The HfP chat thread – Saturday 15th May

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• Andrew says:

  15 May15 May 14:15

  Another email from IHG counting down the days until the “flash sale” starts! I’ll happily be pleasantly surprised but I can’t help thinking it’ll be the usual few quid lower than what you can book now and add in some inflexibility and advance payment for your trouble.

  • ChrisC says:

    15 May15 May 14:46

    You could always book a cancelable rate today and then cancel and rebook it after Monday if the rate comes down.

    I’ve been checking my existing UK bookings and updating the prices and will then compare when the sale starts.

    At the moment I have one booking for the HI at LHR T4 where the price has already fallen by £17.59 since I booked it 3 weeks ago (and I thought the original £82 was a good rate) so not sure how much lower it will go on Monday!

• YorkshireRich says:

  15 May15 May 14:36

  Hi all, going to stay in Manchester at the end of may for one night and got a 15 pound return for 2 of us from Leeds to Manchester Victoria.
  Currently undecided which hotel to stay at but I have booked a flexible rate at Hilton (gold member).
  I’m tempted with Edwardian as I’ve got 50 pound off on Amex, but doubletree with breakfast £80 is temping-ish. Hyatt looked good but seems a little far out of centre.
  Like the look of kimpton clock tower but I have no ihg status.
  Any recommendations anyone?

  • James says:

    15 May15 May 17:16

    Depends what you want from the stay. If it’s treating yourself after months of lockdown I’d go for the Rad Ed or Clocktower. If your not fussed about higher end choices but still want a decent and good quality hotel DT more than fits the bill. If the latter though, I’d personally go with the Indigo which is right by Victoria. Still relatively new and feels more intimate than the DT imo. Rates have always been reasonable there in my experience, and you can often add breakfast for 10 or 15 quid. However, sounds like you’ll be there for Bank Hol weekend which could be pricier. Might be worth waiting to see what the IHG flash sale brings on Monday in terms of rates.

  • ChrisC says:

    15 May15 May 17:31

    Emyr can get you extra benefits at the Clocktower that aren’t IHG status dependent.

    Check the non IHG member rate and then Emyr can get you free breakfast, ;ate checkout and $100 credit to use for food etc at the hotel.

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/virtuoso-agent-london/

    • Anna says:

      15 May15 May 17:33

      Good point – that’s an excellent deal for one night in Manchester!

  • Anna says:

    15 May15 May 17:32

    Hilton Deansgate is nice with good status recognition (we were upgraded from standard room to club lounge access last time – great views over the city), and it’s one of the few Manchester hotels with a pool.
    Clocktower charges £18 pp for the buffet breakfast and isn’t currently offering their much better brunch option. Gorgeous building, though.
    It might be advisable to book restaurants and any activities in advance as it sounds like things are going to get very busy from next week!

  • Degsy says:

    15 May15 May 23:36

    Emirates Old Trafford can be a decent price. Slightly out of town but modern facilities and great if you like cricket.

• Reney says:

  15 May15 May 14:40

  Curve question, has anyone done go back in time, but the transaction did not post in the underlying card. I accidentally used the wrong card, realised a couple of hours later, so went back in time. The transaction was refunded fine on the first card, on the second that I changed it to it was pending for a while then it fell off. The company I paid seem to have receive the money.

  • Genghis says:

    15 May15 May 14:42

    How long ago did you GBIT?

    • Reney says:

      15 May15 May 18:05

      1st May, a couple of hours between making to transaction and realising I used the wrong card.

  • Yorkie Aid says:

    15 May15 May 15:26

    I didn’t think you could GBIT a transaction at all if was still pending.

• James Pleasant says:

  15 May15 May 14:41

  Daily Mail commentati up in arms about Boris & Whitty pressing the fear & panic button for another time, without any real scientific justification. They (Daily Mail commentati) happen to be right.

  If it’s just a ploy to encourage reluctant people to get vaccinated, I guess it serves a purpose. But immoral, unethical and deplorable. A lot of people will worry about the supposed dangers of the Indian variant when there is no evidence there are any significantly increased dangers whatsoever.

  Back in March 2020, the SPI-B committee recommended using scare tactics to get the UK public worried about the dangers of the pandemic – and now admit these tactics were totalitarian: ‘SPI-B warned in March 2020 that ministers needed to increase “the perceived level of personal threat” from Covid because “a substantial number of people still do not feel sufficiently personally threatened”. Gavin Morgan, a psychologist on the team, said: “Clearly, using fear as a means of control is not ethical. Using fear smacks of totalitarianism. It’s not an ethical stance for any modern government.’

