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Feb 1st 2020

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Is anyone else flying back from "Europe" to the UK on the first of Feb? It being the day after Brexit I really don't know what sort of chaos, if any, to expect.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Me for one - can't see there being any problems :: going the other way it may be different !
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Assuming we leave in an orderly fashion as looks likely, there shouldn't be any significant changes as the transition period will run until the end of the year.
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Same.

Not too bothered about the return after our trip though!

I was thinking that will the exit effect any travel insurance? IE medical costs in an on-piste accident for example?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
It is the end of the PBBWUW so a few SH will be travelling. Also about 130-140 heading out?
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We (my father and I) had the same worries. We were due to be taking the ferry from Dover to Calais on Friday 31st of Jan. But just in case of issues decided to go Thursday evening, with the option of leaving earlier in the day if we get news of problems. My sister and her family are flying out from Stanstead to Geneva on Saturday the 1st. I'd hope that given they are flying into Geneva they should be OK.

My thoughts on insurance is that given an orderly exit now looks very likely, with a handover period in place until the end of 2020 that current insurance contracts will be valid in their present iterations until the then. If the handover doesn't get agreed for any reason and we still go into a cliff edge situation then all insurance policies will likely be void.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I'm returning from a week at Bad Hofgestein on 1st Feb, I bet we won't even notice a difference. It'll be like the Millenium bug of 2000 where the doom and gloomers were predicting the world was going to stop and then just nothing happened.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Fridge03 wrote:

I was thinking that will the exit effect any travel insurance? IE medical costs in an on-piste accident for example?
If your insurance is more than purely signed up members of EU countries then it shouldn't make any difference. Plus, it's not like the insurance companies weren't aware of the situation in advance.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
While Feb 1st will be the first day after the UK leaves the EU it will also be the first day of the transition period...where everything stays the same.

Anyone looking to ski over New Year 2020/21 hd better be on their toes however, as that's when the transition period is currently due to end and Borris has said he won't extend even if we don't have any deals with the EU - and we know he's a man of his word...
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All of this worry takes me back 20 years to NYE 1999.
I was one of the lucky computer engineers paid 2K (from 10PM - 4AM) to sit and watch the fireworks from a riverside office block in London, ready to rush down to the sever room at a moments notice Smile

Worrying about things over which you have no control is like paying interest on a loan you don't take out.
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Ehic will stay in place until 31/12/20 so insurance should not be an issue.

I'm not sure about the immigration queues at Geneva airport. Should you go into the eu/eea/Swiss queue or the much slower other countries queue? I'll be returning on the 31st so the eu one will still apply to me
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
king key wrote:
I'm returning from a week at Bad Hofgestein on 1st Feb, I bet we won't even notice a difference. It'll be like the Millenium bug of 2000 where the doom and gloomers were predicting the world was going to stop and then just nothing happened.

... a while since I've heard this old chestnut. Nothing much happened in 2000 because thousands of IT people around the world spent thousands of hours fixing ancient systems or replacing them, so that they would continue to work after 2000. It's another example where "nothing much changes, things just carry on" isn't very newsworthy, but is in fact a good outcome. Rather like something else I can think of....
It would be reassuring to think that an appropriate amount of work has gone into mitigating any issues with systems, procedures and regulations, post-transition. But as we don't yet know what 'post-transition' looks like, I assume not.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I thought that the Ehic will stay in place until 31/12/20 provided that the exit agreement is ratified by both sides and the transition period goes into effect? Admittedly this is the most likely outcome now, but if not then it ceases to be valid on 31/01/2020 and as such there will be issues with pre-existing insurance contracts?
@caughtanedge, my exact thoughts when reading that post. Smile
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
Nothing much happened in 2000 because thousands of IT people around the world spent thousands of hours fixing ancient systems or replacing them, so that they would continue to work after 2000


There's nothing like an ungrateful media who are disappointed when the hard work pays off. And why did people invest time money and effort fixing the problem? BECAUSE of the doom and gloom merchants. "IF you don't sort it out, things will stop working". So people did fix them, and they didn't stop working.

Now, are the preparations for B*t as well thought through? That is the matter for conjecture.


Currently considering my Christmas 2020 plans. Agree a certain "Que Sera Sera" attitude is required, but alongside that, a little careful planning for the unknown is always a good idea.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
king key wrote:
It'll be like the Millenium bug of 2000 where the doom and gloomers were predicting the world was going to stop and then just nothing happened.


... because thousands of IT engineers and programmers like me spent huge amounts of time identifying real code problems and correcting them. Talk about complacency.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Laforet wrote:

because thousands of IT engineers and programmers like me ...


Seconded Mad
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You are all worrying over nothing.

Insurance is calculated on the risks to the insurers, based on the probability of a claim and costs of healthcare/repatriation etc. These probabilities will not change after Brexit. If anything, people worrying and not booking will reduced them.

When you take out the policy, you declare the countries/regions you are going to visit, and activities you intend to pursue. The premium is adjusted to reflect this.

The Insurers have already made provision for any required legal changes to cover all possibilities, but will not publicise them until the most likely outcome is apparent.

It would be illegal to sell a policy in the full knowledge that it would be declared null and void within the life of said policy.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Agreed. But the doom and gloomers may not agree.
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The ehic arrangements will not change on 31st Jan, due to the transition arrangements.

