Coronavirus Impact on Travel

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19165]

Exactly my thoughts.  I've pretty much just thrown in the towel on...

1. No international travel for the rest of 2020
2. Highly unlikely US travel to other states for the rest of 2020
3. Possible long weekend within the state of Texas just for something different to do in fall 2020

Hope I'm wrong, but that's my prediction.

Again, not personal, but fuck your prediction.

[Landomatic 3813]

3 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Again, not personal, but fuck your prediction.

No worries Penelope, here are some other classics for ya...

"I mean this in the nicest way possible, but go fuck yourself"

"With all do respect, go fuck yourself"

[South Austin 52635]

Are you, Penelope, menstruating right now?

[DDD Dad 14359]

Are you, Penelope, menstruating right now?

Your mom was last night.

[Landomatic 3813]

7 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Are you, Penelope, menstruating right now?

Lulz...I can't speak to that.  But I'll go out on a limb and say that she enjoys travel and dining probably more than anyone else on this site.  So this shit has to be particularly hard for her.  Plus I'm pretty sure she's in NY which has to suck.

Anyway, she gets a pass for her bitchiness.  And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

4 hours ago, Wanker Bob said:

The data. We have over 4 times as many confirmed cases and over twice as many deaths as any other country and our leader is on TV every day making a giant ass out of himself for the world to see. We're accepting humanitarian aid in the form of PPE from places like Russia, Singapore, and China. The most economically and militarily powerful nation in the world requiring humanitarian aid for the most basic of supplies. 

No matter what you may think the perception globally is we're the embodiment of the Benny Hill theme song and an absolute embarrassment. 

Your optics might need some cleaning.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

39 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

No worries Penelope, here are some other classics for ya...

"I mean this in the nicest way possible, but go fuck yourself"

"With all do respect, go fuck yourself"

Bless yer heart.....

[Js1 85618]

We all enjoy traveling and have made to make sacrifices, cancelled plans and have to forego future trips in the short term.

Telling people to fuck off for expressing an opinion ain’t gonna make it better. But go on with your bad self if it helps you personally. 

[Landomatic 3813]

Just now, Js1 said:

We all enjoy traveling and have made to make sacrifices, cancelled plans and have to forego future trips in the short term.

Telling people to fuck off for expressing an opinion ain’t gonna make it better. But go on with your bad self if it helps you personally. 

Fuck off.

Ooooh...that did feel kinda nice.

[Landomatic 3813]

2 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Bless yer heart.....

Yeah, another classic.

[utee94 15869]

I think Penelope might have had more than a few Cosmos last night, right?  Anyway, I totally get it.

[ernest_t_bass 1196]

Just got word that we will receive our refund IN FULL for our trip.  Great day!

[Shaddie 1651]

I could get used to this. 20 minute drive to airport is now 10. 20 minute wait to drop off car and get shuttle to airport is now 10. Pre line is empty. 
 

If only I didn’t have to fly Southwest today. 

[Hate 20149]

The data. We have over 4 times as many confirmed cases and over twice as many deaths as any other country and our leader is on TV every day making a giant ass out of himself for the world to see. We're accepting humanitarian aid in the form of PPE from places like Russia, Singapore, and China. The most economically and militarily powerful nation in the world requiring humanitarian aid for the most basic of supplies. 

No matter what you may think the perception globally is we're the embodiment of the Benny Hill theme song and an absolute embarrassment. 

Don’t be a wanker, Bob. Go to the cloakroom where you can sniff your own farts with everyone else. There you can sit around and talk about just how great your farts smell while everyone else spins yarns of how great their own farts smell.

[Js1 85618]

29 minutes ago, ernest_t_bass said:

Just got word that we will receive our refund IN FULL for our trip.  Great day!

FUCK YOU!!! 

[Landomatic 3813]

41 minutes ago, Shaddie said:

If only I didn’t have to fly Southwest today. 

I'm betting it'll feel like first class with the whole row to yourself and all.  Order a few drinks, stretch out and enjoy.

Just curious...where could you possibly be having to fly right now?  I live near Love in Dallas and every time I see a Southwest plane in the air, I think to myself, where could anyone be flying right now?

