Flights still going in lockdown - who and why?

[mike80]

sidekickdmr said:

I can book a flight to Dubai for tomorrow, what checks if any do they do on it being 'essential' or is it self policed?

I went to Bahrain via Dubai in the November lockdown, and I was asked why I was going etc. at check in. I did have a visa to show so it was fine.

It was great, flying on an A380 that was almost empty! Dubai airport was pretty busy though between midnight and 3am.

[Pete102]

I flew out to Swiss during the November lockdown for work (conducting on-site assessments for safety systems). No questions, but I wasn't exactly dressed in shorts and a sombrero.

[anonymous-user]

the tribester said:

J4CKO said:

Influencers going to Dubai ?

it's essential.

Exactly, where else are they going to get their Porta Potties from?

[sidekickdmr]

How about the actual airports, is heathrow fully open? From pints at breakfast, to big ben clocks from the tat shop? Must be a ghost town if only 10% of flights

[croyde]

Mate of mine sent me a picture of inside his airliner just before leaving Abu Dhabi for London. Work trip.

It looked like he was the only person on it.

[mike80]

sidekickdmr said:

How about the actual airports, is heathrow fully open? From pints at breakfast, to big ben clocks from the tat shop? Must be a ghost town if only 10% of flights

It wasn't in November. Pret was open, a couple of other places, but a lot of places were shut.

[red_slr]

Manchester airport publish their stats.

19vs20.

Aircraft movements down 80%.
Passengers carried down 89%.
Freight in tonnes moved down 67%

[bristolracer]

Do we think we will ever see the passenger numbers return to pre Covid levels?
I can see holiday traffic going through the roof when the brakes come off but I also think business travel will for many be a thing of the past

[FlabbyMidgets]

Have airlines got to keep flights going in order to keep their alloted slots?

[red_slr]

bristolracer said:

Do we think we will ever see the passenger numbers return to pre Covid levels?
I can see holiday traffic going through the roof when the brakes come off but I also think business travel will for many be a thing of the past

I think I heard today that the recovery could take 3-4 years to reach 2019 levels. (RR outlook?)

I think we will see a c.80% bounce back next year.
BUT, I think that final 20% could be frustrating, like you say so many business people have now moved to online meetings. And I think there will be some who will be put off for a while - mainly older people.

I think the package holiday sector will recover fast. The likes of TUI and Jet2 will probably see things pick back up very quickly. However companies like BA etal might have a tougher time as a % of their customers are business users.

Virgin who are in the middle of business and tourist markets might be ok.

One thing for sure I can see holiday prices going through the roof.

[bristolracer]

red_slr said:

I think the package holiday sector will recover fast. The likes of TUI and Jet2 will probably see things pick back up very quickly.

One thing for sure I can see holiday prices going through the roof.

Wet Monday afternoon in Cornwall with an overpriced pasty whilst queuing for the car parks
Or
35 degrees by the pool, cold beer in hand


Cant see the attraction myself

[MiniMan64]

bristolracer said:

red_slr said:

I think the package holiday sector will recover fast. The likes of TUI and Jet2 will probably see things pick back up very quickly.

One thing for sure I can see holiday prices going through the roof.

Wet Monday afternoon in Cornwall with an overpriced pasty whilst queuing for the car parks
Or
35 degrees by the pool, cold beer in hand


Cant see the attraction myself

There must be a lot of people with delayed holidays from 2020, myself included, so it will be interesting to see how much of that business goes ahead this summer.

[GT03ROB]

I've done 12 flights since August, including 2 departures from UK under essential travel only restrictions

Planes generally busy / airports generally quiet, but getting busier since August.

[bakerstreet]

FlabbyMidgets said:

Have airlines got to keep flights going in order to keep their alloted slots?

There has also been cases of the flights still running so the pilots can keep their hours up.

[vaud]

We gave up on the idea with too many uncertainties and have booked 2 weeks in Norfolk, although we did do France last summer.

The idea of having to get 4 people tested x hours before flying and then potentially tested in rural France before returning, and then some form of quarantine. Nope. If it was just me I'd consider it, but too much hassle for a family of four including two young kids.

[croyde]

vaud said:

We gave up on the idea with too many uncertainties and have booked 2 weeks in Norfolk, although we did do France last summer.

The idea of having to get 4 people tested x hours before flying and then potentially tested in rural France before returning, and then some form of quarantine. Nope. If it was just me I'd consider it, but too much hassle for a family of four including two young kids.

True, it's not really a holiday.

I find the whole aspect of flying out and back for a week in the sunshine pretty stressful in normal times.

[BlackLabel]

Looks like the government are tightening up the travel rules.

“ People wishing to travel out of the UK will first be required to declare their reason for travel and prove it is essential, the home secretary has said.
Priti Patel said declarations would be checked by carriers and there would be increased police at airports and ports.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55821702

[nonsequitur]

BlackLabel said:

Looks like the government are tightening up the travel rules.

“ People wishing to travel out of the UK will first be required to declare their reason for travel and prove it is essential, the home secretary has said.
Priti Patel said declarations would be checked by carriers and there would be increased police at airports and ports.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55821702

PM in the commons yesterday ' Travel for leisure is now against the law' OWTTE.

[jonwm]

As many have said it's freight, I work in logistics and we and other companies buy "space" on scheduled flights in advance.

Virgin for example we use from China, they make enough on the freight to keep running it and any passengers are a bonus

[J4CKO]

red_slr said:

Manchester airport publish their stats.

19vs20.

Aircraft movements down 80%.
Passengers carried down 89%.
Freight in tonnes moved down 67%

But, parking charges up 100 Percent.