The HfP chat thread – Thursday 7th January

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• Anna says:

  7 Jan7 January 08:32

  Have the new regulations been published in full yet (I saw links to a few amendments last night). I want to find out if crossing the road into the adjoining borough is going to breach the exercise provisions!

  • Nick_C says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:05

    New regs were published on Tuesday. They simply amend The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020. The on line version has been amended with the changes.

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/8/contents/made

    All of England is now in Tier 4. Tier 4 rules are in Schedule 3A.

    The main rule remains the same. No person who lives in the Tier 4 area may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

    They have removed some examples from the regulations of what constitutes a reasonable excuse. So leaving home for recreation is no longer specified as a reasonable excuse.

    There is nothing in the Regs to say you should only go out for exercise once a day, or stay local when going shopping. These are simply guidance not law.

  • Nick_C says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:07

    Consolidated regs:

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1374/schedule/3A

    • Ross says:

      7 Jan7 January 14:02

      Thanks Nick

      If one needs to attend to a foreign property for the purposes of sale/rental/purchase of such overseas property – my understanding is that this remains allowed.

      Do you agree?

      *Obviously, being sensible and staying at home, unless absolutely necessary to leave*

  • Relaxo says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:09

    I think you can cross into adjoining Borough without stopping as long as your destination is the area/borough of residence. Or at least that’s how it is in Scotland.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:43

    No one is going to fine you for going for a walk across county lines either now or before. As long as it’s “local” I think crossing the road is local enough.

    • Anna says:

      7 Jan7 January 10:22

      I know but I am also tasked with keeping various friends and family up to date on the legal situation as they only seem capable of gleaning information from the tabloids and therefore all have a different (and usually incorrect) understanding of it!

      • TGLoyalty says:

        7 Jan7 January 11:08

        the reality is stay local just means be sensible and don’t go too far while staying off public transport as much as possible.

        Don’t drive miles to some beauty spot to park up on grass verges or on blind bends and get lost for hours on end in some place you’re not familiar with.

        Don’t drive miles into central London for a look at how “quiet” it is or take the bus/tube to get your Starbucks fix every other hour etc.

        • Anna says:

          7 Jan7 January 11:28

          I totally get that, it’s just interesting that during the first lockdown enforcement of where people were going to exercise (e.g. the Peak district) was challenged and the government caved and said there was no limit on the distance you could travel. They don’t appear to have changed anything in respect of this in the latest regulations, so there will inevitably be people ignoring the guidance and the authorities finding they can do nothing about it after possibly (again) wasting a lot of time and resources trying to enforce it.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          7 Jan7 January 11:44

          Yep they say all kinds of crap for a sound bite and the media pick it up and run with it.

          Reality is it won’t be enforced, for the reasons you say. It’ll be used to move on groups of kids etc and they hope as many people as possible just comply, in the end that’s all laws in society.

        • Charlieface says:

          7 Jan7 January 14:57

          Wait, half a sec. The whole thing in the tabloids about “People going to the Lakes and BLOCKING the roads” is just clickbait.

          Going to the countryside is probably the best sort of beauty spot to go to in this sort of time, you’re very unlikely to catch Covid from someone while outside walking.

          And parking on the verges happens the whole time, it is not something new and entirely irrelevant to the Covid issue. What do you think, someone catches Covid from a car?

        • James says:

          7 Jan7 January 15:27

          @ Charlieface. Until you fall, have an accident, need treatment, need to call out search and rescue, as happens numerous times evey day in places like Snowden, all thanks to the muppets unable to stay in or walk round their local area because they think what you say. No, there’s no possible risk of passing on covid to these people who are there to assist, or of clogging up A&E services or local hospitals from needless risk taking because you ‘can’t catch covid from a car’. Try thinking a bit more holistically 🤦‍♂️

        • Genghis says:

          7 Jan7 January 15:32

          Yawn

        • Nick_C says:

          7 Jan7 January 15:58

          I live next to a river.

          For the last two days, people have been fishing as usual.

          Earlier this afternoon, a police car turns up. Officers get out and speak to two men who have been fishing for the last two hours. One immediately produces a dumbell and starts doing arm exercises.

          You couldn’t make it up, and I haven’t.

          The Covid regulations are bad law and unenforceable.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          7 Jan7 January 16:47

          Isn’t fishing outdoor recreation?

        • Nick_C says:

          7 Jan7 January 17:16

          “Isn’t fishing outdoor recreation?”

          I would say so.

          And outdoor recreation is no longer listed in the regulations as a reasonable excuse for leaving your home in a Tier 4 area.