[Hate 20149]

They want to get away.

[utee94 15869]

9 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

I'm betting it'll feel like first class with the whole row to yourself and all.  Order a few drinks, stretch out and enjoy.

Just curious...where could you possibly be having to fly right now?  I live near Love in Dallas and every time I see a Southwest plane in the air, I think to myself, where could anyone be flying right now?

Yesterday while I was out for my run, I saw a plane fly overhead, and realized it seemed unusual.  It's a pretty rare thing these days.

[ZB'Tejas 593]

On 4/21/2020 at 8:42 AM, Landomatic said:

Yep, I was thinking something along these lines.  Always been on my radar as a place I wanted to try, so now seems like as good a year as any.  Looks like they're not even going to open until September...

https://www.dosbrisas.com/

I spent a week at Dos Brisas last Fall and it's pretty spectacular... Great place to get away and the food and service is incredible.

[Brisketexan 105460]

1 hour ago, Landomatic said:

I'm betting it'll feel like first class with the whole row to yourself and all.  Order a few drinks, stretch out and enjoy.

Just curious...where could you possibly be having to fly right now?  I live near Love in Dallas and every time I see a Southwest plane in the air, I think to myself, where could anyone be flying right now?

My wife is flying SWA to and from Phoenix Friday-Tuesday.....her beloved aunt (really like her mother) is dying.  So, people are still traveling for these "must go" sort of things.  But that's about it.  I'm betting there will be fewer than 25 people on her plane.  Renting a car by herself -- will wipe it all down before use.

And no, not thrilled about her traveling, but we're taking every precaution - we have an N95 mask she can use, travel size sanitizer and alcohol wipes, she'll be staying in her cousin's house, but in a stand-alone section (her own bedroom and bathroom), and they've been distancing as well.  And visiting the hospice, she'll just go in and out, one at a time, to her aunt's room -- masked and gloved, and all that.

Travel ain't what it was, that's for sure.

[irishtexan 11527]

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

On 4/21/2020 at 12:38 AM, irishtexan said:

I don’t think you can reliably plan any sort of vacation or non-essential travel until spring of 2021. There may be windows in which you can plan a short getaway if the place you live, and the place you’re going to have seen sustained downward trajectories of infections and have demonstrated access to reliable to testing. But when they do loosen restrictions that’s just going to result in a New wave of infections, which will then result in a re-tightening of restrictions. Shits gonna ebb and flow for the next 18 months. I don’t see how you can plan anything with confidence until there is a vaccine and reliable herd immunity, or a treatment that works for the vast majority of infected patients.

Read more  

This isn't personal, but fuck you. Seriously. You can expect the worst, but should hope for the best. The doom and gloom is getting fucking old.

[thunderlounge 7961]

19 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

sucks.  this was probably going to be my best concert and travel year ever and now i'll feel lucky if i can get a weekend out of austin sometime in the fall.

 

I'm in a similar boat. Not best year ever, but still pretty fucking nice. And all it is right now is a big game of chicken about who actually makes the call to cancel. If the band cancels, they're on the hook. So they have to wait for a government or promoter to cancel, so the insurance pays up, etc. (Or something to that effect at least.)

So I sit here with 6 trips planned from Late June through mid October, and even though it's highly unlikely any happen, who knows. It's still a couple months away, and nobody knows what next week looks like, let alone 8 weeks.

 

 

16 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

  

16 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

But to his point, that's why I haven't cancelled my trip to Africa yet.  I just don't see Kenya and Zambia keeping foreigners out for very long.

 

Oh yeah, they're gonna need something to eat....

 

Maybe they should move to where the food is.

[Your Mom 4856]

2 hours ago, Shaddie said:

I could get used to this. 20 minute drive to airport is now 10. 20 minute wait to drop off car and get shuttle to airport is now 10. Pre line is empty. 
 

If only I didn’t have to fly Southwest today. 

 

1 hour ago, Landomatic said:

I'm betting it'll feel like first class with the whole row to yourself and all.  Order a few drinks, stretch out and enjoy.

 

No drink service at all on any SWA flights now.  Not even water.  Bring a bottle and your own minis if you need it.  

