The new HFP chat thread – Tuesday 5th May

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We have decided to run this new daily chat thread on Head for Points.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the defacto repository for random comments and questions. It is unlikely that the news flow will be so big over the next few weeks that we will need many ‘Bits’ articles, however.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind. At this tricky time, and given that many of you are stuck at home self-isolating, we want the HFP community to have a place to chat.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article. This has long-term benefits as its keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

By default, HFP shows the last page of comments under the article. If you want to see the first page of comments and read them all from beginning to end in order, click here: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/05/05/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-tuesday-5th-may/comment-page-1 The page will refresh with this article but the comments will now show the first page and not the last page.

We will continue to monitor how this is working. Let’s see how it goes. Take care!

Category

General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Dezbez says:

5 May5 May 09:26

Yes, which sounds a pretty bleak outlook, although related, this sounds a more positive development (and maybe the future in the short-med term?):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52526272
That said, I’m not sure how many countries will be rushing to include the UK in these ‘bubbles’
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:04
  
  completely realistic that USA, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden could have a ‘bubble’
  - Lady London says:
    
    5 May5 May 10:08
    
    b****y ridiculous. Who are they trying to kid.
    - Lady London says:
      
      5 May5 May 10:18
      
      *bubble idea with that particular list of participants
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    5 May5 May 13:45
    
    Why is it ridiculous? All countries with similar R value and spread of disease and similar lockdown measures.
    
    At some point life has to continue and travel has been a major part of life for many years. It’s just getting faster on Foot, horse, boat, train, plane.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      5 May5 May 18:14
      
      Similar doesn’t not mean the same.
      
      Sweden is practicing social distancing and limited capacity etc.
- Anna says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:40
  
  Who actually wants to go to the US in the short term? It was reported yesterday that as they relax lockdown they are heading towards 3000 deaths per day by next month 😱
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:35
    
    Didn’t think any travel insurance was now covering Covid 19?
Craig says:

5 May5 May 09:28

I really feel for my sister and niece, my brother-in-law started a new job in New Zealand just before this all started. They were due to fly out last month to join him and are desperately hoping some sort of quarantine system comes online soon. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place, he could come home but then wouldn’t be allowed back. On a plus side he’s completely focussed on work and knocking heads together which is what he was employed to do.
- Anna says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:47
  
  I know a few people, including my husband’s cousin, who have emigrated to NZ and normally have family visiting each year. This will hit them all hard.
The Lord says:

5 May5 May 09:51

Its what her and her coalition partner wanted all along. Keep out the foreigners, already discriminated against internationals wanting to buy property and yet she is held up as some international queen by the Guardian. Typical hypocrites
- Lady London says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:07
  
  Historically they always had very severe property buying restrictions. It appears they relaxed for a while but with disastrous results. Good job if they’ve brought in the restrictions again.
- ChrisBCN says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:13
  
  I support a level of discrimination against international buyers – if only we had done the same in London some years ago. I also like Jacinda too.
- ChrisBCN says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:14
  
  I’m not seeing any hypocrisy by the way
- Anna says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:53
  
  But she’s talking about a “travel bubble” with Australia as well, is Oz going to be willing to exclude foreigners for that long? Not just tourists, but family members and seasonal workers?
  - Freddy says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:21
    
    They’ll probably make exceptions for family members and seasonal workers but who can blame them for banning all other visitors when they’ve eliminated covid and they want to keep it that way. If only the UK acted more decisively
  - The Lord says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:25
    
    Can see a backlash at xmas when all the expats want to return home to families for the extended break
  - Lady London says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:47
    
    Seasonal workers don’t travel that far.
    This is not surprising as Oz and NZ are kind of like a mini-EU. If both are doing well then they can become a safe combined area.
    - The Lord says:
      
      5 May5 May 11:54
      
      Agreed but there is usually a much larger number of people returning home for the Xmas break than there is in March, April, May. People here base their holidays from work around being able to get back to the southern hemisphere for 3 weeks over Xmas.
    - guesswho2000 says:
      
