Travel - would you go?

[Sophrosyne]

Greece is targetting its main tourist islands with its vaccine programme because tourism is such a massive component of its economy.
And because they're islands it's much easier for them to control the spread.
Airports and ferry terminals are much easier to control arrivals with testing than say the Peleponnese.

Yes. I understand Greece is targeting vaccines at the smallest islands first and then larger tourist island destinations such as Mykonos, Corfu, Santorini, etc.

Most British & other tourists visit the islands rather than the mainland.

But rising case numbers are in Attica, which includes Athens.

Given vaccine supply constraints, only time will tell whether this is a smart strategy and whether it will be a pill easily swallowed by Grecians in hardest hit regions.

 

[EasilyAmused]

And because they're islands it's much easier for them to control the spread.

This time last year that’s what I thought about Ireland

I may be wrong but I have a very good feeling about the two Med holidays we now have booked for this summer ...

There’s been a Coronavirus spike in Italy leading to tightening of restrictions from this weekend and fear of another wave.

 

[Wahaay]

This time last year that’s what I thought about Ireland



There’s been a Coronavirus spike in Italy leading to tightening of restrictions from this weekend and fear of another wave.

I take your point but I still believe both Spain and Greece think a summer tourist season is eminently possible.
The UK's infection and fatality rate will be negligible by then as will Israel's as both countries vaccinate their entire adult population.
Throw in vaccine and negative PCR test passports and it's a goer.
I see BA is planning to utilize it's larger long-haul planes on some of the European routes.
Kerching at last.

 

[Merowig]

57,000 passport applications paused under Level 5

More than 50,000 people are waiting for their passport applications to be processed with the service paused since December under Level 5 restrictions.

www.rte.ie

Feels like North Korea or then Communist Eastern Europe when the government is declining the handout of passports. I didn't hear of any other Western Government doing that either.
Also some of the situations which allow travelling abroad can happen on short notice - the passport won't be given though on short notice....

Perhaps they try this tactic in order to prevent here constructions workers from leaving Ireland (won't help though with the many Non-Irish workers)

 

[Leo]

Also some of the situations which allow travelling abroad can happen on short notice - the passport won't be given though on short notice....

Did you even read the article you posted?

The Department of Foreign Affairs says emergency and urgent servcies are being offered online and any applicants with a reasonable excuse for non essential travel should contact the passport offices webchat function.

 

[Merowig]

Sure I read it - but I have much less trust in the efficiency of the Irish administration and Post.
E.g. close relative dies on a Friday late afternoon in the UK or even further away - Russia - Funeral scheduled for Monday or Tuesday - I would not trust here the Irish authorities at all to provide here a passport in time...
That is just additional unnecessary distress and grief caused by the Irish government...
No other country in the West is doing that to my knowledge - that is though on par though as said with unsavory regimes of the past and present elsewhere.

 

[Leo]

E.g. close relative dies on a Friday late afternoon in the UK or even further away - Russia - Funeral scheduled for Monday or Tuesday - I would not trust here the Irish authorities at all to provide here a passport in time...

There was no guarantee they would turn around an application that quickly prior to Covid, and there is nothing to suggest there has been any change to the timeline of issuing emergency passports at the moment even with Level 5 restrictions in place.

You seem to be trying to associate an emotive element to this that is just not supported by the facts.

 

[Merowig]

The fact is they do not process anything - so if an application was done in December in advance of the expiration of the passport they do nothing and the clerks right now sit on their hands. If they would do just their work there would likely not be a need to issue here emergency passports. It is a Government caused problem which is hiding behind a placebo solution.
Not effecting me but just shows what kind of Government here is in place.

 

[Leo]

The fact is they do not process anything

They are, have you tried contacting their online facility?

 

[Merowig]

They are, have you tried contacting their online facility?

The RTE article says they pause.

 

[RedOnion]

Imagine the security issues if they got staff working from home to issue passports?!

Same day passports are available for listed emergency reasons, and the reasons were expanded last week.

 

[Merowig]

Thanks RedOnion - I would have imagined that counts as an essential service - at least in any other country it is.

