The new HFP chat thread – Friday 22nd May

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• Robert says:

  22 May22 May 11:43

  What are people’s thoughts on international travel later this year, has anyone booked up or got bookings they intend to travel for Aug, Sep, onwards? Just trying to get advice, as the news and media seem to be pointing towards flights resuming as early as next month.

  • BJ says:

    22 May22 May 11:50

    Booked our usual Xmas/NY trip last month. I was optimistic then, even more so now. Common sense to book everything flexible or buy now pay later where possible. Don’t forget you can book BA Holidays with a small deposit so losses are small it it comes to the worst..

  • Andrew says:

    22 May22 May 11:56

    Robert, I think flying will be up and running in a few months and overseas travel permitted and probably not requiring a quarantine on return. But the question is, how enjoyable will it all be? How much high maintenance will all the processes and queues and health screening and social distancing be?; how much of a premium flying experience will it be?; and how enjoyable will a socially distanced, facemask wearing holiday really be?

    • PJJ says:

      22 May22 May 13:53

      Booked in January for the US Open tennis
      Tickets paid for
      Flight booked, will it be cancelled, will I be let in
      Hotel booked, will it be open
      Will the tennis be played
      I BET IT DOESN’T ALL COME TOGETHER
      All or nothing is my hope

      • PJJ says:

        22 May22 May 13:54

        Sorry, missed out flying 29th AUGUST

        • PJJ says:

          22 May22 May 14:04

          And in New York !

  • Gary says:

    22 May22 May 11:57

    Re booked from March to September for New Orleans and Nashville but not going – have booked first two weeks in December to Barbados and hopeful to go on this trip.

    Nashville we paid full amount as originally going in March but got refund all bar deposit from BA as full payment for new trip not due to mid August and other holiday only deposit.

  • The Lord says:

    22 May22 May 12:03

    Got a wedding booked in Hawaii for October which I am only about 40% about. More confident about a trip to Greece in August, would say in the past week the chances have increased. Now debating whether to make BA Hols booking.

    • Anna says:

      22 May22 May 12:29

      My first outing (assuming not going to Spain in July) is a trip to France at October half term, situation permitting. Hopeful of being able to travel long haul Easter & summer 2021. I’m trying to squeeze in a Twixmas trip at the end of December, would love to see New Year I’m in NYC or Boston but really not sure which way things are going to go over the pond. Looking at Dubai/AbuDhabi/Doha but award availability is poor and I have an expiring 2 4 1 to use.

      • Michael C says:

        22 May22 May 12:38

        Anna just fyi a Hyatt Place (and Hampton Hilton) are due to open in Boston in the last quarter of this year – might nab a decent price if not using points!

      • Louise K says:

        22 May22 May 14:53

        I’ve done NYE in Boston a couple of times – very enjoyable and they make an effort with parades / fire works / ice sculptures. Much less crowded than NYC

  • BrightonReader says:

    22 May22 May 12:32

    Was preparing to book a couple of trips for November and December to the US then a couple of days ago prices went through the roof. Even ex-AMS/DUB/NV offered little scope for any savings.

    • Harry T says:

      22 May22 May 13:10

      Try Ex Barcelona.

      • Robert says:

        22 May22 May 17:57

        Thanks all for your responses, they’ve provided a good idea of what the general opinion is for travel after the summer has passed. It’s encouraging that the govt are now putting the 14 day quarantine in place for international arrivals, as I think it will help keep the second peak low. It is true that the experience will be very different, good luck with the tennis trip to NYC in August. I’m surprised to hear ME doesn’t have much availability toward end of the year, but then it is a popular route. I think I’ll now go ahead and book my Oct trip to Japan, would’ve preferred April for the cherry blossom but reward seats are rare and the hotel prices seem to almost double.

  • Dan says:

    22 May22 May 13:59

    I have bookings for July, September and October in Europe, January (US and Caribbean) and April (Thailand). I reckon 3 out 5 will happen but could be any of them that gets cancelled and not necessarily consecutive! I think July might happen but then may get a second wave of the virus and then back to a lottery again.

  • Craig says:

    22 May22 May 14:34

    I’m lucky that the next planned trip is the North Coast 500 at the end of August, I’m still optimistic about that. Then Spain in October and NYC/Caribbean over New Year all booked using fully refundable options, low deposit or late cancellation. I think those of us in the points collection game are much better placed and have more options than those that don’t.

• Claire says:

  22 May22 May 12:04

  When can we travel outside of the UK (meaning when will major airlines travel long haul)
  The earlier the better, got to visit extended family

• Gary says:

  22 May22 May 12:05

  Has anyone had any joy from Amex regarding their Platinum card – if you contact and tell them you wish to cancel? Spoke yesterday and all they said was to downgrade to Gold or Green/cancel.

  Benefit of double value on points is worthwhile if you are spending lots of money, but not currently worth it to me.

  • idrive says:

    22 May22 May 13:10

    i called last week and was only offered to go gold, asked if there was any retention bonus: straight no! i may try again in a couple of months. If i don’t travel, no need for that thank you.