        • Nick_C says:

          7 Jan7 January 18:10

          Well, this morning, fishing was recreation and was illegal.

          This afternoon, fishing is exercise and is permitted.

          The law hasn’t been amended. The guidance on the .gov.uk website has not changed.

          Total farce.

          https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/is-fishing-allowed-lockdown-covid-rules-b1783883.html

        • Charlieface says:

          7 Jan7 January 18:23

          Again, S&R happens the whole time. This is not something new, again the chances of anyone picking up Covid from such an event is miniscule. The paramedics are all covered up. S&R operations often don’t end in hospital, if somebody’s lost they just help them get back down.

          The vast majority of people in A&E, even in during peak summer months, are locals, and community hospitals can deal with these numbers in the way they always do every summer.

          Re fishing: why would somebody catch Covid from a fish, that the police need to be involved? I’ve never seen anyone fraternise while fishing, they’re always reading or something.

          This whole country has become a bunch of curtain-twitchers and virtue-signallers full of “outrage”

        • TGLoyalty says:

          7 Jan7 January 21:02

          I know it’s clickbait but the msg is leave it for the locals right now.

          Where has the “The exercise is limited to once a day” myth come from as it’s not in the SI.

        • James says:

          8 Jan8 January 01:47

          I feel sorry for your ignorance and selfishness, Charlieface. You’s likely be one of the US Capitol patriots were you living in the USA. Shame.

• Anna says:

  7 Jan7 January 08:57

  Has anyone stayed at the IC Doral near MIA? Looking at it for the first 2 nights of our (provisional) Florida trip in August. Rates seem very low for an IC but this might reflect that it’s not clear when the lounge and other amenities will re-open. It would be very handy as we want somewhere near the airport for the first night and we may also take the 2 teenagers to the nearby Dolphin Mall. (There’s a great coat warehouse there where I’ve found a few bargains over the years).

  • Rhys says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:05

    Not sure I’d bother – Miami Beach really isn’t very far from the airport. Unless of course you particularly want to stay in the area!

    • Andrew says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:11

      Agreed. Nothing in Doral area – just head straight to your beach hotel – 30 minutes or so in a tax or 45 minutes on the 150 bus from MIA which runs all the way down Collins to South Beach stopping along the way wherever your hotel is.

      • Anna says:

        7 Jan7 January 09:29

        4 of us with luggage on a bus after 10 hours in Club World, oh you’re funny 🤣

        • Nick says:

          7 Jan7 January 10:20

          Not an unreasonable suggestion, it’s a good service and plenty of others have done (and would do) it. Just because you’re a snob about public transport doesn’t mean everyone is.

        • Anna says:

          7 Jan7 January 10:26

          Jumping to conclusions there, Nick, and proving that people who make assumptions are asses. The reasons we wouldn’t use the bus is that we travel with an awful lot of luggage due to our preferred holiday activities and as we’ll have been travelling for around 18 hours and enjoying a drink or 2 in CW we will just want to get to nearby hotel as quickly as possible and get some sleep.

        • Andrew says:

          7 Jan7 January 10:59

          Meh, I do that on my trips to Orlando.

          Service bus area is immediately next to the taxi area. Take the 111 service bus and it drops us off immediately outside the usual hotel.

          But it all depends on how you feel after a 10 hour flight and how long to wait for the service bus.

          Up to 30 minute wait + 40 minutes on the bus
          Vs
          0 minute wait + 20 minutes in a taxi.

          $2 per person
          Vs
          $50 per group

        • Anna says:

          7 Jan7 January 11:32

          Exactly, I’ve nothing against buses or any form of public transport but nowadays I often factor into my budget a transfer arranged by the hotel we’re using as it’s fantastically convenient to have someone waiting in arrivals with your name on a clipboard who knows exactly where they are going! Often this isn’t much more expensive that getting a taxi which you have to schlep around the terminal to find and then wait in a queue for.

        • kitten says:

          7 Jan7 January 14:58

          10 hours in Club World plus MIA immigration, ahem

  • Doreen says:

    7 Jan7 January 10:12

    I’ve stayed twice at IC Doral. First time just to add another IC for my RA requalification … refused upgrade, corridor & room smelled of damp. Second time actually Christmas Day (sad Bah Humbug traveller here!) & booked a suite – still smell of damp in corridors. Breakfast in restaurant was good, uninspiring Club. Nothing in immediate area.

    • Anna says:

      7 Jan7 January 10:29

      Thanks, I may reconsider then! Though as we’ll be getting a hire car the day after we arrive the location isn’t a huge deal.

