The new HFP chat thread – Tuesday 19th 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/2020/05/19/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-tuesday-19th-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.

Neil says:

19 May19 May 06:50

If currently waiting on cancelling a ln Avios flight to North America in July is there any benefit of waiting for BA to cancel the flight before taking the voucher?

If I don’t take the voucher I lose 2 x 2 for 1 Amex vouchers…

Would obviously need availability on the replacement flights in summer 2021 but that’s no different to calling up 355 out anyway…?
- Harry T says:
  
  19 May19 May 08:34
  
  If BA cancel your flight, you can move your 241 redemption to any date within the current booking window, regardless of whether there is Avios availability for the new dates. Unless your 241 vouchers expire before summer next year, I’d wait until the last minute (?24 hours before) before resorting to taking the voucher, as you can gain serious arbitrage with a cancelled and rebooked redemption at this juncture.
Lawrence Howard says:

19 May19 May 06:57

Does anyone know how quickly BA is processing credit applications for cancelled flights (yes, I know I am entitled to cash, but I want this over with quickly & can use my credit for a flight next year to an event I am going to)

Put mine in 5 weeks ago, still nothing heard
- Neil says:
  
  19 May19 May 07:18
  
  Good grief. I assumed with a Book with Confidence voucher to you’d get it immediately… 😔
- Anna says:
  
  19 May19 May 07:28
  
  That does sound as though something’s gone wrong. I got mine in the form of an email straight away, though it was done via text communication with BA. I would be chasing it up if I were you (or checking for emails with your original booking ref on).
- BrightonReader says:
  
  19 May19 May 07:38
  
  My first voucher in March took a fortnight to be sorted and the email send. It surprised as it was just as they announced and they were inundated.
  
  Second in May took a couple of days of the request.
  
  I’d phone to check just in case it got missed.
  
  But remember the ‘voucher’ isn’t a voucher you get sent. All you need is the 125 ticket number from your original confirmation email and you quote that when you call to use it.
  - BrightonReader says:
    
    19 May19 May 08:04
    
    * It wasn’t a surprise ….
- Gavin says:
  
  19 May19 May 08:12
  
  You can check if it’s been processed by inputting the PNR into the Qantas website. You’ll see a placeholder flight for Mont Joli or something similar.
- Andrew says:
  
  19 May19 May 08:20
  
  Can the vouchers only be used by calling up?
  - David S says:
    
    19 May19 May 09:05
    
    Andrew,
    Yes it can only be booked by ringing BA since the vouchers have to be manually applied.
    - Anna says:
      
      19 May19 May 09:08
      
      That wasn’t the case for me. I made my new booking then replied to my “voucher” email, as per BA’s instructions (in the email). The credit was refunded to my Amex in about 5 days.
- David S says:
  
  19 May19 May 09:06
  
  Took 6 days but I did ring them after 5 days to check. That was beginning of April.
Steve says:

19 May19 May 07:02

Anyone any experience with last-minute .com Contacted them for a refund for a flight cancelled by airline, told it had been passed to the right team and they’d be in touch over email. This was a week ago, not a word yet.
- Matty says:
  
  19 May19 May 08:15
  
  On 17 March I requested a refund. Received an email 13 April with the various refund options. Email with voucher code received 28 April.
- Lady London says:
  
  19 May19 May 10:22
  
  keep on at them there have bern reports of bad experiences with them such as not refunding when they are supposed to.
  
  IIRC they’ve already been bust once.
James says:

19 May19 May 07:29

As I understand the refund voucher option for a flight that was booked with Avios is a voucher for the equivalent Avios value? Are bookings with the voucher limited to Avios reward flight availability??
- Gavin says:
  
  19 May19 May 08:15
  
  Correct (Avios + any cash taxes/fees paid are held in the voucher) and yes you can only book flights with Avios availablity
BJ says:

19 May19 May 07:29

Huge staff and fleet reductions reported at Emirates. Cannot help but wonder if airlines are generally being too pessimistic. Some ofcourse have been shown to be very opportunistic. What happened to optimistic, if cases fizzle out worldwide I can see travel returning very rapidly within 6-12 months as I think most people by nature are optimistic and realistic. Apologies for all the ‘-stic’ 🙂
- Harry T says:
  
  19 May19 May 07:57
  
  I’m now actually thinking my planned trip to Milan and Florence in August will go ahead. Plus my Asia trip in November, and my trip to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I think air travel will return with a vengeance towards the end of the year, as countries can not afford to lose the tourism money.
  
