UK BANS TRAVEL ABROAD UNTIL AT LEAST 17 MAY

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

Boris Johnson says no international holiday until at least 17th May. The hard-hit travel and aviation sectors were hoping for good news from the PM – and so were those who want a holiday.

The UK prime minister has set out a road map of coming out of lockdown, in many stages for each sector.

Not great news for us on the island here, UK tourism is one of the main industries we are missing along with the German tourists. Driving round the lido and Forum area today it was very sad, especially along past all the empty hotels and deserted walkways.

The good news is Lufthansa will start flying from Frankfurt at the end of this month. So it will start slowly which is good, and more flights added throughout March.

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Tobi Hughes

38 Responses

  1. No shortage of Germans here in Prazeres Tobi, non stop tourism since Christmas. But this is not helping the island, as they are all in AL accommodation, which doesn’t invest in the island., just lines the pockets of individuals . Hotels employ a number of people, in addition organise tourist trips, visits to restaurants,etc. Regarding flights, at weekends there are a number of flights from France, Germany and Poland, but most are from Germany.

    1. In my opinion, tourist in an AL are much safer than groups of tourists in hotels. Less contacts to other people….
      And they spent the money wider spread, not just into the pockets of the hotel management. Restaurants, shops, individual trips, car rental. And individuals with “pockets, lined by tourists” spend their money on the island as well.

  2. Does seem a bit mad when we are way ahead of the Germans on the vaccination front!

  3. That’s England / Boris spoken now wait to see what Scotland comes up tomorrow Hoping for a more normal Sunnier 2021 for Us All Tobi

  4. “The good news is Lufthansa will start flying from Frankfurt at the end of this month. So it will start slowly which is good, and more flights added throughout March.”

    Lufthansa never stopped flying from Funchal to Frankfurt even though there is a travel ban to non-german nationals to fly into Germany from Portugal.

  6. Boris got it so wrong before not shutting our borders, now he is being careful thats wrong 21st June is the most likely date international travel will return. May is just a provisional date it will depend on the data and how people behave.
    Looking forward to returning when it’s safe to do so.

  9. We are booked BA T5 Heathrow to Funchal April 25th for a 10 day stay. First thing tomorrow we will be on to BA to reorganise our flight later in the year. But any guesses when?

  10. Throughout the pandemic the UK Government has seemingly Locked down too late and Unlocked too early. With new virus cases still as high as at the April height and still very high death rates i guess another over optimistic Unlock beckons ? Phased it is but premature in the view of many. But that’s politicians !

    Thank heavens for the UK vaccination triumph. And for UK technology, efficiency and speed In terms of drug development and roll out. Congrats to the Government Vaccination Group headed by Kate Bingham who went out and bought in advance of other countries enough vaccine and more. Much more. Her gamble has paid off and we recipients of our first vaccination are VERY grateful ! Roll on the second jab in April sometime.

    Am looking forward to our return to Madeira but content to wait until we are safe and then allowed.

  11. I just took a look to the Schedules of direct flight from Germany to Funchal. Easyjet from Berlin and Lufthansa from Munich will start begin of March. The other airlines TuiFly and Condor will start last weekend of March from several German airports. The date corresponds with the Start of the Easter holidays. I think there up to 10 direct flights from Germany to Funchal scheduled from that weekend on. The date would (nearly) corresponds with the end of curfew. I think travel companies expect lifting of the travel restrictions. Not sure if this will work.

    1. As long as the declaration as high risk area or even virus variant area (Portugal) is valid Germans will not book their Easter holidays. Variant area means at the moment that you have to quarantine for 14 days in Germany.
      As for the airlines, booking possible, but flying is uncertain in these times.

  12. Perhaps the Funchal Tourist people should start looking at countries other than the UK, not only Germany but also Scandinavia, Austria and Switzerland which have very few flights to Madeira, except a few through Lisbon.

    1. Is there a flight ban from the Funchal Tourist offices for passengers from Scandinavia, Austria and Switzerland.

  14. I am not rushing into travel just yet,my Season starts end June/July and it will be April/ May before the situation is reviewed,a little to soon for me to be making plans.
    Hopefully some restrictions will be eased though.

    I too think AL is not a bad option it depends what suits.
    We do an annual family visit and AI is more convenient,we also eat out, pay a fortune on touring
    and spend plenty in the shops..
    Some prefer SC,HB,FB, staying in apartments ,private villas why is that deemed different.
    When visiting Madeira or anywhere else for that matter it is done for a well earned break and leisure.
    I have been travelling for decades and when the topic of holidaying is getting discussed I have never to date heard anyone say “Oh just here in Madeira to help the Economy” .
    ” Oh I am going to visit such& such place to help the locals”.
    Cannot fathom “Why the cliche”.