    • kitten says:

      7 Jan7 January 15:02

      TBH smell of damp or pool chemicals/fungicide seems to be a hazard all over Florida

  • Neil Donoghue says:

    7 Jan7 January 12:11

    I finished a cruise in Miami this time last year and went straight to the IC Doral after disembarking. As an Ambassador member I was given an upgrade to a suite, lounge access and got my 4pm check out the following day. We used it just for outlet shopping which was perfect and the free shuttle to the airport was much appreciated before flying back with Virgin! Overall it was exactly what we wanted as we had spent 5 days in Miami before the cruise.

  • xcalx says:

    7 Jan7 January 13:11

    We stay at the Staybridge suites in Doral for first night after the flight or last night when returning. Free airport pick up/ drop off., hertz rental within 1/2 mile with cheaper rates than airport. Breakfast included. Managers social 4 nights a week with free food, beer and wine. Also a good pub/restaurant next door.

  • lashious says:

    7 Jan7 January 19:00

    yes Anna I looked at doing exactly that, it’s handy for the first night, whats the coat warehouse called, I have 2 teens as well

• Relaxo says:

  7 Jan7 January 09:06

  im considering using tesco points for NOWtv vouchers. Anyone know the validity on them? Ideally would like to them as sports passes later in the year.

  • Nick_C says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:09

    They simply convert into a credit on your Now TV account that will be used to pay any future charges.

    • Relaxo says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:12

      Thanks Nick. Does the credit expire though? e.g.must be used in 6 months.

      • Neil says:

        7 Jan7 January 09:22

        Last time I did it the Tesco email said 1 year but when you look at the credit in your NowTV account it just shows the amount

    • The real John says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:42

      Can Tesco vouchers be used to pay my broadband bill?

      • Peter K says:

        7 Jan7 January 13:03

        I assume you mean broadband by NowTV? Have you checked the terms and conditions?

• Aliks says:

  7 Jan7 January 09:16

  An all too familiar situation:

  BA cancelled our return flight from Cairo, offering to fly us back the next day. We would prefer to fly back with Egyptair on the same day as our cancelled flight.

  I am pretty sure BA wont be offering to rebook us onto Egyptair, but no matter, we can buy our own tickets and reclaim as an expense from BA.

  I will call BA this morning to discuss, but if they cannot offer to rebook with Egyptair, how should I leave the discussion? I don’t want them to assume I am voluntarily cancelling my return flight as they might then cancel the outbound flight.

  Thoughts?

  • Anna says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:32

    I would think hard about this, flying you back the next day might be considered reasonable unless you have a pressing reason to return, especially as BA would have to cover your costs for the extra night.

    • Jonathan says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:42

      I’d agree with Anna here. Reasonable is not defined but will be for a judge/adjudicator to determine. A 1 day delay would almost certainly be deemed reasonable in the current climate unless you can demonstrate you had an absolute reason to be home by original schedule (although even then they may say why didn’t you come home a day earlier if that’s an option).

    • jc says:

      7 Jan7 January 12:54

      Not sure I agree with Anna and Jonathan on this one (though I also accept it might not be an easy one to persuade BA on!) The CAA has published explicit guidance about these things, and states that ‘same day’ is higher priority ‘same airline’:

      “However, in circumstances where there is no re-routing option under Article 8(1)(b) on its own services or, where applicable, on the services of its partner airlines, on the same day as the original flight and via the same route, the CAA’s view is that the airline should next seek to identify re-routing options on the services of alternative airlines on the same day as the original flight and via the same route.”

      • Charlieface says:

        7 Jan7 January 15:00

        +1 I agree with jc on this, although might depend whether it’s next morning instead of a night flight or next night from a morning flight. Reasonable is the key word here, and taking into account also disabilities, age and children/infants

  • Tracey says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:39

    Worst case is you leave the conversation with flights as they are and call up again after the outbound.

    I’m not sure offering you a next day flight home with BA paying overnight accommodation and food is totally unreasonable in a pandemic situation, unless you have an urgent need to get home.

    • Aliks says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:51

      Actually the cost of the Egyptair one way flight is about half the cost of the original BA return fare. So maybe I should ask BA for a refund of the return leg – will this be 50% of the money back?

      • Jonathan says:

        7 Jan7 January 10:12

        No, it will almost certainly be less than half as UK APD is much higher than other countries. Call up and they may be able to tell you.

        • Nick says:

          7 Jan7 January 10:24

          Also worth noting that while you do have a right to rerouting, you have no right to demand it be on a specific airline. If they offered you (for example) Lufthansa or Qatar, this would be seen as reasonable and you would have no recourse to claim anything else.

