How 2020 Turned a Traveler Into a Sapper

COVID’s 2020 Forced Travelers to Become Sappers. But there is good news.

And how serenely it began. I already remember the January trip to Budapest and Madrid as something from the past, pre-corona era.

I still remember scrolling through the news feed in the evening, lying in apartments in Budapest. Among the rest of the headlines, there is something about some kind of coronavirus in some Chinese province. I opened the news once and glanced. Well, ok. Nothing interesting. It’s not the first time in China. They can handle it. And the Chinese “handled.”

At the end of January 2020, the most significant inconveniences were the early 4.5-hour flight from Madrid to Kyiv and the Ryanair randomizer that put me in the middle seat.

Within two months, such a short list of inconveniences in the trip seemed like heavenly manna. Will they fly? Will they let me on the plane? Will they let me into the country? That’s the new set of questions starting from March 2020.

This article is about the unpleasant situation travelers find themselves in, how to deal with it, and when this trash will end. And specifically about this:

In 2020 a traveler, like a sapper, can make only one mistake

Ok. The consequences are not always comparable. But the essence is the same. You stepped with one foot into the wrong country, and here are your troubles.

Half a year of global psychosis has passed.

A period of global lockdown has passed. Returning to your own country was already challenging. And the process of returning turned into another quest. The return conditions sometimes changed during the flight. Even then the sapper profession started to seem not so extreme. Travelers during the lockdown period also had to prepare each step very carefully.

Even after taking off, there were no guarantees of a successful arrival at the destination. You could fly in, stand with one foot in the country of arrival, the other in the transit zone. And while you froze in this half-spade, people elegantly dressed in sealed white suits and a police uniform were already rushing for your ass. And this was by no means a prelude to a welcome fetish party.

Often it wasn’t clear in which country and in which apartment your day would end.

Partial resumption of flights. Still better to avoid mistakes.

Only privileged non-EU citizens can enter the EU

In April, I assumed that, according to the optimistic scenario, flight resumption would occur in July 2020. And it happened so. In fact, the restart happened even earlier. On July 1, the European Union opened for flights. But mostly for EU members citizens. And for citizens of several other countries that were relatively corona-free.

Later, some of the lucky ones from the list were cut out from this list. In particular, Montenegro, Serbia and Morocco. Only specific categories of citizens could enter from other countries. Unfortunately, most tourists do not belong to them.

Passenger traffic remains low

The number of flights in operation is predictably far from the pre-coronavirus level. The constant reshaping of schedules never ended. Announcement of the new flights, closure of the old ones, cancellation of the new ones a week after their announcement. It’s a new reality.

When buying a ticket, now there is no guarantee that the flight will be executed. Planning a trip in these conditions is a pretty nervous process. Especially when you have to pay to book accommodation. Especially when the payment is non-refundable.

2020 is the voucher collector’s year

The global lockdown led to the cancellation of the vast majority of flights. The money for the air tickets had to be returned to a huge number of passengers. But airlines themselves suffered huge losses. Yes, some airlines still returned money as money.

However, in 2020 many passengers have never seen compensation for the ticket price in real money. A lot of passengers have become happy owners of vouchers. You can use them to purchase a ticket from the same airline. It doesn’t fly the needed routes anymore? Well, buy a ticket from another airline, for real money. And pray that it won’t be canceled. Or, in case of cancellation, they will return the amount paid in money. Otherwise, you will have one more voucher in your collection.

One thing pleases. Many airlines have abolished rebooking fees. However, this is usually touted as a temporary promotion.

Frantic attempts to save the season

The global lockdown happened right on the eve of the summer season. Some countries that are only partially dependent on tourism have chosen to accept the loss of the 2020 season altogether. For example, France, Italy and some other countries have done it.

Spain had been flouncing for a long time trying to make the right decision. As a result, the resorts were opened. With restrictions. Tourists were in no hurry to go. The Spaniards considered that tourists were afraid of catching the coronavirus. Additional police forces were dispatched to the resort areas to ensure compliance with anti-epidemiological measures. But it didn’t help a lot.

