The HfP chat thread – Friday 8th January

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• Navara says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:00

  I’ll start the big topic then
  https://apple.news/AlSoyPYZrQuqI969SsSGx-Q

  • Anna says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:28

    That’s interesting because if you were to test positive prior to your departure you might not be allowed to board your flight?!

    • Chris Heyes says:

      8 Jan8 January 08:34

      Anna That’s even more interesting than you first think ?
      All the HFPs readers saying they wont stop you boarding a flight if you get to the Airport say 6/7 people or more get to Airport but test positive ?

      • meta says:

        8 Jan8 January 08:40

        I suspect many will provide fake test results…

        • Anna says:

          8 Jan8 January 09:01

          It’s already been happening!

        • Anna says:

          8 Jan8 January 09:02

          It would be much better just to test people on arrival, like they seem to be able to do in other countries. As meta says, it’s no help if people are just producing fake test results (or someone else’s results) to get into the country.

      • Anna says:

        8 Jan8 January 09:20

        Hi Chris – but it you won’t be stopped at the UK end, it’s the return leg which is going to be affected.

        • Chris Heyes says:

          8 Jan8 January 09:58

          Hi, Anna so what your saying is i can get a test UK end, test positive but still get on a flight have a holiday pretend i got it abroad when i get tested on return leg maybe even free quarantine before coming back ?

        • Anna says:

          8 Jan8 January 10:22

          Not really, because the country you are entering will most likely require you to have a negative test. You’d be unlikely to be having a test prior to departure if it wan’t required!

    • Geoff says:

      8 Jan8 January 09:12

      I’m currently in KL, flying back on 20th. Have booked my PCR test already. 24 hour results. RM500. I had to supply my address because if I am positive they will send an ambulance to pick me up!

      • Polly says:

        8 Jan8 January 09:32

        Geoff, how did you get in KL. we are due to fly end January but thought it’s closed? Any info, useful, thanks…

        • Geoff says:

          8 Jan8 January 09:50

          I’ve been here for 3 months. I have a PR and even then they only let me in because of a severe illness in my local family here. Did test on arrival and 2 weeks in quarantine hotel. Its closed to almost everyone except Nationals now.

• Geoff says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:01

  Confused about my Hilton status and appreciate advice. I carried over 31 nights from 2020 but have retained Gold, not upgraded to Diamond. I thought 30 nights was enough for upgrade based on earlier articles?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    8 Jan8 January 09:04

    Yes you should have Diamond. System is probably still updating.

• AJA says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:07

  The Guardian is reporting that the government has announced that International travellers will need to show a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed into the UK, toughening border controls to try to stem the spread of new coronavirus variants.

  The new rules will take effect next week and apply to returning UK nationals as well as foreign citizens. Passengers will need to produce a test result taken less than 72 hours before boarding planes, boats or trains to the UK, and could be fined £500 in border spot checks without a negative result.

  • JM says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:10

    Anyone seen anything with more clarity yet? A good move and shame it’s taken so long, but not mentioned at all in yesterday’s changes which kick in at 04:00 on Saturday. ‘next week’ quite vague for it to be a lead story in all the news…

    • Andrew says:

      8 Jan8 January 08:13

      Yes Grant Shapps confirming it all on BBC Breakfast. Comes in next Thursday – so the flights back to the U.K. will be packed until then as people rush back. £500 on the spot fine if you don’t have a negative test result. Finally some good news!!

      • Anna says:

        8 Jan8 January 08:29

        And presumably anyone who does test positive prior to departure shouldn’t be getting on their flight anyway!

      • TGLoyalty says:

        8 Jan8 January 09:06

        One thing I’ve learned about ministers “confirming” things on breakfast tv. It’s usually a a load of sh1t.

        Seems to be lots of rumours flying around on exactly what test, which countries, who etc

        But denying a UK resident entry to the UK on health grounds is shaky territory, I’ll await the legislation.

  • Mouse says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:22

    If the spot checks are like the quarantine checks then it will just be yet another meaningless gimmick

    • TGLoyalty says:

      8 Jan8 January 09:20

      Most likely to be policed at check in by the airline like Visa requirements. But who knows as it needs to go through parliament.

• clarence says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:16

  i have just got my tesco vouchers but cant see how to convert them to avios before the 18th of january. Can anyone help ????

