Topic: Holidays 2022 - what are you doing this year?

[CraigDS]

Thanks. This is for going, not coming back.

It depends on the country. Some have scrapped them and some haven't.

[Jookie]

Flight prices for this summer are just ridiculous at the moment.

My Wife asked me to look at the Maldives for Xmas. Premium economy flights, 8-9 days mid tier hotel, 4 people (inc 2 kids) staying in a beach villa and all inclusive. All in the cost was over £40k!

I know it's Xmas and I know the Maldives is expensive. But 40k is ridiculous. No idea if that's massively over normal prices but is was a lot more than double the cost of going at October half-term.

As you can imagine I'm not going to the Maldives for Xmas (or October half-term)

Off to southern Spainish coast in August for a week. About 45 mins drive from Jerez. Got a villa with a swimming pool, just off the beach. Should be brilliant after not being on a summer holiday for 3 years. Not many British tourists and lots of great beaches and Spanish restaurants. Been before and eating/drinking out has always been very reasonable. Hopefully that's the same after 4-5 years of not going there.

Also got a week on Norfolk coast in July. Massively under rated part of the country to visit. Probably because it's difficult to get to for anyone in the West and a bit further out the way for London folks who have places like Southwold, Aldeburgh, Whitstable, Broadstairs, Brighton/Hove, plus others in easier commutable distance.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

I've read about these 'ghost flights' flying in and out of the UK just to keeo the slots. Assume a lot must be going from Manchester Airport as they've really cut back on the number of direct routes.

Looks decent. The coast line is a bit rugged and can't really swim in the sea but there is plenty to do.

I love the North coast of Spain. There's a nice beach at San Sebastian, Zarautz further along the coast is also OK for swimming in the sea, some decent waves if I remember. Just don't try speaking any castilian spanish there though!

Great food all along the coast though.

[rob1966]

Thanks. This is for going, not coming back.

Ah right

Check here  https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice as countries have changed a lot, Spain and Greece I know have scrapped them, Cyprus binned of the Cyprus Travel Pass.

[redgriffin73]

Ah right

Check here  https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice as countries have changed a lot, Spain and Greece I know have scrapped them, Cyprus binned of the Cyprus Travel Pass.

Thanks, I deffo need one, just wasn't sure what they meant by 24 hours before arrival and didn't want to leave it and it was too late!

[Riquende]

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/apr/30/passport-office-delay-thousands-summer-holidays

Just a warning for anyone perusing this thread looking for ideas!

[rob1966]

Greece has dropped all restrictions starting tomorrow 1st May. Great news as we are going to Crete in 4 weeks and needed a test for the youngest.

[TepidT2O]

Does anyone know what you have to do to go to the US?

Clear as mud right now

[Sheer Magnetism]

Does anyone know what you have to do to go to the US?

Clear as mud right now

Unless I've got things wildly wrong, you need to:

a) Get an ESTA to go there as a tourist: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

b) Make sure to get a negative PCR Covid test less than 24 hours before flying from an official testing site. I'm using Randox and they have a couple of branches in Liverpool.

c) Have the NHS app downloaded and the travel pass on there. As far as I can tell most countries are fine with you passing through the airport for a transfer. You shouldn't need anything extra for that but best to double check if you aren't 100%.

[I've been a good boy]

So Morocco still haven't dropped the PCR requirements so looks like I'm going to have to do one, even though apparently no-one ever there checks it

What is the cheapest one people have found? Pharmacy near me does it for £50 which is the going rate but found a clinic in Liverpool and Warrington that do it for £20, it's just the drive there for me which may not make it worthwhile

[.adam]

So Morocco still haven't dropped the PCR requirements so looks like I'm going to have to do one, even though apparently no-one ever there checks it

What is the cheapest one people have found? Pharmacy near me does it for £50 which is the going rate but found a clinic in Liverpool and Warrington that do it for £20, it's just the drive there for me which may not make it worthwhile

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/how-to-find-the-cheapest-private-coronavirus-tests-for-travel/

[gazzalfc]

So Morocco still haven't dropped the PCR requirements so looks like I'm going to have to do one, even though apparently no-one ever there checks it

They now have for those that have had 3 vaccines (2 and the booster)

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/morocco/entry-requirements

Was about to book mine tonight and saved myself £190

[rob1966]

Manchester Airport is fucking shite. Went at 2 today to drop our cases off for tomorrow's flight, brand new £1billi T2 and the fucking baggage belts are bust. Huge queues all over the place, got to go back later

[rob1966]

Manchester Airport can go fuck themselves. Back home as the flight was cancelled after we'd been sat on the plane for 3 hours cos the fucking bags weren't loaded.