In any case, EU countries could rely mainly on tourists from EU countries. However, the entry ban for tourists from outside was a recommendation, not a directive. Some states allowed entry to tourists from some non-EU states. Croatia did it. A bit later – Bulgaria.

Danger of deportation and entry ban for 5 years

But Greece did not allow entry for tourists from outside the EU for non-privileged countries. But one day, two different airlines put 17 Ukrainian tourists on the Kyiv-Athens flight. Upon arrival, they were detained and sent to a police detention center. They were in danger of deportation and a five year EU entry ban.

In this case, the tourists were lucky. Several people were allowed to enter the country. The rest returned home a couple of days later at the expense of the airline. And, thanks to the assistance of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without deportation stamps. They got off “just” with a slight fright and spoiled rest. However, in the days of sappers, this is still far from the worst scenario.

Planning a trip in advance has become risky

And it’s not just about the risk of the canceled flights.

Under different conditions, in the summer of 2020, tourists outside of the EU could travel to Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt. The key phrase here is “on different conditions.”

They had a relatively quiet season

Albania, Turkey and Egypt were not caught in flouncing from side to side. They failed to save the season in the full sense of the word. But these countries have done what they could do to make tourists feel comfortable and safe enough. And there was no surge in the number of people infected with the coronavirus.

Although by the end of the summer season Egypt partly closed itself off from some countries. In Turkey the requirements for wearing masks became more stringent. Now they need to be worn everywhere, even on the beach. Let’s see how long this rule will last.

Countries that stimulated sales of sedatives

Croatia

Croatia opened its borders to some non-EU citizens at the end of June. Even a PCR test was not required. And this favorably distinguished Croatia from neighboring Montenegro. …At that moment in time. A few weeks later they began to require a fresh PCR test. Negative, of course.

Bulgaria

At the very end of July, Bulgaria allowed entry to some non-EU citizens. Without a PCR test. However, very soon they changed their minds. But it was too late. Representatives of the tourist business in Bulgaria rebelled. And more stringent rules were not implemented. It didn’t happen then. But from October 1, 2020 a negative PCR test not “older” than 72 hours is required to enter the country.

Montenegro

The prize for the most furious flouncing in entry rules goes to Montenegro.

Of all the countries listed, it is perhaps the most dependent on tourism. It also turned out to be one of Europe’s most prosperous countries in the battle against coronavirus during the first wave. For the same reason, they were among the first to decide what the season will start. And they began to determine how to do everything in the best way. Both to lure tourists and to avoid outbreaks of disease.

As a result, Montenegro was one of the first to open, already at the beginning of June. At first, few tourists came, and the number of cases did not increase significantly. But entry required a fresh negative PCR test. For this reason, at the end of June, Montenegro became a less attractive destination than neighboring Croatia in this sense.

Over time, realizing a factor deterring tourists, the negative COVID-19 test was removed from the requirements. But less than in a week, because of the increasing COVID incidence, a negative test was returned to the list of entry requirements. Then only organized tourist groups were allowed to enter. And all this happened in just a few weeks.

Now imagine yourself in the shoes of a potential tourist who wants to spend a vacation in Montenegro. It’s just some kind of fairy tale.

After all, Montenegro seems to have looked at everything through the eyes of a tourist. And at the beginning of August, saying “let it all burn in the fire,” important tourist source countries, like Ukraine and Russia, citizens were allowed to enter without any epidemiological restrictions. And for a long time this step did not have any significant consequences in terms of an increase in the incidence. Then, however, it went up, like almost everywhere in Europe.

The season in Montenegro was generally recognized as a failure. And it could have been better in case of avoiding flouncing.

Exotic destinations

What are we all about Europe and the Middle East? Let’s don’t forget about the popular destinations in Southeast Asia.

Thailand

Thailand closed quite quickly and tightly. The epidemiological situation is relatively calm. Now they are actively planning the opening. They work out the mechanisms of the tourism industry functioning in the new reality. They are planning to test it on Phuket. Then they are going to open the rest of the country. Waiting passionately. We’ll see.

