Is it still possible?

Sorry thefer-

It is impossible to say. Any answer will be a WAG (wild ass guess, believe it or not, a legal term). Way to early to make any type of intelligent “guess”. You may know more in 30 days. Maybe.

Love that term. I feel like that is my new life right now with this virus and teaching. So many unknowns. I guess time will tell

Jennifer

LOL, I love that term (WAG) too, Jennifer!

But yeah, without a crystal ball, no one can give you an answer. Trust me, if anyone KNEW that things would be back to normal by June, there would be fewer trips being cancelled right now. Out of curiosity, what do you teach? I'm asking as a fair number of states including yours (Arizona) are closing schools for varying periods of time. Even with remote learning programs - and I'm unsure how many states are fully implementing those - I'm guessing if enough state-required instructional days are lost that there may be extensions of the school year into the summer. But that's just noodlin' out loud.

They are saying much of Europe will peak in June ......

Trouble is, there's a lot of "they say' out there but we don't always know who "they" are and if their personal crystal balls are in good working order. 😉

We also don't know when it'll peak here. Even if the storm has passed there, pretty sure Europe won't be interested in hosting any of us until we're largely in the clear as well?

I teach Special Education in AZ. Right now, we do have a state number of required days to attend school. I believe it is 180. Now that our Governor and Superintendent of Department of ED, has ordered all AZ schools to be closed for the next 2 weeks due to the virus. During this time, districts need to figure out how instruction will take place if it goes into longer closures. They will go back to the legislature and get waivers for testing and modified instructional hrs.

With the president declaring an emergency, the state declaring the emergency, my city is. There is a good chance, they will move us to online learning.

We only have 13 cases but the are selective in testing. It will be interesting to see that once they set up the drive thru, the numbers may go up. Then we have kids returning from break as well

No.

RSE and BA and everyone else is doing the rolling cancellations bit to limit their immediate work load.

Dramatically reduced flights for the foreseeable future means that flight schedules will not ramp up again instantly.

In most crises it takes longer to get over it than it does to get into it.... We have been three months getting to where we are now. Fauci/CDC suggest we will be in the thick of it for at least two months (4 to 6 to 8 week "closures"/flattening the curve). That takes you till June. Recovery to a "normal" life - WAG...

"Any answer will be a WAG (wild ass guess, believe it or not, a legal term)."

My dad used to always call it a SWAG. (Scientific Wild asss guess)

I haven't heard that term from anybody else in a long time!!!

Judy- always trust your father! It has been too long since I read up on it’s legal use. Had to look it up this morning (used in California, Oklahoma, Michigan, and other states). Used from workers’ compensation to budgeting matters. And travel falls within budgeting matters- LOL.

The correct spelling and use is your father’s: SWAG. Scientific Wild Ass Guess

Travel safe,

One Fast Bob

As I sit here in self-quarantine recommended by the German Health Minister having returned from Austria Friday, I would tell you to best prepare where you are immediately. Be smart and prudent and in no means do I want folks to panic! The changes in Germany and Europe developed very very quickly. The first restrictions/closures in Italy were less than a month ago. Maybe Germany and other European Countries will close travel from the Americas in the future as time passes and COVID19 spreads? Europe is weeks ahead of the Americas with the COVID19 crisis. Borders with Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland were just closed today by Germany with some exceptions for work etc. I understand your disappointment for cancelled travel. I'm starting my second year of retirement and travel is my job number one. Singapore in two weeks gone. Switzerland in four weeks? Salzkammergut in seven weeks? I'll be happy to find some TP in a local store. Maybe time to put in a Bidet?

Hi

It is my understanding that travel is now closed to/from Europe, UK, Ireland, ES areas, China etc. They are now adding Canada today. We are definitely behind Europe. Hopefully we can get things in place now to prevent this from spreading.

We are mid March and U.S is a couple weeks behind Germany. China is showing signs of coming back after 2 months. I am hopeful that I can travel in June.

My biggest concern is that if I get it. I want to get it in the U.S as I already have been exposed to Valley Fever so it can hit me harder.

WAG means wifes and girlfriends this side of the pond, in respect to footbal teams!

My flight to Munich, booked in January, is for mid September. I have my doubts.

I have doubts about my mid-July trip to Germany/Austria. I have already canceled hotels through Booking.com. Not sure what I will do about the flight. I can visit family in the UK but this may also be too risky. Waiting to see what happens over the next several months. I am also a special education teacher so the option to book later or by Dec 31 is not an option for me either.

Margaret

Stay where you are. I suggest you come in autumn..

I would wait it out without risking loosing refunds. Why not?

Anyone can tell you anything, the fact is nobody knows what 1 month, 2 or 3 look like from now...and anything is possible..even good outcomes, which the media ignores the possibility of. Fingers crossed, hoping all is going to be well.

thefer, your guess is as good as anyone's here. Anything else is just wild speculation.

I'm going stir crazy, the minute the wall is down I'm out of here. But there is absolutely no way to know when that will be. I just keep shifting my plans as things change. Then there are those who aren't going to travel till there is a cure so they aren't going for years and years. That's fine too.

Hi

I have a feel that it is going to get interesting with watching to see what happens with my flights. British Airlines contacted me and canceled my flight from London to Phx on American airlines. They moved me to their flight but 4 hrs later. I am sure this is the first of many changes. I do have my doubts. It seems like Germany and Austria is flattening the curve. My concern is the U.S still can't get it together. Will the U.S open borders by then? Will Germany allow U.S visitors?

