Cunnerz

A friend of mine has just had his travel exemption rejected to visit his elderly parents in Dublin and suggested I use the word critical in my application. My first priority is to get my exemption otherwise everything else is a waste of time. Good question Nemesis, I don't know why they are stopping people leaving if they don't intend to come back again.

I have had my first AZ jab and will have my second one in about five weeks but will also be tested before I go and after I land in the UK. New Zealand sounds like an outside chance, do you know anyone who has done it that way MacGyver?

I'm sorry to hear you lost your mum earlier this year and my mum is also in an amazing home. I do see her on a Facebook Portal device which is great when you live so far away but there is nothing like hugging your own mother!

Thanks Tulip1, she is in a care home at the moment and being well looked after near one of my brothers. She is quite frail with dementia and I'm concerned she might not last long enough until I can over there.

Thanks Quoll and Nemesis, I work in the media and it may be possible to do some editing it would be reliant on a good hotel internet connection which isn't always the case!

Wanderer Returns, who knows when the borders will reopen?! My mum has been in hospital with heart problems so please don't describe it "This is such a bad idea" as I may never see her again. You had the luck to move before Covid and is a luxury that I currently don't have.

I am a dual national with Australian citizenship and it doesn't say not to book a flight to get an exemption. If I were returning for three months or more it actually says that flight itineraries could be counted towards a TE.

Thanks Marisawright. I don't have a travel exemption yet but am in the process of applying for it. I was told yesterday I need to book a flight before applying for a TE but am baulking at the $12k price tag and if I'm rejected will have given a small fortune to an airline without going anywhere!

I'm trying to fly back to the UK from Hobart in August to see my mum who has some serious health issues. I've only been given six weeks leave from work and will have to spend two of those quarantining in Australia when I get back. I went to my local Flight Centre office and they quoted me a flight to London for $1100 with Singapore but they only had Business Class coming back for the dates I gave them (I think it was with Etihad as you can't fly with Singapore leaving the UK) for $11,000! In addition $3000 for hotel quarantine brings the cost of the trip to $15k!! Apparently that doesn't mean I can't get bumped from my return flight either and I could get stuck for several weeks trying to get back. The other issue is getting an exemption to travel which seems to favour people returning for three months or more. Has anyone else had any experience of flying to the UK for a short visit recently? I'd love to hear about it, in particular the airlines and routes that you took and any other advice would be appreciated.