Anyone cancelling July trip to London?
 

I must say I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to go through with our travel plan to London in a couple of days. Everything is paid for in advance, and tickets are non refundable as I'm sure is the case with the rental. But if anything happens to my kids...I can't even complete the thought...

>But if anything happens to my kids...I can't even complete the thought...

Assuming you are posting from US - then you should take your kids out of the school and not let them go to the university.

How many people died in the last year in terrorist attacks in the UK?

Btw.: yes, I AM going to the UK this summer (though probably later)

That's obviously a serious question you'll have to answer, taking into account various government sources, (check the State. Dept. website) but I will tell you this: Just like when the first round of deadly attacks occurred in summer 2005 in London, UK law enforcement didn't have a handle on it, (like other countries where this happens) and a second round of attempt attacks occurred two weeks later.

They don't have a handle on this situation yet, at all, they don't know who or what is behind it, and they don't know whether there are more attacks planned for central London.

With a situation like that, where they put simple deadly nail bombs in Piccadilly and Trafalgar-the heart of the tourist district-I wouldn't count out the fact that they may have more planned, and I wouldn't count on British law enforcement to necessarily thwart it ahead of time. Recent history tells us that they plan multiple attacks in London, not single.

Myself, until a terrorist situation stabilizes, I don't go-and given just the last two years in Britain-with two years of deadly and potentially very deadly attacks occuring in the summer travel season, I'd think about putting it off, because you can always go later-it will always be there-you're going to be facing a jumpy city, with law enforcement blockades in various parts of the city, additional false scares-that's no holiday to me. I gave the same advice to some people I knew in 2005, and they told me later they were glad they waited, because what I said would happen did happen-the false alarms, the new attacks-again, that's no holiday.

But you need to decide that, by doing your own personal risk analysis, taking into account the most current Govt. advice you are getting, as well as the recent history and patterns of terrorist attack in London.

I'll probably day-trip in tomorrow, though I must say I have been wavering a little bit.

No, leaving on the 16th.

Please don't cancel. Life is dangerous. No need to give "people" such as these even a tiny victory. I just booked an August flight to Europe.

I wouldn't dream of cancelling. We're going in September and will spend only a couple of days in London before going on to Ireland.

I just don't think one can change one's plans based on what MIGHT happen. These people want to make us fearful and disrupt our lives. I simply won't give in to that sort of terrorism.

My guess--as has been said many times--is that you're more likely to be injured or killed in the U.S. on the way to the airport than when you're travelling.

It's a totally different risk analysis equation when you have kids, obviously, as opposed to just yourself and another person. But the fact of the matter is, you WILL be facing false alarms, and blockades around the city as law enforcement start their sweep, and if you do go, I would stay out of the Tube, stay off public transportation as much as possible in central London.

Your kids are more likely to be shot in school in the US than be victims of terrorism in Europe.

While GST's point of a jumpy city and nervous people is a valid one, the objective danger to you and your family is far higher every time you cross a street. So many more people get killed by drunk or uncautious drivers, than by terrorists - even within areas where the terror attacks take place.$

The main goal of these people is not to kill as many people as possible - it is instilling fear and insecurity in as many people as possible. If you cancel, you are a casualty.

Altamiro-I'd have to disagree with that last point -that's PRECISELY what your law enforcement authorities have said-these bombs were intended to kill potentially hundreds of people- the greatest number of people randomly and indiscriminately.

As the previous poster said.
I don't know where you live, but London is a pretty safe city compared to some US cities.

How about being in a serious car accident on the way to the airport? I am a great believer that you only have so many days on this earth and it is already decided on by someone upstairs. So whether you are in an airplane over the Atlantic,driving on the expressway or sipping wine in Tuscany-you cannot change anything about whats going to happen to you. That said, when I am overseas everyweek for work I always check out whats going on around me and if I feel unsafe for whatever reason then I do not take public transportion or go to areas where I think that something is cooking.Life is too short anyway..........

"you cannot change anything about what's going to happen to you."

So does that mean that everyone should go merrily tripping off to Iraq or other hotspots in the world, and would you do that? Something tells me you wouldn't. That's a ridiculous statement, Dutyfree, of COURSE you can do things TO LOWER YOUR RISK OF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING TO YOU. Do you not wear seat belts? Why do you think we have an array of aviation security measures in place, threat assessments, intelligence agencies, and travel warnings? Reinforced aircraft to be blast resistant? These things actually DO save lives!

