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The HfP chat thread – Saturday 16th January

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We have decided to run this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions.  With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

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 at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

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General

Comments (166)

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

  • W says:
    16 Jan16 January 03:23

    HSBC called me a second time now just to remind me to spend my accumulated points, and to ask if I want to refer friends/family for an account. Very odd.

    • BS says:
      16 Jan16 January 05:33

      And yet they won’t allow me to upgrade to premier without going in to a branch. Which I obviously don’t want to do at the moment…

      • Blenz101 says:
        16 Jan16 January 12:46

        Can you not upgrade by phone that option appears to be back on the website having changed from not accepting any premier upgrades at all due to CV19.

      • Bigmaggot says:
        16 Jan16 January 19:14

        I upgraded from advance to premier on the phone in Dec 20. You might have to hang up and phone again if the agent hasn’t been updated

    • gareth says:
      16 Jan16 January 05:34

      Are you sure it was them?! Doesn’t sound like a genuine call to me.

      • W says:
        16 Jan16 January 06:55

        Not sure, no. But they are not asking any unusual questions, or are trying to get me to say anything. So either genuine and weird, or the oddest grooming strategy ever.

      • W says:
        16 Jan16 January 22:01

        Just checked, the phone number maps back to the local branch – so somebody is at least putting in some effort if it is a scam.

  • DZOO says:
    16 Jan16 January 06:56

    Is there a quick way online or via app to find out when HH and Bonvoy statuses expire – can’t seem to find the info anywhere? Or is it simply done on a calendar year basis?

  • Kevin says:
    16 Jan16 January 07:52

    Unusual question need some advise from you all travel guru here.

    BA managed to reroute me via MAS to KUL following their cancellation of my 2021 summer trip. However just accidentally found out my first name used for booking via MAS would be slightly different from my passport, eg. Passport show first name as Xxx Yyy but BA has taken Yyy as my intermediate name and has ignored it during their booking. I am wondering would that be any issue at check in and MAS will stop me from flying. BA advised me to cancel the booking, get refund and rebook as MAS can’t change my first name now after ticketing. The original BA booking was through 50% avios offer and don’t really want to lose it.

    I supposed all my previous flights and flew with BA also shown as Xxx and surname only but never got any issue at check in. I’m sure my BA account (after chatted with BA agent) got the full name but they just simply taken Yyyy as intermediate name only. TIA

    • Michael says:
      16 Jan16 January 08:42

      You’ll be absolutely fine 🙂 Of course, the airline will advise you to do the ‘right’ thing and mess around with cancellations etc as that’s the a**e-covering move.

      My passport is First names: AA BB Last name: CC. I only ever travel as AA CC

    • the_real_a says:
      16 Jan16 January 13:44

      People in Asia regularly mix and match the order of their names. Provided the spellings are correct you will be fine. And even then unlikely anyone would notice.

  • Andy says:
    16 Jan16 January 08:20

    Given the current lockdown and the difficulty in flying at present, what is the consensus on BA extending the companion vouchers again. I have one due to expire in Sept 21 and another due to expire in Mar 22.

  • Munch says:
    16 Jan16 January 08:29

    Looking to take advantage of the Virgin Points auto conversion bonus from Tesco clubcard points. I don’t want to convert my existing balance of Tesco Vouchers. If I switch to auto convert:
    Will my existing Tesco Vouchers stay in my clubcard account and not auto convert to Virgin?
    My clubcard points due for conversion this quarter. If I convert into a fast voucher will these points also not auto convert to Virgin.

    Bottom line I want to receive the bonus by auto converting the minimum amount of Tesco points to Virgin.

    • JohnT says:
      16 Jan16 January 08:49

      Pretty sure you would have to generate vouchers now for everything except the minimum 250. Auto convert uses everything it can.

    • AndyGWP says:
      16 Jan16 January 08:51

      My understanding is it will only autoconvert points earned for this quarter. Previously earned vouchers should remain untouched but please let someone else confirm

      • Munch says:
        16 Jan16 January 08:59

        That’s what I was hoping. convert the majority of my balance to a Tesco fast voucher leaving a minimum of 250 points for auto conversion to receive the bonus 2000 points.

        • Genghis says:
          16 Jan16 January 11:28

          I learned myself yesterday that min for autoconvert is 150.

          • James says:
            16 Jan16 January 14:51

            Yes, I posted this yesterday. The minimum for virgin autoconvert has been 150 points since they introduced faster vouchers.

        • Danny says:
          16 Jan16 January 13:06

          I was trying to convert to a faster voucher a few days ago but I don’t think the system allows you to choose the balance to convert? I converted so I had 36 points remaining. Anyway I have some vouchers from previous quarters so I partially converted one and the balance from the conversion has already in my account, bringing it up to the minimum required for the Virgin auto-convert.