Vietnam

It was closed quickly. Avoided the surge of diseases. It is not clear yet when it will open.

Bali

The mega-popular Indonesian island closed quickly, including for domestic tourism. There were few infection cases on the island itself. The quarantine measures were not harsh. But in more densely populated areas of Indonesia, for example, on the island of Java in general and in Jakarta in particular, the situation is more complicated.

Bali’s governor later announced that the island would open to domestic Bali tourism in June. In August, they will begin to receive tourists from other regions of Indonesia. And from September 11, it was planned to allow entry of foreign tourists.

However, the governor of the island has no right to allow foreign tourists to enter Bali. And the central authorities have decided to postpone Indonesia’s opening to tourists, at least until the New Year. Meanwhile, domestic tourism has increased hotel occupancy rates from 5% to 9%. And the incidence rate jumped more significantly.

Meanwhile, Balinese, accustomed to tourist abundance, are becoming impoverished. But the authorities are in no hurry to open. They are afraid that the Island of the Gods will not be considered safe in case of a high incidence. But in general, they are determined to work out the mechanisms of existence in a new reality and open up. Closer to winter, it will be clear when and for whom. There is an option that initially only for Koreans and Chinese.

In the meantime, people enter Bali by applying for business visas through local agencies. The cost of such a solution is more than $500. So far, you can only fly through Jakarta. Denpasar Airport does not accept international flights.

Philippines

At the very beginning the incidence rate was low. But then it started to rise quickly. The situation is still difficult.

The Philippines closed tightly and in some cases mercilessly. You may be familiar with the story of the Estonian Roman Trofimov, whose passport was taken away and he was left to live on the floor in the terminal of Manila airport for 4 months. So to speak, they made him feel a bit like Tom Hanks in the film of the same name. 

And 4 months was not the limit. There could have been more. Although the “thank you” in this story should not be directed to the Philippine authorities, but to the airline. But it doesn’t change the situation in general. After all, now the traveler is like a sapper.

Roman managed to get out of the “minefield” only thanks to the public and media intervention. And how many more similar stories remain untold to a broad audience.

Cambodia

Would you like to visit Siem Reap and Angkor Wat during quarantine times? You are welcome. Cambodia is open. There are not a lot of tourists at the moment. Sounds attractive? Yes. Until you know the price of openness. When entering Cambodia, you must pay a deposit of $3000 at the border. In cash. If you catch COVID-19, they will take money for treatment from this deposit. And a visa upon arrival is temporarily unavailable. You must obtain it in the consulate.

How to enter the EU in 2020. For example, to Spain.

You can enter Spain for “humanitarian” reasons. And many different things can be attributed to them. For example, this option includes people who are in a relationship but not officially registered. So to be allowed to board the plane, and the Spanish border guards let you into the country, you need to confirm the relationship.

Everything should be confirmed through the Spanish Embassy in your country. As you may guess, everything should be done without visiting the embassy during the quarantine period. The Spanish half of the couple applies to the embassy. As in the bad old visa times, this half need to prove financial viability, provide joint photos, etc. And also provide a flight ticket and insurance, including COVID-19 treatment.

If everything is ok, the Spanish Embassy sends a document by email that the provided evidence has been verified and confirmed. In three languages ​​- language of your country, Spanish and English. It is better to print this document. The black and white printout is ok. However, this document is not a decree for the Spanish border guards, but just an information to consider. They have a right not to allow you to cross the border.

In addition to the embassy’s permission, ​​you must have a printed copy of the inviting person ID.

An important point. The permit is tied to specific departure date and even to a specific flight number. And one more important point. It is better to start applying for an entry permit in advance. I know a case when a permit was sent less than a day before departure.

Tell us all about your corona

And the coronavirus novelty. For Spain, you need to fill out a form with information about you and your relationship with COVID-19. You can download the original form in .pdf format from the Spanish Travel Health Portal. Here, in addition to your name and passport number, you need to enter the departure date and flight. 

