The HfP chat thread – Monday 12th April

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• ComeFlyWithMe says:

  12 Apr12 April 15:11

  If you arrive from overseas and are subject to the 10 day quarantine, with tests on day 2 and day 8, what happens if you leave the UK during that period? Trying to plan for August travel, so aware the rules may change by then too.

  For example, arrive to LHR on a Sunday from Malta, and then fly out to somewhere else (eg Greece) a few days later. Is that allowed, and do you still need to purchase the 2/8 day test package even though there is no intention to remain in the country for the full period?

  Couldn’t find the answer anywhere but HFPers will no doubt have the answers!

  • Rob says:

    12 Apr12 April 15:15

    You can leave whenever but it seems you need to buy the tests anyway. I read of someone on a day trip getting fined for not buying the day 2 and day 8 tests ….

• dragonfly says:

  12 Apr12 April 15:26

  I recall reading that the travel insurance from Amex plat card (UK) is only for return flights, and not one-way trip. Is this correct? I have one way flights booked for UK to AU, will I be covered – I have amex plat card. If not, please recommend some travel insurance companies for one-way trip. Thanks!

  • GeorgeJ says:

    12 Apr12 April 16:00

    Dragonfly. Look at the definition of “trip” in the policy. I have the International $ card where a trip is defined as a journey starting and ending in my country of residence, ie the UK. However I regularly have journeys where it is a combination of driving to Europe flying somewhere else and then returning by air to the UK or vv, not all necessarily booked when I leave. I have on occasion called Amex and they have confirmed that this is covered. If in doubt call them and get them to confirm. If you have no intention of returning to the UK you may have a difficulty – but see what they say and keep a record.

    • dragonfly says:

      12 Apr12 April 19:08

      @GeorgeJ – Thanks for your reply. Good suggestion. I will call Amex to confirm that my one way trip to AU is covered – may have issue if not returning to UK for a year or until the AU government re-opens the borders (who knows when?)
      @The real John – yes, am moving to AU. Would like to be insured against flight cancellations and I will have to buy flights with different airlines.

      • Lady London says:

        12 Apr12 April 21:13

        It’s an ambiguous situation. How difficult it is made for the insured person if a claim needs to be made will depend on the underwriter. It will also depend on answers to questions that could be misinterpreted to indicate the person was doing a oneway move rather than a normal touristic trip (there’s often a clause in the terms).

        If the traveller has enough avios it could make things easier to have an avios booking held ready for a suitable return.

        Student travel agents used to have one way or gap year travel insurance. The one to go to used to be STA but I am not sure who has replaced them. Trailfinders might have access to a suitable policy.

        • dragonfly says:

          12 Apr12 April 21:21

          @Lady London – indeed as the purpose of my one way trip is to move, and not tourist. I will call amex to clarify. if they say no, then i will buy travel insurance for protection against flight cancellations (will google STA and trailfinders + others). i have enough avios for the return trip so may give it some more thought. Thanks for your comments.

  • The real John says:

    12 Apr12 April 17:08

    What events are you hoping to insure against?

    If it’s a one-way trip I presume you are moving to Australia, so once you arrive successfully your need for UK travel insurance ends.

    So you can book a refundable return flight and cancel it after you arrive, or if something bad does happen then you have to work out what you could reasonably claim for.

• CE says:

  12 Apr12 April 15:40

  Anybody know if you can use a BA Future Travel Voucher on joint venture flights? Looking at *hopefully* going to Japan next year but would like to try JAL or Finnair on one leg – would be booked on ba.com so assume it should work?

  • Rhys says:

    12 Apr12 April 15:42

    I can’t see why not, so long as it is a codeshare flight with a BA flight number.

    • CE says:

      12 Apr12 April 16:13

      Cool thank you 🤠

• Andy says:

  12 Apr12 April 16:45

  Any suggestions for test to release providers? I’ve used Collinson for both my pre-departure and now day 2/8 testing, and generally have had a good experience. However they charge 99£ for a LAMP test to release which is ridiculous, and many others are in excess of 100£. Looking for something around 50/70£ so I can enjoy the good weather in London this weekend, otherwise will suck it up and do the 3/4 additional days

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    12 Apr12 April 18:47

    For £30 stick to the provider you have had positive experience with and enjoy yourself

    • Pete M says:

      12 Apr12 April 19:59

      Collinson were amongst the cheapest, but get the impression they’ve now realised they are one of the few who actually deliver, so have jacked prices up! I am sure I paid £60 for a LAMP test with them!

• Red Flyer says:

  12 Apr12 April 17:07

  Anyone got any recommendations for a good hotel on Cape Cod that I can base myself at to do day trips from? Plan is to do 4 days Boston first then drive down and spend 5 days on the Cape seeing sights & islands at a leisurely pace. Is a birthday trip so happy to pay top dollar and not go for the budget options.

