The HfP chat thread – Thursday 17th December

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John W says:

17 Dec17 December 12:38

Anyone had any experience of flying Gulf Air or Turkish Airlines Business class during Covid ? –
1) I am not sure how their business class compares normally ?
2) What would the meal service be now with Covid ?
- ankomonkey says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:09
  
  There is a detailed thread on Turkish Airlines Covid catering on Flyertalk. I think long-haul business is back to hot meals, but short-haul business and economy short or long are still currently cold boxed meals. TK’s business product is usually well regarded, but has clearly dropped during Covid.
  - John W says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 17:55
    
    Thanks for the feedback on Turkish ankomonkey. I will check flyertalk
Gavin says:

17 Dec17 December 13:01

Wondering what being in tier 3 as of Saturday does for me given I had planned to live in a hotel for the next few weeks.

Hopefully the hotel will stay open.
- BuildTheWall says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 13:10
  
  If ur home or the hotel is in tier 3, u need a valid reason (like business or isolating) to stay at the hotel.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 13:20
    
    It being your home is a valid reason.
    - memesweeper says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 18:32
      
      … as is working from the hotel. However, the hotel might have another policy, best to ask.
      - Gavin says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 20:26
        
        Seems they are staying open for now. I don’t actually have anywhere else to live at present as sold house and waiting to find out where I will work next year.
        
        Worst case scenario I will have to move to a hotel in tier 2 – which would add 15 miles each way to my commute.
SteveSlow says:

17 Dec17 December 13:26

Has anyone had any luck getting Amex to give shop small credit, when it turns out the shop doesn’t accept Amex, despite showing up on the map?
- Steven says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 13:30
  
  Success last year but refused this year.
  - Nick says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 13:56
    
    I’m about to try to claim a SS credit when the merchant had the Amex stickers all over the counter proudly proclaiming they were a SS merchant but then used squaredup to process the transaction. Will take to FOS if necessary. Will report back!
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 14:01
      
      You might still get it. Has it been long enough considering credits Take up to 5 days after the spend?
    - BLG says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 14:17
      
      For a fiver.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 15:26
        
        I really cba anymore if it’s easy I’ll have a go but chasing SS credits is far too much trouble.
        
        Perhaps I value my time too highly.
      - Dr C says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 15:37
        
        It’s not just a fiver, it’s a fiver times thousands of people wasting their time for their inaccurate maps that have often been already reported. Wasting people’s time and costing people money for a non Amex merchant!
    - Charlieface says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 14:47
      
      Presume you mean SumUp. These merchants ARE actually included this year
      - Andrew says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 15:08
        
        Definitely had credit for SumUp merchant.
      - Char Char says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 20:29
        
        I don’t know who they used but didn’t work in August
      - Tom1 says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 21:57
        
        Easily confused to be honest!
        There’s sumup – but there’s also Square – whose website is bizarrely squaredup!
        
        Are all sumup merchants included? I’ve got one today that was sumup but didn’t receive the Email that I have for every other one this year. Will wait and see.
    - Dr C says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 15:35
      
      If the shop accepts Amex but then processes it by some third party method they will likely credit you.
    - Claire says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 19:46
      
      They refused my similar claim when I was unaware the transaction was through sum up. I had no way of knowing that before as asked if they took Amex and they said yes. Not impressed and left very poor feedback.
  - YL says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 19:02
    
    Same experience in the Summer. I reported a place on the map not taking Amex, CS said he is not sure he can credit me the £5, but he will ask the back office to look into it…nothing happened, and I did not ask for it again.
    
    Guess what the shop is back on the map again and they still do not accept Amex!
- Sandra says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:10
  
  I’ve given up on it. Know my butcher takes Amex & used it there straight away. Been to 2 other places which show on the map but neither of them even take Amex. Anywhere else, if they actually take Amex, will just be spending for sake of it now.
- ankomonkey says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:12
  
  I was told a few days ago by Amex CS that if there is no Amex transaction then they will not credit.
- Andrew says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:54
  
  They’re not into honouring that anymore – couple of years ago they used to, but they’ve really tightened up. That’s why I’ve given up on Shop Small – not worth the hassle.
- Patrick Burford says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 15:30
  
  Yeh just press them and press them a few times, they’ll give in
- Dr C says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 15:36
  
  You can forget it if they don’t take Amex then you will not get credit anymore, worst yet is that I reported the same places at least 3 times from the previous shop smalls and they don’t remove the listings, pathetic really when they have been informed!
- Jill ( Kinkell) says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 16:25
  
  As a point of principle, I challenged Amex over failure to pay out due to dodgy map / retailer denial/ SS stickers on doors and no pay out etc. What a rigmarole! ( this was SS a year ago) Amex did eventually credit my account with the 3 lots of £5. However, their stance was they were not liable if the retailer refused to take Amex even if they were on the map and neither were they liable if there were SS stickers plastered over the doors/ windows advertising it , took Amex, but no award. Chat x2 promising credit was a waste of time, and eventually my evidence in a recorded delivery letter yielded a 3 page detailed response from Amex.
  Clearly , I had nothing else to do with my time, but I was so incensed by their attitude I was determined to get satisfaction!
  It’s my bloody mindedness that won’t let me allow companies to walk all over me……BA have crumbled before me!
- Harry T says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 16:35
  
  Ten minutes of my time phoning Amex is worth more to me than £5, so I don’t call.
  - Jonathan says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 17:42
    
    I really don’t get how it’s Amex’s fault if the retailer refuses your Amex even though they’re on the map & displaying stickers etc. That’s clearly on the retailer & you could walk away when they refuse.
    