      5 May5 May 12:36
      
      Am I missing something? Our agricultural industry relies on seasonal workers, and a lot of them do indeed travel that far. Admittedly, not often solely to pick fruit, they’re usually WHV holders, but they’re in the same boat right now (not allowed in).
  - Lady London says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:49
    
    @The Lord thats no worse than their own ex-pats not being able to visit family which is what’s happening now.
The Lord says:

5 May5 May 09:52

Positive news from Greek tourism minister, hopefully can get a late summer holiday in to one of the islands
- Anna says:
  
  5 May5 May 11:07
  
  And are you insured?
- Blue Mountains says:
  
  5 May5 May 11:13
  
  Wouldn’t bet on it. Back in March they were saying, tourism will be allowed in May. Then in April, their tune about opening to tourists changed to June. Now, this has changed again to July and if the global pandemic is on the decline and if we can have people tested (and proven negative) before they arrive and if the airlines can operate flights safely and if all the stars and planets align… If you already have a booking I would not cancel, just make sure you are prepared (mentally) it might not happen.
  P.S.: Just today they discovered 2 patients in a surgical wing at a non-Covid hospital (in Greece they allocated specific hospitals to Covid) were positive to the virus and asymptomatic. Greece is not out of the woods yet but have the weather on their side.
  - The Lord says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:28
    
    I am optimistic for September. Would chance without insurance (30ish year old, no pre-existing condition, BMI in healthy range etc). Of the deaths in England that are covid related 95% of those are people with pre existing conditions and only about 1% of the deaths have been under 60s without a pre existing condition.
  - Lady London says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:53
    
    Such a pity that less wealthy countries with a large population dependent on tourism may come under pressure to reopen when the epidemic is by no means controlled and the only way we’ve found of slowing it is to stop movement of people.
    
    Even healthy people can still carry and transmit it to this that may be more vulnerabl or simply unlucky.
    - The Lord says:
      
      5 May5 May 11:56
      
      True and there are plenty of places worse off than Greece. Without a vaccine which may never come the only way out of this is to wrap up those who are vulnerable and let everyone else slowly return to a new normal. Without some return to normal the economy will just crumble, we are already at 24% of the workforce being supported by the govt, this isnt sustainable.
      - Lady London says:
        
        5 May5 May 14:21
        
        Agree. Which is why I want workers under 50 to go back first, see after 3 weeks what’s the uptick in hospitalisations and ICU cases, then if medicine can cope those 65 and under back to work, check again after 3 weeks, then kids (that will be the one that kicks it off). 70 and up should wait at least 3 -6weeks after schools back as kids will get it from school and transmit to all generations directly or indirectly once adults are not locked down.
        
        But agree with you absolutely whilst protecting the vulnerable, as many people as possible should go back to work and shops and businesses open asap.
        
        I personally would like to see workers have the right to work off-site unless an employer can prove the job can’t be done off-site.
    - The Lord says:
      
      5 May5 May 15:35
      
      Yep seems that sounds like a very sensible roadmap to me. My employer has said max of 30% in the office at any one time with anyone who isnt comfortable travelling to work under no obligation to do so until they are comfortable doing so. Hopefully other companies who arent people facing are similarly sensible.
Dr Lee says:

5 May5 May 09:59

Anyone know the best number to call Virgin for a refund on a cancelled flight? Or is there a better way to get a refund rather than calling?
- Lady London says:
  
  6 May6 May 10:32
  
  Chargeback or section 75 on your credit card if you can’t get through on the phone to get refund.
EJH says:

5 May5 May 10:22

Anyone been extended 18mnth credit rather than a full refund (pursuant to recent Greek legislation) by Domes? Booked direct with CC via Marriott on a “free cancellation” basis. Just wondering if there is a workaround as not that keen to have £000s tied up in an 18mnth interest free loan. Thanks in advance!
- Harry T says:
  