Trying to stay positive. All else fails, switch the timeshares for 2 weeks in Hawaii

I think the real question is whether other countries will allow US visitors, given that we don't have robust testing in place. To be honest, I'm not sure I'd want to to travel on a plane full of people so soon after the virus, especially as it's where many people tend to get sick. Don't make any plans right now, just wait it out and see whether the airlines cancel or not.

I am watching a flight to Toronto on Air Canada for a few days, then on to Budapest. Leaves June 8, returns June 22. I have the watch set up on GoogleFlights which tells me each time the price changes. Went from a high of $3600 to $1130 today.

So the question is, if I book it .... when it gets canceled do the give me the option of another flight when one is available ... without additional cost even if the replacement flight is more expensive or just a refund [not a refundable fare] or some sort of voucher?

thefer,

I agree with the others in that it's probably too early too tell what things will be like in June. AFAIK, the EU borders are still closed to outsiders. You'll probably get a good indication from the airlines. If they're operating flights at that time, that's probably a good indication that your trip will go ahead.

"To be honest, I'm not sure I'd want to to travel on a plane full of people so soon after the virus, especially as it's where many people tend to get sick."

I sure hope the airlines are using this opportunity to clean and sanitize their aircraft, instead of just leaving them sitting in the desert. This is an ideal time for them to clean the planes thoroughly, as that likely won't be possible when regular flight schedules resume.

This is why they need to give the planes a good cleaning now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZUVbQrVZIU .

The cleaning and sanitizing is not a once and done option. It must be done after every flight at the minimum and even better if certain parts of the plane would be sanitized several times during the flight (like the toilet area) if you don't want the virus left around to be picked up and spread.

And, sitting in the hot and dry desert for a couple weeks would probably do a better job of sanitizing the planes than most other cleaning options. We have to separate the dirty from the contaminated. Yes, siting untouched is not going to remove the dirt from anything. That requires manual effort. Cleaning to remove the built up grime does not necessarily sanitize, but being visibly dirty does not mean it is contaminated. But the virus dies in hot dry places with no contact with a carrier.

thefer, per numerous news reports, Hawaii is not exactly welcoming tourists either.

thefer, I've started shopping Hawaii Airbnb's in case Europe doesn't work out. Wish I had a timeshare

Well there is some discussion here when restrictions begin to be lifted, that Germans can travel/vacation within Germany. No mention of opening borders. A friend from Altdorf bei Nurnberg told us people from Nurnberg visiting a local recreation park there were given tickets and fines from the Polizei for going outside of their area and breaking the curfew rules. They were identified by their license plates.

I normally buy my flights last minute so I was going to buy it in mid April but now this happened.
I was going to move to Germany with my husband who is already living there and just got a apartment for us. if anyone didn’t know Germany is hard to find an apartment. I’m really stressed because now they’re not allowing anyone into the EU. But there must be a way that I can go there since I’m his wife! I was thinking June since I think May is just too early but we never know. I lost my job because of this and a lot of other people has too! Everywhere I see they’re talking about everything going to be normal again like fall of 2021! Did they really expect us to go like this for that long? i’m starting to think I just don’t know what to do.😔

Dr Fauci of the National Institute of Health was asked when things would return to normal. His answer: once a vaccine was available for widespread use. A vaccine is not expected for 12-18 months. That is the estimate of Fauci and every other expert (not politician) that I have heard quoted. That takes us until approximately the Fall of 2021.

I probably will not be able to travel before then or have a knee replacement that was scheduled for this spring. What sounds more hopeful are some treatment options that will save more patients and lessen their suffering. I just read that a tenth of the middle aged people who are admitted for COVID-19 die. I would hate to be working as a care giver seeing that play out.

I also hope we find better ways to protect medical personnel before we break our health care system.

I told my wife that we might have just lived through the Great Age of Travel without knowing it. Our job now is to avoid becoming one of bad statistics and a burden on the system. Once vaccinated we hope to visit Germany again.

Dr. F is a great guy, isn't he!!

Lets hope I get the opportunity to send him a post card.

Hi

Well it's official. The trip that I planned for a year is canceled. British Airways canceled the flight into Duesseldorf and wanted to move me to another flight. I played that game 3 flights ago with each leg of the trip. This time, I called them every day and sat on hold for an hour, spoke to an agent and got a different answer every time about extending my voucher another year. Every agent/supervisor said no. I went online and filed a formal complaint. Waited a day. Next day, I got a REAL supervisor that email customer relations. He called me the next day and they agreed to extend it another year to 11/2021. Huge relief.

Very disappointed that I am not going this year. The good thing is that I will have time to raise a mini schnauzer puppy that I am getting end of June. He will be ready for the boarding place next year with his brothers.

Hawaii is on hold this summer. I will go for a week in December

thefer - good decision.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has warned against reopening European tourism destinations too quickly, saying that Europe should agree on a shared path back to freedom of travel. "A European race to see who will allow tourism travel first will lead to unacceptable risks," Maas told the weekly Bild am Sonntag newspaper. ... "We must not let the hard-won successes of the last few weeks be ruined," said Maas. Otherwise, the travel restrictions would have to be extended even longer, he added.

https://www.dw.com/en/dont-reopen-tourism-too-quickly-german-foreign-minister-warns/a-53250213

I'm so sorry to hear this but it sounds like you have a wonderful backup plan and thankfully BA seems to be quite organised... let's hope we'll be able to travel again soon.