The 'is this ok?' thread

[Pippedydeadeye]

That’s lovely Smal!

[Jet]

That’s so nice

[olive]

That’s a really lovely idea, Smalex.

We need to go into a doctors office for our immigration medical. It has to be done ASAP as our visas expire soon and there’s no way around it.

[AshleyX]

That is super kind, Smal. I bet you’ve made her birthday.

Oh, Olive! Hopefully it won’t be too horrible. I think all doctors’ places are even cleaner and more careful than normal, so am sure you’ll be fine.

[Marth]

That's so lovely, Smal. Such a lovely thought, I bet she was well chuffed.

I hope it goes ok, Olive.

[Estrella]

Olive, if it helps, I had to take the children to the medical centre on Tuesday for their flu needles and I felt really safe. They were taking temps of everyone before you were allowed in and had taped off certain seats to ensure social distancing in the waiting room. Plus my GP was wearing scrubs and had her seats set up at an appropriate distance from her desk. And there was santiser everywhere.

[Mountain Goat]

I know this one isn't ok, but I am interested to know if anyone knows how the reality of it would play out.

Alcoholic friend who lives in a small village in France (the alcoholic part is relevant as it explains why he even asked this) last night invited me and Mr Goat to go and stay with him for a bit, seeing as we're not doing anything much, what with this pandemic. (it is amazing, he's really offended that we won't - he lives in his own world of permanently blurred reality and hasn't really understood what's going on). Aside from the twenty million reasons that this is insane, I am curious about the actual logistics of it. He reckons that the ferries are running normally (but are empty so it's great!) and all you need to do is print out a French form to carry around on the other side and you can just bluff your way through. I however assume that there will be border checks and questioning about whether your travel is essential and doubt you'd be let on the ferry. But how does it actually work? Do you need proof of the essential nature of your travel? Could you just lie? Are you quarantined on the other side, if you are even let in? Is this enforced? Could people get away with this bullshit?

I am mostly curious but would also like to win the argument. With a person who won't even remember that there was an argument by now.

[Ella77]

They’ve been sending back British private jets that have tried offloading passengers in France, so I’d be astonished if they let anybody waltz in off the ferry.

[Mountain Goat]

Oh interesting! Thank you. It would be ludicrous and I can't possibly imagine that they would but he won't have it.

[AshleyX]

I heard today that the Eurostar was open - is that true? I have no idea if it would be possible, if you so desired! I can’t believe your friend is offended you won’t go

[Chicky]

I was watching the news about BA the other day and they said flights were 99% down because of CV. Then I started wondering who was still flying to make up the 1%??

[Texaco Shirley]

I heard today that the Eurostar was open - is that true? I have no idea if it would be possible, if you so desired! I can’t believe your friend is offended you won’t go

I saw that too and wondered if I’d misunderstood.

[AshleyX]

It seems bizarre, doesn’t it! Better not tell your friend, Goat

[Topcat]

I was watching the news about BA the other day and they said flights were 99% down because of CV. Then I started wondering who was still flying to make up the 1%??

Cargo flights and people (still) being repatriated, I would guess.

[AshleyX]

Also, the oil industry is still limping along so they’ll still need the odd flights - I saw that Schiphol is still flying to Aberdeen.

[Mountain Goat]

Aha, the Eurostar thing prompted me to have a look at their site and they say you need to fill out this form showing that your travel is essential. Essential travel is pretty much that you live in France, have to transit through France to go to where you live, or you're involved in (specific areas of) healthcare/diplomacy/other very specific jobs. Everything there is something you could prove if it were true, so I doubt you could lie your way in.

https://content-static.eurostar.com/doc ... _tr_en.pdf

[ParisGal]

I don't have any info about what extra controls there are on incoming flights, and you are allowed to travel for work related reasons that cannot be done remotely and cannot be delayed (this doesn't have to be "essential" stuff - Mick Jagger is confined in his French property in our region and the local paper reported on him having two visitors flying into the local airport from the UK to work with him on some music project. They had a "work permit" which was valid for about a fortnight). Although that does seem to not fit in with any of the criteria on that Eurostar document I expect there is some leeway given to the rich and famous...

I can only imagine that every one normal coming into the country will have to show proof in the same way that everyone has had to if they get stopped by the police going about their business. Certainly at the road borders e.g. with Spain they were stopping all cars and turning back anyone who didn't qualify.

I have heard though that a few weeks ago there were absolutely no controls (no temperature checks or recommendations for self-quarantining) for French people returning to France from the UK.

[Loralei]

I was watching the news about BA the other day and they said flights were 99% down because of CV. Then I started wondering who was still flying to make up the 1%??

Yes, cargo and repatriation, but also in extremely remote areas (Scottish Highlands and Islands, for example) it's the only form of transport, so as well as food and pharmaceuticals, they may be ferrying key workers. Although that will be small companies, not BA, obviously. The company that runs our air shuttles makes the majority of its revenue this way.

[AshleyX]

Would you know why my local airport (Inverness) only has one flight a day scheduled and it’s to Jersey, Lora? When there’s never normally a flight to Jersey and it doesn’t seem to be scheduled as an arrival? (You may not have a clue, I’m not sure what you do, but you sound like you might know )

[Loralei]

Would you know why my local airport (Inverness) only has one flight a day scheduled and it’s to Jersey, Lora? When there’s never normally a flight to Jersey and it doesn’t seem to be scheduled as an arrival? (You may not have a clue, I’m not sure what you do, but you sound like you might know )

That's a FlyBe flight, isn't it? Is it actually flying? (Aside from CV19, FlyBe stopped operating in March.) It's possible another operator took over the route but I believe it was a tourist charter, so if it is still flying I have no idea!