After a long three months of lockdown in the UK, Britons were finally permitted to travel abroad in July. However, this year, Summer holidays are not going to be straightforward.
“it’s not suprise that this summer many holidaymakers have opted for a ‘staycation'”
Just a few weeks after the UK’s travel corridors were established, Spain was removed from the list of destinations that Britons could travel to without having to quarantine upon return and, since then, so have both France and Croatia. It seems inevitable that more countries will follow and, for those who will have to return to work, a two-week quarantine upon arrival home is simply not an option, making a holiday abroad is just not worth the risk.
With so much uncertainty around travelling abroad and fears of the risks related to international travel, it’s no surprise that this summer many holidaymakers have opted for a ‘staycation’ – that is, a holiday spent in one’s home country. Perhaps 2020 will be the year that many of us rediscover a love for holidaying in the UK. I for one hadn’t been on a holiday in the UK for a good few years until a trip to the Lake District just a couple of weeks ago. But the UK is full of natural beauty – from the Scottish Highlands to the Welsh Coast, and a plethora of hills and downs – and I hope we can all embrace it in these strange times, rather than begrudge it.
With that being said, plenty of Brits are still opting for a holiday abroad, despite the new rules that apply to travel. Wearing a mask in airports and planes, temperature checks at arrivals and reduced cabin services are just a few of the new measures in place to try and make international travel safer. The experience of travelling pre-Covid is unlikely to return anytime soon, and it looks like some of the recent changes are here to stay. Many airlines are axing previous services such as free headphones and pillows, as well as limiting snack and drink options. Not only are such adaptations an attempt to control the spread of the virus, but these measures are also saving struggling airlines a great deal of money, which is a huge benefit given the drop in passenger demand, and the number of commercial jets that remain grounded. As airlines discover new ways to cut costs and maximise their profits as far as possible, it seems unlikely that there’ll be any rush to return to more expensive practices.
“perhaps our perception of what constitutes a holiday can change.”
When it comes to passenger demand, however, I can’t see the current lull lasting for very long. This is not the first time that global events have had an impact on the public’s willingness to fly. The events of 9/11 similarly saw a drop in demand for flights, but the measures put in place to address public fears were successful in making travellers feel comfortable again.
Air travel is a huge industry, and it isn’t going anywhere. But perhaps our perception of what constitutes a holiday can change.
Ellie Hutchings
Featured image courtesy of Anete Lusina via Unsplash.