  5 May5 May 18:13
  
  Did they cancel your booking or did you? There’s always chargeback or section 75.
Anna says:

5 May5 May 10:36

Has anyone had a definitive answer to what appear to be the new rules for Curve withdrawals? Is it 10 ever, now, free, and does that include ones we’ve already made?
- FloriGuy says:
  
  5 May5 May 11:03
  
  Which underlying card are you using for cash w/ds?
  - Anna says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:08
    
    HH, IHG and sometimes Lloyds!
    - FloriGuy says:
      
      5 May5 May 14:13
      
      Are you not getting charged? Particularly on HH?
      - Anna says:
        
        5 May5 May 17:14
        
        No – I stick to the £200 pm per card and have never been charged.
  - Connor says:
    
    5 May5 May 12:50
    
    New T&C’s state you only get 10 cash withdrawals free, no matter the card.
    - EwanG says:
      
      5 May5 May 14:59
      
      T&Cs on their website (https://www.curve.com/en-gb/terms) under FEE TABLE says it’s 10 per month – are these the ones you are referring to Connor?
      - Anna says:
        
        5 May5 May 17:13
        
        I need to check this, but 10 ever makes no sense! Most people would already have gone over that limit. Think we need an updated HFP article on Curve.
      - Anna says:
        
        5 May5 May 17:16
        
        How old is that link, it still refers to loading up your Amex wallet?!
      - EwanG says:
        
        5 May5 May 17:38
        
        @Anna. If you go to http://www.curve.com (or are redirected there from http://www.imaginecurve.com) then go to the footer, under legal it takes you to that link of https://www.curve.com/en-gb/terms which should be the current terms!
        At the top of the current terms, it has a link to the new terms applicable to existing customers from 28 June 2020 (time allowing for the Notice of Variation), or to new customers from 28 April 2020, at https://www.curve.com/en-gb/curve-terms
        
        Comparing current and new terms, my understanding is it will be 10 *per month* but as they don’t clearly articulate that (did legal and compliance check these before they were published?) it might be worthwhile taking a copy of each for future use if you are concerned!
jamesj says:

5 May5 May 10:44

Interesting chat with Amex rep yesterday about downgrading to Gold from Platinum. There was a clear threat that it might not be automatic that I could ‘upgrade’ again to platinum in 6 months time.
- Peter K says:
  
  5 May5 May 10:50
  
  Surely, in that case, you could just cancel the gold, then apply for the platinum again as a new product.
  - Freddy says:
    
    5 May5 May 11:12
    
    Scaremongering at its worst – sorry sir, we cannot agree an upgrade to our £545 or whatever the fee is now card. We simply don’t want the cash. Similar to the ‘you’ll lose your 241 voucher if you cancel your BA card’
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      5 May5 May 11:39
      
      Seems like lots of Amex CS agents are telling fibbies recently, maybe a directive from their supervisors!
      - Lady London says:
        
        5 May5 May 11:55
        
        BAU for Amex agents according to longstanding reports on here and other sources.
        
        Thank heavens for the interweb
- TeessideTraveller says:
  
  5 May5 May 11:58
  
  I got the same threat when I downgraded by BAPP to the basic BA Amex. Fairly pathetic really.
- David says:
  
  5 May5 May 14:17
  
  My personal view is that this may just refer to a possibility that Amex reserve the right to withdraw the Platinum card ‘from sale’ at any time and if that happened then you wouldn’t be able to go back to the card you are asking for a downgrade from; they are just highlighting this aspect, or at least that’s how I read it. Perhaps there is a similarity with the IHG card: if someone opted to downgrade to the free card a while back, then I presume they couldn’t now upgrade to premium again given that the premium card is not currently available for taking out. Plus, from my understanding, any card application is subject to approval in any case.
  - Genghis says:
    
    5 May5 May 19:19
    
    But the IHG cards were discrete products.
  - Roy says:
    
    5 May5 May 19:51
    
    Also, I imagine they reserve the right to do a credit check. They can’t guarantee that you’ll pass.