  15. Even if ban was lifted let’s say around May / June
    travel corridors would be created would Portugal Madeira Azores likely to get one being on the UK red list travel ban ?

  16. There must a huge pressure for Portugal to be removed from the red list as it is the only main European country on the list and a country with a lot of UK residents/workers. If Portugal lifts their ban on flights from the UK, I wouldn’t be surprised in the UK then magically lift their ban on flights from Portugal (tit for tat)…. All of that could happen quicker than we think to allow the re-establishment of workers and residents (bearing in mind that there is a still a ban on travel from the UK for non-essential reasons).

    1. Alojamento Local. In other words self-catering in an apartment or house. Portugal has rules governing holiday let’s.

  18. Re getting Madeira off the red list I have emailed my MP with the arguments and asked him to raise it with ministers. I also suggested U.K. create an ‘Amber List’ – so we can quickly add new countries with a possible new variant (e.g. USA) – and ease places (like Madeira!) off the red list. The amber rule would be minimum 2 day hotel Q – so you do your 1st post-flight test at the hotel, but if negative you can complete the 10 days Q (and further test) at home. It would allow U.K. better protection from ‘as yet unknown new variants’ by adding more countries … without stifling all travel and having overflowing quarantine hotels. It would open up opportunities for travel with a lower risk of 10 day hotel Q. I’ve emailed the idea to CEOs of EasyJet and Jet2. If we want things changing we have to press for change. Happy to share my letter if anyone wants to do likewise, lobby MPs, travel companies etc.

  20. Hi Max, sorry I thought AI was all inclusive, ERIN said in her post she has stayed in AI and also AL very confusing.

  22. Really! I misjudged ,I assumed that common sense would have kicked in that it was a typing error that I failed to notice before posting.
    For anyone else who might be confused it should have read AI as in All Inclusive.

  23. Hi Erin, common sense has nothing to do with it, Martin and Robin also said in their posts people were staying in AL, I just assumed that it was a style of accommodation that I had never heard of like AirBnB for instance.

  24. I didn’t know of any all inclusive lets in Madeira. Erin, I would like to beat my breast and claim I am just doing it for the little people and a wish to help the “little people” but I’m not that hypocritical. Like the majority I have come to enjoy a holiday on an Island I first visited in 1968, that is much enhanced by the local people. A few I claim to be friends, I hope I am right. What we all can do is ask your Bar Owner, Restaurateur, Cash or Card ? He will almost certainly say cash, who wants/can afford to pay the commission on a card transaction and if like me you pay your credit card off every month it costs nothing, whereas you have probably given the guy 3% he thought he wasn’t going to get.

  25. Yes John I too am confused,you mention that Robin&Martin also used the AL abbreviation.
    You actually asked a question and answered it in the same sentence,you then agreed with the
    the response Max gave that it should have been AI as in All Inclusive.
    If still confused I am sure Robin and Martin would have enlightened you.

    Can I ask why you then proceeded to use my name when you knew in all probability it was a typing error.
    None of us are infallible John .

  26. George I am referring AI in a general manner .
    When we visit with our family and grandchildren we find AI hotels to be more convenient
    especially when accompanied with children.
    We too have been visiting for years and in early days we stayed with friends
    I agree in all you say about the local businesses and the Islanders they are the friendliest and most polite people we have ever met in years of travelling.
    The point I am making is why the criticism regarding accommodation,we all choose what is
    suitable for us.
    The minute anyone of sets foot on a plane for a certain destination we are contributing to that
    Countries economy.

  27. Right, now I understand, Martin, Robin and Erin all made Typo’s, thank god for that, I thought another abbreviation had been added to the hotel booking system, I am still getting my head around Options (Pestana) short term Time shares (5 weeks with the Savoy Palace) also 9 and 19 weeks timeshares, also with the Savoy Palace, I can now relax and Know that everything is nearly back to normal.

  28. Hi Erin, so AL does exist, see Tobi and Maurice comments above, so nothing to do with common sense then.

  29. Exactly John …in plain sight for all to see.
    At the very start of the thread both Robin and Michael commented on AL Robin doing so on the 22nd I did not post until the 23rd.
    Maurice who is knowledgeable on such also explained after your query
    You agreed with Max what you thought it to be so I assume you read the thread at some point.
    Or was it selective posts you read ? that might explain the confusion, as it now appears that you omitted to read the thread in full prior to calling out my post.

    Confusion all round John ..time for us both to move on.
    As previous mentioned we all make mistakes.

  30. Erin, keep digging. Common Sense, Selective Posts, Confusion, assumptions, Ommisions???
    I only asked what does AL mean?

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