The new HFP chat thread – Tuesday 28th July

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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 de facto 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.

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General

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mr_jetlag says:

28 Jul28 July 07:33

Just back from Mykonos, where the normal summer season crush is replaced by a very quiet shoulder season atmosphere. Every restaurant and beach club was open but with just a handful of customers. The Greeks have got a type of mask that covers only the mouth and probably does no good at all. Still, there are zero cases on the island probably due to stringent hygiene (elbow bumps between the nrmally huggy locals) and strong winds.

Best of all, zero cruise ships during my week there. This pandemic has really made me realize how crowded these paradise spots have become and how we took overtourism for granted.
- Anna says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 07:46
  
  Sounds blissful. In my usual destination, Grand Cayman (2 trips now booked for 2021🤞), they are seriously discussing never allowing cruise ships back (COVID was brought to the island by an Italian cruise passenger who needed hospital treatment). This would be fantastic for stay over tourists, though admittedly would have economic repercussions.
  - mr_jetlag says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 21:47
    
    Sounds equally lovely and would love to someday visit GCM. Hope things are back to normal by then.
Secret Squirrel says:

28 Jul28 July 07:52

I currently have 4x credit cards with an average 10k limit on each. I have the free IHG white card sitting in the drawer since bagging the 10k bonus doing nothing with no plans.
Do you think I should cancel this card to free up credit percentages for future cards?
I already have the IHG black so don’t really need the white version.
- The Urbanite says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 08:04
  
  If you ever decide to run your IHG Black card at full capacity then the IHG White card will come in useful to increase your earning.
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 08:11
    
    Never happens as I always pay off as quickly as possible.
  - Lady London says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 20:46
    
    In these times, with any credit line, I’d wait up to a year then decide.
    
    But before these times, as you have another credit line with the same provider, you’ve gained all the benefit, so you might as well have closed it.
Anna says:

28 Jul28 July 08:08

When do we get to hear about the new Amex Billhop-like service and the new IC Ambassador offer (I know it’s in the IC Ts & Cs but an expanded HFP article would be nice)?
- Rob says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 08:58
  
  I’m leaving the AMB piece until it’s live. Will get to the Amex thing this week.
  - Anna says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 09:18
    
    Thanks – HFP keeping me going at the moment!
meta says:

28 Jul28 July 09:03

More update with my Kimpton DeWitt Amsterdam saga. The hotel now emailed back to say that they are going to offer me 80 euros per night at the Pulitzer incl. breakfast and 20% off at food outlets. Plus they will return all the points and next time I want to stay at Kimpton De Witt they will upgrade me to a suite. I think that is a good result.
- Anna says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 09:16
  
  Great – it shows in true HFP style that it’s worth standing your ground. Have a lovely time.
  - meta says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 09:45
    
    Thanks Anna. Back to planning the stay now, so any recommendations welcome.
    - Genghis says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 10:48
      
      https://www.boaty.nl/ is good fun. Max Indonesian restaurant is v good.
      Let me know what you’re looking for. We go about once a year.
      - The Savage Squirrel says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 20:58
        
        St Nicolaas boat club in Amsterdam was my favourite thing every single visit; with friendly guides (often students) always happy to take any tour you fancied and bringing the city to life with their stories, until the big boys closed them down 🙁 :(. Soulless 150 seat barges just not the same.
    - ChrisC says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 11:07
      
      Some very good museums and Galleries in Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh are both well worth a visit.
      
      But at the moment most require a pre booked timed ticket that takes away the spontaneous visit.
      
      Vondel park is good for a wander and a picnic in as is just wandering along the canals – pick a canal and follow it along.
      