It will be in the interests of both parties to come to a reciprocal arrangement, so I expect a similar arrangement to be agreed going into 2021. This does not have to be part of any trade deal!

There are a number of European countries who would experience severe financial problems if large numbers of British tourists went elsewhere when they found they could not get travel insurance or healthcare cover.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@king key, They won't agree, but their grumbles can be entertaining at times.
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On the subject of insurance, I have to renew my annual policy. Previous policies have had a limit of 10 consecutive days skiing, which has not been a problem if only going for a week.

However, this year I am doing the BB double. Can anyone recommend a policy that allows 13 consecutive days?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@brianatab, You speak as though that transition period has already been ratified. It hasn't. Having said that I do agree that it all likelihood it will now be.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
The original poster didn't mention insurance but rather "flying back from "Europe" to the UK", so I assume he means border controls. I doubt if we'll see much difference to normal. Dare I say might even be an improvement.

There was the usual doom and gloom about driving to the Alpes in early Dec during the French strikes (there would be chaos on the roads, Toll booth issues, fuel shortages, blockages at ports, etc) and my car journey there and back had never been better.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
One person's Doom and Gloom is another person's sensible preparation. Rather like the Millenium Bug, as many people here, who actually know about it, have pointed out.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Nothing will change overnight on Jan 31, because there is a transition period whereby the UK is in effect an EU member but without any MEPs & no EU Commissioner until Dec 31 2020.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Transition period... panic worry in a 12 month if you're a worrier.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
caughtanedge wrote:
One person's Doom and Gloom is another person's sensible preparation. Rather like the Millenium Bug, as many people here, who actually know about it, have pointed out.
Do tell what sensible precautions we should take at an airport? A long weight perhaps?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
In reply to the OP question which is about passport control situation post Brexit (which will effectively be Jan 1 2021) - some airports that will be familiar to Snowheads we can already see what will happen after the transition period - ie Geneva has put UK passport holders in the CH and EU queue (the signs are already up with EU, CH and UK flags). I think that is the exception though.

My other half is a non-EU citizen (Russian), and as such she has to go through to non EU queue on arrival in any Schengen airport. Sometimes, but not always, she has to show return flight and accomodation booking, and also adequate insurance. They also check the 90 day out of 180 rule - (every time at Munich airport for example, and she goes to Munich often with work). This will be surely be the same for UK passport holders from Jan 2021. No drastic difference, but you will have to have documents to hand and of course the queue moves much slower than the EU side, as these checks take time.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
king key wrote:
Do tell what sensible precautions we should take at an airport? A long weight perhaps?


I have no idea, as I have no flights booked anywhere at the moment. But I am driving to Switzerland next year, and I've checked about IDP and Green Card etc. I do know that there's a lot of work needed in the aviation industry to deal with changes in Open Skies and the ECAA. In fact there's quite a lot of work needed in a lot of areas, most of which seemed to work well enough before all this.....
BTW did you mean a couple of kilos of lead piping? You'd never get it through security.....
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Ironically, on my return from last year's bash, the vast majority had to queue at UK control. The only 2 non EU had a desk to themselves, and went straight through Puzzled
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@caughtanedge, The Open Skies and ECAA will most likely end with an amicable arrangement similar to the current arrangement as both parties have a vested interest.

It is a long diversion round British airspace for EU carriers to North America in the event of no agreements.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
brianatab wrote:
@caughtanedge, The Open Skies and ECAA will most likely end with an amicable arrangement similar to the current arrangement as both parties have a vested interest.

It is a long diversion round British airspace for EU carriers to North America in the event of no agreements.


I'm sure you're right, but it's still work which is being done / needs to be done.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Mjit wrote:
While Feb 1st will be the first day after the UK leaves the EU it will also be the first day of the transition period...where everything stays the same.

Anyone looking to ski over New Year 2020/21 hd better be on their toes however, as that's when the transition period is currently due to end and Borris has said he won't extend even if we don't have any deals with the EU - and we know he's a man of his word...


Given that he won't be have to cope with rebels doing deals with the oppositions and the Speaker, I think he will be.

brianatab wrote:
@caughtanedge, The Open Skies and ECAA will most likely end with an amicable arrangement similar to the current arrangement as both parties have a vested interest.

It is a long diversion round British airspace for EU carriers to North America in the event of no agreements.


Quite.
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I got a great deal flying this year on the original "Brexit day" so I'm hoping I'll get an equally good last minute deal for flying out on the 1st Feb 2020.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Doesn’t the “transition period” actually depend on the withdrawal agreement actually being ratified by both the UK government and the EU? It’s likely to be ratified by the UK gov’t now that the Tories have a majority, but as Guy Verhofstadt says, the issues relating to the rights of EU citizens who wish to remain in the UK are still being discussed and could be a sticking point – if the deal isn’t ratified, we’re back to a no-deal brexit.


https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1207262201289072641
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Transferring from Tignes to Geneva to fly back into Dublin on 1st Feb & then driving back into the UK across the invisible frontier.
Don’t expect there to be any issues, but I’m beginning to wonder how many sets of border patrol staff I’ll encounter on the day: France -> Switzerland -> Ireland -> UK
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