An airline (whose initials are BA) is sending me charming promotional messages, suggesting that I book 2021 travel to Europe right away.
But… but…
2021 is just a couple months away, while a compelling treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic is likely a year or more distant, and not at all certain. Also, citizens of my COVID-leading country are not especially welcome anywhere right now; tests are hard to come by in many parts of the US, while many countries require them; and the destinations on sale are not all considered especially safe to visit at the moment, or are only open with strange restrictions that would make for an odd trip.
I LIKE the idea of travel, of course, and a lot can change in a few months to a year. But… but… I just don’t see giving them a thousand dollars or more that I’m unlikely to get back on the assumption that everything will be sorted out that soon. Not until something changes significantly for the better. I mean, even if a vaccine happened to be proven safe by the end of the year, it would take months to even GET it, and it isn’t clear the protection would last very long… So… Travel in the future, if and when I do it, will be… different.
Just a few years ago, I was traveling on business for work very regularly. It was a great experience (though costly to my personal life), and those kinds of trips wouldn’t even be POSSIBLE now. I’m glad I had that opportunity when I did: it may be a very long time before anyone can just get on a plane and go to one or two other countries to work with colleagues in person!
My photo software reminds me of this every so often, showing photos from this day in my life 1 year, 3 years, 5 years ago… I have fond memories of my colleagues and those locations. But… I wouldn’t go right now. It doesn’t make sense. I just wouldn’t.
I don’t even do my own grocery shopping regularly now: getting on a plane is just beyond my imagination at the moment.
I read yesterday that my own city and county currently has a test positivity rate of under 2%. Why leave a place that is getting it right??
Nice try, airline!