  • Ross says:
    16 Jan16 January 08:29

    Anyone recommend somewhere that is:
    1. Accepting flights from UK (without lengthy quarantine)
    2. Providing an easy Return PCR test system?
    I just wondered if there was anywhere left!
    This query is purely to understand how stuck we are, rather than compliance with rules.

    • ComeFlyWithMe says:
      16 Jan16 January 08:49

      Maldives ticks the box for both.

      • Anna says:
        16 Jan16 January 08:51

        I thought there were no travel corridors as of this week – also a lot of MLE flights seems to be getting cancelled!

        • Tracey says:
          16 Jan16 January 10:55

          BA have cancelled all direct flights but for one a week, reduced from 9. Sri Lanka fly direct, not sure if they are still running. Other option is Qatar involving a transit stop.
          If you are staying in a resort island, as most do, they will arrange your return PCR test hassle free for around £100-150.

    • Wollhouse says:
      16 Jan16 January 09:09

      Just got this from my travel agent- sorry, it’s a bit long, but comprehensive. She said that the Tier 1 hotels included some lovely resort spas.

      Sri Lanka is re-opening the airports from 21st January 2021 for all visitors. The SLTDA together with the ministry of Health has issued a set of guidelines to be adhered to, when visiting the country.
      As of now 07 airlines including Singapore Airlines, Oman Air, Emirates, Etihad, Kuwait Airlines and Qatar airways will be resuming operations from 21st January with the reopening of the airports.

      No mandatory quarantine.
      ➢ No minimum stay at one particular hotel.
      ➢ A negative PCR test result must be obtained 96 hours prior to arrival along with a Health Declaration form that should be submitted prior to boarding, on board the flight and on arrival.
      ➢ Mandatory Covid 19 insurance cover at $12 for a $50,000 cover over a period of 1 month to be purchased via the tourism App or the respective airline/s.
      ➢ Tourists must occupy level 1 hotels that have been certified “safe & secure”.
      ➢ No exceptions to be made for vaccinations taken. All protocols to be adhered to regardless.
      ➢ All visas to be applied online and the “Tourism mobile app”
      ➢Guests are required to pre purchase 2 PCR tests ($40 per test). If the stay exceeds 7 days the guest is required to purchase the 3rd PCR test at their own cost which will be done between the 10th – 14th day.
      ➢ If tested positive during the stay the cost of treatments should be covered via the medical insurance.
      ➢ 12 selected tourist sites have been identified for overseas visitors.
      ➢ All hotel facilities to be made available to the guests.
      ➢ The guest information and the tour details will be notified to the respective area medical health offices

    • Andrew says:
      16 Jan16 January 09:41

      Unfortunately we are quite stuck here until May. The government will also be wanting to avoid another repeat of Christmas with an Easter super-spreader event – so don’t expect lifting of any restrictions until after then.

      • Anna says:
        16 Jan16 January 10:45

        You may well be right but there are a lot of rumblings in Parliament about easing restrictions in March …

        • Andrew says:
          16 Jan16 January 11:07

          The problem is that it’s the under 50s that are now going to hospital – and they won’t be vaccinated until the summer so the easing of restrictions will just mean the virus runs through that population. I will eat my hat if anything substantial changes before May. But lots can change (good and bad) in a few weeks as we saw before Christmas – so who knows.

        • Sandra says:
          16 Jan16 January 12:33

          I got the impression from Chris Whitty last night that, with Easter being quite early this year, his version of Spring starts well after Easter with restrictions being eased much more gradually than last time if the scientists have their way – if BoJo agrees with that and follows any advice he’s given we’ll have to see.

          • Andrew says:
            16 Jan16 January 13:35

            Yes that’s what I’m basing my assumptions on – Chris was very direct with Boris last night that Spring starts after Easter. And you’re right, he was also saying it’s not going to be a sudden return to full activities – I would expect to see non-essential retail open first, as they did last time, with hospitality a month or so after that.

          • Andrew says:
            16 Jan16 January 14:21

            Spring starts on the 20th March this year. That’s two weeks before Easter

            The official dates are really important.

    • BP says:
      16 Jan16 January 13:17

      Dubai. The destination of choice for rule breakers. A negative PCR test required to gain entry. Easy and much cheaper than UK, PCR testing to get home again.

      I wonder if Dubai will shut up shop to UK arrivals?

  • Paul says:
    16 Jan16 January 08:30

    My short video review of the IHG Holiday Inn Kensington Forum… probably one of the worse hotels in London!!

    https://youtu.be/d79vkDG3C90

  • AndyGWP says:
    16 Jan16 January 08:49

    *Calgary BA Flights*

    Wondered if anyone successfully managed to get routed on another carrier? Ie. Westjet etc?

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

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