The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 4th May

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• Yuff says:

  4 May4 May 14:17

  Headline in Mallorca daily just now.
  UK gives travel to the Canary Islands green light
  Portugal (excluding the Azores) and several Greek islands have also been removed

  • meta says:

    4 May4 May 14:24

    Apparently FCDO released the list early.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/green-list-revealed-holiday-2021-b1841702.html

    • Pete M says:

      4 May4 May 14:45

      Promising, in theory, but remember last year there were green list countries the FCDO advised against travelling to and vice-versa!

  • swifty says:

    4 May4 May 15:12

    the headline doesn’t seem to say that, it says something Like Will Find Out

  • Harrier25 says:

    4 May4 May 15:42

    So I assume the Portuguese island of Maderia will be included with Portugal?

• James Purvis says:

  4 May4 May 14:39

  Is it correct to assume that Malta is open for tourism as such now? I keep reading June 1st but the rules changed from April 27th allowing countries on the Amber list to enter with a negative PCR test no more than 7 days previous.

  • Simon says:

    4 May4 May 14:53

    This has also got me confused (as i have flights booked there on June 1st). From speaking to the hotel, you can go there, but restaurants and even the pool at the hotel dont open till 1st June.

    • Pete M says:

      4 May4 May 14:54

      That’s the impression I got from researching about a week back – you could go, but it wouldn’t be fun!

      • Simon says:

        4 May4 May 15:04

        Exactly that! Fingers firmly crossed June 1st we will be double jabbed and sitting by the pool there.

• r* says:

  4 May4 May 15:27

  Is there a way to use amex to pay council tax if the council doesnt accept amex for direct payments?

  • Rob says:

    4 May4 May 15:27

    PayPoint at a Co-Op shop

    • mutley says:

      4 May4 May 15:55

      If its over £200 you will have to make separate payments as Pay Point max is £200 per transaction

      • Genghis says:

        4 May4 May 16:02

        Multiple transactions can be rung up on one payment. I normally pay £600 or so at a time.

        • mutley says:

          4 May4 May 18:41

          Not in the Coop, £200 limit

        • Genghis says:

          4 May4 May 18:50

          Not IME. The cashier probably doesn’t know how to work it properly.

  • Genghis says:

    4 May4 May 15:33

    Some councils accept Paypal.

• egold says:

  4 May4 May 15:43

  are any of the covid test providers offering a refund if my flight to the UK is cancelled?
  I’m trying to find a work around of paying for tests, being that i’ll be leaving the UK on day 2 so not legally required to actually take any tests (besides for the negative test upon arrival), but must show proof of tests upon arrival anyhow.
  Any ideas?

  • Jonathan says:

    4 May4 May 16:01

    No chance. Test firms are only interested in making as much hay as they can in next few months. Customer service gestures like this are of no interest.

    It’s not like the airlines who offer flexibility like BWC/FTV to encourage bookings, these guys know they’ve got you over a barrel.

    • egold says:

      4 May4 May 16:10

      Government assisted grifting!
      I’m planning a business class return trip using points. I’ll pay more for the tests (that i won’t even take) than for the actual return flight

  • Pete M says:

    4 May4 May 16:02

    Are you not able to put the PLF through without proof of booking the tests? Or write in “not required”? Last time I did it you could and if questioned by Border Force you’d explain?

    • egold says:

      4 May4 May 16:08

      I wish!
      Is there any written source of this being legal? I wouldn’t want a brush with the law… actually, the risk of a £500 fine is all I really care about

      • Pete M says:

        4 May4 May 16:17

        To avoid any risk best spend the £120 I’d say…

  • Yuff says:

    4 May4 May 16:23

    Just tick the transit box, that’s what I did but then it doesn’t let you put in your address if you are staying overnight.
    They let me through but one agent who overheard I hadn’t booked my rip off, sorry I mean tests, called me back and said he was issuing a FPN for not booking the tests. However he was very apologetic when I explained I’m only here for 24hrs and let me through.

  • kitten says:

    4 May4 May 20:14

    I thought I saw somewhere it’s not required for transit. I assume that’s why your stay is so short. It was within one of the gov.uk pages.

• Mo says:

  4 May4 May 15:47

  Hi all. Two questions.

  1) is there a destination I could book now with my voucher that’ll definitely get cancelled so that I get issued with the travel voucher. I wanted to book certain dates that aren’t available to Mauritius so figuring this may be the only way.

  2) Travelling to turkey when international travel resumes. What’s everyone’s thoughts on this? Green, amber or red?

  • Joe says:

    4 May4 May 17:24

    100% NOT green. Probably amber.

  • Harry T says:

    4 May4 May 20:14

    Turkey will be red at first.

• Jody says:

  4 May4 May 16:25

  Just booked a bargain cruise for the bank holiday weekend! Second staycation cruise we’ve booked, first one is with Disney and not until September. Jumped on this one, £399 each for 4 nights including drinks package and tips on a brand new ship (MSC). Can’t wait!

  • WaynedP says:

    4 May4 May 21:16

    Hope you have a wonderful time, Jody.

    We are firm advocates of MSC now that we can sail as a couple outside of school term. Only major cruise line not in public hands, and we think it shows in a good way.

    After more than 2 years without a cruise, we’ve signed up for a 7 nighter in June around the British Isles and are interested to see how different an all-British clientele (artificially capped by number) will be to the international mix we’ve had on our last five voyages with MSC.

• Aston100 says:

  4 May4 May 17:19

  Hilton points pricing.

  Still not sure if a HH point is worth 0.3p, 0.4p or 0.5p (I’ve got a load of Amex MR I can move over when a bonus comes along).

  How good (or not) are the following per night prices at some Hilton properties:
  50k points vs £324 cash
  40k points vs £229 cash
  30k points vs £105 cash

  Thanks.

  • rob says:

    4 May4 May 17:30

    The dynamic pricing model has really pushed Hilton points redemptions higher atm as most Hilton properties seem to have inflated their nightly rates.
    My problem with Hilton redemptions is the overall cost in either points or cash is way over the top at the moment and not good value at all compared to previous years

  • Genghis says:

    4 May4 May 17:37

    First two are decent points pricing, assuming you’d otherwise pay the cash rate and not go for the next best alternative.

• Definitas says:

  4 May4 May 17:43

  I want to book IHG reward nights in USA for 2 rooms. I will stay one night but family member will stay 2 nights. Does the IHG member have to be there for check in?

  • Genghis says:

    4 May4 May 17:47

    I presume room 2 will be used before you check in? Call IHG and they will book it in the name of the right person using your points.

    • Definitas says:

      4 May4 May 18:06

      Thanks Genghis. That is correct. I want to book 3 rooms , two for one night and one for two nights because my daughter will fly in a day earlier. I’ll give them a call

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