  Tbh I don’t actually care about the risk of coronavirus to my own health, as I’ve likely already had it, and the mortality for a healthy 29 year old man who isn’t obese is in the trivial zone (my gf is even lower risk at age 23). When countries decide that the risks of air travel are offset by the benefits of tourism, I will be on a plane.
  - Andrew says:
    
    19 May19 May 08:24
    
    And what will premium travel look like for the next couple of years – lounges and inflight service won’t be what they were with all this social distancing, so much of the pleasure of sitting up front will be taken away. Even QR have announced business class meals will be served on a tray a la Club World, to help with limiting crew interaction.
  - Harry T says:
    
    19 May19 May 08:37
    
    Could have an impact but there’s plenty of people, myself included, who won’t be affected by the economic situation. They will be keen for holidays. Plus, will potential holidaymakers with less economic stability be sitting on refunds from cancelled holidays, and maybe have saved a bit of cash due to working from home?
    
    Of course, people who have been laid off or those struggling to pay bills anyway won’t be able to travel.
    - Anna says:
      
      19 May19 May 09:12
      
      Do you think we have to quarantine for 14 days on return by that point? I’m thinking the same re our Spain holiday at the end of July – the Spanish government seems to have done a 180 degree turn (probably due to supplications from hoteliers etc about how they can’t re-open unless foreign tourists can come in), and stated they are re-opening at the end of June. Numerous airports have now been opened, e.g. Malaga, Tenerife, which suggests that they are preparing for a full summer season.
      - Rob says:
        
        19 May19 May 10:03
        
        The only issue would be the last 2 weeks of the Summer holidays, since technically your kid couldn’t restart school if you return less than 2 weeks before term starts. If you’re working from home anyway, quarantine has zero impact. Me and my family are at home 23 hours a day anyway.
    - marcw says:
      
      19 May19 May 09:39
      
      Yes Anna, yesterday the Spanish Minister of Development, Infrastructure & Transportation – Jose Luis Avalos – in an interview pointed out that it´s “very likely” that by mid-June Spain would remove quarantine for international arrivals (by mid-June it´s also expected that non-residents and non-Spanish nationals may visit the country). Furthermore, it´s possible that some regions, with very low incidence of COVID-19, such as the Canaries and the Balearics may open sooner to allow international arrivals (and no-quarantine) than mainland Spain.
      - Rob says:
        
        19 May19 May 09:58
        
        This would really put the Government here in a sticky situation. Airlines start scheduling and advertising flights to Spain. Perhaps the Spanish Government starts running a few UK press ads promoting tourism (perhaps they can bung us a few quid!). Are people going to take the 14-day quarantine rule seriously, especially as the police in London have said they will refuse to enforce it?
    - Rob says:
      
      19 May19 May 10:02
      
      We’re off. Wife has it all planned out! Just need booking to open at the other end.
    - marcw says:
      
      19 May19 May 10:18
      
      The UK Gov doesn´t even know when and how to implement quarantine. Now they are also suggesting that arrivals from countries/regions with reduced COVID-19 R number shouldn´t go into quarantine. https://twitter.com/HuwMerriman/status/1262426337010159619?s=20
      - Rhys says:
        
        19 May19 May 10:19
        
        Looks like Huw needs a haircut!
      - Rob says:
        
        19 May19 May 10:20
        
        To be fair, so do I. Got one booked for 9am on 6th July though 🙂
      - Rhys says:
        
        19 May19 May 10:21
        
        My mother is chomping at the bit to shave my hair off!
  - Lady London says:
    
    19 May19 May 09:52
    
    it will increase the polarisation that already exists. Those that “have” will do stupendously well. The class of have-nots will grow in numbers.
    
