Britons urged to travel to Greece this summer

[YoMo2]

Reading the previous posts about flights from UK, I am confused. Seasonal tourist accommodation in Greece is still closed. The last instruction I saw was that they would re-open on July 1st. Unless this has changed and I have missed it, it seems unlikely that easyjet, Ryanair, or any other package tourist airline will start flying again till then? I exclude year round destinations like Athens and Thessaloniki.

Andrew

[Midlander]

On zarpanews.gr this morning Ryanair flights to Chania will begin in July.

[Kilkis]

Most of the discussion on international tourism is looking forward to July, Andrew, although there may be some before then. For example hotels that normally open all year round are allowed to reopen from 1 June and seasonal tourist accommodation can reopen from 10 June. The type of holiday accommodation that is only licensed to open for a maximum of 3 month or 13 weeks per year, which I presume is largely Airbnb type accommodation, has never been banned from opening throughout the crisis but they probably wouldn't be open until peak season anyway. International flights are allowed from 18 May except to/from Italy, Spain, Holland and UK, which are banned at least until 31/05/2020. Flights to/from Albania,Turkey and North Macedonia are banned at least until 15/06/2020. Non EU citizens are not allowed to enter Greece until after 31/05/2020.

It really depends on when quarantine requirements are relaxed/removed and when airlines decide it is worth scheduling flights again. Many smaller EU countries, especially in the Balkan peninsula and the Baltic have controlled the spread of COVID-19 with pretty much the same effectiveness as Greece so tourism from those countries could be considered without quarantine at quite a low risk.

Warwick

PS Some of the above information was extracted from an email sent out to his customers yesterday by my accountant George Atsalakis but is available from other sources in the media.

[Maud]

Information changes daily, especially in the U.K! It is difficult to make sense of anything.....or plan for the future just now. - None of us know what the future is going to be like anyway!

If I were living in Greece I would certainly not want to come to the U.K. for a holiday. If I were living in the U.K. then a country with a low Corvid 19 count like Greece would be top of my list of places to visit! - Without extremely strict rules on people travelling between countries, I cannot see how there won’t be a spike in infections in countries such as Greece once the tourist season starts up again. If people can be asymptomatic, it is a big problem. How can these people be identified and be stopped travelling?,

The airlines want revenue, so they will do anything to get your money. Unfortunately businesses in the tourist industry also need customers as well, so risks are going to have to be taken. I just hope that they are ‘measured‘ as much as possible, and that people will abide by the guidelines of social distancing and touching surfaces then washing hands. I have a problem with seeing how all this can happen on an aircraft though. I see flights as being the biggest problem with virus spreading.

[Rick]

I echo all the previous comments about the credibility Greece has achieved with regard to the low covid19 count, but are they starting to take risks to protect the fragile tourist economy?
They have just agreed In principle to lift quarantine measures for Britons provided it is reciprocal- see link

https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2020/ ... theoharis/

[Kilkis]

I'm all in favour of reciprocity. Assume in the following description that the word "Rates" means "the number of new cases and new deaths per day both scaled per million population". For any two countries, when the country with the higher Rates achieves the same Rates as the country with the lower Rates then both countries should allow unrestricted travel between them. Until then quarantine should continue to be imposed on citizens from the country with the higher Rates entering the country with the lower Rates. Simple, clear and no question of any favouritism, just simple science.

Warwick

[filippos]

Mr O'Leary is not a happy bunny

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... rus-crisis

Were I in Mr O'Leary's situation I'd be saying much the same.. That said his firm is in a better position than most of his competitors; Jet 2 has struggled to survive for years without the virus, easyJet has signed orders for many more new aircraft, Flybe has already crashed, BA, as part of IAG has been struggling, and continues to do so while O'L is sitting with about a billion of cash most of which is uncommitted. In addition to the virus caused problems eJet is facing a shareholders' revolt (led by Stejios) over buying the new planes.

Stelios and his supporters are unlikely to win the shareholder battle as nearly all other major investors are lined up behind the Board. In the unlikely event that the shareholders do win and press their demand that the orders for planes are cancelled there's no guarantee that the orders can be cancelled, at least without paying huge compensation. Why would the plane maker, already struggling to avoid bankruptcy without a government bail out, agree to contract cancellation or even deferral? "Sorry, Buddy, much as we'd like to help if those orders get cancelled we'll be filing for bankruptcy and you'll be just another creditor waiting for a few cents on the dollar. Oh, we won't be able to build the planes either."