      The I AMsterdam website has lots of info and ideas.
      - meta says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 11:11
        
        I’ve been to Amsterdam before, but not in a long time and it’s my partner’s first time. I was thinking more about restaurants. Thanks Genghis.
    - Peggers says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 12:51
      
      My daughter was at University of Amsterdam in 2018/19 and we didn’t go into centre much when visiting, partly because she stayed in the SW of the city.
      Vondelpark area is nice, with streets around Overtoom having good bars restaurants away from touristville. Tram No.1 is your friend for Overtoom side of Vondelpark, Tram No.2 for the other, quieter side.
- Paul74 says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 11:00
  
  Great.
tony says:

28 Jul28 July 09:52

Does anyone know of an insurance policy that just covers medical evacuations for UK citizens? I found https://medjetassist.com/ which is a US product. Pushing ahead with a trip to Spain next week and travel insurance mandates you use EHIC anyway, so the only loss I might struggle to cover would be having to have someone airlifted home.
- tony says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 10:19
  
  actually have found airrescuecard.com – any experience of this?
  Terms seem to stack up OK
  
  Thanks
- ChrisC says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 11:15
  
  Remember EHIC is not free care it gives you the care that a resident of that country would get.
  
  If a resident has to contribute to costs such as for a consultation, tests or drugs then you pay the same. In some countries for example you pay a % of the cost of a prescription not a fixed fee per item like over here and that could be very expensive.
  
  There are pages on the EHIC website that will tell you what is covered or not in each country.
  
  My insurance assumes I have an EHIC so would only cover me for the excess costs over what the EHIC covers.
  - Colin says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 11:43
    
    I don’t think you’re covered for any repatriation costs either with an EHIC?
    
    Also, you still need travel insurance to cover you for theft/getting mugged etc
    - ChrisC says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 12:56
      
      That’s correct you need insurance for evacuation and non medical things as well.
      
      But it is a misconception that EHIC gives you free care when it doesn’t and that is what I was trying to get across. And also that in some countries because of the mix of private and public provision not all providers will accept EHIC.
      
      And many insurance companies will adjust a claim if any part of it would have been covered by EHIC even if you didn’t have one.
      - tony says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 13:22
        
        Whilst technically that’s correct re EHIC, the cover for Spain is very comprehensive. No charge for the healthcare and a “contribution” for the medicines.
        
        Theft/mugging – we’re not flash. If someone stole my mobile phone, they’d probably be so offended that they would hand it back to me. Being more serious the maximum loss I could imagine here is about £1k before considering the deductibles.
        
        One slight niggle is the AMEX car hire insurance excess is voided by the FCO advice but i’ve checked with Towergate and insurance4carhire are happy to extend cover under the circumstances. So that’s an extra £30 or so.
    - Gormlesstraveller says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 13:58
      
      especially true for Barcelona
- bill says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 13:24
  
  Simon Calder did a facebook video earlier and was asked a similar question. He pointed people in this direction: https://www.voyagertravelinsurance.co.uk/specialist-products/high-risk-voyager-travel-insurance/
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 18:49
    
    Please Note – However, due to the Corona Virus / COVID-19 Pandemic being declared – there is no cover for Corona Virus if you are travelling to an area where there is an FCO travel restriction due to Corona Virus on or before your date of purchase.
    
    Lovely disclaimer
    - Bill says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 20:36
      
      Oh well. He obviously hasn’t seen the website recemtly
- Sukes says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 15:31
  
  My mother has needed emergency medical treatment in Italy and Spain and both times received excellent care under EHIC. Key takeaways from my personal experience in Spain of having to get paramedics is
  
  i) be aware that hotels / tour ops can be incentivised to call you a private doctor / ambulance who will charge; you have to ask for a PUBLIC doctor or hospital for EHIC cover to be eligible;
  ii) always keep your EHIC card on you and handy – one wave of this to paramedics and they started working on my mother instantly whereas there was some hesitancy before seeing the card;
  iii) the hyper level of bureaucracy in Spain pays off with the publication on the website of the Ministry of Health of the full list of public healthcare centres and hospitals where EHIC-covered care would be given: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/ciudadanos/prestaciones/centrosServiciosSNS/hospitales/home.htm . Not for everyone thankfully, but I do need to plan holidays around closeby hospitals and, particularly in low population areas, these might not be as near or numerous as you think. Always useful to know where the nearest hospital is and keep the details on your phone….trust me you don’t think you’ll need to know until you do….
  