        • meta says:

          7 Jan7 January 10:37

          @Nick No, that’s not correct unless BA proposed a flight time on the new airline which is close to your timing of your original departure and arrival. This is a very unlikely scenario if they wanted to reroute you via Lufthansa or Qatar hubs. BA sometimes has wild suggestions. The agent suggested a very inconvenient reroute via Madrid for my cancelled flight from Porto back in August. Still won the case. Legislation is clear. It is your choice whether you find re-route reasonable.

        • Charlieface says:

          7 Jan7 January 15:02

          @meta True, but you still have to be reasonable about what’s reasonable, taking into account disabilities/children or not etc.

      • Sean says:

        7 Jan7 January 10:52

        no

      • Nick_C says:

        7 Jan7 January 11:22

        Dangerous.

        BA has a duty to look after you until they can get you back to the UK. Egyptair does not!

        • kitten says:

          7 Jan7 January 15:14

          Good point.

          If I honestly didnt have a pressing reason to keep same day of return, such as annoying boss or colleagues/clients if 1 day late, parental or other childcare/animal care responsibilities at home etc., I probably would want to stay on BA as in case of further irrops Egyptair is less responsible for me.

          I would only do this subject to letting BA know I will be claiming full duty of care (hotels, meals, transport to/from hotel, internet) and ideally getting their agreement but expecting to MCOL these anyway as reported on here BA has occasionally agreed these as required by law before then welshed on the passenger after the flight so passenger successfully MCOLed.

          And if in order to transport me in J on the day BA offered to put me on Qatar Airways via Doha I would of course “reluctantly” agree to longer journey time and indirect flight to get home on same day albeir later 🙂

• Tubbs says:

  7 Jan7 January 09:22

  Can someone clarify what counts as a qualifying flight for BA status (the 4 BA flights requirement as well as Tier Credits for Silver). I have read what is on the BA website which seems clear enough but I have it in mind that a TATL flight with AA (PHL-LHR), even if booked under the AA code, would count as 1 of the 4 flights. Have I got it wrong? Thanks.

  • Doug M says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:34

    I think an AA flight only counts if you booked on a BA code share, not a prime AA number.

    • Doug M says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:34

      You would get Tier Points.

  • Anna says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:35

    I have a feeling they have a to have a BA flight number, at least?

  • Chris K says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:35

    BA code or BA metal or IB code *and* metal I believe.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      7 Jan7 January 10:08

      Yes.

    • Michael C says:

      7 Jan7 January 10:44

      So with Loganair, for example, the BA code would get me tier points, but the flight can’t be purchased with avios (says “route doesn’t exist”)?
      And could I use the LHR lounge?

      • Rob says:

        7 Jan7 January 11:36

        Loganair code shares can only be booked in conjunction with a BA flight eg LHR-GLA on BA connecting to GLA-Hebrides on Loganair.

        You can’t book them on Avios, no, in the same way you can’t book Air Baltic, Bangkok Airways codeshares etc.

        Lounge rules vary, see https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2019/01/02/british-airways-lounge-access-flying-vueling-aer-lingus-flybe-airbaltic/

        • Michael C says:

          7 Jan7 January 16:31

          Thanks for lounge info!
          I was thinking more of LHR-IOM, which is direct (non-connecting) Loganair on a BA number, but I guess all the info still holds true.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        7 Jan7 January 11:45

        but not being available via Avios is a moot point when it comes to earning TP/qualifying flights or not.

  • marcw says:

    7 Jan7 January 11:06

    BA & IB metal. Anything else, doesn’t count.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      7 Jan7 January 11:10

      Incorrect.

      Marketed (BA code any metal) OR operated (BA Metal any code) by BA

      Marketed AND operated by Iberia (must be Iberia code and metal)

    • AJA says:

      7 Jan7 January 11:48

      TGLoyalty is correct. You can fly any of the following: 1) BA marketed and operated flight, OR 2) BA metal and Oneworld flight number OR 3) any Oneworld metal as long as it has a BA flight number OR 4) IB metal AND IB flight number. Also important to mention reward flights DO NOT count. It has to be a revenue flight.

      • Nick says:

        7 Jan7 January 14:59

        Oneworld has nothing to do with it (everything else is correct). So for your point (3), BA*PG (for example) would count. VERY clear inBAEC T&C, I don’t know why everyone’s making it so complicated!

        • TGLoyalty says:

          7 Jan7 January 16:49

          Agree. Though you might not get TP if it’s not one world.

• Sundar says:

  7 Jan7 January 09:32

  BA have cancelled a DEL-LHR BA flight that I had booked for my in-laws for 9 Jan within 72 hours of the flight. What are the options ? We would like to get our in-laws sometime here(if not right now) to celebrate one of their milestones.
  Understand I can claim S75 equivalent from Amex Gold charge card if I wanted a refund ( and then consider booking on Air India or equivalent). Would prefer a direct flight to reduce exposure, so BA/Air India would be preferred options, not Qatar.