  • Rob(staaaar) says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:29

    Prob best to go on the CC website and follow links under ‘spend vouchers’

  • Chris Heyes says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:47

    Clarence, Log into Tesco go to Travel spend vouchers write in voucher numbers (or tick on each one) Make sure you put BA exc number down (you need to be a member of BA) I THINK Tesco create one for you if you haven’t put one down ?
    At Travel you can transfer to BA (Avios) or Virgin make sure you select BA if you want Avios it’s easy just follow instructions sometimes takes 2/3 days at most to show
    Some on here are hoping for a bonus on last couple of days
    i personally think their waiting in vain lol
    Rob might have got word ? but i doubt it i think Tesco are P****d off about it lol

  • mark2 says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:50

    You need to remove any auto convert first.

• Secret Squirrel says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:16

  Curve to NSI, just been declined this morning- everyone else getting this?

  • Rob(staaaar) says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:26

    Might try a spurious credit to see

  • Sean says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:27

    just worked fine for me backed with beardy – blue curve

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      8 Jan8 January 08:32

      @Sean: never tried beards behind, thought that way they charged fees?

      • Rob(staaaar) says:

        8 Jan8 January 08:36

        Yep, certain transactions now chargeable

        • Secret Squirrel says:

          8 Jan8 January 08:53

          @Rob(starr):
          So beardy attract fees or not? Why would Sean use beardy if attracts fees as they are usually quite a but depending on how much you put through?

      • Sean says:

        8 Jan8 January 08:53

        Never had a charge through beardy

        • Travel Strong says:

          8 Jan8 January 09:26

          No fee’s

  • Jay says:

    8 Jan8 January 11:17

    1st time always gets declined for me, put it thru again and it successfully processes 99% of the time

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      8 Jan8 January 16:21

      Beardy?

  • Nick Booker says:

    8 Jan8 January 13:03

    Just to let you know. I have had issues with my Curve for ages, they have told me today my Card was blocked by their own risk engine! So it was blocked soon as they issued it!
    Good luck in trying to get in touch with them

    • Rebecca Cooper says:

      8 Jan8 January 14:18

      Same thing happened to me. I finally managed to get them to unblock it, but had to pester them repeatedly for days.

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      8 Jan8 January 20:49

      I can understand it if you get a new card and your very first transaction is for £4k or more. OUtside of HfP or the highest end cards that’s a pretty high risk of being a fraudulent transaction…

• Dooly says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:17

  Will transit passengers also need to have a pcr test if flying via London?

  • Michael C says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:48

    Guess they’ll have to specify: in Spain you do, in Portugal you don’t.

    • Bobri says:

      9 Jan9 January 07:26

      In Spain you also don’t

• mark says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:25

  So am I right in thinking anyone entering the Uk will now need a negative test on entry along with another negative test 5 days into quarantine to get early release?
  Along with a test in the Uk before you start your travel.
  3x tests per person = a decent wedge of cash.

  • Nkp says:

    8 Jan8 January 08:39

    Arrivals from travel corridor countries will not need to self isolate on arrival or test after 5 days.

  • Crafty says:

    8 Jan8 January 09:12

    Why isn’t all the conversation about Covid tests in the article about Covid tests?

    Please could these comments all be moved, leaving this thread to be what it’s intended for?

    • Rob says:

      8 Jan8 January 09:14

      Because the announcement happened an hour before our article went up.

      It is technically not possible to move comments – this is not a forum and the software doesn’t work like that.

      • AJA says:

        8 Jan8 January 09:49

        I apologise I posted before Rob had a chance to post his article.

    • Navara says:

      8 Jan8 January 09:53

      When I posted there was no COVID test thread. Any way it makes a change from a the beardy bendy chat

    • kitten says:

      8 Jan8 January 09:57

      Why? Does it get in the way of all the MS ? 🙂

    • Chris Heyes says:

      8 Jan8 January 10:13

      Crafty Also because this thread is about whatever one wants covid, travel or drivel, beardy people, or Brighton football, anything goes as long as Rob n team lets it go lol

  • ankomonkey says:

    8 Jan8 January 09:31

    Especially when your travelling group is multiple people. This can’t be a serious long-term expectation.

• Rob(staaaar) says:

  8 Jan8 January 08:35

  BA rapidly cancelling my 160 tiers point flights. Seems I’ll not achieve my goal of world domination; would have made it, if it wasn’t for you pesky (covid) kids…

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.