The HfP chat thread – Monday 25th January

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

• Anna says:

  25 Jan25 January 16:53

  First good news for a very long time, it’s reported that our county is on track to have given the first vaccination dose to every care home resident by the end of this week, and everyone over 50 by mid-March!

  • Ali m says:

    25 Jan25 January 17:04

    Yass … so proud

    • Rob says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:09

      Boris better hope no evidence comes out to show that the Pfizer vaccine is useless if the 2nd shot is given 12 weeks after the first ….

      • The Lord says:

        25 Jan25 January 17:13

        Looks fairly positive on that front (so far) https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-sees-60-drop-in-hospitalizations-for-over-60s-in-weeks-after-vaccination/

      • BJ says:

        25 Jan25 January 18:02

        My parents got their first today from their GP, she told them they were planning/hoping to give the second one 4-6 weeks later as opposed to 12. I’m wondering if the situation on the ground is more flexible and allows for more common sense than some of the nonsense in the papers and the news suggests. According to mum, GP also said they would be calling up other high priority recipients in the village at the end of the day to get any remaining extra doses used up.

        • Anna says:

          25 Jan25 January 18:30

          My parents have had theirs – they are in their 70s but are foster carers so come under the Health and Social care umbrella. They were told to make appointments in12 weeks for the second dose.

        • Anna says:

          25 Jan25 January 18:32

          My OH was offered a left over vaccine last week but let a younger colleague have it as she looks after her vulnerable mother. I’d rather they went in anyone than go to waste!

    • James H says:

      25 Jan25 January 21:40

      Don’t imagine the 40,000 plus families of the dead would say they’re proud.

  • Andrew says:

    25 Jan25 January 17:23

    Of course vaccinations don’t mean you’re not able to pass on Covid to others, so vaccinations of some of the population will have no impact on decisions relating to easing restrictions.

    • Blindman says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:27

      “don’t mean you’re not able to pass on Covid to others,”

      The jury is still out on that.

      BTW
      Doesn’t

    • Anna says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:35

      The area I live in has had horrific infection rates since the end of the summer, despite some boroughs having been effectively under Tier 4 (and stricter) restrictions since July. It seems to have been acknowledged by local leaders that vaccination is the ONLY way out of this horror and they are throwing every resource they have at it. The goal is to reduce the number of people becoming seriously ill and being admitted to hospital, regardless of what restrictions are or are not in place by March.

    • Rob says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:37

      Once the covid death rate is down to virtually nil, which it will be once all the at-risk are vaccinated (which is a fairly low number of people – 10m max?), there is zero chance of the public putting up with restrictions.

      • Anna says:

        25 Jan25 January 17:38

        I totally agree but the doomsayers here aren’t having it, Rob!

        • Oli says:

          25 Jan25 January 17:49

          The politics have to have an optimistic message so people have some hope in the mid-term. If they had told us in early January that schools would not open before Easter… Now they are preparing us to that and will announce it in a few weeks

        • Andrew says:

          25 Jan25 January 17:55

          Just a realist, not a doomsayer.

      • Dr C says:

        25 Jan25 January 17:54

        I agree with Rob and I am sure he tones his opinion down here so not to trigger some of the audience

        • Anna says:

          25 Jan25 January 18:06

          Our guesses are equally as good as theirs! I think the government, rather than appearing optimistic, is being very cautious over what it’s promising (let’s face it, they’ve been shown up enough times already for getting things wrong) and won’t even start speaking in definite terms until there’s a massive fall in death and infection rates. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if travel corridors are re-established by the summer, and I suspect travel industry bosses may have been given a secret nod about this. Spain for one is talking in terms of beginning to re-open to tourists from the spring (with no mention of excluding any particular nationalities).
          I think the issue with schools is at least partly down to the logistics involved – no-one wants the children to return only to be sent home a few weeks later. Consistent remote learning until Easter is a better use of time than re-opening and closing schools with the upheaval that entails for students and staff.
          However, of course only time will tell … !

