[JKL]

Hi ND13,

Glad to know The Siam was not as empty as it seemed – perhaps a testament to the high level of privacy afforded to guests! I was rather saddened at the time to think the virus issue might be having such a big effect as to result in a completely empty hotel.

I have to say the meal we had was absolutely superb – and again, a shame there was no-one else there (though in some ways, nice for us! 😉 Also very impressed with the hotel itself – it’s on my list of places to stay one day!

I agree with your sentiments re the threat, and can’t help feeling the hysteria has been over-blown. But perhaps better safe than sorry given so many still unknowns. I suppose it will either all be over in a few weeks, or it will have turned into something so serious that travel inconvenience will be the least of our worries… 😉

[Henryp1]

I think it’s a concern and would prefer direct flights where possible, ensuring to use hand sanitizer after washing hands as per normal. Plus making sure to use official sources for information and advice rather than potentially poorly informed media or individuals.

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=991892][/postquote]

Well let’s see.

Use aircraft toilet and wash hands. Open door (germs?). Return to seat (germ free from previous flight?). Immigration (passport handled by AN Other). Collect bags (hardly sterile) and so on.

[JKL]

[quote quote=991942]Well let’s see.
Use aircraft toilet and wash hands. Open door (germs?). Return to seat (germ free from previous flight?). Immigration (passport handled by AN Other). Collect bags (hardly sterile) and so on.[/quote]

How about: use aircraft toilet, wash hands. Use side of hand to slide door latch and little finger to pull handle to open door (or use a tissue over the handle perhaps). Return to seat, buckle up etc. Use hand sanitiser. Go through immigration, collect passport, collect bags, use hand sanitiser or pop in to bathroom to wash hands (especially if the route included touching door handles or escalator hand rails etc). Surely not really much of a burden? Wasn’t the point of the article that the more we all do to keep our hands clean, the lower the risk of the virus spreading?

But really, why are we even questioning in the first place the need to keep our hands clean?

2 users thanked author for this post.

TupeloKid, Down under

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=991950][/postquote]

Good luck doing all when travelling in India, Africa etc. Which I’m doing now.

Life is 90% common sense, not sure a half baked research article with some random stats adds much.

1 user thanked author for this post.

cwoodward

[GivingupBA]

Next weekend I was due to travel London to Hong Kong, changing planes in South Korea then back to Seoul for a while a week later. The Hong Kong portion of my trip is now cancelled because 1. the Hong Kong place I was going will no longer see me, 2. both my Seoul-Hong Kong-Seoul flights have been cancelled by the airline, 3. Hong Kong Immigration now place severe restrictions on anyone coming from South Korea (even in transit, as I was due to be). I’m still going to South Korea: I’m not worried about catching the virus, I’m more worried about 1. any further immigration restrictions, 2. any more flight cancellations.

I’d like to add that I had 2 no cancel no refund nights booked in the Regal Airport Hotel in Hong Kong (PS a place I have no connections with), but when I contacted them with my news and asked them if they can refund me, they immediately agreed to refund me in full. I really appreciate that and told them so in a reply.

This post is just for readers’ interest/ usefulness in case anyone is interested, thanks for listening.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Woodpecker

[AnthonyDunn]

GivingupBA

The issue you have now to wrestle with is are you willing and able to self-isolate for a fortnight upon your return/as a pre-condition of entry into a jurisdiction? That’s pretty much the question that we, each of us, have now to wrestle with.

[GivingupBA]

[postquote quote=992082][/postquote]

It’s not a precondition or requirement as of now for the Seoul area, but yes I am, and will do so. “Wrestle” is a good word to use there.

[AMcWhirter]

Emirates asks staff to take unpaid leave.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-01/emirates-offers-leave-to-staff-as-virus-saps-demand-for-travel

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=992136][/postquote]

To be fair the article says “The airline asked employees to consider taking paid or unpaid leave, according to the email.”

So not just unpaid.

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AMcWhirter

[MarcusGB]

Noting the comments above, i arrived into LHR T2 this morning.

There were NO temperature testing or any Health screenings being made at the arrivals hall at all.
Co-Incidentally, i happened to notice in several set places, alcogel dispensers.
There were no signs, indicating what they were.
No one asking people (as i think there should be for arriving passengers), to please use them.

I stood and watched a few hundred people, and it seemed around 5 people only i could see using these dispensers.
LHR IS failing to educate, or protect the entry to the UK in terms of the basic hygiene, as advised by the WHO, and Government here itself.

Rather than staff shouting as per usual at LHR which lane to enter into for Immigration, or what to get out at Security, the Airport should place these people requesting arrivals to the UK to use the dispensers, and provide proper signage as to why. In Asia KUL and BKK in recent weeks as i have gone through, , temperatures are taken both on arrival and departures, alcogels are provided and people prompting you to use them. Signs are clear to do so.
All staff at Airports are wearing masks, and crew on board, and these are not effective as mentioned many times, and by the Lead experts, and WHO.

I do understand there is a feeling here that we are not in or near a crisis, but is changing, and it is in Europe, as well as Asia very rapidly.
In the midst of Asia, precautions are being mobilised and Air Travel is supported with many precautions, and i do understand that the impact is so great there.
But i was shocked at no screening at all at LHR, no education or advice, and no reminders for the cleaning of hands and use of gels.
I felt this was irresponsible on our Borders, and of LHR is lacking as always.

I strongly admired arriving at Sydney, when even the E-gates, the machines to use asked about your travel, further officers asking as you entered, and The Governments pro-active approach to protect the Nation and its borders. The promotion and asking for people to Use the hand gels was excellent as was the signage.

Our main Airport this morning, was doing nothing. We are not being protected for any incoming risks.
So i do agree that people are not taking the recommended precautions, based on what i can see at the airport.
It is also common to see people using toilets and coming out not having washed their hands.
Few people do know how to wash their hands properly, and i can say as a Director of Healthcare, this is indeed accurate.

There is enough information, education, enough publicity, but people are choosing to ignore this, their own responsibility. By doing so, they place others at risk, and in entering our country also, other people.
This is purely ignorant and irresponsible of them. LHR needs to wake up also, as do the Government to protect our borders, and the people in this country.
This needs to Urgently change!

4 users thanked author for this post.

K1ngston, Jacob, MartynSinclair, GivingupBA

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=991869][/postquote]
Really good to hear ND13, its always good to get a different perspective, here’s to your business continuing to flourish and as I live in Thailand and spend a lot of time in Bangkok maybe our paths will cross

[Edski777]

Took a flight BKK – DAD (Da Nang, Vietnam) yesterday on Bangkok Airways. Only 15 passengers onboard their A320 with the full complement of 2 pilots and 4 flight attendants.
They can’t keep doing this very long I suspect. I wonder if my return flight next Sunday will still be operated or that I am stuck in lovely Da Nang.
Hotels I have stayed in in Thailand, Laos and here in Vietnam are all reporting occupancy rates of 10 – 20% with no Chinese, Korean and hardly any US tourists.

I went out for dinner at a popular seafood restaurant in Da Nang yesterday and was the only customer. After several waiters even the chef came round to ask how I liked the meal. These people are all really hit hard.
Never experienced anything like this before.

[AMcWhirter]

KLM says it will fly to Hong Kong “every other day” until May 3.

[NL]

https://nieuws.klm.com/update-corona-virus/

[Swissdiver]

Mauritius now extended its travel restrictions to the whole Italy and not only the Northern part, in addition of course of the usual suspects, China, Korea and Iran.

[Author]

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