Italy, San Marino and Vatican City added to quarantine list …. but Crete removed

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• BrotherBear says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:17

  Arriving back late Saturday night from Crete. Hmmmm.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:19

    Might be worth seeing if you can get a cheap flight on Sunday.

• Julian says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:17

  Israel or Italy? Seems to be typing mistake

  • Rob says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:20

    Duh, sorry. Typed this quickly.

    • Julian says:

      15 Oct15 October 17:24

      👍

• TGLoyalty says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:18

  Italy currently has a rate of infection 1/3 of the UK

  You’d be safer anywhere in Italy vs Liverpool, Manchester or Newcastle.

  • Harry T says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:21

    Are you saying I’m not safe? 😉

    • TGLoyalty says:

      15 Oct15 October 18:40

      You have a colourful history of post summer holiday quarantine additions.

  • Heathrow Flyer says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:30

    Italy, however, is the ‘other’. The government want you to think that in someway visiting Italy is a much worse thing to do than visiting Newcastle.

    When our rates are skyrocketing how quarantine has helped in any way I have no idea.

• Rob says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:22

  OK, I got lucky. The Guardian had rumours of this a few hours ago, so I grabbed 4 Club Europe to Crete on the 24th. This is my 5th attempt to get away for half term following Oman, Dubai, Barbados and Turkey biting the dust!

  • Harry T says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:29

    I hope you get a holiday this time, Rob.

  • ChrisW says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:30

    It will be extremely quiet in Crete by late October! You might want to check local restaurants are still open…

    • Rob says:

      15 Oct15 October 17:59

      We really don’t care at this point 🙂

      • Anna says:

        15 Oct15 October 18:51

        If you like historic sites and it’s open, Knossos is worth a visit (and will impress the kids’ history teachers!). It wasn’t busy when we went in October some years ago so I imagine it will be very quiet atm. A fair drive from most resort areas but stunning scenery.

      • JC says:

        15 Oct15 October 19:29

        Staying at Domes?

  • Voldemort says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:32

    Domes of Elounda this time? I see it in your image!

  • Char Char says:

    15 Oct15 October 18:18

    There are no lounges in Crete afaik so club is often not worth anything over economy

    • Rob says:

      15 Oct15 October 20:09

      There are 4 of us though, so 2+2 for a 4-hour flight is a lot better than 3+1 down the back.

      • Chrisasaurus says:

        15 Oct15 October 20:50

        Obviously you haven’t met my kids, I’d be happy to be the 1 down the back!

    • Peggers says:

      16 Oct16 October 09:20

      Lounge access at HER, no lounge at CHQ – though it is a nice modern airport..

  • Alex Dudko says:

    15 Oct15 October 20:00

    Went to Crete for half term last year, weather was lovely, not too hot but sunny enough, one rainy afternoon. Stayed in all inclusive hotel so ventured out only few times. In Heraklion and Cania most places were open, out of the cities mostly shut. Booked Rhodes this half tem, fingers crossed.

  • Yuff says:

    15 Oct15 October 21:46

    Which hotel Rob?
    I had Turkey which i need to cancel tomorrow. Never bothered with Dubai this year but grabbed 3 in CE to Crete on the 18th.
    Economy and business showed plentiful availability when I booked at around 6pm cet, looked about an hour ago no availability and economy seats £400 return

  • ankomonkey says:

    15 Oct15 October 22:07

    Well done! I was looking to do similar but couldn’t see flights back on Avios and the cash prices were high. Did you use the Gold ‘open up seats but pay double’ trick?

    • Rob says:

      15 Oct15 October 22:15

      No, but I got them at 2pm vs 5pm when the news came out. ‘Double Avios’ can only be booked 30 days in advance.

  • Mark says:

    15 Oct15 October 22:21

    I was wondering if you were still going ahead with Barbados. I looked for us in January as I have Virgin miles and credit card vouchers to use, but on balance it looks a little to much hassle and stress to be worth it. Antigua could be a better bet, but no Upper Class redemption availability at the moment and who knows how things will be in 3 months… Could be a potential last minute option though.

• Harry T says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:22

  Enthusiastically went to find flights to Crete… none from MAN, EDI or NCL. Oh dear!

  • Sandgrounder says:

    15 Oct15 October 19:27

    You can fly to Chania from MAN with Ryanair, but the route ends a week on Saturday for the winter.

    • Harry T says:

      15 Oct15 October 19:56

      Thanks

  • Peggers says:

    16 Oct16 October 09:22

    My flight to HER on 24th from EDI was pulled by EasyJet 3 weeks ago.

• Lottie says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:30

  Am I correct that there is no testing required for entry to Greece?

  • TomH says:

    15 Oct15 October 17:36

    Correct if flying from UK, but a patient locator form is needed

    • Lottie says:

      15 Oct15 October 17:56

      Great thank you, just wanted to be sure!

  • C says:

    15 Oct15 October 18:50

    But they could test you on arrival in Greece and there are some horror stories about people with no symptoms testing positive and being thrown into Isolation at some not very nice hotels. It’s the risk you have to take.

    • Harry T says:

      15 Oct15 October 19:06

      Yes, the FCO guidance clearly states that the Greek authorities will test some arriving passengers and quarantine can be imposed. It’s not straight forward.

    • GeorgeJ says:

      16 Oct16 October 11:39

      They are getting between 20 and 50 positive cases a day at the airports, mainly asymptomatic. That is about ten percent of the daily total for the country. No idea what the passenger numbers are.

  • Mark says:

    15 Oct15 October 22:24

    Possible testing on arrival though.

• Andrew says:

  15 Oct15 October 17:44

  To be more accurate – it’s a list of exemptions from the government’s advice against all but essential travel. Italy was on the exemptions list, but has been taken off, and Crete wasn’t on the exemptions list and has now been added.

• meta says:

  15 Oct15 October 18:50

  I had Crete booked in the Avios sale. I was looking at covid rates and knew it would have to come off the list given very low per 100k (currently 3.5). I was holding off booking accommodation as everything good was non-refundable or cancellation period too short.

  UK is also safe from being put on Greek list for now. Review was on Tuesday. Not sure when the next one is, but hopefully not before next Thursday.

  • Voldemort says:

    15 Oct15 October 19:17

    25th for the next review. I do not think they’ll bother with the tourist season ending soon.

    • meta says:

      15 Oct15 October 19:33

      Sunday for review? Great, I fly 22nd.

      • The real John says:

        16 Oct16 October 06:35

        France and NL had worse rates than the UK and didn’t go on the list either

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