      • dezbez says:

        25 Jan25 January 18:29

        Agree, although it’s one thing our country opening up again, another other countries letting us in to visit… 😔

      • Yolo says:

        25 Jan25 January 19:31

        Looking forward to ‘Get back to work or get a P45’ on the Torygraph front page again.

      • Chrisasaurus says:

        25 Jan25 January 19:51

        And rightly so – the argument for current ‘lockdowns’ is twofold, to protect nhs resources and to not kill vulnerable people. There are some who think the latter is not something civilised society should aspire to let’s collectively agree to pretend they don’t exist.

        When they’re not put in harms way by our cavalier attitude to risk (not a judgment, I consider myself to be in the group that will be straight out and on a plane!) then lockdown just isn’t needed

  • James Vickers says:

    25 Jan25 January 21:09

    Sadly myself have tested positive 12 days after having the first dose of Pfizer vaccine, at increased risk working in social care although equally have lots of PPE so shows everyone needs to keep watching guard..

    • Tracey says:

      25 Jan25 January 22:09

      Hopefully, having had the vaccine will make you less ill than you might otherwise have been. I hope you are feeling ok.

    • Charlieface says:

      25 Jan25 January 22:57

      Do you know the vaccine does not cause a positive? Do you have symptoms?

      • James Vickers says:

        25 Jan25 January 23:20

        I did think the same because I’ve not had any obvious covid symptoms just felt a bit run down.. but both PCR and lateral flow test said positive.

        It is quite a rollercoaster to go from having the vaccine for protection and then getting covid but as Tracey said who’s to say I wouldn’t have been more ill at present?

• Martyn Ford says:

  25 Jan25 January 16:59

  I`ve just received the email below from QR. Does this mean that they will now refund in full on all bookings no matter when they were made?

  Dear Valued Customer,

  We would like to inform you that there has been a change to the original flight time on your itinerary. Please find the revised flight time below:

  Original time: QR132 21OCT FCODOH 1640 2250

  New time: QR132 21OCT FCODOH 1635 2300

  If the new flight time is not suitable, you can benefit from our flexible re-booking policy and change your travel date or destination free of charge within the same booking class (fare difference will apply). Or request a refund for the value of your ticket to the original form of payment with no penalties or refund fees.

  • roberto says:

    25 Jan25 January 17:17

    I doubt it. The flight has moved just 5 mins so I would imagine its too small a window to cancel. Its worth a call of course but I doubt you will be happy with the result.

    • Martyn Ford says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:41

      Thanks Roberto. I have no desire to move this flight, I was really trying to establish the principle regarding other bookings.

  • Charlieface says:

    25 Jan25 January 22:58

    If flight number had changed then yes, you could demand a refund.

    Here it hasn’t changed

  • kitten says:

    26 Jan26 January 02:24

    looks like they might have changed the equipment.

• TJ says:

  25 Jan25 January 17:35

  Any opinions on the Alaska Mileage Plan? I have a small stack of points and have been targeted for a 60% bonus in their latest buy points sale. The scheme used to have quite a few sweet spots but I wonder if these will be eradicated once they join Oneworld at the end of March.

  • BJ says:

    25 Jan25 January 18:21

    Fab scheme, time will tell on OW implications. Personally I would not be buying any miles at this time. You can get bonuses often enough in normal times so why not just wait and see.

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    25 Jan25 January 19:00

    If you often fly to and fro US or travel thru that region, you can get a lot of value. For me it’s mostly between Europe and Asia, for now, so staying away.

  • avstar says:

    25 Jan25 January 21:12

    echoing the others – one of the best schemes out there. if you are looking for a cheap way to avoid miles expiring, redeem a few hundred on their mag4miles redemption – very cheap and some decent titles

• Graham D says:

  25 Jan25 January 17:35

  BA’s ‘Book with Confidence’ policy has been updated this afternoon.

  No end date now – and no longer restricted to 31 August.

  • Anna says:

    25 Jan25 January 17:37

    Yay – good news no. 2 today!

    • Aston100 says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:55

      Number 3 for me. I managed to get 2 free chicken wings at lunch time (in addition to, not instead of, something else).
      Paid with my BAPP which currently has an additional Avios per pound spend.