    The airlines will be fine. Unless we have another world shock of some sort, and unless the virus both returns more deadly in the autumn / winter as well as detecting and killing the wealthy.
    - Chrish says:
      
      19 May19 May 12:13
      
      Lady London@ yes polarization will increase but there always will be the have’s & have not’s it’s a fact of life Just as i will take my Grand Children on Holiday 2/3 weeks whilst they should be in School cultural trips every year (i time it so doesn’t affect their schooling to much) whilst the have not’s can’t afford the risks just moan that i can and do
      But now anybody could do it almost legally at least until 2021
      But don’t think the haves & have not’s are defined by job/ house ect i know plenty who are panicking now with good jobs, houses, idiot’s with high debit on credit cards, they don’t read what Rob preaches if you have a credit card pay it off end of month
      Sometimes the more you have the worse off you actually are
      I retired at 50 have only £20k a year to live on but everything paid for by then, i find it more than enough classify myself has a have (not a have not0
      But on face value most would class me as a have not lol, but when you are 72 and had 22 years of excellent retirement what would i do with more than £20k
    - Lady London says:
      
      19 May19 May 15:49
      
      very interesting chrish. yes i would prob feel the same as a “have” in your situation. Let’s just hope inflation does not kick off again.
      
      i doubt the government will shut.down again on this epidemic unless it kills the “haves”. Other increased rates of death will be hidden / not acted on. such as people that have been trapped and killed in care homes. and the worryingly high number of key workers.
      
      So long as the middle classes can largely work at home and remain unexposed and anyone higher than that/richer can manage to be elsewhere then I cant see another shutdown happening even if the virus does come back deadlier.
    - Chrish says:
      
      19 May19 May 18:30
      
      Lady London@ i think your “almost” sure to be right the country can’t afford another lock-down unless it mutates in winter (unknown) unlikely but not impossible.
      If the “R” goes above 1 (& it probably will) it will be easy to disguise by saying its around “1”
      The problem will be if it goes well above 1.
      But then instead of lock-down it will be (we have no need lock-down) we can track & trace.
      What we should have been able to do much earlier we had the warnings.
      ps I was able to retire at 50 because i used to dabble in shares in my younger days picked a small share on “aim market” called iomart bought for 4p a share it went up to over £4 a share i was very lucky “Very” played around with Vod for income i bit That all paid for my retirement at 50
      So i can say i was very very lucky, stopped playing with shares around my 50th retirement although i still send cheques Grand Childern xmas, bithdays, easter & they buy vod shares their Mothers “the share centre” Acc
      Other than that never bothered with shares since, never bought a lottery either no need for extra money, i always say if i won lottery it would have changed my life, why would i want it changed ?
  - Michael C says:
    
    19 May19 May 10:41
    
    I’d def. count on Florence, Harry – friend there says all pretty normal now except for lack of tourists, and flights due as from June.
    - Harry T says:
      
      19 May19 May 10:48
      
      Thanks, Michael C!
  - Paul Pogba says:
    
    19 May19 May 12:44
    
    Given only 0.27% of the population has had it, what makes you think you’re one of them?
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52662066
    - Paul Pogba says:
      
      19 May19 May 16:02
      
      The two weeks (27 April to 10 May 2020) are the dates they conducted the survey, the 148,000 cases are the total expected to have been infected since this began (although its possible earlier infections have lost their antibodies): https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/england14may2020#number-of-people-in-england-who-had-covid-19
      
      A smaller survey in Austria came up with a number of 1%: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/10/less-than-1-of-austria-infected-with-coronavirus-new-study-shows
      
      I’m just skeptical as many people that think they’ve had it really have given the estimated total number of infections.
  - maccymac says:
    
    19 May19 May 13:38
    
    This attitude is getting tiresome. You may be at low risk of getting unwell from the disease but your capability to get infected and transmit it is just as potent as anyone else.
    
