A Luxembourg mother described by friends as a “risk-lover” and “the type of woman who’ll try the salsa first and ask if it’s spicy later” has booked an August trip for her and her two children.
Despite not knowing if Europe will be in the middle of a second, third, or ninth wave of coronavirus by then, Charlotte Hope, 39, already paid in full for the week at an all-inclusive resort on the Greek island of Kos.
“What’s life without a little uncertainty?” she said. “You’ve got to grab the bull by the bollocks.”
Hope says that in any case, she’s quite certain it’s safe to travel now and that hotels will have a zero-tolerance policy for drunk or careless holidaymakers who disrespect safety measures.
“Airlines are taking every precaution, like removing entire rows of seats to ensure distance between passengers and giving everyone their own insulated space suit,” she said. “As for the resort, everyone at the pool, bar, and buffet line will be wearing masks, and a little boy named Yorgos will follow you around with a bottle of hand sanitizer and remind you to apply it every 30 minutes.”
“I assume,” she added.
Even if for some unthinkable reason governments close borders again this summer and impose another round of confinement, Hope is certain that those who’ve already paid for summer holiday packages will be reimbursed.
“It’s not as if airlines, hotels, and travel agencies are still in financially precarious situations, not with all the state support they’ve received,” she said. “Furthermore, it’s inconceivable that these companies would refuse to give us our money back considering the trust and loyalty we’ve shown by pre-paying for summer trips even though the future is uncertain and rather dark.”
