regularly self connected in England with the kids, not as bad as you may think. Although it’s starting to become more stressful, not an ideal start to a holiday. So may be easier to wait and see when other countries drop the PCR requirement. I think Portugal will drop it in a few weeks to compete with Spain.

gozunda · 24-05-2021 09:48AM

Valhallapt wrote: »

But the fine wouldn’t stop children learning?

Nope still makes no sense whatsoever.

What fine? Schooling is essential. You don't get kids trying to sneak into school.

Valhallapt · 24-05-2021 10:10AM

gozunda wrote: »

Nope still makes no sense whatsoever.

What fine? Schooling is essential. You don't get kids trying to sneak into school.

But you say the fine doesn’t prevent travel. I say the fine wouldn’t prevent education.

Marcusm · 24-05-2021 10:30AM

Valhallapt wrote: »

Well if it’s an option for you you can go to Spain via the Belfast/England and avoid PCR that way.

I’ve regularly self connected in England with the kids, not as bad as you may think. Although it’s starting to become more stressful, not an ideal start to a holiday. So may be easier to wait and see when other countries drop the PCR requirement. I think Portugal will drop it in a few weeks to compete with Spain.

Merely travelling via Belfast or England won’t avoid PCR tests in Spain as that entry is only available to those who have spent the prior 14 days in the U.K. you might obfuscate that via Belfast but not if changing in the U.K. the airline will still bear responsibility to make sure you are “fit to fly” and a non-U.K. booking (card, address etc) will highlight a need for a PCR test.

gozunda · 24-05-2021 10:35AM

Valhallapt wrote: »

But you say the fine doesn’t prevent travel. I say the fine wouldn’t prevent education.

Well if you say so.....Though still makes no sense whatsoever. So another crazy analogy or?

There's no fine for education. So why do you want to fine kids for education?

Or are you trying to claim an essential service such as education is the exact same as you wanting to go lie on a beach somewhere?

Wombatman · 24-05-2021 10:36AM

By late summer most "green list" EU countries will be on the same vaccination footing as us and should have similar Covid stats. So how is flying any different to taking a bus from Dublin to Cork?

Gael23 · 24-05-2021 10:45AM

fm wrote: »

Coveney was on after saying he thinks Ireland won't take six weeks to implement the cert but depends on public health advice, also saying it is up to individual countries what further additional restrictions they can have like people who have recovered from covid in the last six months will have to have a PCR test to avoid quarantine coming here. Essentially the cert here will only have 2 parts, either vaccine or test.

Public Health advice will be not to implement it at all

Valhallapt · 24-05-2021 10:47AM

gozunda wrote: »

Well if you say so.....Though still makes no sense whatsoever. So another crazy analogy or?

There's no fine for education. So why do you want to fine kids for education?

Or are you trying to claim an essential service such as education is the exact same as you wanting to go lie on a beach somewhere?

You continually claim the fine does not stop travel. I am applying your logic to another scenario.

Valhallapt · 24-05-2021 11:01AM

Marcusm wrote: »

Merely travelling via Belfast or England won’t avoid PCR tests in Spain as that entry is only available to those who have spent the prior 14 days in the U.K. you might obfuscate that via Belfast but not if changing in the U.K. the airline will still bear responsibility to make sure you are “fit to fly” and a non-U.K. booking (card, address etc) will highlight a need for a PCR test.

They’re not checking your proof of residence

revelman · 24-05-2021 11:24AM

EU Green Cert

Coveney:

We plan to be ready for the first of July, and then of course it’s a decision for Government along with public health advice to make a decision as to how we apply that green cert to Ireland in terms of facilitating international travel.

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/eu-green-travel-certificate-to-be-up-and-running-on-july-1st-coveney-40461649.html

Tazz T · 24-05-2021 11:35AM

revelman wrote: »

EU Green Cert

Coveney:

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/eu-green-travel-certificate-to-be-up-and-running-on-july-1st-coveney-40461649.html

...but...but... the fine. That's needs to go first. Unless.. I won't go there.

Tenzor07 · 24-05-2021 11:44AM

revelman wrote: »

EU Green Cert

Coveney:

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/eu-green-travel-certificate-to-be-up-and-running-on-july-1st-coveney-40461649.html

They better have it up and running along with scrapping MHQ for all EU countries plus the requirement for PCR's needs to go as well..

Apart from anything else it will greatly encourage 25 - 34 year olds to get the vaccines...

faceman · 24-05-2021 11:48AM

Met a guy from Donegal at the weekend who was on holidays in Spain. He said that gardai were at their post in the airport but weren't stopping anyone when he was going through security.

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

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