    You may not care about the low risk to your own health but it needs to be seen if the risk of contracting and subsequently carrying and spreading the virus is greater in the confined cabins of airplanes and with travel than it is staying put in the UK. Given the exponential ability of SARS-CoV-2 to transmit to others and the significant consequences to the vulnerable perhaps caring a little more than usual is advisable.
    - Lady London says:
      
      19 May19 May 16:06
      
      +1 this is the sad thing these days. You could imagine this hegemonic hedonism potentially killing us all on a future pan-whatever. As @Andrew hinted he sees consequences of such drives weekly working in GUM.
  - Lady London says:
    
    19 May19 May 15:59
    
    @Harry T if you reallt want to go to Italy in August I suggest if you are centering around Florence you do lots of Florence but think about Lucca Siena San Gimignano instead maybe hill towns depending how much time you have. I’d dump MIL it’s not for August.
- Grant says:
  
  19 May19 May 09:20
  
  I would probably agree that opportunities to travel will return in that time frame, but what will the experience be like? As Andrew points out above, the premium travel to / from your destination(s) is likely to be very different, but I also think the ‘visitor experience’, for want of a better expression, at all our favourtie destinations will likely be very different too. For example, how many bars / restaurants will survive? Will those that do survive still have the atmosphere that makes them special?
  
  I think a lot of people travel to immerse themselves in the ‘way of life’ of the destination but if that now has to be a socially distanced, sanitised, perhaps bland, version of what is usually is, will people still want to go?
  
  On the other had, rocking up to a premium resort hotel that you have no intention of leaving for the duration of your stay might be just fine. Capacity may have been forced down and you might not have to wait as long for breakfast!
  - Rob says:
    
    19 May19 May 10:00
    
    You don’t wait for breakfast at proper ‘premium resort hotels’ 🙂
  - Anna says:
    
    19 May19 May 10:15
    
    Some of us enjoy “that sort of break” in addition to all sorts of other breaks, Larry, you should perhaps be less swift to judge your fellow HFP readers!
    
    Marcw, yes I have been keeping up with the statements from various ministers about re-opening, especially in relation to the autonomous regions. It also occurred to me that regional economies are suffering in a number of ways from reduction in income, not all of it from legitimate sources!!
    
    We have a large self-catering apartment booked near Malaga as we were hoping for a break where my son and his cousin could have guaranteed time outdoors (not something you can count on in the north of England) but with ample privacy for us all in the accommodation. There are plenty of open spaces within an hour’s drive of the coast where tourists (especially British ones) rarely stray.
  - Rob says:
    
    19 May19 May 10:28
    
    Have you ever spent a week in a 5+ star uber-luxury resort where you are waited on hand and food, the staff come around to clean your sunglasses for you, your sea-facing table is reserved for you every morning when you finally decide to turn up for breakfast and every 20 minutes or so by the pool the staff turn up with free ice cream, fruit, drinks etc? Thought not 🙂
    - Harry T says:
      
      19 May19 May 10:49
      
      @Rob no, but I’d like to! Any recommendations?
    - @mkcol says:
      
      19 May19 May 11:01
      
      While I like to be looked after this sounds like hell – just leave me alone!
    - Spaghetti Town says:
      
      19 May19 May 11:08
      
      hmmm…Jumeirah Beach resort in Dubai comes close!
    - Michael C says:
      
      19 May19 May 11:25
      
      Sorry to break it to you, Rob, but Butlins Minehead still says “closed till further notice”!
      - Rob says:
        
        19 May19 May 12:16
        
        Never went to Minehead. Did go to Filey, albeit only after it closed and was reopened by a new operator for a short period. It has now been demolished and replaced by ‘quite nice actually’ holiday homes.
    - Gormlesstraveller says:
      
      19 May19 May 11:29
      
      I’d be worrying about running out of dollar bills to tip for these extra services. Or have I missed the point?
    - Lady London says:
      
      19 May19 May 16:09
      
      In case of any doubt, @Rob has just described the upmarket version of Butlin’s.
    - Chris Heyes says:
      
      19 May19 May 20:59
      
      Rob@ No but I’ve Traveled to Grand Canyon stayed in El Tovar “Best” Suite with Balcony directly overlooking “The Canyon” traveled round from South Rim to North Rim on “Hikers” Shuttle stayed in one of the only Cabins right on the “Edge” of the Canyon (not many Americans done North Rim)
      Hitched a lift (Admittedly pre-arranged) with a Manager of North Rim down to Lake Powell,
      Rafted down Colorado River (well 2/3 hours not all the way lol), stood on top of Horse Shoe Bend,
      rafted round it a couple days later, been down Antelope Canyon (Slot Canyon run by the Indians)
      were Indiana Jones filmed, flew from Page to Phoenix in a 9 seater plane
      Now that’s my idea of a holiday
      Note NOT RECOMENDED with young Children Grand Canyon no barriers but when you first arrive it will take your breath away (Hotels are not top notch but what an experience)
    - Dezbez says:
      
