Here are some sage words from Michael Collins with a few additions of my own, from yesterdays Sunday Independent. Michael is a Travel Media Specialist and has been travelling extensively (essential travel only) throughout the Pandemic.

He doesn’t have this as his number 1, but from a travel agents perspective it should be !

1. Book with a bonded and licensed travel agent, preferably an Irish travel agency. There are many UK-based travel agencies selling in the Irish market, but since the UK is no longer part of the EU, the DCC (Digital Covid Cert) does not apply to UK citizens or residents.

This means that a UK agency is less likely to understand how the DCC works than an Irish agency.

Licensed travel agents are your safety net when things go wrong, so make sure you use an Irish one to be extra safe.

2. Get your DCC (Digital Covid Cert). You will need it to travel in Europe. Don’t rely on your HSE vaccination card or a letter from your GP.

You are entitled to a DCC if you have been vaccinated, have a negative PCR test, or have recovered from Covid. Demand it from the Department of Health.

Contact your local TD (but see 5 below) if you can’t get through to the Department of Health DCC Helpline. Tel 1800 807008.

3. Since July 19, if travelling into Ireland from another EU state, and you have your DCC (Digital Covid Certificate), you do not need to quarantine, or get tested, when arriving back into Ireland. The DCC covers people who have been fully vaccinated, have recovered from Covid and have a medical cert to prove this, and people who have had a negative PCR test less than 72 hours before flying.

Each country remains responsible for deciding its own entry requirements; they are not standardised at EU level.

This means that what is required to enter a country depends on the measures and entry rules in place at your destination.

As well as a negative Covid test or DCC, most European countries require travellers to complete a Health Form; known in Ireland as the Passenger Locator Form. These are primarily for contact tracing purposes.

4.Travel insurance has never been more important. Ask if your cover includes Covid health and Covid travel interruption. Most travel specialist insurers now offer these as options. Speak to      your travel agent for the most up to date and unbiased advice.

5. Avoid listening to politicians, they are not travel experts and are only interested in getting re-elected. Do your own research.

Anyone who read the Malta travel website, or researched Ireland-Malta travel on reopen.eu, would have known only fully vaccinated people would be allowed to travel there. Yet, some in       higher office advised the HSE vaccination card was enough.

6. Use the reopen.eu website or app. It’s excellent, clear and easy to understand. Search your departure point and destination for all the relevant rules and protocols.

7. The DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) website is very often out of date. Be wary if using it to research travel, it is no longer reliable.

The DFA ‘TravelWise’ app, which was created to “help inform your decisions about travelling abroad”, is still suspended. You unfortunately cannot rely on the DFA website or app.

8. Travel outside of Europe is still officially off-limits. At present, Irish and EU passport holders are still banned from travel to the US.

9. Just because you received your DCC, it does not mean it is valid. If you received it seven days after your second jab, it would not have been valid for travel to France, where 14 days are required before a person is considered fully vaccinated. In Ireland, it is seven days according to hse.ie.

Again, do your research, call your travel agent or use reopen.eu. Do not depend on the HSE website for international travel advice.

10. Children under the age of 12 do not need a DCC or negative PCR test when travelling within the EU. Children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be required to have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival to travel into Ireland, unless they have valid proof of vaccination or recovery.

Children of any age, travelling with accompanying vaccinated or recovered adults will not be required to self-quarantine upon arrival. But where one accompanying adult needs to self-                        quarantine, then all children must also self-quarantine.

And we all thought quantum physics was confusing !, unfortunately there are no qualifications you can get to be a worldwide expert on travel during Pandemic times. But, as we have            advised, do your research, check and book with a licensed and bonded travel agent. If you book with a travel agent, they will let you know if there are any changes in regulations between the              time you book and the time you travel.

Form travel are a licensed and bonded travel agency specialising in corporate, group, incentive and luxury travel.

Reserve now – but don’t travel until 2022

With all the confusion going on at the moment and the uncertainty of when countries will be reopening for business, we need to take a look at how this will affect our ability to travel once again. Lets face it, everybody is absolutely chomping at the bit to get out of this lockdown, get out of this country and go somewhere a little warmer/colder/quieter/wetter or more adventurous than here. No matter what your definition of a holiday is, you just want out of here.

The airlines are encouraging everybody to book now and you can understand why. It’s getting close to a year and a half since they have had any revenue and many of them are basically on their knees. They are still leaking cash at a frightening rate and an airline is a very expensive item to run. So, you decide to make the decision and reserve your flights, car and hotel, sure everything will be grand in October.

What happens when it turns out that things are not grand in October ?, your flights get cancelled and the airline offers you a voucher, not a refund. You have to scramble and rebook everything, maybe November will be safer (maybe not !), You then have to move your hotel/apartment/house reservation, you have to change your car hire details, you might have booked a cruise to tie in with the flights, the cruise is still going but the flights are not.

IT’S JUST ONE BIG BLOODY MESS !