[South Austin 52635]

3 hours ago, Landomatic said:

Lulz...I can't speak to that.  But I'll go out on a limb and say that she enjoys travel and dining probably more than anyone else on this site.  So this shit has to be particularly hard for her.  Plus I'm pretty sure she's in NY which has to suck.

Anyway, she gets a pass for her bitchiness.  And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Oh I get it.  Just seemed like an appropriate time for a Ghostbusters quote.

[Your Mom 4856]

30 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

My wife is flying SWA to and from Phoenix Friday-Tuesday.....her beloved aunt (really like her mother) is dying.  So, people are still traveling for these "must go" sort of things.  But that's about it.  I'm betting there will be fewer than 25 people on her plane.  Renting a car by herself -- will wipe it all down before use.

And no, not thrilled about her traveling, but we're taking every precaution - we have an N95 mask she can use, travel size sanitizer and alcohol wipes, she'll be staying in her cousin's house, but in a stand-alone section (her own bedroom and bathroom), and they've been distancing as well.  And visiting the hospice, she'll just go in and out, one at a time, to her aunt's room -- masked and gloved, and all that.

Travel ain't what it was, that's for sure.

She'll encounter far less people at both airports and on the airplane than she would on a single trip to HEB.  I'm not saying people should start traveling, I'm not.  But it's pretty damn isolated out there.

[Brisketexan 105460]

Just now, Your Mom said:

She'll encounter far less people at both airports and on the airplane than she would on a single trip to HEB.  I'm not saying people should start traveling, I'm not.  But it's pretty damn isolated out there.

That's our thinking.  It's not perfect, but she'll probably have pretty limited exposure to other folks.

[South Austin 52635]

3 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

Your mom was last night.

Yeah, that was somebody else's mom.  She probably hasn't menstruated in a quarter century or so.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19165]

44 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

Because I have  not had a fucking vacation since last March and I have been under lockdown since Mid-March with no end in site.  I had to cancel 3 weeks worth of vacations in April and May (to Spain and Paris) because of this bullshit.  I am going to lose 8 weeks of vacation this year because of this situation (we are "essential" though I am able to work remotely, but fucking busy as ever, but with no hope of getting any help because hiring freeze).  

Edited April 22, 2020 by PenelopeWitherspoon

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19165]

3 hours ago, South Austin said:

Are you, Penelope, menstruating right now?

Good reference.  Might have to rewatch that tonight.  

No, just really fucking tired of this.  

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19165]

3 hours ago, utee94 said:

I think Penelope might have had more than a few Cosmos last night, right?  Anyway, I totally get it.

Nope.  No drinking at all last night.  Just tired of the doom and gloom.  

[irishtexan 11527]

23 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Because I have  not had a fucking vacation since last March and I have been under lockdown since Mid-March with no end in site.  I had to cancel 3 weeks worth of vacations in April and May (to Spain and Paris) because of this bullshit.  I am going to lose 8 weeks of vacation this year because of this situation (we are "essential" though I am able to work remotely, but fucking busy as ever, but with no hope of getting any help because hiring freeze).  

I had no idea it was this serious. Didn't know that you were facing hardships as serious as not being able to take a vacation this year. I apologize for offering up my opinion on how the virus will impact travel on the thread about how the virus will impact travel. I should have sugar coated it to protect your delicate sensibilities in this grave time. 

Edited April 22, 2020 by irishtexan

[Js1 85618]

24 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Because I have  not had a fucking vacation since last March and I have been under lockdown since Mid-March with no end in site.  I had to cancel 3 weeks worth of vacations in April and May (to Spain and Paris) because of this bullshit.  I am going to lose 8 weeks of vacation this year because of this situation (we are "essential" though I am able to work remotely, but fucking busy as ever, but with no hope of getting any help because hiring freeze).  

[irishtexan 11527]

2 minutes ago, Js1 said:

But her vacation...

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19165]

15 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

I had no idea it was this serious. Didn't know that you were facing hardships as serious as not being able to take a vacation this year. I apologize for offering up my opinion on how the virus will impact travel on the thread about how the virus will impact travel. I should have sugar coated it to protect your delicate sensibilities in this grave time. 

