The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 30th December

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• Charlieface says:

  30 Dec30 December 16:45

  Any indication which component might have the issue? Could at least give some pointers if you give some detail

• Amanda B says:

  30 Dec30 December 17:25

  anyone know if it is still 24 hours before that we can cancel a BA 241 flight and get points back. also anyone know if a BA tel number to cancel? message online saying we have to call but cant get through to anyone.

• Mart says:

  30 Dec30 December 17:31

  Anyone know if travel insurance is still valid if travelling tomorrow from a tier 4 area to the Carribbean?

  • Rob says:

    30 Dec30 December 17:48

    Yes, you are not travelling against Foreign Office advice.

    • Liz says:

      30 Dec30 December 18:01

      Yes but if you’re in tier 4 and your purpose for travel is not one of the permitted ones, ie you’re going for a holiday, you’ll be breaking the law and thus may have invalidated your policy

      • Rob says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:12

        That is unbelievably unlikely to hold up.

        • Nick_C says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:58

          You are also very unlikely to be successfully prosecuted if you rape someone.

          The high probability of not being punished for a crime does not make it right to commit a crime, or to encourage others to do so.

        • Rob says:

          30 Dec30 December 20:05

          Something tells me you’re not enjoying a relaxing Christmas here on the beach in Dubai, Nick …..

        • Anna says:

          31 Dec31 December 07:41

          Nick C, what on earth are you basing that claim on?!

      • Genghis says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:14

        Recreation around the airport?

        • Vit says:

          30 Dec30 December 19:20

          😂😂😂

      • TGLoyalty says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:17

        Where in your insurance policy does it say if you break the law on the way to the airport your travel insurance is invalid?

        So if I speed on the way to the airport is my holiday insurance now invalid?

        Getting to the plane is unlawful getting on it and leaving England is not.

  • Harry T says:

    30 Dec30 December 18:25

    Can’t see how it would invalidate your travel insurance.

    • Tracey says:

      30 Dec30 December 18:36

      Lockdown 2 and my policy (NatWest rewards account annual policy) said I wouldn’t be covered if I went away when it was illegal to do so. They even said, if I went before the ban came into force, but knew it was happening I would only be covered until the time it came into force. I was surprised too. Always safer to check.

      • Harry T says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:38

        Fair point!

      • 747_Brat says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:50

        On the same travel insurance topic, does anyone know what’s the view taken by insurance that comes with HSBC Premier. Do they pay if you travel during the lockdown?

        • Liz says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:55

          HSBC have changed their terms effective sometime in January. The following is now under general exclusions:

          “14. Any claim if you travel against the advice of the FCDO or the government of any country to which you will travel, or where you do not follow any advice or measures put in place by any government or local authority in the UK or abroad, for example quarantine rules or curfews”

        • TGLoyalty says:

          30 Dec30 December 19:58

          Do not follow advice. Nonsense it’s advice by it’s very nature.

          I very much doubt it would hold up if it was taken to FCA

        • 747_Brat says:

          30 Dec30 December 20:00

          Thanks Liz. Cheers.

      • Genghis says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:52

        Was that confirmed with the underwriters or just NatWest customer services?

        • Tracey says:

          30 Dec30 December 20:09

          NatWest CS supervisor.
          Then again when we were still in lockdown 2 they said it was ok to book for after lockdown.

• Mike says:

  30 Dec30 December 17:45

  Looks like Iberia are selling gift cards at 25% off could be a good offer for someone looking to fly IB in the near future.

  On this note, do you reckon you can use them to pay the taxes/fees/charges on Avios redemptions?

  • ChrisA says:

    30 Dec30 December 17:48

    No, they can’t be used for these, alas.

    • 747_Brat says:

      30 Dec30 December 18:49

      On the same travel insurance topic, does anyone know what’s the view taken by insurance that comes with HSBC Premier. Do they pay if you travel during the lockdown?

• Dwadda says:

  30 Dec30 December 17:46

  Antigua: Any scuttlebut about how long flights to Antigua (and other tourist destinations) will continue running?

  I’ve been advised by my doctor to stay here as long as possible. He says it is grim in the UK. I imagine the loads coming out are really low and BA will pull the plug as soon as the Christmas crowd return to the UK.

  If they pull the plug, do you think BA would reroute me? Likely via AA and MIA?

  Many thanks

  • Harry T says:

    30 Dec30 December 18:38

    They would be obligated to reroute you but it may be harder to accomplish that in practice.

• AndyW says:

  30 Dec30 December 18:45

  Site still incredibly slow

• Stephen says:

  30 Dec30 December 19:36

  UK to Ireland flight ban has been extended from 31st December to 6th January

  My mother is an Irish citizen and was due to fly back to Ireland from Birmingham with Ryanair on 4th January.

  Her flight has now been cancelled.

  She has been offered a “rescue” flight with Ryanair tomorrow (Manchester to Dublin FR55) booked via Irish Embassy

  All seats on these rescue flights to Ireland are priced at €95 one way (payable at the airport)

  My question is, should Ryanair swap her flight to that free of charge?

  Customer Services cannot see the FR55 in the system as its a “rescue flight”?

  Thanks

  • Jamie says:

    30 Dec30 December 19:38

    They probably should but zero chance of them doing so and don’t even waste your time. Maybe pursue them through MCOL afterwards?

    • Stephen says:

      30 Dec30 December 20:08

      Thanks Jamie, she also had a flight booked with Aerlingus for 2nd January (booked multiple as unsure about return date)

      Would Aerlingus cover the cost of the Ryanair flight as they have also cancelled their flights?

      • Jamie says:

        30 Dec30 December 20:18

        Make the EC261 claim and go from there. If they deny it then go to MCOL.

        Keep the story simple, Aer Lingus canceled your flight so you had to get on the emergency flight and you need to recompensed for the cost of the flight.

        • Stephen says:

          30 Dec30 December 22:37

          Unfortunately, they have just declined the EC261 claim stating

          In addition, if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken, no reimbursement of out-of-pocket is due.

        • Genghis says:

          30 Dec30 December 22:46

          The requirement for rerouting does not fail if there is “extraordinary circumstance”. Good luck in your MCOL / CEDR.

• Jamie says:

  30 Dec30 December 19:36

  https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2020/12/negativt-testsvar-for-covid-19-kravs-for-inresor-till-sverige-fran-storbritannien/
  Swedish flight ban ends after Jan 1st. Negative COVID-19 test will be required.

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