You can also use the app to fill out the form.

Further, within 48 hours before departure, you will need to follow the received link. And fill out another form online. Its essence is to provide up-to-date information about your coronavirus. Namely, have you been sick, are you now ill, your symptoms, in which countries have you been recently, etc. Also, you swear to self-isolate immediately after you show symptoms of coronavirus in Spain.

Based on the results of filling out the form, you will receive a confirmation by email with a QR code. You’ll need to show it in a printed or electronic form. I advise you to print. Or do not watch videos on a flight until the battery is completely discharged. Otherwise it can be very offensive upon arrival. You will find yourself in the situation described at the beginning of the article. When one leg, the other leg and your bottom – all will be in different jurisdictions. A stupid mistake even for a novice sapper.

That’s the list of innovations. And remember, this is all true as of mid-September. We are living in an interesting time. Everything keeps changing in the blink of an eye.  

Good news. Soon.

I’m sure you’ve already understood how much travelers have to bother in the era of coronavirus when almost every trip threatens to turn into a minefield.

But the light at the end of the tunnel is visible. Dull but visible. Global mine clearance is coming.

No, it’s not a vaccine. And the sense of the vaccine is likely to be more psychological. When some people are already sick in the fourth round, the vaccine, to put it mildly, does not seem to be a panacea. Rather soothing for those in power. There will be a reason to say: “That’s it. Now we have a vaccine. We have defeated COVID-19. Now there is no need to afraid of tourists. And tourists can feel safe. Hang up. And don’t forget who saved you all. Don’t forget about your lifesavers in the next elections.”

Fast and cheap COVID-19 tests

On September 22, 2020, International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Alexandre de Juniac delivered encouraging news.

Rapid COVID-19 tests that non-medical staff can do should be available within a few weeks. Such a test will cost only $7. No, it’s not PCR tests. It’s an antigen test. But their accuracy is significantly higher than rapid tests’ that were used before.

IATA suggests that it should be pre-departure tests. In order to avoid the need for self-isolation for 7-14 days upon arrival. The association considers this solution to be the simplest and most affordable. It will unblock passenger air travel and the tourism industry.

It is expected that, in case of approval by authorities, the use of such tests could begin between the end of October and the very end of 2020.

Waiting passionately, fingers crossed and looking at the flight schedules.

Doggy testers

But in Helsinki, they decided that there is a simpler solution than tests, both rapid or laboratory. On September 23, a pilot program was launched to test passengers for COVID-19 with the help of four-footed testers.

Unlike rapid tests, specially trained dogs can detect coronavirus infection with an accuracy of close to 100%. To do this, they only need their own scent. And a separate booth with jacuzzi.

And no, this is not a joke. Since 2019, dogs have already been involved in detecting malaria. The accuracy of such dog tests is about 70%.

How does the dog know if you are infected with the coronavirus?

A smear is taken from the human’s skin and placed in a cup. Then it’s transported to a special room and put under the nose of the tester. If COVID-19 is detected, the doggie gives the human-curator a “take him” signal – whines or lies down. It takes about a minute for a man’s best friend to announce the verdict.

Difficulties

The difficulty of this method is that dogs need to be trained to detect coronavirus. It takes some time.

Perspective

Using dog testers is definitely a promising method. Helsinki became the first European airport to use quadrupeds. But in the United Arab Emirates they started to do this even earlier. At Dubai airport, doggies have been helping to identify the infection since August 2020.

Also, training of COVID-detecting dogs programs started in France, Germany, the UK and Australia.

Believe in success. If four-legged friends help sappers with mine clearance, then why not tear the coronavirus apart.

Epilogue

Stay healthy.

But also do not sit at home in a panic, fearful of getting infected.

The world is gradually opening up, despite the rolling COVID waves and repeated quarantines.

One way or another, a solution that will leave lockdowns and quarantines in the past will be found.

Be the first to be ready to go off the blocks. These feelings are likely to become one of the brightest in your life. Like a sapper’s feelings at the first clearance.