There is enough fucking doom and gloom in the COVID threads.  Long and short, no one knows what the fuck is going to happen beyond about May 15 of June 1.  Let's keep this thread to the reality, and leave the speculation and predictions in the other threads.  

I know it matters not one whit to anyone, but because of what I do and who I work for, there is almost ZERO way I get any meaningful down time in the current market (due to volatility of both commodities and credit markets and the fact that we are essenctial, especially given some of the shit going on with some of our competitors).  Beyond the impact to myself, I have to worry for everyone in my company as well (I am one of two senior leaders here in the Americas).  The cracks are starting to show with a lot of us, and it is getting incredibly frustrating on all fronts because I am helpless to do anything about it.  

Besides, I am an asshole.  Sign up top should have told you.

 

[Biff Tannen 45750]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Oh I get it.  Just seemed like an appropriate time for a Ghostbusters quote.

Anytime is an appropriate time.  And shit got real in here for a second.

[Shaddie 1651]

3 hours ago, Landomatic said:

where could anyone be flying right now?

San Jose CA. Customer makes stuff for companies that make medical equipment. 
 

20 people on plane. 2 were united FA’s commuting I heard them say. 1 was pilot. I seemed to be only one traveling for biz. 
 

Normally AA guy but no way to get PHX-SJC on them today. 

[wild_turkey 3186]

I do agree with Penelope that this thread has become predominantly doom and gloom. Whether that is justified or not, no one knows.

The first coronavirus thread on this site was started exactly 3 months ago. The U.S. was pretty much business as usual up until 5-6 weeks ago. Things have changed so quickly that it seems impossible to predict what the world as a whole will be like by late summer. Maybe we are all locked down again, or maybe everything is approaching the new normal.

At the very least I expect domestic travel to be possible in the summer. Lots of areas are already discussing plans for reopening restaurants and bars. Vegas has plans in the work to reopen casinos. I think it's a bit crazy to assume no travel will occur outside the state when these changes are on the verge of taking place.  

I'm choosing to remain optimistic. My outlook won't change anything but it feels a lot better to be hopeful and look forward to future trips than it does to throw in the towel on an entire year. A year without a solid vacation is depressing af.

[South Austin 52635]

I think it's fine to remain optimistic, and I do think domestic travel will open up this summer.  But be realistic.

Take my San Francisco plans, for example (though you can apply it to any major metropolitan area like New York, Chicago, Seattle, etc.).  What is that going to look like in July?  Will I still have to wear a mask while walking around Alcatraz, the modern art museum, Golden Gate Park, or the city streets in general?  And I'm sure restaurants will re-open.  But will social-distancing occupancy requirements make reservations a challenge, let alone just walk-ins?  And how many of the restaurants the good Surly folks recommended on the San Francisco thread will be closed for good?  

Some folks might still jump at the chance to travel even if at their destination a bunch of restaurants are closed and they have to wear a mask most of the time.  But for others that information could impact whether they spend money on air fare and hotel for an experience that might not be as enjoyable until those cities are closer to "normal."  For that reason, I'm looking more at a long weekend at a quiet Hill Country resort.  Or maybe a beach house in Port Aransas.     

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19165]

5 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I think it's fine to remain optimistic, and I do think domestic travel will open up this summer.  But be realistic.

Take my San Francisco plans, for example (though you can apply it to any major metropolitan area like New York, Chicago, Seattle, etc.).  What is that going to look like in July?  Will I still have to wear a mask while walking around Alcatraz, the modern art museum, Golden Gate Park, or the city streets in general?  And I'm sure restaurants will re-open.  But will social-distancing occupancy requirements make reservations a challenge, let alone just walk-ins?  And how many of the restaurants the good Surly folks recommended on the San Francisco thread will be closed for good?  

Some folks might still jump at the chance to travel even if at their destination a bunch of restaurants are closed and they have to wear a mask most of the time.  But for others that information could impact whether they spend money on air fare and hotel for an experience that might not be as enjoyable until those cities are closer to "normal."  For that reason, I'm looking more at a long weekend at a quiet Hill Country resort.  Or maybe a beach house in Port Aransas.     

