What has been your recent experience with international travel?

[El Presidente]

Recent = over the last three months. 

Is it largely back to normal? 

Did you face many restrictions?

Has the travel experience been a little watered down?

Did you find it fulfilling? 

Pro's and cons? 

[Fuzz]

Our newly minted Premier has decided that NSW will be open to fully vaxxed international tourists as of 1st November. So people can come over here, before we can travel interstate.

[El Presidente]

It's dead set nuts Fuzz. 

I can't see us getting out of here before January. 

[Ken Gargett]

2 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Our newly minted Premier has decided that NSW will be open to fully vaxxed international tourists as of 1st November. So people can come over here, before we can travel interstate.

no Fuzz, that has already been overturned by the PM. love it when all the imbeciles are on the same page! 

as i have mentioned elsewhere, i believe that, provided i fill out all the forms etc, i can re-enter Qld to attend wine events and tastings. given that i very often get good stuff from lunch with the mates (i mean that seriously), provided i have a confirmed invitation, i can go to lunch with my mates. but i cannot live there. i have to then return to NSW after said lunch. monty python would think that too idiotic for a skit. 

premier cartoon has stamped herself as truly one of the most incompetent and stupid people on earth. 

[khrma52]

I am presently my 3rd day in Paris traveling from U.S.  vaccination card and negative test for Covid upon arrival. Customs, etc. no problem. Forget the digital France and European Union digital card. Never came. More organized then states. Negative test gets you in digital data base.  Keep a mask with you. Great time. No problems. 

[Mr. Japan]

I re-started travelling end of September, Croatia, Austria, Luxemburg and for my birthday Champagne 😉

I feel that with the green pass ( a document that shows that you are vaccinated ) there is no issues at all to go around Europe.

Yes, we still have to use the mask when entering closed areas but once you sit down you can take off. 

Worst in in the airplanes, I really suffered to keep mask on all time.

There is maybe 30/40% of people in teh airports comparing as before, this is good for travellers much less for air companies.

I think we are getting back to a new normality....

 

[Duxnutz]

4 hours ago, El Presidente said:

It's dead set nuts Fuzz. 

I can't see us getting out of here before January. 

Mob I work for are allegedly planning a December return to Brisbane. My parents even purchased tickets. They may end up having to go via Syd. We will see! 

My overall impression of air travel in the last few months (working and personal travel) has been that both crew and passengers are completely over most of it and there’s plenty of frustration out there. If you thought there was too many PA announcements before then you’ll love the added mask mandate announcements thrown in there. 
 

Service wise I think we’ve gone backwards; airlines used the pandemic to trim staff and reduce onboard service such as free grog in coach, food in general and blankets. Lots of airlines reduced their staff so good luck getting a hold of anyone anywhere to do anything. Lots of delays, look at Southwest and Spirit recently. 
 

Mainland US has been super busy for travel over Summer but dropped off recently. When Oz opens I think demand will be high to get out. I expect Qantas will be caught off guard and not have enough trained pilots on the correct plane, much like what the US is experiencing. 

[SokaKiel]

Been traveling regularly since February, mostly for work but also a little holiday here and there. All within Europe though.

Here it’s easy, you’re vaccinated and pretty much good to go anywhere.

Have to agree on the airlines, service even with the major carriers is non existent! Airports not too busy but still sometimes chaotic long lines, especially during the summer and now autumn holidays again.

In many restaurants and hotels it seems like only the idiots managed to keep their jobs! Feels like I’m more often frustrated with service staff then before. I guess the smart ones moved jobs and made it elsewhere while many less gifted stuck with their jobs. But I’m sure this will sort itself out again once travel gets back to normal next year.

Fingers crossed Aus will open up again soon, my wife and I can’t wait to get back!

Safe travels, Leif

[Nino]

8 hours ago, SokaKiel said:

Been traveling regularly since February, mostly for work but also a little holiday here and there. All within Europe though.

Here it’s easy, you’re vaccinated and pretty much good to go anywhere.

 

Yep - can agree and confirm. Easy and no problem within Europe. Only place that checked our vaccination certificates were the Swiss border guards, nice, polite, professional.

Hotel service excellent in Switzerland - if you're vaccinated you are free to choose wearing a mask or not inside.

[madandana]

Went to Greece a few weeks ago and was smooth sailing. No issues.

 

Just back from Hawaii yesterday ( not international trip but felt like it). Again smooth sailing with minor hoops to jump through.

[ChangBang]

In London now and seems normal outside of the airport. Going to go bar hopping later so we'll see!  Fully vaxxed so only need to take a covid test within 2 days of being in London

Went to Greece back in June and think it was all outdoor dinning and clubs were closed which I had to plan around.  Fully vaxxed and think you had to get covid tests before you got on the ferry if you weren't

[La_Tigre]

Both the passengers and airport employees have lost their minds…never in all these years of travel witnessed such uncalled for behavior. It’s literally every leg of travel with arguments, rudeness, combativeness…bordering on not worth flying unless absolutely necessary. 

[moneyneversleeps]

45 minutes ago, La_Tigre said:

Both the passengers and airport employees have lost their minds…never in all these years of travel witnessed such uncalled for behavior. It’s literally every leg of travel with arguments, rudeness, combativeness…bordering on not worth flying unless absolutely necessary. 

Agreed.

[RDB]

Agree with all of the above re Europe: it’s easy and actually very pleasant at the moment.

I have heard some terrible stories  from friends re airlines, but then their business model has been absolutely smashed.