  Happy safe and well travelling
- Anna says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 16:57
  
  Be aware as well that Spain has a reputation for pushing unsuspecting tourists towards private hospitals and clinics where your EHIC won’t be accepted. I know of people who had ambulance rides and treatment before they found this out! The EU was taking legal action against Spain for ducking its obligations under the scheme, I don’t know where this is currently up to. If you are unfortunate enough to need medical treatment, make you go to one of the (excellent) public facilities. I have a feeling that the private clinic shenanigans may resurface due to the battering Spain has had from COVID.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 19:23
    
    When you say Spain is it not the private hospitals and first responders pushing you towards their services rather than public ones?
  - J says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 20:51
    
    Spain nationalised all the private hospitals though some months ago. Do you think that will be reversed? Good points anyway though an EHIC card and travel insurance are both essential. Unfortunately the EHIC may soon be useless anyway for British tourists – yet more to thank Boris and Brexit for 🙂
    - mark2 says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 21:29
      
      Unless there is agreement to continue on a reciprocal basis.
      - J says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 22:56
        
        But it remains that as things currently stand it’ll be very shortly useless. Since our dear leaders seem so keen on discouraging tourism to the EU I don’t think it’ll be a big priority. Travel insurance premiums will inevitably increase if there isn’t an agreement.
Laura_D says:

28 Jul28 July 10:23

Looking at Tony’s post above it sounds like we have a similar question, though mine is a bit broader: is there any insurance which can be bought and will cover C19 related issues if I travel right now?

I’ve got 3 weeks booked in Southern Spain starting in a couple of weeks. I don’t mind quarantining on my way back as I work from home anyway.

I’ve got an Amex Plat but am assuming insurance would be invalidated given FCO advice, and could resort to EHIC but have heard private is better, though apparently EHIC is mandated by travel insurance? That can’t be right?

Any suggestions? Thanks!
- paulm says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 10:33
  
  BA were offering insurance to include Covid issues. no idea what it’s like though!
  - Rob says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 11:00
    
    They do. The only reason we’ve not covered it is that I can’t get my head around how much cover it genuinely provides across all stages pre and during your trip.
    - Colin says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 12:17
      
      The chances of getting coronavirus are quite low so is it even worth bothering with?
      - Rhys says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 12:19
        
        The chances of most things happening whilst on holiday are low but that doesn’t mean you should travel without insurance!
- Optimus Prime says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 10:41
  
  Check out Trailfinders – https://www.trailfinders.com/insurance#/step1
  
  Though I believe they won’t pay out if you travel against FCO advice.
  - Laura_D says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 11:02
    
    Have just priced a policy for 3 weeks for 2 people on Trailfinders and it came out at £82 which I’m more than happy to pay. T&Cs include this bullet which sounds quite promising:
    
    * Up to £5,000pp Quarantine cover, before and during travel if insured is instructed to self-isolate
    * Up to £10 million pp Medical Expenses & Repatriation cover, including claims arising from Covid-19
    
    I can’t find any explicit text on FCO guidance/recommendation to not travel….which may invalidate the whole thing. Anyone have any experience with this provider?
    - Optimus Prime says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 11:51
      
      Check their policy document: https://www.trailfinders.com/travel-insurance/ukpolicy2020v3.pdf
      
      Page 14. General exclusions:
      
      11. You travelling to or choosing to remain in a country, specific area or event to which the Travel Advice unit of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the World Health Organisation has advised against all travel or all but essential travel, or where you have travelled against the advice of the local authority at your trip destination, unless agreed by or on behalf of the insurer.
      - Optimus Prime says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 17:47
        
        Have just received an email from TF:
        
        “Trailfinders Peace of Mind policy
        If you book a package with TF to a country that currently has no quarantine or travel restrictions in place, here is how we’ve got you covered if things change.
        
        If within 7 days of departure there is FCO advice against travel to your chosen destination or a quarantine is introduced at either end, TF will give the following options:
        
        1. Travel as booked
        2. Change your holiday to new dates or a new destination
        3. Cancel and receive a full refund within 14 days
        
        If you are instructed by the Government test and trace scheme not to travel, or you are unable to travel as you have Covid-19, then Trailfinders travel insurance purchased from 18 June will cover you, should you need to cancel.
        