    • Ian M says:

      22 May22 May 15:09

      I’ve tried a few times. No joy at all. I’m a heavy spender so perhaps they think I’m getting enough from them with triple points

• fivebobbill says:

  22 May22 May 12:13

  Tesco Pet Insurance.
  Can anyone who was double dipping on the site that cannot be named, tell me how long it took for the payment to go from “confirmed” to “payable” please?
  Just had 2 go to confirmed this week 🙂

  • Harry T says:

    22 May22 May 12:25

    I regret not thinking to double dip… amateur move on my part. Mind you, I had to nag Clubcard for my points, which have only just posted after almost two months post application.

    • fivebobbill says:

      22 May22 May 12:40

      Oh dear, schoolboy error there Harry, but one we have all been guilty of at some stage.
      Gotta say Tesco have been good this last year or so, this plus the mobile sim offer if you managed to get onto that one… a few times 🙂

  • Sam says:

    22 May22 May 18:18

    What do you mean by double dipping? Thanks!

  • Liz says:

    22 May22 May 22:47

    Mine is still stuck at pending and had to chase up the pts last week – they still havent arrived in my account. Took the policy out on 29/2

• Harry T says:

  22 May22 May 12:19

  When buying Bonvoy points etc from Points.com does anyone use a free Curve card?

  Last time I used my Halifax Clarity to pay the USD bill for Points.com but the charge cleared a couple of days later with a worse exchange rate than at the time of purchase. I was thinking about using Curve instead to lock in an instant exchange rate. Does anyone know if Curve actually enforce their charges for going above a certain amount of foreign spend a month?

  • Anna says:

    22 May22 May 12:32

    I always use Amex as I’m always chasing a bonus or voucher – I don’t seem to get charged an FX fee when buying points, unless I’ve missed it somehow!

    • Genghis says:

      22 May22 May 12:37

      The amount shown on the face of the statement is 103% of the clean GBP amount.
      When you click into the transaction, it then splits out the 100% GBP clean amount and the 3% FX fee.
      Have you really not been charged?

      • TGLoyalty says:

        22 May22 May 12:50

        It’s not so bad if you are using a Gold and working towards the £15k spend 2.75% of your 2.99% back but ofcourse opportunity cost if you used curve or something else (not really with a curve metal though)

        Tbh curve is fine and if you use it during the week there’s no charge.

        • Harry T says:

          22 May22 May 13:11

          @TGLoyalty
          Thanks, I’ve already hit the spend on the Gold card for the extra 10k but it’s a good point.

          I was more thinking that Curve has a total monthly limit for FX expenditure, after which they are meant to charge you. I know they have a habit of not actually charging people, so wondered what experiences were.

      • Anna says:

        22 May22 May 14:07

        I’ll have a closer look when they charge me for my Bonvoy points.

• Remainder2 says:

  22 May22 May 12:21

  Hotels.com have extended their special arrangements for cancellation of nonreturnable bookings from a period ending on 31 May to 30 June. Think this was done on 20 May.

  Still holding out for this to be extended to cover a mid July non refundable booking I have.

• marcw says:

  22 May22 May 12:28

  All four resolutions proposed by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou to remove four easyJet directors as means to cancel its order for 107 Airbus aircraft have been clearly defeated at today’s EGM.

  https://twitter.com/LondonAirTravel/status/1263792355683024896?s=20

  • BrightonReader says:

    22 May22 May 12:35

    I’m assuming that the ~40% voting in favour are essentially him and his family.

    • marcw says:

      22 May22 May 13:36

      Probably, but sounds about it.

  • Brighton Belle says:

    22 May22 May 16:14

    But there’s more

    https://twitter.com/LondonAirTravel/status/1263799451682066432/photo/1

• Chrisasaurus says:

  22 May22 May 13:18

  On flying, but:

  Have a eurotunnel booking for weekend that so far as I understand it I can move to within 12months of booking date for free (or minimal fee)

  I booked at beginning of year and I don’t see me wanting a trip to France in the next 9 months but as the trains are running I don’t see me being due a refund – correct?

  So that being the case is my best option to cancel and make a claim on Amex plat insurance?

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    22 May22 May 13:53

    Despite FCO advice still being not to travel?

  • Dan says:

    22 May22 May 14:02

    I was in the same position. Call them within two weeks of travel and they will extend:
    “Please note that although your voucher needs to be redeemed by the above date [date I called], it can be used for travel after this time. Once booked our standard terms and conditions apply, allowing travel within 12 months from the date of booking. The dates for booking are currently available 9 months in advance. Additional dates will be opened on a regular basis.”

    • Dan says:

      22 May22 May 14:03

      Sorry… ‘Date above’ is twelve months from the day I called them.

    • Chrisasaurus says:

      22 May22 May 21:32

      Thanks and quite right, quite a while on hold but was straightforward once through – credit vouchers issued exactly as you described

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