      19 May19 May 21:27
      
      Rob – are you referring to Primrose Valley?! We have a long extended-family weekend in Filey every year (we used to go there as kids). The British seaside at its best.
      - Rob says:
        
        19 May19 May 21:32
        
        No. Butlins was directly next to Primrose Valley, and is now the estate of holiday homes (which is worth a look around).
        
        I also went to Primrose Valley at least five times as a kid! There are photos of me there back in 1973ish.
    - Chris Heyes says:
      
      19 May19 May 23:20
      
      Rob@ Unfortunately Missed out on the total experience the nearest I’ve come to luxury would be in Santorini Volcano Views Hotel (fira) 2/3 weeks (not the first time stopped there but last time was only 2 years ago) So can still vouch for it. combined it with a week in the Windmill at Ola for the experience of stopping in a windmill (kids would love it, if you could get over them climbing up and down a ladder to top bedroom lol)
      Also traveled there by Blue Star Ferry’s again it’s the holiday experience we go for stayed at the Hilton in Athens 3 days, no complaints tend to try & avoid chains although never had a complaint about Hilton always been upgraded without fail
  - Grant says:
    
    19 May19 May 10:50
    
    I think perhaps my wider point is being lost in the nit picking over the detail 🙂 We all enjoy different types of holidays and those that enjoy one of the examples may be able to get back to some sense of normality, as far as holidaying is concerned, sooner than the others.
BrightonReader says:

19 May19 May 07:51

Re Expedia.

Email from them yesterday saying they know I tried to call them re cancelling a booking in March (which I did) and asking if I had (a) been rebooked by the hotel, (b) been reimbursed by the hotel, credit card or insurance or (c) been issued with a credit by the hotel.

I responded to the email address that none of those has happened so fingers crossed I’ll get something back. I didn’t pursue further at the time because the booking was non refundable. Will be more than happy with a credit voucher.

I got the same email this morning but I assume that’s because I tried to call them a few times.

Can’t be a fishing expedition because it had the booking number and hotel details in the email. Also the email address is a proper Expedia one – I checked from emails from earlier this year and the original booking.
Paul says:

19 May19 May 08:00

Anyone have any experience of using Hilton Barclaycard with curve and Revolut?
- Harold R says:
  
  19 May19 May 08:46
  
  Yes don’t use curve.
  MCC is passed on and as curve is mastercard its classified as a Cash advance so barclaycard charge for it.
  - fivebobbill says:
    
    19 May19 May 19:50
    
    Nope – not true
- Anna says:
  
  19 May19 May 09:15
  
  Someone said yesterday they were charged for topping up Revolut. Best use of HH for me is direct payments to Creation, though who knows how long that will last?
  - Paul says:
    
    19 May19 May 10:27
    
    Cool, and can you use creation with curve or revolut?
    - @mkcol says:
      
      19 May19 May 17:59
      
      Yes Creation card works fine in Curve.
  - @mkcol says:
    
    19 May19 May 11:04
    
    Hmmm – there’s a nuisance. Wasn’t aware that you could use HH to directly pay Creation, I’d been using my VS Rewards+ all this time.
    Although I guess the latter will earn more Honors points if using the miles to convert.
  - Crafty says:
    
    19 May19 May 11:08
    
    Less long the more you talk about it
    - @mkcol says:
      
      19 May19 May 17:57
      
      Oh get over yourself 🙄
  - Gormlesstraveller says:
    
    19 May19 May 11:31
    
    That’s intriguing. Do HH charge interest at purchase rate or cash advance rate?
Tim says:

19 May19 May 08:05

Anyone think that BA will extend their tier point threshold reduction beyond June renewals?

Currently sat on 1400 tier points with a renewal date in Sept. While I want to be optimistic I don’t expect to be flying before then especially if countries Implement a 14 day quarantine period.