  • Rob says:

    15 May15 May 16:51

    It does seem a little odd. Guardian article yesterday quotes a study showing that the Indian variant is not more transmissable. It only APPEARS to be, because it is being brought into the country by Indians and they tend to live in multi-generational households where the disease will spread quickly.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    15 May15 May 16:52

    They’ve been using fear to force vaccination for months.

    Vaccine passports and the like

  • ChrisC says:

    15 May15 May 17:35

    I fear that if Boris does another on / off / on / off with the June relaxation like he did with Christmas then there will be serious actual unrest in the country.

    People are at breaking point.

    • James says:

      15 May15 May 17:38

      Get a grip, Chris.

      • ChrisC says:

        15 May15 May 17:45

        Why are you so agressive? If you have nothing consructive to say then best to say nothing.

        Not just me saying and thinking it.

        • James says:

          15 May15 May 18:16

          Sorry, you think suggesting that there will be actual unrest and appearing to normalise this as being acceptable if some form of lockdown is extended is constructive? There has always been, and will always be, a fringe element who have always thought such from day 1. Thankfully they are nowhere near any form of majority, though there are a fair few on here at times. I do often wonder how these people (maybe you also) would have coped with WW2 for example and living through blitz restrictions, which went on for YEARS. You’ve been asked to stay at home and limit travel etc, and while I very much appreciate some have really suffered through lost jobs and the impact on MH for some is real, let’s be honest – most people (and certainly most on here) and been able to work from home, if not in the office, have had wages paid through furlough, and been able to fill their time with catching up with Netflix. So yes Chris, in this instance, I’d say quit the histrionics and get a grip.

    • Anna says:

      15 May15 May 17:43

      The threats being directed at specific towns are frankly cruel when communities have been in local lockdown since last summer and the majority are both vaccinated and generally minimising risk. There is some very irresponsible reporting around low vaccine uptake among BAME groups – while percentages may look worrying, these still equate to relatively low numbers as BAME communities are a minority (20% of population at most).

      • TGLoyalty says:

        15 May15 May 17:50

        Take up of 75% isn’t low…even one of the best flu vaccine take ups this year only reached that by end of November.

        Flu vaccine uptake is higher in all groups except pregnant women compared to this time last year. Provisional data suggests uptake rates are:

        75.0% in 65+ year olds
        41.2% in under 65 years in a clinical risk group
        32.2% in pregnant women
        47.6% in 2 year olds
        49.4% in 3 year olds
        19.8% in school age children
        51.6% in healthcare workers

        More people have taken the Covid vaccine than ever envisaged (go back last year and they expected 70-75% take up)

        • TGLoyalty says:

          15 May15 May 18:21

          An update from jan on flu uptake.

          https://www.gov.uk/government/news/flu-vaccine-uptake-among-over-65s-highest-on-record

          Covid vaccine uptake is far higher with 98% of over 60’s having taken the offer, 95% 55-60 not everyone can get to a vaccine (they are home bound etc, some can’t have it for medical reasons either. that’s pretty much every eligible person who can actually get a vaccine having taken it.

      • Cabal of rabid baboons says:

        15 May15 May 18:53

        Hartlepool has elected its first ever Conservative MP, the Conservative candidate in Batley and Spen will shortly overturn a 3,000 labour majority.
        Isn’t it lovely to live in a democracy TGLoylaty?
        Feel free to continue to knock the government but appreciate that you’re very much in a minority in the rest of England.
        I very much appreciate your travel related contributions , did you ever look at Penina in portugal?

        • TGLoyalty says:

          15 May15 May 18:59

          A 43% turnout in Hartlepool the majority didn’t even bother to turn up 😂

        • TGLoyalty says:

          15 May15 May 19:05

          I actually couldn’t be bothered about which party won local elections or by election but I genuinely don’t believe an election actually reflect people’s view. Low turnout says more about what’s happening.

          Re Penina it looks interesting I think I’ll visit Porto this summer though.

    • Chris Heyes says:

      15 May15 May 18:51

      ChrisC What makes you think people are at breaking point ?
      Or is it all HFPs are at breaking point ?
      Although a Agree with you that Boris shouldn’t carry on with the June relaxation
      4/5 more months wont be much hardship

      • Matt says:

        15 May15 May 21:13

        Chris Heyes: Another 4-5 months? And then what? Another few tales of scary variants that might possibly in the future maybe evade the vaccines and we’d better lock down for another few months….