I would be absolutely fine holed up in a house in the South of France or on a Greek Island somewhere (easier for me to get to and hoenstly cheaper than the Hamptons, Newport, etc...).

Hell, Paris just announced they are optimistic they will be able to start looking at opening restaurants, cafes, and bars on June 15.  

I know this shit is going to roll through until there is a viable treatment (notice I did not say vaccine becuase I do not think we need a vaccine to get back to living).  But I am still hopeful that I can do something in October/November and that I will be able to spend Easter 2021 in Spain as I was supposed to do this year.

To tell people that have already had massive disruptions that shit is borked and there is no hope is fucking horrible.  I get enough of that shit from my elected officials' pressers each day.  It is a fucking beating day in and day out.

[Shaddie 1651]

Talked with a coworker from Phoenix yesterday. He and wife were in Austin visiting one of their kids. Had been to Dallas few days earlier visiting other kids. Then going to Houston to visit BIL and SIL. 
 

He ain’t skeered no Covid. 
 

Of course he’s an aggy so I will let you take that as you please. 

[South Austin 52635]

I get it, Penelope.  And I'm always a fan of your travel pics.  I really hope you can go abroad later this year. 

With kid considerations I need to take my vacation(s) this summer, and since I'm more risk-averse than most, I'm having to be a bit more conservative in my forecasts.  But I'm also giving it a few more weeks.  Fingers crossed.

[conVINCEd 21472]

Was planning on Italy this summer.  At this point, the rough plan is to drop $80 on a National Parks pass, head west, and make it up as we go.

[4th&Five 41603]

33 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

I do agree with Penelope that this thread has become predominantly doom and gloom. Whether that is justified or not, no one knows.

The first coronavirus thread on this site was started exactly 3 months ago. The U.S. was pretty much business as usual up until 5-6 weeks ago. Things have changed so quickly that it seems impossible to predict what the world as a whole will be like by late summer. Maybe we are all locked down again, or maybe everything is approaching the new normal.

At the very least I expect domestic travel to be possible in the summer. Lots of areas are already discussing plans for reopening restaurants and bars. Vegas has plans in the work to reopen casinos. I think it's a bit crazy to assume no travel will occur outside the state when these changes are on the verge of taking place.  

I'm choosing to remain optimistic. My outlook won't change anything but it feels a lot better to be hopeful and look forward to future trips than it does to throw in the towel on an entire year. A year without a solid vacation is depressing af.

the vegas "plan" from the mayor is basically open everything now and see what happens.

[Hate 20149]

the vegas "plan" from the mayor is basically open everything now and see what happens.

Well, that is a plan is it not?

[Wanker Bob 379]

8 hours ago, Landomatic said:

Take it to the cloak room.

You asked.

To tie it back to travel it means Americans are rapidly becoming perceived globally as ground zero for pandemic death and futility. That's going to impact how soon countries worth traveling to are going to accept Americans on their shores again. The worse this is handled and the worse this gets perceived the longer we're looking at being mostly unable to travel outside the US. 

[Landomatic 3813]

8 minutes ago, Wanker Bob said:

You asked.

I didn’t ask for your political opinion, you inserted that on your own.

[HenryJames 66190]

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Nope.  No drinking at all last night.  Just tired of the doom and gloom.  

You should have said ‘No one wants to buy your doom and gloom here, Louis.’

[South Austin 52635]

30 minutes ago, Wanker Bob said:

To tie it back to travel it means Americans are rapidly becoming perceived globally as ground zero for pandemic death and futility. That's going to impact how soon countries worth traveling to are going to accept Americans on their shores again. The worse this is handled and the worse this gets perceived the longer we're looking at being mostly unable to travel outside the US. 

We're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America!  Gentlemen!

[utee94 15869]

47 minutes ago, Hate said:

Well, that is a plan is it not?

If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

 

[utee94 15869]

32 minutes ago, Wanker Bob said:

You asked.

To tie it back to travel it means Americans are rapidly becoming perceived globally as ground zero for pandemic death and futility. That's going to impact how soon countries worth traveling to are going to accept Americans on their shores again. The worse this is handled and the worse this gets perceived the longer we're looking at being mostly unable to travel outside the US. 

Wow that's incredibly interesting.  Tell it again.