Swissport are c*nts.

[Crosby Nick]

Manchester Airport can go fuck themselves. Back home as the flight was cancelled after we'd been sat on the plane for 3 hours cos the fucking bags weren't loaded.

Swissport are c*nts.

Shite that mate. Can you get another flight anytime soon?

[rob1966]

Shite that mate. C

Can you get another flight anytime soon?

Flying out 1:15 pm tomorrow instead. Getting £1400 compo off the fuckers, so not all bad.

Now if only we could import some workers from say Bulgaria or such places to do the work the British won't do......

[Crosby Nick]

Who were you flying with? I know someone I work with who’s meant to be flying tomorrow morning from there, with Tui.

[rob1966]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it's TUI and they are a fucking nightmare. Every flight delayed by over an hour, check in was a mare this morning but. Luckily I dropped our bags off yesterday

[rob1966]

We should have left an hour ago, they're only just unloading the plane as it landed 30 mins ago. They're using a smaller plane, they checked everyone in, then about 20 people got emails basically kicking them off the flights.

If you are flying out of Manchester with TUI, expect a minimum 90 minute delay, up to 4 hours.

Swissport even managed to lose a luggage trolley yesterday, they only took it to the fucking plane and back, how'd they manage that?

[rob1966]

The Co pilot has got off the plane and is loading the fucking bags himself 🤣

[Crosby Nick]

The Co pilot has got off the plane and is loading the fucking bags himself 🤣

Like when your taxi driver gets out abs opens the boot to put your bags in?

Looks like my mate flew off today - just the 4 hour delay though.

[rob1966]

Like when your taxi driver gets out abs opens the boot to put your bags in?

Looks like my mate flew off today - just the 4 hour delay though.

Just like that

It's on twitter and BBC news north west as a couple of people on the plane videod it and posted it.

[rob1966]

We've just won €50 on the music quiz, we'd only been here 30 minutes

[rob1966]

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2022-05-30/co-pilot-helps-load-luggage-to-get-delayed-flight-on-its-way

This is our flight

[djahern]

We should have left an hour ago, they're only just unloading the plane as it landed 30 mins ago. They're using a smaller plane, they checked everyone in, then about 20 people got emails basically kicking them off the flights.

If you are flying out of Manchester with TUI, expect a minimum 90 minute delay, up to 4 hours.

Swissport even managed to lose a luggage trolley yesterday, they only took it to the fucking plane and back, how'd they manage that?

At least you got away. We sat on our plane for 2 hours yesterday before they asked us all to get off and cancelled it. Back this morning for a replacement flight - already delayed by 2 hours. No catering available for the flight so can’t take off. What a mess.

[-Willo-]

Can anyone explain whats going so wrong? Is it just more people going on holiday this year than usual because we were penned down for 2 years with Covid? Or is it something like getting rid of loads of staff during covid, then needing to retrain a load more during the peak?

It just baffles me, whys it gone to shit?

[rob1966]

At least you got away. We sat on our plane for 2 hours yesterday before they asked us all to get off and cancelled it. Back this morning for a replacement flight - already delayed by 2 hours. No catering available for the flight so can’t take off. What a mess.

We were the same, 3 hours on the plane Sunday, taken off, sent home, 2:50 on the plane yesterday, 32hr delay.

Can anyone explain whats going so wrong? Is it just more people going on holiday this year than usual because we were penned down for 2 years with Covid? Or is it something like getting rid of loads of staff during covid, then needing to retrain a load more during the peak?

It just baffles me, whys it gone to shit?

Swissport sacked all the baggage handlers during lockdown and no-one wants to work for them and those that are there are fucking useless. Terminal 2 has luggage dumped all over the place, 3hrs people are waiting for baggage. Our first attempt to fly out they brought the baggage to the plane 2 and a half hours after the flight should have taken off.

We've lost 2 days of our holiday and fucking dreading Sunday flying back.

Place we are staying is ace and the weather is glorious so would love the flight to get cancelled and we can stay an extra day 😊

[Nobby Reserve]

Can anyone explain whats going so wrong? Is it just more people going on holiday this year than usual because we were penned down for 2 years with Covid? Or is it something like getting rid of loads of staff during covid, then needing to retrain a load more during the peak?

It just baffles me, whys it gone to shit?

The first part, yes. Some staff weren't even furloughed but laid-off.

Many staff (laid off or furloughed) found alternative jobs that it seems they now prefer. Brexit has reduced the casual worker pool.

Airlines lost a shitload during Covid, so are now trying to penny-pinch. Especially cos fuel costs have surged.


