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.

mutley says:

19 May19 May 12:45

Does anyone know how long the BA reduced tier point thresholds last for?
- AJA says:
  
  19 May19 May 13:08
  
  The current reduced tier point qualification is only for those whose tier point year ends in April May or June. They have not announced any further changes for years ending in July or later. I expect that the next annoucement, if there is one, to be made in June or even July for July through to September.
Tom C says:

19 May19 May 12:47

Starting to think that our MAN – Florence flight on the 20th July will actually go ahead now….
- Anna says:
  
  19 May19 May 12:54
  
  We’re booked on MAN-AGP at the end of July, but I am thinking that BA are going to need those planes to be carrying a minimum number of passengers to make it worth flying. It might be easier for them to cancel and offer re-routing via LHR, which I don’t fancy at all!
  - Anna says:
    
    19 May19 May 12:54
    
    Though I didn’t know they did MAN- Florence!
    - Tom C says:
      
      19 May19 May 14:31
      
      Yes! I think that they started the flight 2 or three years ago. We flew there with them in mid 2018!
  - Anthony Edwards says:
    
    19 May19 May 13:55
    
    They will also be trying to avoid expensive refunds by leaving the flights as operating. As we get closer to summer people will have paid more and more for their flights.
    - Anna says:
      
      19 May19 May 14:01
      
      EasyJet is currently offering MAN – Malaga for around £150 return at the end of July!!
      - Lady London says:
        
        19 May19 May 16:21
        
        is that what you’re aiming at asking BA to ticket you on instead under your rerouting rights under EC261 ? should be do-able as an extra stop isnt something you can necessarily be forced to accept if there is an an alternative direct flight available on your originally booked route.
      - Anna says:
        
        19 May19 May 16:34
        
        I can’t see BA agreeing to that without a protracted fight. I was thinking more if they cancel our flight and we still want to go, how long are those Easyjet prices going to be around?!
        BUT to run the MAN flights, they would have to re-open LCY as that’s where the planes are. I’m not sure what’s happening there at the moment.
      - Lady London says:
        
        19 May19 May 16:39
        
        you would have the right and I think you’d win.
Anna says:

19 May19 May 13:14

Greece is apparently offering to waive the 14 day quarantine for Brits if we do the same for them…
- ankomonkey says:
  
  19 May19 May 13:58
  
  I actually hope so. We’ve obeyed lockdown rules well and I’d prefer to decide whether or not my own family travels rather than be forced by quarantines. I accept the responsibility to assess the risk and would not travel if I felt we posed a risk to other travellers.
  - Lady London says:
    
    19 May19 May 16:26
    
    I have the rights to enter certain countries which are imposing 2 weeks quarantine, being in a category that is exempted from quarantine.
    
    When I go to those countries I will still voluntarily observe quarantine as i do not want to bring risk to others. i may be a “well” carrier of the virus without knowing it.
  - Anna says:
    
    19 May19 May 16:36
    
    Are you a lorry driver or a national security operative, LL?!
  - Lady London says:
    
    19 May19 May 16:40
    
    guess which 🙂
- J says:
  
  19 May19 May 14:09
  
  And the risk is pretty one way – hardly any cases in Greece, miniscule there vs the UK.
  - Rob says:
    
    19 May19 May 14:24
    
    Indeed. More people have died within 1 mile of my house than have died in the whole of Greece!
    - Anna says:
      
      19 May19 May 14:43
      
      Quite – is it likely that many Greeks will actually want to come here at the moment?
    - Lady London says:
      
      19 May19 May 15:36
      
      till now.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      19 May19 May 17:18
      
      And far less have died in 5 mile radius of mine than in Greece.
      - J says:
        
        19 May19 May 18:41
        
        You must live in the middle of nowhere.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        19 May19 May 22:11
        
        Absolutely not. The covid death map is worth looking at.
    - LB says:
      
      19 May19 May 19:25
      
      You should think about moving Rob😉
- The Lord says:
  
  19 May19 May 15:21
  
  Cant’t see this quarantine happening for UK arrivals. Too late at this stage, who are we going to quarantine – most of the popular destinations are further along with this than we are and are starting to open up. Maybe for some South American countries we may but how many flights a day are we talking from there when compared with Italy, Spain, Portugal etc.
- Optimus Prime says:
  
  19 May19 May 21:22
  
  The Greek government should try and waive the quarantine period if the Brits return the Parthenon Frieze 😛
youngtraveller says:

19 May19 May 13:36

Just called amex ‘to cancel platinum’ they only gave 15k points, I didn’t want to insist on 20k but did mention reading 20k online he said maybe the offer was on a different time, “I can only give you whats on the system.” The guy I spoke to was from Brighton center. To me 15k is better than nothing.
- youngtraveller says:
  
  19 May19 May 13:38
  
  Forgot to mention he said they will be in my account this week
  - Polly says:
    
    20 May20 May 22:57
    
    The agent usually can add the extra 5k as a goodwill gesture….that’s how l got mine, as was only offered 15k initially.
Anna says:

19 May19 May 13:58

And – MSN reporting that St Lucia is re-opening from June – for US travellers! What the actual…?
- The Lord says:
  
  19 May19 May 19:45
  
  $$$
Rob says:

19 May19 May 14:26

Pet insurance 🙂
- Harry T says:
  
  19 May19 May 14:37
  
  Looks like I need to make sure my pet is doubly insured – although Tesco bank don’t seem to be keen to give my kitty his points.
  - Polly says:
    
    20 May20 May 22:58
    
    Harry what did you name your kitty?
    BJ had a real hard time deciding what to call his female kittens! Was a very funny post.
- Charlieface says:
  
  19 May19 May 15:50
  
  Rob, the trick with Sainsburys is that the utilities and finance sections usually give extra points, so every extra product you have, up to 10. So you could be getting 11x.
Aston100 says:

19 May19 May 14:49

How popular is Cape Town?
I ask because I’ve just booked some flights for Xmas but was thinking of holding off on hotel bookings until after the summer.
I note the Hilton and others are apparently not showing availability. Should I therefore presume this is a very popular destination at that time of year, and just go ahead and book hotels now?
- Anna says:
  
  19 May19 May 14:56
  
  I’ve never been but it seems very popular indeed with some regular posters here. Award flights are apparently on a par with unicorn sightings!
  - Rhys says:
    
    19 May19 May 15:14
    
    I love Cape Town (and South Africa in general). Beautiful city & part of the world. Well worth going. As Anna notes, it’s one of the most popular routes for Avios redemptions.
    - Aston100 says:
      
      19 May19 May 16:02
      
      Ethical considerations aside, has anyone here done shark cage diving? Would you recommend?
      I’m concerned the water might be freezing cold and I might not get much time in the cage due to too many people on the boat.
      - ChrisA says:
        
        19 May19 May 18:40
        
        I’ve done it twice – two years apart. The first time I went, a small pod of orcas had earlier that week (unusually) killed a great white shark in the bay where the diving takes place. This scared the great whites away, but there were still other large sharks around and it was good fun.
        When I returned with a different friend, I was surprised that they started by explaining that two years ago, a pod of orcas… etc. And that the great whites had only just begun to return properly! We didn’t see one on our dive, but again the other large sharks provided plenty of thrill, and there was a great white near another boat in the bay.
        I also had ethical concerns, but put them to the side and thoroughly enjoyed myself in this beautiful spot. Hard to recommend to someone I don’t know, and as with many things I would just say there is only one way for you to find out!!
    - ChrisA says:
      
      19 May19 May 18:41
      
      +1. I’m slightly addicted tbh!
      - Lady London says:
        
        19 May19 May 18:46
        
        do they try and eat you ?
- Rhys says:
  
  19 May19 May 15:16
  
  Also given most hotel chains are offering free cancellation until 24 hours prior to stay or so, you don’t really have anything to lose by booking now. Can always cancel later if you find a better deal.
- Paul says:
  
  19 May19 May 15:57
  
  Some excellent AirBnBs available, usually cheaper than hotels, on a par with the equally excellent B&Bs. Can highly recommend Hout Bay as a base, lovely beach, restaurants, bars etc, village vibe and close enough to get to everywhere easily…
  - Aston100 says:
    
    19 May19 May 16:14
    
    Thanks and duly noted.
    However, first visit so looking to stay centrally on this occasion.
    Surprised at lack of IHG options. Just a Holiday Inn and an express. The express seems to have better reviews!
    Would have thought somewhere like this would have an Intercontinental or two.
    - Harry T says:
      
      19 May19 May 16:32
      
      No substantial international chain presence in SA apart from Marriott, who own Protea.
      - Rob says:
        
        19 May19 May 17:34
        
        Radisson? They offer 2-bed suites as ‘Family Room’ redemptions! On the water too.
      - J says:
        
        19 May19 May 18:23
        
        Yes, the Radisson Waterfront in Cape Town is excellent. The Radisson Red looks nice too. I would not recommend the other Radisson in the city centre/CBD at all, stayed there last year and found the service pretty rubbish… Grand Daddy nearby though is excellent if not using points.
      - Harry T says:
        
        19 May19 May 19:01
        
        Yes, good point. For my dates, redemption wise, there was only a cash and points entry level room or a massive family suite on points.
    - Dezbez says:
      
      19 May19 May 21:07
      
      Not sure it’s part of a chain but I can really recommend the Mount Nelson at the foot of Table Mountain. Very Colonial feel, gorgeous grounds and great facilities.
- Harry T says:
  
  19 May19 May 16:33
  
  My guide book for Cape Town says that anyone visiting in the Mid December to Mid January period should book hotels six months out because that’s peak season and also when SA folks are on holiday.
  - Aston100 says:
    
    19 May19 May 17:50
    
    Well that would explain why the Hilton is unavailable, and Trivago is showing me hotels I’ve never heard of.
    On the other hand, the Holiday Inn seems seems reasonably well located and is 20k points per night. The cheapest refundable rate for 2 adults seems to be about £147 per night.
    Reviews seem mixed though.
    