[Nino]

4 hours ago, La_Tigre said:

Both the passengers and airport employees have lost their minds…never in all these years of travel witnessed such uncalled for behavior. It’s literally every leg of travel with arguments, rudeness, combativeness…bordering on not worth flying unless absolutely necessary. 

Happy to be retired 🙂

 

4 hours ago, moneyneversleeps said:

Agreed.

Happy to be retired 🙂

 

3 hours ago, RDB said:

I have heard some terrible stories  from friends re airlines, but then their business model has been absolutely smashed.

Happy to be retired 🙂

Sorry to be repetitive - but VERY happy to be retired or I would have been fired by now for some aggressive backlash .... 🙂

[bassistheplace]

from the states to Cabo in MX twice in the last 6 months. longer lines at the immigration checks, need a negative test within 48 hours, you have to mask the entire time you're in the airport/plane - the rest is as usual

[yhomas]

US to Romania through Germany and Switzerland.  No real problems, but there are random long lines checking Covid documents either at check in, or at gate, or some random point between; so get to airport early (assume 1 hour extra Covid line somewhere) and get all the way to gate and ask if you are OK to board flight.  Different countries have different mask rules.  The rules may change; after a week in Romania they started asking for Vaccination proof to enter restaurants or hotels.

[JohnnyO]

No travel so far but noted that starting Nov 8 the US is requiring folks to enter the US vaccinated. No Cuba, Russia and some other countries vaccines will not be accepted. We have a daily event at Ft Lauderdale or Miami airports with someone mentally breaking down over a mask or a cup of coffee and the Sherriff has to get involved. Cuba will allow travelers starting Nov 15 to come in vaccinated and no quarantine/PCR requirement. John

[Glass Half Full]

Just back from a great trip -- but the hassles were not small.  That said, it was helpful to know that all fellow travelers had to do the same so travel sure seemed safe.  

Air travel from the US to Slovenia (via Germany) was complicated but doable if you read up on the requirements: personal EU Locator form plus proof of vaccination status plus e-filing of all locations.   

Then land travel to Croatia -- easy -- passport only.  

Then land travel (via Slovenia) from Croatia to Italy -- needed proof of vaccination PLUS a negative test within 48 hours of arrival.  Also in Italy, US visitors needed to carry vaccination proof plus negative test proof to go to restaurants, museums, etc.

Then air travel to UK -- needed both vaccination proof plus negative test within -- but not earlier than -- 48 hours.  

Then back to US, needed both vaccination proof plus negative test within 72 hours.  

PRINTED DOCUMENTS WERE ESSENTIAL.  None of the difficult border crossings wanted to look at docs on your phone. 

...That said, felt very comfortable in planes and within restaurants, etc. 

[Akela3rd]

My brother just got back from a week's holiday in Spain which had been put off for a couple of years. All easy enough, extra paperwork notwithstanding, had a lovely time etc etc and caught Covid. Now laid up feeling like crap. Ha! Serves him right for trying to escape the current miseries of this small damp island.
(Get well soon Rich...)

Sent by spooky action at a distance

[Drguano]

The real reason certain people cannot fly in or out of Oz...

[bpm32]

Other than airport lounge closures, Switzerland last week seemed more or less normal other than vaccination green pass checks.

I don’t doubt anyone else’s experiences, but I’ve been flying domestically within the US nonstop the last year and everyone has been perfectly lovely to me, passengers and staff.

[oneizzzz]

I flew to Paris last month, then to Greece, then back to America.  Masks on the flight, but pretty lax considering everyone is eating and drinking.  Flights were half-full tops.  At museums and some businesses in both countries (more often in France), I had to show my vaccine card.  

Had to get a negative pcr test to board my flight back to America.

With the caveat that wearing a mask is unpleasant, things seemed basically normal - especially once you're situated somewhere.  The traveling with masks, vaccine card, etc... is annoying but people are getting pretty used to it now.  

A major bummer was the lack of late night dancing in Athens clubs due to indoor covid restrictions.

Really missed the hot towels on long flights.  Not sure if those got axed by covid or something else.  Tragic.

Super fun trip.  Worth it.

[decsmarg]

We sailed to the Isle of Man from Belfast, Northern Ireland. A round-trip ferry ticket costs 49 pounds (about 56 euros). The sea was calm, and luckily we didn't get seasick from the rocking. So we could sit on the upper deck and flip through the guidebook admiring the sea views. Three hours and we were there. The symbol of the Isle of Man is the triskelion - three running legs coming out of one point. "We're always on the move," the locals laugh https://www.oebbfahrplan.com/de/. The motto of the entire island is stability, which the triskelion on the coat of arms reflects.

[Rhinoww]

Drove up and back to Toronto for an aunt’s funeral. Driving into Canada one needed a Canadian passport, your vax card showing full vax and a recent molecular pcr test result. (Rules have changed inthink and US passport works driving over) Line of trucks was easy three miles long at the Ambassador Bridge but cars run right through. 
On return on Sunday no lines and quick customs. So few cars they didn’t bother collecting the bridge toll. 
I stopped at the duty free going into the us. In the past the Windsor side had a decent collection of smaller Vitolas from the known Cuban marcas for the Canadians. This trip they had like three plain labeled boxes of some unknown Nicaraguan cigars. And the bourbon selection sucked as well so I left empty handed.
my sister flew both ways from the east coast. No issues other than quickly getting her US passport renewed before she left. Turns out a call to your Senator and a good reason can get things expedited.  
I drove because while I used to have five daily nonstops to choose from, now I have to connect and the 7.5 hour drive door to door was my best option and I could get some phone work done. 
Regrettably no time to stop by a smoke shop in Vaughn that at least used to have a good selection. All family time.