Are people still traveling because they can't get refunds?

[pstokely]

I'd cancel any refundable travel right now, but I always try to avoid booking anything nonrefundable or I buy insurance to get most of the $ back

[BlueTsunami2018]

1. More likely because they see no reason not to.

Most people aren’t panicked by this latest variant. They’re tired of the pandemic and just don’t give a shit anymore. Everyone has been sick at one time or another so this is just another annoyance at this point. They’re willing to risk it because it doesn’t seem too dangerous.

I take the subway to work every day. 99% of the people mask up and no one seems too worried otherwise. You have to go on with your life.

[pstokely]

3. or maybe they just consider public health officials to be contestant wolf criers?

It might be just an annoyance for the boosted

[greenjar_01]

9. Ding ding ding

[spinbaby]

2. I view traveling as relatively safe

Everyone on the plane is masked, which is more than I can say for my grocery store. I’m vaccinated, boosted, wear an N95 mask, and travel. Tomorrow I’m heading to Florida, where our only concession to the pandemic is that we won’t dine in restaurants, but are staying in a place with a kitchen, so we can cook our own food.

[mnhtnbb]

4. Last Monday I cancelled a trip to Bonaire

an island in the Caribbean, that was booked for mid January with my son. We would have been required to test 3 times: 24 hours before departure; at 5 days on Bonaire; and 24 hours prior to our return flight. If either one of us came up positive, we'd both have to quarantine.

I simply didn't want to risk having to spend half our vacation in a pricey resort hotel room, or extend our stay to remain quarantined. Both of us are vaccinated and boosted.

I have rebooked--without penalty--to go in April. My son can't go then, so although his airfare will remain a credit that can be used until July, it might end up lost because I didn't buy trip insurance when I booked the trip last summer before the Delta variant took off and Omicron started circulating. I'm going in April if the planes are flying because I won't care at that point. But right now I felt it prudent to stay put until we have a better handle on just what we're up against with Omicron.

And I have decided not to book any more international travel so far out.

[DFW]

5. I travel a lot--still--because I both have to and want to.

I have to travel for work here (back in France, as of this morning, up to Brussels tomorrow, no idea if they'll let me into the Netherlands on Thursday). My wife and I will be going to the big bad USA on Sunday--again, if they let us in! South Carolina, Texas and New Yawk City. But I found a lab set up at the airport (Düsseldorf) that will do rapid PCR tests. I gave them a try, and indeed got my result in 3 hours (the USA demands a test less than 24 hours old), and they are open from 9 AM to 7 PM on Christmas. They can do it in half an hour, but that costs four times the price, and since our first flight is at 6:45 AM on the 26th, it's not even an issue.

[2naSalit]

6. Somehow...

I was really lucky that my travels were mostly between variant waves. I had funerals to attend last summer and then this fall, for dental work, I had to go to another state for that but completed the whole package last week so I am done going anywhere other than out for groceries and doctor's appointments. And I dodged bad weather and bad roads until this last week when I had icy roads for the first half one way and most of the way back, almost 300 miles one way. I was exhausted by the time I got home.

Not traveling until spring now.

[uponit7771]

7. Vaxed and boosted have far less to be concerned about during travel, time for the unvaxed to take

... precautions.

[róisín_dubh]

8. Vaxxed and boosted

And am currently here working away in England. The flight, though packed, felt safe (I didn’t eat or drink). I’d say 95% of people are masking up as required and I’ve cancelled any indoor gatherings. For now, those of us fully boosted will have to tolerate meeting outdoors.
I will feel much less at ease when I return to the US on the 3rd…