That's why people have to do their OWN personal risk analysis, by staying informed, and taking into account their own limits on what is acceptable risk and what is not. But I wouldn't be going to London right now-that's for sure.

And one more factor: the UK has just raised its terrorist alert to CRITICAL-the highest rating. One does need to take that seriously into account when making travel plans.

Thanks to everyone for their input. I did check the US state dept website, but they have not issued anything. Most of what all of you said is valid, and precisely because of the validity of both stances - to go or to cancel - the decision is a tough one. BTW I do not live in the US, and it is midnight and time for me to go to bed. Perhaps the morning will bring with it some clarity. Thanks again and I hope for all of us to stay safe in this bizarre world.

I just got back from the UK on Sunday. When we were in London, we stayed near the St. James Park tube station. A nearby building collapsed while we were there, and for a few minutes, there was concern that it was a bomb. But the situation quickly calmed down, and life returned to normal.

Unless fear is going to ruin your vacation, logic would dictate that cancelling your plans is not called for. For some people, the fear would be reason enough, but the odds on anything happening to you while in London (which is not to be confused with Baghdad) are so small as to be incalculable.

I really despair at the trepidation of US posters (who are happy to live in a country where every other person has a gun, and massacres frequently occur in schools) to visit overseas because of the one in however many million chance of being a victim of terrorism.

I went shopping in London today. The West End was packed as usual, and no one at all was talking about the car bomb incidents. The only concern I would have as a tourist would be whether I got boiled alive on the aircon-free tube!

I gues if you read all the travel reports you would never travel.

The United States Government threat level for all domestic and international flights remains High (Orange). The country threat level and the threat level in other sectors remains at Yellow (Elevated). An elevated condition is declared when there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks. These classification decisions are based upon a number of factors including a review of the intelligence and assessment of threats. Further information on the U.S. Threat Condition designation and new security measures can be found on the U.S. Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Web sites.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. The purpose of this Travel Report is to provide travellers up-to-date information to enable them to make well-informed decisions.

Criminal occurrences are frequent in many US cities, but are generally concentrated in areas that travellers are unlikely to visit. Travellers, however, should remain vigilant and alert to their surroundings. Full cooperation is recommended when stopped by police. Street crime can spill over into commercial, hotel, and entertainment areas. Riots occasionally occur; these are usually confined to the poorer districts of major cities, but the violence can spread to central commercial and hotel areas.

I cannot believe that the UK Govt. is JUST NOW banning vehicles from getting close to airports, and putting out their highest alert-like I say, they are always a "day late, and a dollar short" when it comes to terrorist counter-measures-they have been exceptionally lucky-and that is NOT a compliment!

GST is being alarmist. I think it is part of a "nuke Iran (even though I'm a Democrat)" campaign.

I don't have any trip to London in my plans, but the current situation would not cause me to reconsider. It's not because I want to make a point that the terrorists are failing. It's not a matter of my being brave or foolhardy, because I am neither. It's simply that I rate the danger of being the victim of a terrorist attack so low that it's not worth worrying about.

I was in London when there were security alarms. It was a minor inconvenience, no more than that.

Baghdad is not currently on my list of preferred destinations. Come to think of it, I don't set a high priority on going to places where I might have difficulty getting a glass of wine with my dinner.

Really. 30 years ago London was being bombed. I walked through Victoria just before it was bombed. Life goes on. Watch out for that drunk driver in your "safe" neighborhood.

I just posted that the exchange rate makes me hesitate to return to Europe.

If it were not for the economics, I would go to London tomorrow in a New York sentence, to mix cities.

I don't know if the current situation raises your normal danger from 1 in a million to 2 in a million, but it is not a huge rise in the personal danger rate.

We went to Portugal the year of the Gulf of Sidra crisis, and had a great time. After decades of chants of "Yankee stay home" a lot of them did and it was great for those of us who didn't.

Finally, on a personal note, I have been to London and England more than any other city or country. As kids say, "It's my ATF." The current situation makes me terribly upset. I want to thank the Brits for the wonderful time that I have had there for over 30 years. I am with you in admiration, sympathy, and solidarity.

I shall return.