  • The Lord says:

    12 Apr12 April 17:17

    Chatham Bars Inn was decent a few years back

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    12 Apr12 April 18:48

    Some wonderful boutique B&Bs there, will try and remember where we stayed but saw several that fit the special trip bill

  • Allan says:

    12 Apr12 April 19:59

    Doubletree is OK. HI was being refurbished a few years ago so maybe OK also.

  • Red Flyer says:

    12 Apr12 April 20:41

    Thanks guys – is IC Boston a good located base to cover most tourist sights as well for the 4 nights we are there?

    • James says:

      12 Apr12 April 21:40

      IC is good but set to one side of the city (harbour). Kimpton Nine Zero is more central for the whole city (just off Boston Common) and has had a recent refurbishment and is much more modern than the IC, which don’t get me wrong, is still good but starting to border on becoming dated IMO. Bonus with the IC is that its set on the Rose Kennedy Greenway which is very nice way to spend an hour or so walking, and loops round some of the city. Whole city pretty walkable though.

      For the Cape, for something different Autocamp is just opening up on Upper Cape (actually the lower part as you look at a map) and the Airstreams are done really nicely and they offer a basic breakfast inkeeping with the aesthetic they’re going for. I did a week on their site in the Redwoods north of SanF and loved it (after being forced into it by the other half, really not usually my scene at all). On the Lower and Outer Cape (the tip as you look at a map), I’ve stayed at Salt House Inn and Eben House in Provincetown which are part of same small boutique group (nice hotel in New Jersey too); go for the bigger rooms.

      Check out Lark Hotels too, another small boutique chain with a few really nice places all over New England, and I think have recently opened one on the cape too.

• aDifferentSimon says:

  12 Apr12 April 17:09

  I think you have to phone to book but can you price up the taxes and charges of a open jaw BA redemption online somehow? (I’m hoping to fly to Vancouver and out of sfo)
  Thanks

  • e14 says:

    12 Apr12 April 17:17

    Plug your flights into https://matrix.itasoftware.com/ , then subtract the fare1 and fare2 numbers from the total

    • aDifferentSimon says:

      12 Apr12 April 17:32

      Thank you!

• Craig says:

  12 Apr12 April 17:26

  I used an FTV to book flights from LGW to TFS later this year. They’ve just been moved to LHR as expected and I received an email inviting me to accept them through MMB. However, the option to do anything online isn’t available with just a phone number. Am I right in thinking I can now wait until 24 hours before deciding what to do? Also, can I now take this as a straight refund rather than another FTV? Thanks.

  • AJA says:

    12 Apr12 April 18:51

    Yes you can take a straight refund rather than as another FTV. As you will have to phone up I would not wait until as late as 24 hours before the flight departs though.

    • Craig says:

      12 Apr12 April 19:05

      Thanks AJA, I’ll aim for 15 minutes of flex then? 😉

      • AJA says:

        12 Apr12 April 20:52

        🤣

• trader363 says:

  12 Apr12 April 17:47

  Looking for your thoughts on this . . . .

  Got a trip to South America booked (Chile & Peru) for mid-Jul for 3 weeks using BA 241 and 50% sale. Return leg LIMA to LHR cancelled by BA and I’ve accepted them switching me onto Iberia instead.

  It’s looking unlikely we’d go due to high case rates in both countries – is there any way BA would allow us to move to another destination, keeping the 50% applied? I know it’s a long shot, but wondering if they did for anyone else here

  • Jonathan says:

    12 Apr12 April 18:49

    No chance. They’re playing hardball & refusing their legal obligations to reschedule for the 50% sale redemptions so they definitely won’t be making goodwill gestures.

    If you’ve excepted the Iberia reroute then you’ve also forfeit your right to a cash refund unless there’s a further cancellation (which is highly likely for the LHR-Santiago leg based on current trajectories).

    • trader363 says:

      12 Apr12 April 22:01

      I’m sure when I accepted Iberia that I’m still allowed to cancel for a cash refund? Or is that definitely not the case?

      • trader363 says:

        12 Apr12 April 22:09

        Just called YouFirst and was offered a full refund minus £35pp

        Am going to play the game of chicken and see if they cancel first!

  • mart says:

    12 Apr12 April 22:01

    I’d certainly be interested to see how you get on with this. I’m envisaging the same battle for my Oct flights to SYD – although more because Aus won’t let us in!

    As I understand it BA should (legally) extend dates/allow alternative destination within reason, but they are not doing so.

    • Lady London says:

      13 Apr13 April 00:13

      extend dates yes they’re legally obliged if they cancelled; amend destination no they are not actually legally obliged.

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