It’s just one big mess, your perspiring, your blood pressure is going through the roof, the hotel wont give you a refund, so you have lost that money and your mental health is going down the swanee. Is it really worth it ?, trying to anticipate when it might be safe to travel again and trying to get the march on everybody else.

Even if things work out and your flight gets you to your destination, your car is ready on arrival and your hotel turns out to be better than expected, there are other problems to be considered. Lets start with the airport and the flight; you have been living in a Covid bubble for nearly a year and a half, so you are unprepared for the number of people at the airport. You have to wear a mask from the moment you enter the airport until you come out of the airport at the other end. People are not wearing their masks correctly, some have the dreaded “nose commando” on view, some are covering their chins instead of their faces for some reason. Check in and bag drop are supposed to be touchless, but you have to touch a lot of the screen to get your bag on it’s way to the aircraft. There is no social distancing on the flight, there are people’s hands touching things all over the place, fingerprints everywhere and Mr Nose Commando is sitting beside you. Due to restrictions, there is no food or drink service on the flight, so you arrive hungry and thirsty.

On arrival it’s 85 degrees, your face is so hot that you think the mask is permanently stuck to it. Out of the airport, mask off, go to your transfer, mask back on, arrive at the hotel with a mask on, but it’s slowly disintegrating and your mask “tan” is starting to develop. You finally get to your room, where at last you can take that damn mask off. You look around your room and your first thought is “Have they cleaned this properly ?”

I could go on about what could possibly happen in restaurants and bars (if they’re open), what if there is an outbreak and your area is put under curfew, but I realise I am making my own industry and livelihood sound very unappetising indeed.

The point I am attempting to make is this; at present (and this is purely my opinion), it is not advisable to travel anywhere out of this country, even if we were allowed. There are too many variables against it. All the industry material indicates that travel will get started from October of this year, but I still think this is too early.

My personal advice is that things will not really have settled down until May/June of 2022. At least by then there should be enough people in the world vaccinated, which will give us herd immunity. There will be a bigger easing of restrictions and maybe even the dreaded mask will be no more. You have not been anywhere for 18 months, so keep calm, keep saving the money and go on the best “Revenge” holiday ever, next year.

Holidays for 2022 and 2023 are available for sale now, with most operators allowing you to cancel your holiday with no fee up to 60 days before departure. So why not take the plunge and make a reservation now, at least you will have something to look forward to, with complete security if you change your mind.

What’s selling now for 2022/2023

Get away from it all vacations; cruises to Arctic, Antarctic and Galapagos Islands on smaller, more intimate ships.

USA long weekends including New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with a lot of reservations in Business Class, combined with luxury hotels.

Destination resorts staying in villas rather than the main hotel in the Caribbean, Florida, South Africa and all over Europe.

Fergus Roche is the owner of Form Travel, the above piece is merely an opinion, but hopefully it will give you food for thought.

Form Travel specialise in Luxury holidays, our ethos is to be with you from start to finish. We don’t just throw all of your requests into a mixing computer and send you the results, we will plan the perfect vacation with what you want and not what a computer wants to give you.

For more information and to start your post Covid perfect vacation, why not contact us

Flight service manager Ellie Hosgood in a recent interview with the Daily Mail let us know how life as a flight attendant has changed since the advent of Covid.

The signature Vivienne Westwood look is out, dressing like a surgeon is in.

We caught up with a stewardess from Virgin Atlantic for some insight into how different life in the skies is at the moment, and she revealed that at times it feels ‘like something out of a movie’.

And it’s not just because she sometimes has to cover her Westwood-designed uniform with PPE.

Flight Service Manager Ellie Hosgood, 37, reveals how colleagues have retrained as Covid testers, that she sometimes flies to the other side of the world and back without getting off the plane (but does get to sleep in business class) and that the pandemic has led to an even closer bond between crew members.

They are classed as key workers and crew Dreamliners and Airbus A350s undertaking important cargo missions and providing connectivity for customers for whom travel is legal – and essential.

Reporting for duty

In the UK, Ellie’s day starts at Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

She said: ‘Nowadays no passengers are travelling through. The terminal is currently closed and will reopen once travel reopens at scale, but in the meantime, we have repurposed our Upper Class Wing as our own Covid testing centre for cabin crew and pilots.

‘We visit the empty terminal before departure where we’re greeted by a small team of crew who have retrained as Covid testers. Here, we get tested before every flight and wait for our negative test result before we head over to Terminal 2 where Virgin Atlantic is temporarily flying from.

‘Walking through a deserted terminal is really strange, but it makes me even more excited to welcome more customers onboard our planes in the future.’

Boarding

Before boarding, the aircraft is given a virus-zapping cleanse.

Ellie, who has been with Virgin Atlantic for 18 years, said: ‘Before we board the aircraft, it undergoes rigorous cleaning where every surface is wiped down and a process called ‘fogging’ takes place. This is where the aircraft is cleaned with a hospital-grade spray to ensure 99.9 per cent of any potential bacteria or viruses are killed. This is done before every departure at all airports we operate from, which helps reassure us as much as it does our customers.