    Different issue when you use an Amex in an advertised location & it doesn’t credit.
    - Nick says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 18:23
      
      My time is definitely not worth the hassle, but it’s the principle involved. Amex sent a merchant stickers (recent ones too, not from a decade ago), and Amex’s advertising clearly says ‘look out for the logo on the door’). It’s misleading and unfair for the customer. I think actually the fault lies with both the merchant (for not removing signs) AND Amex (for not including in their contract a brand clause that says the merchant must remove stickers if they cease to be a SS member). Either way I feel duped into making a purchase by a special offer that they are not going to honour. This is EXACTLY what things like the FOS are designed for. It may only be £5, but if companies are allowed to walk over customers this way, we’ll all lose out in the long run. I can be very principled when I’m right and it’s about fairness. YMMV of course.
    - Jill ( Kinkell) says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 19:50
      
      Yep….that also happened!
Bam says:

17 Dec17 December 13:33

Sorry if this has been asked before – but have a long flight coming up so will have to wear a mask for long periods.. Is there a specific brand of face mask anyone would recommend.. how many should you take use, do you have one for sleeping in ?. This will be my first flight since Covid began so any tips will be appreciated – Thanks
- Peter K says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:37
  
  Livinguard. It has a coronavirus killing positive charge on the outer and inner layers that is scientifically proven to work.
  I wear it upside down as it fits snugger over my face and I give I breathe more easily in it that way.
  You’d want a different one for each 5hrs of journey at the very least.
- Ikaz says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 15:07
  
  I wear a u-mask (Italian made, they claim to be safe) I can easily wear it for 10 hours a day. Not the cheapest through at around £40
- Anuj says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 18:38
  
  Uniqlo masks are great. They’ve tested them in a lab to make sure they filter and you can wash them up to 10 times and they still retain most of their protection. Great material that feels nice on skin and cheap. Uniqlo seems to be having free delivery for them even though it doesn’t mention that anywhere
rams1981 says:

17 Dec17 December 13:43

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/credit-cards/products/premier/promotions/cash-back/
H says:

17 Dec17 December 14:04

Thanks to whoever recommended the Bliss pharmacy for PCR testing. We got our results well within 24 hours. Very impressed.
- Pete says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:09
  
  How much was it out of interest? Their website doesn’t seem to show the cost.
  - H says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 14:13
    
    £140. On a walk-in basis (before 6:30pm)
    - Pete says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 14:15
      
      Thanks, that’s not too bad!
Will says:

17 Dec17 December 14:35

WTF is wrong with BA? Cancelling due to COVID test result.

Servicing your booking
Sorry but we are currently unable to change or cancel your booking online.
Please call 0344 493 0762 to change your booking.

This number is an incorrect number and does not exist says the telephone voice!!!!
- Will says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 14:40
  
  So I try tel:+44-344-493-0787 opt 1, opt 2, and get we cannot connect you at this time. Assume as I have to get the cancellation done today or lose the last 40% then they need to have staff to answer the phone!!!
  - Anna says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 15:29
    
    Keep a record of all your efforts – the phone lines are rammed today because of all the cancellations. 0800 727800 seems to be the only (non-status) number accepting calls, but it’s just giving the message that they’re too busy to talk to you atm. It’s not your fault you’re not able to follow their instructions.
- Dr C says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 15:42
  
  The reason is AFAIK you can’t call 03, 08 or premium rate numbers from abroad. You need the landline number, thats why they should usually give you an alternative number for calling from abroad
  - Dr C says:
    
    17 Dec17 December 15:43
    
    Try
    +44 (0)203 250 0145 from abroad
    - Dr C says:
      
      17 Dec17 December 15:44
      
      If you are actually calling from the UK then ignore me
      - Will says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 17:57
        
        thank you all. i guess we’re all getting used to BA setting new lows. now in a 45 minute queue on the 787 number
      - Nick says:
        
        17 Dec17 December 18:33
        
        Blame everyone panicking because the flight they were never going to take next August has been cancelled and they just can’t wait a week or two for it to calm down a bit
graham says:

17 Dec17 December 14:38

Just starting to plan a trip to Australia next year in time for “The Ashes”. Look to leave UK Nov 20th ish return Dec 8th. Anyone got suggestions for best airline/stopover routes. Caveat is that the 2 week quarantine has been lifted
- Nick says:
  
  17 Dec17 December 15:27
  
  No airline hints but if you can extend your stay the MCG Boxing is a great day out!