Prepare to get burned if you book after July 19
Huge travel price hikes could kick in on ‘Freedom Day’…but that’s
Are we nearly there yet? The whole nation is on tenterhooks about when we can finally arrive at the destination we have been looking forward to all summer – Freedom Day, the date when we will be able to jet off again on holidays. As things stand, travel abroad is not only ‘not recommended’, it may result in a €2,000 fine.
But that is due to change next month, fingers crossed.
EU president Ursula von ver Leyen has just unveiled the EU Digital Covid Certificate, which applies from July 1 for one year. It will enable vaccinated EU citizens to move freely around the European Union. Also covered are those who can show they have recovered from Covid-19 or produce a negative Covid-19 test.
From July, all member states will have six weeks to phase in the documents – which include a QR code to be scanned from digital or paper copies. You can use it from your phone or print it out – just like a boarding pass – to be scanned in airports.
That sounds marvellous. There are even bargain flights to be had for those brave enough to book now and fly later in the hope that everything will soon be back to normal. ‘I know a guy who booked a €9.99 flight to Barcelona from Shannon and €29.99 return,’ said Pat Dawson, CEO of the Irish Travel Agents Association,
So should we all get our sunnies and swimming togs packed?
Not just yet, alas. There are a few things to be ironed out.
Our own Government has pencilled in July 19 for issuing digital vaccination passports. The trouble is: nobody really believes it. Or they worry that even if it does get its act together and meet a digital deadline for once, there will be yet more delays due to surging cases or new variants.
And so not that many people have the confidence to book holidays. Consumers are adopting a ‘we’ll believe it when we see it’ approach. Even the airlines, desperate for business, have reduced capacity in July, according to Mr Dawson.
‘People are right to be sceptical. The EU said the new passport will be good to go from July 1, and other countries are up to speed. We’re meant to start from July 19, but I fear we’re going to be worst in class again when it comes to international travel.’
Earlier this week, the Government and Tony Holohon came under fire from a Dáil committee over insisting on pricey and timeconsuming PCR testing for travellers when cheaper and quicker antigen tests are accepted elsewhere. The medical authorities just don’t want people to fly, he said.
Mr Dawson said no Government politician seems keen to take responsibility for a digital passport, suggesting they don’t want to be scapegoated for yet another likely-to-be-missed deadline.
‘I hope this goes ahead. If it doesn’t, it will be another nail in the coffin of the travel industry. But I don’t know who’s responsible for this in Government and that worries me,’ he said.
It worries a lot of people who are holding off on booking holidays despite a massive pent-up demand to be basking in the sun abroad. ‘There wouldn’t be a huge demand at this point.’
However, that could soon change. ‘When the 400,000 odd people in their sixties have received their second vaccine – which should be mid July – we are expecting a lot of bookings for September, October and November,’ Mr Dawson said.
Topflight agrees. ‘Although travel this year may not be for everyone there is a huge pent-up demand and the enquiries and bookings over the last few weeks are testament to this,’ said a spokeswoman.
‘The majority of bookings are for August, September and October. However there are also bookings for the end of July. Some people just want to get away at the first opportunity.’
‘Tried-and-tested Italian destinations like Sorrento and Lake Garda
are proving very popular. As is the Tuscan countryside with those who enjoy the freedom of driving, as car hire is included in these packages.’
However, anyone who wants to book car hire later in the summer could be in for a shock. Car hire companies were among the worst hit by the Covid-19 lockdown, with giant Hertz going into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US and many rental companies selling off much of their fleet.
Punching in some car hire quotes for Barcelona on comparison site kayak.ie reveals alarming price rises of several hundred percent kicking in if you book after July 19 (see table).
‘If there’s a scarcity – there’s a price to be paid,’ warned Mr Dawson.
‘I saw many sales [of car fleets] throughout the last five months. There will be a similar problem with cars as there would with airplane seats.’
So with everyone holding off to see what will happen, could we see a massive surge in holiday and flight prices all of a sudden.
‘I think we might,’ added Mr Dawson, ‘Ryanair aren’t going to be offering €9.99 flights if they can charge a few hundred.’