No, Padraig, I am NOT being "alarmist"-most people (outside this website) actually DO listen to alert levels when traveling overseas, because who wants to be in the middle of a crime scene search, to have to move out of the way when there is a false alarm, and go to a place where there is every possibility that another random attack will occur?

Most people go on holiday to be care-free, and not have to think and watch and consider where it is they want to go, and weigh what method of transportation they want to use-however cavalierly you wish to dismiss it, the situation in London IS unstable, they ARE on highest alert for additional attacks and you would be quite foolish to ignore those realities.

I booked my plane tickets last week for going to London 27-30 July. And that's what I'm going to do.

Girlspy - Your repeated anti-British posts/highly biased comments about the quality of British Intelligence are becoming somewhat troll-like in their frequency. You're entitled to your opinion but you don't need to pepper every thread on UK travel with them.

You also need to understand that there is a cultural difference between the UK and US in that we do not want to live in a fortress nation, with armed police on every corner and total erosion of all civil rights. We accept that risk cannot be completely removed from everyday life and we live with it here, rather than shut ourselves away.

If you cancel then the terrorists have won. Their aim is to terrorise people, to stop people doing what they want to do, to take away your libery through fear. Please don't give them that.

Gypsy I can't say that US intelligence was exactly on the ball a few years back - can you?????

I think you should ask you and your partner how comfortable you would feel if you go. If you feel you would spend most of your time being paranoid and uncomfortable, then don't go, it would ruin the holiday, being too afraid to use public transport and not enjoying yourself.
I went to London the weekend after its 2005 bombing, I went about as usual and didn't let it ruin my stay there. It's all about the state of mind!
Something unfortunate can happen even if you stay at home. But if you ask me, I would go.
BTW I'm flying from Glasgow next week and I have no plan of cancelling it.

Girl - Your [pretended] expertise on world affairs is outed by your outlandish statements and radical solutions. They lack the Intelligence that you belie with your moniker.

Moreover, it begs the question of why it is ONLY happening here, doesn't it? It's not happening at all in Italy, or Paris or Madrid or Barcelona, Germany or even Brussels, the last which is traditionally thought to be a weak point.

It absolutely defies belief that they would be banning vehicles at airports JUST NOW, and not have reinforcements in place already at the airports. Or that they JUST NOW have gone into the highest terrorist alert. It's non-senical, just like when the G8 summit was in the UK in 2005, they didn't even raise the alert-look what happened. Sheesh!

They raise the alert level when they think something will happen or after something happens and they expect more. Why raise it for no reason, people will just get comfortable with it.

According to Fox news (fair and balanced), someone from Sky news there reported that the British Government has estimated that there are about 2,000 persons of Islamic backgrounds who the government thinks are dangerous.

If that is the case, why doesn't the UK kick them out?

If these people do not respect the laws of this country or any country and are preceived to be a threat, then hand them their walking papers.

Buh bye. Have a nice day and btw, do not let that door smack yah on the sit down on the way out.

There will come a time when I can see countries doing this. UK, USA, Germany or wherever.

I am not for just packing them all up and sending them out without good reasons, but if there is absolutely no doubt that they might pose a threat, give em the ole walking papers.

Now playing:

Robert Palmer: Get outside

<<why it is ONLY happening here, doesn't it?>>

So... 911 would have happened in Mexico except they had better Intelligence than the US...?
But another example of your faulty logic, Girl.

What about Madrid train bombing in 2004?

The reason the British government doesn't kick them out is that they are British Citizens. Where do you suggest they send them? Guantanamo Bay?

Girlspy, except that terrorism is not just happening in Britain. Wasn't there just a recent ETA attack in Spain? The fact of the matter is, terrorism is happening in so many countries that were not part of the Iraq war. The idea that if only we would be nicer to terrorists/if only we hadn't invaded Iraq, things would be okay just boggles my mind (not that anyone on here has expressed this sentiment).

A TSA flunkie that believes she's in the forefront of world security....

Need I say more?

Y'all, I am unsure about leaving in 3 days. I wish it were August or Sept. for our trip plans but, it isn't. I have 2 little ones also and I am concerned. Others say though, security is heightened so it is probably even safer. I am not sure I agree.

Recent ? Today !! Well, they announced (their usual way, through a euskera language newspaper named Gara) they had put a bomb on Ibiza's airport. So the airport was emptied, flights cancelled and has been all day closed while they search for the bomb. It still hasn't appeared..