We've got 3 nights booked in Malta at the end of June. If there's any significant delay, it won't be worth going. Booked on EasyJet, so doesn't bode well. Just hoping that a super-early morning flight and it not being a peak period might save us.

[gazzalfc]

Tui have just cancelled 186 flights out of manchester between now and the end of june.

[Riquende]

Why are all the major stories seemingly about Manchester?

[rob1966]

Tui have just cancelled 186 flights out of manchester between now and the end of june.

Makes sense as nothing left on time this weekend, 2 hrs minimum seemed to be the delay, its chaos, they are paying a fortune in compensation. TUI need to create their own ground crew company, rather than use swissport. That likely means we'll get picked up on time by an empty plane, they did this yesterday with the return for our cancelled one on Sunday, our plane was flying back empty

The worst delay we saw was a flight to Dalamman that should have left Friday and they tried to go every day and it finally left yesterday, I'd hate to see the compo bill for that.

Why are all the major stories seemingly about Manchester?

TUI use swissport and they are shite and now have hardly any staff.

Jet2 have issues too, e en though they have their own staff, think they did some shit during furlough.

[gazzam1963]

My sister works for Tui as a hostess been with them about 28 years , she said months ago it will get worse before it gets better , said Manchester airport didn’t furlough but sacked lots of workers , then when they tried to bring them back it was a zero hours contract and no overtime just hours paid back at slack times

They struggled getting people back so held jobs fairs and still found they were struggling and the ones they took on still require security clearance and training , she said be about September before it would get back to normal .

[gazzalfc]

This is costing tui £14m just in EU cancellation compensation alone. Factor in the £8m in extra vouchers

Then there is the profit they lose on those holiday bookings.

The bigger issue from all this is holidays in 2023 will be inflated even more so they can make the 2022 money back

[rob1966]

This is costing tui £14m just in EU cancellation compensation alone. Factor in the £8m in extra vouchers

Then there is the profit they lose on those holiday bookings.

The bigger issue from all this is holidays in 2023 will be inflated even more so they can make the 2022 money back

TUI want us to claim on our insurance but they can get stuffed, we're claiming off them.


We're booking to return to Crete when we get home, but switching to EasyJet just in case. The £1400 compo plus the money back will pay for it

[Elzar]

Anyone flown from Liverpool? Going on Monday, not heard any trouble from there so fingers crossed

[filopastry]

Unless I've got things wildly wrong, you need to:

a) Get an ESTA to go there as a tourist: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

b) Make sure to get a negative PCR Covid test less than 24 hours before flying from an official testing site. I'm using Randox and they have a couple of branches in Liverpool.

c) Have the NHS app downloaded and the travel pass on there. As far as I can tell most countries are fine with you passing through the airport for a transfer. You shouldn't need anything extra for that but best to double check if you aren't 100%.

Sorry a very belated update to this but you actually only need a supervised lateral flow within 24 hours of departure, rather than a full PCR, lots of companies do video supervision of the test pretty cheaply.

I thought the UK was expensive for groceries but a couple of weeks in California has recalibrated my expectations on that front!

[gazzalfc]

Got the dreaded tui email this morning

Gutted is an understatement. Least we got 4 days more notice than most.

Now to regroup, get the EU compensation and see if it's worth a better holiday next year

[keano7]

Anyone flown from Liverpool? Going on Monday, not heard any trouble from there so fingers crossed

Flew to Mallorca two weeks ago and it was a dream compared to all the Manchester horror stories. Get there 2 hours before if you have hold luggage or just over an hour before if you have hand luggage and you’ll be fine.

[I've been a good boy]

Flew out of Manchester last Friday early morning, breezed through in about 30mins. But it was starting to get very busy after we cleared security so I'm sure those others would have a different viewpoint. Coming back was also great, only 25mins from the time we got off the plane to stepping outside.

However, it's very clear to see Manchester is a broken airport. None of the travelators or escalators were working and the toilets were repulsive. Wonder what foreign visitors must think when flying into Manchester, stepping foot into the security area to be greeted by the stench of piss.

For anyone thinking of Marrakech, I would highly recommend. I wasn't too keen on it at first, but it was a great experience with loads to do there. Very hectic city though so if you suffer from anxiety, cross it off your list.

[The G in Gerrard]

For anyone thinking of Marrakech, I would highly recommend. I wasn't too keen on it at first, but it was a great experience with loads to do there. Very hectic city though so if you suffer from anxiety, cross it off your list.

Been before and thinking of going later this year for a "lads holiday". Was it just busy cause of when you went? How is it from a Covid point of view?