      • Anna says:

        25 Jan25 January 18:34

        You are a true HFPer, Aston100 🤣

      • Chrisasaurus says:

        25 Jan25 January 19:52

        See call me a pessimist but I viewed that as you losing out on 2.5 Avios per £ on the two wings!

  • Stuart Evans says:

    25 Jan25 January 17:40

    Any change when 2-4-1s packaged with FTVs will expire? Currently travel must be competed by end April 21. It would be good to see this relaxed.

    • Rob says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:49

      April 2022, not 2021.

      The elements inside an FTV won’t change. Either BA extends all FTV or it doesn’t.

      The driver here is going to be other countries reopening. Even if you are super-bullish about UK vaccinations, other countries will be well behind us. BA may feel obliged to extend them if much of its long-haul network is still closed.

  • BJ says:

    25 Jan25 January 18:24

    Thanks for posting, I have a feeling I might need it for the first time.

  • Harry T says:

    25 Jan25 January 19:12

    Hooray! This should help me when I can’t go to South Africa in October due to the new evil strain 😂

• Rob says:

  25 Jan25 January 17:50

  About 2 days after the original transaction clears (so about 4 days after the actual purchase).

• Aston100 says:

  25 Jan25 January 17:52

  Anyone else finding that Creation to Che Guevara is taking ages to clear on the Creation site? typically 3 days or so?
  I mean the funds have already been taken from Che and used to pay off various cards and organisations no problem, but odd to see it still showing as pending on the Creation site.

  • Dr C says:

    25 Jan25 January 17:56

    You mean Bendy?

    Creation is slow especially over weekends

    • Dr C says:

      25 Jan25 January 17:57

      Ah, i realised what now…….

    • Aston100 says:

      25 Jan25 January 18:00

      I don’t use Bendy in those transactions.
      Straight from Creation to Castro’s revolutionary mate.

      • Anna says:

        25 Jan25 January 18:09

        Viva la revolucion! Yes, very slow but I think it’s always been like this, especially if there’s a weekend involved. I just make sure I check at least every other day if I know there are transactions going through, so I can pay them off asap.

      • Guernsey Globetrotter says:

        25 Jan25 January 18:50

        Yes, agree with Anna – Think the fact that the Che side of such transactions is so speedy that it makes our Creation mates seem so slow!

      • YC says:

        25 Jan25 January 19:16

        I did get caught with some interest and I paid creation on both the day of transaction and day charge landed off pending. So Che’s time might be over. Unless via bendy works?

        • Chrisasaurus says:

          25 Jan25 January 19:56

          Makes no difference. Need to be in credit before Rev to be safe

  • avstar says:

    25 Jan25 January 21:15

    Creation has always been slow but in the last two weeks there has definitely been at least an extra day delay in charges and settlements…..

    • Alex D says:

      25 Jan25 January 22:25

      I got caught with a 2 quid charge this week which was very annoying. I can never get into credit it doesn’t let me – how do I manage it?

• Christopher says:

  25 Jan25 January 18:23

  Are paper Nectar vouchers restricted to a particular Nectar card? The person before me at the self checkout today left behind a bunch of extra points till spit vouchers – can I redeem them on my Nectar card?

  • BJ says:

    25 Jan25 January 18:29

    Try them and see…

  • The real John says:

    25 Jan25 January 18:34

    Most of them say only valid with ___ card number

  • James says:

    25 Jan25 January 19:07

    No

  • Alison says:

    25 Jan25 January 20:25

    IME they work….have previously used vouchers given on OHs Nectar card when shopping using my own nectar card. This was using the self service checkout.

    • Alex M says:

      25 Jan25 January 22:20

      from experience they work ok.

• Martha says:

  25 Jan25 January 18:26

  @Anna
  Your advice would be appreciated.
  What are the best ways from getting any discounts/promotions being a teacher?
  Many thanks.

  • Anna says:

    25 Jan25 January 18:38

    Hi Martha – I’m technically a tutor, not a teacher so don’t have access to any union-type discounts etc. @Cat may well be able to help. If my previous professional experience is anything to go by, union and staff association websites tend to have pages dedicated to special offers and discounts, if you’re a member.

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