‘We must wear a mask as soon as we’re in the airport, and we wear them throughout our flight. This is definitely a challenge as it makes communicating with our customers a little difficult. Virgin Atlantic crew are renowned for their warm smiles and welcoming personalities, but now our passengers can’t see our faces!

‘I have really worked on conveying my emotions through my eyes and my mannerisms, whilst also listening very closely as it can be hard to hear through the masks over the noise of the engines.’

Ellie, who lives in Pullborough, West Sussex, revealed that for some flights her look is more medical than flight attendant.

She said: ‘For some destinations, such as India, we have to wear full PPE for boarding, which is definitely a change from our signature Vivienne Westwood look!’

Before passengers board, the crew discuss the travel rules in place for their destination.

Ellie said: ‘We do our preflight briefing onboard the aircraft, talking about the flight ahead, any special requirements for the flight and the processes and procedures in the destination we’re flying to. Each destination has different guidance that changes all the time, so we need to be sure the crew are all aware and confident of the restrictions. We then welcome customers onboard. The boarding process has changed slightly, and we request customers board the aircraft in smaller groups, to limit social contact as much as possible.

‘We usually hand out in-flight packs that contain toothpaste and socks, but we have also introduced a health pack for all customers that contains medical-grade face masks, anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser. Customers are required to wear face masks throughout the flight, and we provide wipes and santiser for their own comfort and peace of mind throughout the journey. Feedback from customers on how we keep them safe and healthy throughout the journey with us has been very positive.’

Once the flight is underway, Ellie and her team offer a pared-down service, but there’s still free booze.

Ellie said: ‘Since the Covid pandemic struck, we’ve totally redesigned our meal services to help keep our customers and us safe. As a temporary measure, we’re now offering a simplified hot meal service which reduces the amount of contact we have with our passengers, which many have said they find reassuring.

‘We keep updating our tasty food offering and we’re still offering our customer’s favourite Eric Lanlard afternoon tea alongside complimentary alcohol in all cabins.’

The meal service isn’t the only thing that’s changed. The flights are now often filled with passengers experiencing very difficult emotional situations, so the crews have had to recalibrate their interactions.

Ellie explained: ‘We’ve moved from taking people on holidays of a lifetime to welcoming people who are travelling for essential and often really emotive reasons, particularly if they’re returning home to visit a sick loved one.

‘Our crew have been phenomenal in recognising all the unique situations people are finding themselves in. The care and attention I’ve seen has been remarkable and I truly believe these customers will remember us for a long time. It’s these connections that have really kept us going throughout the pandemic.’

Instagram moments on hold

The crew have also had to adapt to their downtime being less glamorous and adventurous. And sometimes flying cargo-only operations that mean remaining on the plane at the destination before returning a few hours later.

Ellie said: ‘Sadly, cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge, trips to the Taj Mahal and shopping in New York are distant memories for now, as in some destinations we’re required to stay in our hotel or even in our rooms. It’s a strange feeling and often seems like something from a movie.

‘However, we’re an adaptable bunch and these new experiences create such a unique, strong bond between us all. It’s also given me a new appreciation for my job and seeing the world. I can’t wait to be able to explore again, especially our new destinations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Pakistan.

Our cargo flights

‘One thing that is completely new since the Covid pandemic hit is that on some flights, we may not have any passengers at all. Our cargo operation has increased significantly in the past year, and to many destinations we’re operating cargo-only services. We operate as one or two cabin crew members onboard for safety reasons. We have also operated some special charters for the Department of Health and Social Care carrying essential PPE and medical equipment and we even received special dispensation from the CAA to carry this precious cargo in the cabins.

‘Seeing swathes of boxes in place of smiling passengers definitely feels odd, but it’s a real privilege to know we’re supporting the NHS front lines by bringing vital medical supplies home.

‘We’re used to long flight times, but some of our cargo journeys are now classed as “ultra-long-haul”, which means we fly to the other side of the world, pick up vital cargo and fly home again without getting off the plane.’

Ellie said that she had crewed cargo flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong, which took around 11 hours, spent two to three hours on the ground inside the plane, then flown back.

These flights, ‘the result of some innovative thinking across the business’ are ‘helping us play our part in the fight against the pandemic’, said Ellie.

They’re usually crewed by two attendants who monitor the cabin, the cargo in the cabin, the galleys and the toilets, and who check in on the pilots.

Ellie added: ‘The return sector is then for sleep and it’s always a privilege to bed down in one of our Upper Class suites.

During these ultra-long flights we get to see the sunrise and sunset twice, which always feels quite special.’

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operations Officer, Virgin Atlantic, commented: ‘I’m so proud of our cabin crew who have adapted effortlessly to a much-changed operation and to the rigorous, multi-layered health and safety measures we’ve implemented throughout the last year. From the beginning, our absolute focus has been to ensure all our customers fly safe and fly well and our onboard teams have played a vital role in making this happen, doing so with that signature Virgin Atlantic flair we’re famous for, albeit from behind a face mask!’