    I think I’ll just go ahead and book the Holiday Inn, and then keep an eye out for ‘something better’.
  - Lyn says:
    
    19 May19 May 19:29
    
    And it is school holiday time as well.
- Genghis says:
  
  19 May19 May 16:34
  
  Busiest time of year. Never been over Xmas as I’ve always been advised against it. A colleague who’s from Cape Town notes it’s crazily busy over Xmas period.
  - Rob says:
    
    19 May19 May 17:33
    
    Might be sold out. One&Only is about £1,000 per night between Christmas & New Year for a standard room – I looked the other day.
  - Harry T says:
    
    19 May19 May 18:08
    
    Will be interesting to see whether it’s as busy this peak season. The Cape Grace and Belmont Mount Nelson aren’t sold out, if you like the finer things in life. I’ve heard the One and Only and Silo are overrated.
    - Rob says:
      
      19 May19 May 18:29
      
      O&O is effectively a Dubai or Caribbean style resort hotel. Works well with kids. Cape Grace (Waterfront) is for sophisticated couples, I’d say. Mount Nelson probably appeals a bit more to an older demographic.
      
      The Westin (if its still a Westin) is an option. Literally 60 seconds walk from the Waterfront, albeit not on it. (The difference can be key due to the private security which patrols the Waterfront.)
      - Harry T says:
        
        19 May19 May 18:59
        
        Thanks, Rob. I’ve booked Cape Grace for my girlfriend and I through Emyr. We shall see how we feel nearer the time (it is quite expensive but probably worth it). The Weston could turn out to be a better choice if I’m Marriott Plat by then.
      - MD says:
        
        19 May19 May 21:31
        
        Well thank you Rob, we stayed in both the Cape Grace and the Mount Nelson on our trip there in 2019. I’d love to consider us sophisticated, but not old. 😂
        
        Aston, I’d avoid the Hilton if I were you. Read the reviews. We found them to be disappointingly accurate (thankfully only one brief night between flights). Ok roof pool, not much else. Yes it’s central but not a great area, and there are much better options everywhere on the budget spectrum.
    - Aston100 says:
      
      19 May19 May 19:09
      
      My goodness, some hotels that were showing availability yesterday and this morning and are now gone this evening.
      I think I will now just book the Holiday Inn on points now, and hope it turns out to be fairly decent.
      At the end of the day, I am not someone who spends much time inside the hotel and I treat it as just somewhere to sleep between all day outdoor sessions. So long as it is clean, quiet, comfortable beds and friendly staff. Probably applies to most hotels TBH.
      Will use points I think. 20k points per night compared to almost £150 per night cash rate is a no brainer.
      - Aston100 says:
        
        19 May19 May 19:12
        
        However, I note the Holiday Inn Express is not that faraway from the Holiday Inn, and is almost half the price.
        Coming in at £77.48 per night, for 2 adults, and that also includes 3000 bonus points per night.
        Fits the simple criteria I require (see above). I’m not someone who sits in a hotel bar all day/night. In fact I prefer to be out of a hotel as much as possible.
        It has better reviews too.
        
        No pool though…
      - Genghis says:
        
        19 May19 May 19:27
        
        Location not great.
- Venturelog says:
  
  19 May19 May 17:58
  
  The Presidents hotel. We stayed there last time. Its in the Sea point area, safe, walking distance to whatever you need. Seen BA put their staff up there.
Anna says:

19 May19 May 14:54

Further to the above, the Caribbean Times is reporting that other islands are also opening up from June or July, with BA flights scheduled for July onwards. This is interesting as a few posters on here have mentioned they have flights booked for July to the region and don’t know whether they will be happening, not to mention whether their insurance will cover them if they do! It sounds from this that the case is, if the destination is accepting visitors, your BA flight will be running, even though you may be required to take a COVID test prior to boarding and observe strict social distancing measures while there (and possibly not be insured either).
- Rhys says:
  
  19 May19 May 15:15
  
  ‘BA flights scheduled for July onwards’
  
  Isn’t this just the ‘normal’ schedule that hasn’t been cancelled yet? We don’t actually know if BA will start ‘proper’ flying by July.
  - Anna says:
    
    19 May19 May 16:17
    
    https://caribbeantimesnyc.com/2020/05/antigua-to-welcome-international-passengers-in-june/
    Antigua seems to be expecting them.
- memesweeper says:
  
  19 May19 May 22:27
  
  Not an island, but Costa Rica is currently closed to visitors, but BA are showing scheduled flights in July. I’m booked on one — and was expecting it to be cancelled. Now I’m not so sure, Costa Rica has done a fantastic job of controlling the virus, but the impact on the economy has been horrific. I hope they are not tempted to open the doors to international travellers before covid is well under control. Also we may still in the UK be under instruction to avoid non-essential travel in July, and hairdressers will only just be reopening. Would it really be OK to go to the airport and leave the country on a discretionary jolly during a lockdown?