        In short, we’ve got you covered.”
- tony says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 13:32
  
  “though apparently EHIC is mandated by travel insurance? ”
  
  This is 100% correct. It’s why the cost of insuring trips to Europe will jump higher from next year. https://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2020-07-14/government-warns-travel-insurance-costs-will-rise
  
  I think in all reality, the vast majority of incidents are very minor. So you end up needing a consultation and say that’s inadvertently done privately. It’ll cost you £100 and the insurance won’t pay up, although given the excess, you’d only recover about £30 anyway.
  
  In the event it’s anything major, the hospital is going to check you’re on the right private/public track first. And it seems a bit snobby to suggest you want to go private as any true emergency in the UK would see most rational people at their nearest NHS facility. It’s the planned surgeries you end up having in a private location.
  
  That’s why I’m so interested in the repatriation insurance. I’ve asked Air Rescue some questions – will report back!
  - Gormlesstraveller says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 14:07
    
    It’s interesting to know how much repatriation insurance would cost, but why would you want to be repatriated from a Western Europe country when they all have first class state healthcare?
    - tony says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 15:07
      
      Because of the disruption of being stuck in a foreign country, potentially for an extended period of time, until deemed fit to fly. This is the one part of the insurance policy that I feel is needed (given EHIC’s coverage in Spain).
      
      Air Rescue quoted me US$150 for a family for 2 weeks with no excess, which whilst I suspect is more expensive than a typical whole travel insurance policy for Europe, is cheaper than the £960 I was quoted for a full policy to guard again travelling to an FCO no-go zone in Europe.
      - tony says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 15:08
        
        To add, the cost of a medevac flight from the Med to the UK is apparently £16k, although presumably there’s a bunch of variables depending how bad you are.
JohnT says:

28 Jul28 July 10:29

For BA flight changes, how longer after confirming a change can you make another change to same booking (done under the free changes policy)? Seems to be complaining saying please call.
- JohnT says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 10:33
  
  Seems to be about 20 minutes!
xcalx says:

28 Jul28 July 11:47

Looking through the Gov list of local eateries that have signed up for the eat out to help out programme and noticed that our local Thai place is on the list. They are also an amex small shop map and do take amex. Kerching or so I thought . The Gov programme runs Monday to Wednesday, problem is the Thai place opens Thurday to Sunday. Something smells fishy here and it’s not the Pla Thot Khamin
- Rob says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 11:55
  
  Sounds about as accurate as the Amex Shop Small list then!
- Andrew says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 12:02
  
  Starbucks is on the list though which doubled with the lower VAT they are passing on makes a tall latte £1.15 Monday to Wednesday!
- Genghis says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 12:13
  
  Yep. I’ve been doing some research this morning. A decent Italian near us on both, so £60 meal and non-booze drinks for 3 of us for £15.
  - Jody says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 15:23
    
    Should work with tastecard etc as well, so even cheaper if your chosen eatery is on there!
    - Erico1875 says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 20:11
      
      I really dont think it will stack with taste card.
- Rui N. says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 12:13
  
  If it is on the government website it’s because they applied for the scheme. Either the restaurant doesn’t know that the scheme only applies Monday-Wednesday (plenty of people don’t know that and a whole other bunch think the scheme has already started and get surprised when they don’t get a discount this week!), or they are planning to open on other days during August.
- Darren says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 15:07
  
  Reservations made for the next couple of weeks.
- Colin says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 15:46
  
  I’ve shifted all my existing weekend plans to Monday-Wednesday in August. Not what the government wants in terms of it driving footfall but it’ll save me a bit of money 👍
  - Nick_C says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 16:47
    
    Because of social distancing, restaurants are operating with reduced capacity. You moving your night out from the weekend to earlier in the week gives the restaurant more business provided they can fill the table that you would otherwise have occupied at the weekend. Staff can be employed full time instead of part time, paying more tax and not requiring furlough.
    
    And as the person filling the table is a higher spender than you, that could be an added bonus!
    
    All in all, a good scheme.
    - Colin says:
      
      28 Jul28 July 17:02
      
      Well I’ve been going to restaurants on the weekend in a few different areas and they’re nowhere near capacity.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        28 Jul28 July 20:23
        
        Strange all the ones I’ve been to have been completely full and I went to 3 places over the weekend. A couple weren’t even my first choice but they were fully booked.
        
        I think the lack of tourism will hurt restaurants over the next month or two though.