  • Anna says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:38

    If you want a refund, BA has to provide this as they cancelled the flight. You could also negotiate a re-route at a later date (but this would probably have to be on a BA flight if there’s one operating on your preferred dates) – this might be a better option given the current state of the UK and that your in laws would have presumably to quarantine on arrival.

    • Sundar says:

      7 Jan7 January 09:56

      Thanks Anna, getting BA to redate is the preferred option. As BA have cancelled, do I have to get in contact with them before 9th(trying their call center but not getting through). Online seems to show 2 more flights on 10th and 14th but no tickets seem to be available online…

      • Anna says:

        7 Jan7 January 11:53

        No I don’t think there’s any issue if you’re unable to contact BA prior to the departure date, just make sure you keep hold of all the cancellation details and your attempts to contact them.

      • AJA says:

        7 Jan7 January 12:03

        If you want your inlaws to fly ASAP after the cancelled flight then get in touch with BA ASAP. Make sure you have authority to speak to BA on behalf of your inlaws.

      • Michael C says:

        7 Jan7 January 12:29

        Sundar, try this BA number: 020 32500145.
        Normally, the first call will go through all the messages, then say “sorry, too busy to take call”. Hang up immediately and redial: should hopefully get through then to book a different date!

        • Sundar says:

          7 Jan7 January 20:00

          Thanks all for the advice, this no worked on the third try and a kind agent checked the following dates for availability and has requested back office to book for Jan 25. Gives a couple of weeks for things to hopefully stabilize here…
          Awaiting ticket email for confirmation of issuance now…

• JM says:

  7 Jan7 January 09:34

  Returning from DXB this weekend, changing date to get more of the weekend here before returning to the doom and gloom. Was advised by BA to get a travel voucher and rebook due to price difference to change flight using confidence guarantee would cost more than a new booking. Got voucher for circa £500 and online two return flights for Sunday are 1160 AED each (230 each)… simple.

  Voucher didn’t work online, on the phone with BA, and they told me price is actually £1800, so £500 voucher + £1300 cash, despite having website up in front of me.

  Any idea on discrepancy? Just booked flights in cash for £230 each online to avoid risk of the £1800 option and now will have to fight regarding FTV

  • Anna says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:43

    One way BA flights are usually astronomical; have you booked a whole new flight or just the return leg? If it’s an entirely new 2-way flight they will probably cancel your return leg when you don’t show up for the outbound leg.

  • Jonathan says:

    7 Jan7 January 09:50

    I would say are you looking at price of one leg as part of a return booking and assuming that is the same as a stand alone one-way but considering you have booked the flights for £230 then that clearly isn’t the case. I am surprised you got that price for a short notice single though as normally that would force you into the more expensive fare buckets.

    You didn’t book it as a return with a throw away leg? Were you asking the agent to book the equivalent?

    • JM says:

      7 Jan7 January 10:15

      No just a one way flight, not a throw away, and yes, lucky to get it at £230 each. Was just on with someone else, who said it was down to a fare available online but not available to them in the call centre, and they were looking in GBP rather than AED.

      Managed to get them to refund the £230 booking and use vouchers instead at same price. Got there in the end with someone more helpful!

      • Anna says:

        7 Jan7 January 10:32

        Phew! Thanks for flagging this up, one more reason not to take what BA say at face value.

      • marcw says:

        7 Jan7 January 11:28

        The Point Of Sale (POS) matters for pricing. Probably the first agent used UK POS rather than UAE POS.

      • Martin Short says:

        7 Jan7 January 18:19

        I rebooked ny return to LHR Emirates from sat 9th to sun 24th Jan and got a better extra legroom seat for no extra. Just a phone call. BA should be as helpfull.

• martyn ford says:

  7 Jan7 January 09:36

  I wrote to IHG regarding the 25,000 points Spire Elite benefit which isn`t showing on my account. Here`s the reply:

  It’s good to hear back from you. I’m happy to assist you with your Spire Ambassador account.

  I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

  As this is done by batch, please allow until the end of January for your Spire elite choice benefit to be posted. If the benefit is not posted after the said time frame, please contact us so we can research the matter further.

  In the meantime, let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.

  Stay safe and well,

  Aileen
  020 33 499 033 (toll charges apply)

  • Andrew says:

    7 Jan7 January 12:46

    Strange – previously the choice benefit showed in my account the day the points total tipped over the threshold.

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