[Kilkis]

I guess today's revelation that over 9 million Easyjet customer accounts have been hacked and their personal details stolen, including 2,208 customers who had their credit card accounts accessed, won't help Easyjet any. Watch out for phishing emails if you've ever bought an Easyjet ticket folks. Incidentally Easyjet became aware of this attack in January so great customer service to release the information over half way through May. It took them until April to tell those whose credit card details had been accessed - that is criminal. They can deal with thousands of bookings per day but it takes them 4 months to contact 2,000 people?

Warwick

[Kookla]

Fillipos I disagree with your comment re Jet2. They have actually grown considerably, steadily and economically, and during the pandemic handled themselves well, with consumer appreciation to this.( ie in date order of departing flights contacting consumers re their flights due to depart the UK)
Warwick I agree that easyJet have ‘sat’ on this hacking debacle for too long and within the tourist industry it
has been known.

Ps. I am not affiliated to either company.

[Keltz]

I don't think any credit card accounts have been accessed as a result of EasyJet data breach

https://thehackernews.com/2020/05/easyj ... g.html?m=1

and no passport details taken. It does seem to be that such breaches are reported well after when they occur and I presume this is to protect the business. Am not sure where customers come into the order of priority.

Bottom line is and regardless of when a data breach happens, never click through a link on an email even if it seems to be from your bank or other organisation that has your bank or credit card detail such as Amazon, Apple and EBay. Only click the bookmarks you normally use to access your account. Stay safe online.

[Kilkis]

Everybody seems to be concentrating on the usual internet risks associated with this hack. If the hackers accessed customers details they probably didn't just get their email address and password but also their home address and landline phone number. They also got their travel details. Put the information together and you have a pretty solid: "This address will be empty between these dates - knock yourself out Mr Burglar" for up to 9 million people. Obviously some of those 9 million will not currently have travel planned and for some it won't be everybody in the house that will be travelling but it provides a valuable foundation for planning a burglary spree? The landline phone number gives a good method to eliminate houses where somebody is still at home.

Warwick

[YoMo2]

Good logic, Warwick. Quite right. But luckily for most of those 9m, those trips won't be happening now. A close shave perhaps.

Andrew

[Kilkis]

This is an extract from an email I received today, 22 May, my emphasis in red:

Our investigation found that your name, email address, and travel details were accessed for the easyJet flights or easyJet holidays you booked between 17th October 2019 and 4th March 2020. Your passport and credit card details were not accessed, however information including where you were travelling from and to, your departure date, booking reference number, the booking date and the value of the booking were accessed.

I like the careful use of the word "accessed". It sort of implies they had a quick look and moved on while the reality is that they were "stolen". I suppose they don't want to use the word "stolen"? Also it does not mention if my address and phone number were "accessed" or not, which seems to be a critical piece of information.

Warwick

[bobscott]

This is an extract from an email I received today, 22 May, my emphasis in red:

Our investigation found that your name, email address, and travel details were accessed for the easyJet flights or easyJet holidays you booked between 17th October 2019 and 4th March 2020. Your passport and credit card details were not accessed, however information including where you were travelling from and to, your departure date, booking reference number, the booking date and the value of the booking were accessed.

I like the careful use of the word "accessed". It sort of implies they had a quick look and moved on while the reality is that they were "stolen". I suppose they don't want to use the word "stolen"? Also it does not mention if my address and phone number were "accessed" or not, which seems to be a critical piece of information.

Warwick

Got the same. Have decided not to travel anyway so will be cancelling. Frying pan next to the door in case a burglar calls! Bob.

[Kookla]

Before the days of Internet I was always flummoxed and perplexed by reports in newspapers, especially local ones. One would read about Mr &Mrs Smith of Acacia Ave, aged 80 and 82 who were robbed. Followed quite often with the physical ailments of the pair and therefore such ‘easy’ targets. Even as a child/teenager I was horrified that their address, ages etc were included. Surely an open invitation for the next opportunist burglar.

Now, I am even more dumbfounded with some people who use social media, who happily tell all and sundry when they are going off on their holidays...

Sadly the internet hackers are a savvy bunch and seemingly a step ahead of us a lot of times.

Yes Bob, Frying pan at the ready, along with ‘other’ well-respected measures ...