 

[Wahaay]

Sure I read it - but I have much less trust in the efficiency of the Irish administration and Post.
E.g. close relative dies on a Friday late afternoon in the UK or even further away - Russia - Funeral scheduled for Monday or Tuesday - I would not trust here the Irish authorities at all to provide here a passport in time...
That is just additional unnecessary distress and grief caused by the Irish government...
No other country in the West is doing that to my knowledge - that is though on par though as said with unsavory regimes of the past and present elsewhere.

Also note the use of the phrase " reasonable excuse " rather than reason for travelling.
It'a not an excuse to be entitled to a passport.It's your right.

 

[joe sod]

Surely this is discrimination because if you're passport is not near expiry you can carry on as before, however they choose not to process those passports that they have in their possession and are using Covid as an excuse. This is secrecy and shabbiness of the highest order . If supermarket workers paid 12 euros an hour are regarded as essential workers surely well paid passport officials should be required to do their jobs. Then when they lift the level 5 restrictions they will be on a go slow and using the big backlog as an excuse not to process passports in a timely manner. Straight out of eastern europe 1980s

 

[Leo]

The RTE article says they pause.

Try again, they've paused non-emergency applications. The article and their website confirm emergency applications are being processed via the webchat facility.

 

[RedOnion]

I'd imagine the way they're positioning it is that for those where it's essential, they are providing a service.

As for other countries, it has evolved. I believe that in the US they suspended issuing passports at the end of March last year except in 'life or death' emergencies, and they had a backlog of over 1 million applications when they got back to normal. Even now, in cases that require an appointment, most application centres need proof of a 'life or death' emergency first. You can still apply by post etc, but being honest I know nothing about the US system and who can apply via each channel.

 

[joe sod]

Eu green pass gathering momentum now, whatever nphet say there will be European holidays this year. Once other countries are open again they will not be able to stop it, naming and shaming will be so last year. Even Mario rosenstock satirised nphet and the health experts last night on the LLS, very funny

 

[Paul O Mahoney]

Eu green pass gathering momentum now, whatever nphet say there will be European holidays this year. Once other countries are open again they will not be able to stop it, naming and shaming will be so last year. Even Mario rosenstock satirised nphet and the health experts last night on the LLS, very funny

We'll see, the outbreaks in Italy and Germany are on the rise again with Italy entering another national lockdown.
Some are already calling it a "third wave".

 

[Merowig]

Eu green pass gathering momentum now, whatever nphet say there will be European holidays this year. Once other countries are open again they will not be able to stop it, naming and shaming will be so last year. Even Mario rosenstock satirised nphet and the health experts last night on the LLS, very funny

I am already planning. And combine it if necessary with medical appointments abroad/business trip/ reserves training.
No way I am staying. Went as well last year for three weeks and it wasn't an issue nor did I felt ashamed. Someone my wife knows was in Mexico...
One colleague here is flying soon to Spain and will stay there for a bit and another colleague is planning to go to Italy shortly. If I would fly from Ireland to Romania I would not need a test any longer nor any quarantine - only on the return to here

Yes outbreaks are on the rise again in Germany but also in the middle of the last wave people e.g. flew from Germany to Malta and then took a cruise. Completely legal. Now Mallorca was downgraded in regards to risk and many are flying there for holidays.

 

[Grizzly]

I am already planning. And combine it if necessary with medical appointments abroad/business trip/ reserves training.
No way I am staying. Went as well last year for three weeks and it wasn't an issue nor did I felt ashamed. Someone my wife knows was in Mexico...
One colleague here is flying soon to Spain and will stay there for a bit and another colleague is planning to go to Italy shortly. If I would fly from Ireland to Romania I would not need a test any longer nor any quarantine - only on the return to here

Yes outbreaks are on the rise again in Germany but also in the middle of the last wave people e.g. flew from Germany to Malta and then took a cruise. Completely legal. Now Mallorca was downgraded in regards to risk and many are flying there for holidays.

Certainly once I have my vaccination I will feel a lot better in myself, confidence wise to step on a plane again or walk through a crowded airport. I have been looking at the Balearic Islands, quiet places where I have stayed before. Maybe rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel. Sit outside when eating or drinking. Even if I am vaccinated it will probably take me some time to get back to normal.....but I have to start sometime.