    • Tariq says:

      15 May15 May 21:58

      I hope there is, about time people stuck it to the bedwetters.

  • Anna says:

    15 May15 May 17:36

    All the online media seem to be running dual headlines suggesting that easing lockdown won’t be delayed and also that it might be!

  • Matt says:

    15 May15 May 21:10

    If you give up freedom for security…..

    The goalposts have moved so far as to be out of sight – remember even Matt Hancock was saying “Cry Freedom” as soon as the vulnerable were vaccinated as recently as January. Now the vulnerable are long vaccinated and there’s still muttering about prolonging this.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      15 May15 May 23:44

      I talked about totalitarianism taking over and only this morning there are articles in papers re project fear being a step too far

      There they were on Friday afternoon continuing with it

• Dave says:

  15 May15 May 15:42

  Hi all. Is there a 2021 version of this article? I searched but could not find:
  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/01/23/how-to-earn-miles-paying-hmrc/
  Got some tax to pay… Thinking Curve with fronted as no metal, which would add 1.5% (just about worth it for the points + voucher that may otherwise not be generated). Not sure if any better options though… Thanks.

  • Zoe says:

    15 May15 May 16:21

    If you have the Tesco debit card you get a few points

  • Rob says:

    15 May15 May 16:49

    No new version, because there are virtually no options now. You either do Curve Fronted or Billhop, neither of which are great value.

    The Tesco and Lufthansa routes are dead.

    • Dave says:

      15 May15 May 23:27

      Thanks both

• DK says:

  15 May15 May 15:43

  Checking Madeira entry requirements. Some sources say PCR for children over 24 months others for 12+ only.
  Very confusing

• Chelseafi says:

  15 May15 May 15:44

  Can anyone please clarify the BA holiday book with confidence. I’m due to go to Algarve 3 weeks today for 5N flight and hotel booked via BA Holiday but now I just don’t know if I will be going if I have to have PCR test before, during and after holiday? It’s just not clear what’s going to be required and I completely understand it’s a fluid situation. I’ve tried calling BA but can’t get through, if I decide 2 weeks before travel do I loose 60% of what I’ve paid. Or can I cancel today for a FTV? This is what is on the booking details ..
  More than 3weeks before travel: deposit
  More than 72hrs before travel: 60%
  Less than 72hrs before travel: 100%
  Fees apply to the total package

  • Harry T says:

    15 May15 May 16:10

    Cancel today and take your deposit as a voucher. That’s your best option if you don’t want to travel in three weeks. You’re going to be allowed to travel to Portugal but you will need to pay for tests. Can’t see much changing in three weeks and BA won’t be cancelling flights to Portugal.

    • Chelseafi says:

      15 May15 May 18:13

      Thank you so would I loose 60% (as I’ve paid balance) if I cancelled tomorrow onwards

      • TGLoyalty says:

        15 May15 May 18:26

        You wouldn’t lose. You get a voucher but it would only be valid for BA holidays.

        PCR test within 72 hrs of departure to atleast until 1st June (could be proof of full vaccination + 14 days after that under EU green pass scheme ilo of pcr test)

        lateral flow test (of correct specificity) or PCR within 3 days of return flight and on day 2 is guaranteed as there’s no review of U.K. requirements until 28th June.

        • Chelseafi says:

          15 May15 May 19:51

          Ok thanks I’m happy with BA FTV is its all for what I have paid and we will both be fully vaccinated (+ 16 days actually). I just don’t understand the BA …. More than 3weeks before travel: deposit
          More than 72hrs before travel: 60%
          Less than 72hrs before travel: 100%
          Fees apply to the total package

        • TGLoyalty says:

          15 May15 May 21:00

          It’s probably worth a phone call

          If it came down to losing the 60% or taking a few tests you have to weigh up the costs of each.

          Expresstest/collinson £80 for pre-departure PCR. Which you might be able to save if the EU green pass is adopted from 1st June.

          It’s a minimum £95 for the two return tests (Qurad and Randox via ba discount codes) that won’t change before 28th June.

• Secret Squirrel says:

  15 May15 May 16:05

  Following on from yesterday’s Amex Plat retentions. Anyone tried today?
  We called up to cancel wife’s Platinum & nothing offered, not even to downgrade to Gold.

  • HeadingForNoPoints says:

    15 May15 May 16:29

    How old is platinum and what was offered previously? (if any)

    • meta says:

      15 May15 May 16:33

      You need to speak to the Brighton team also preferably during weekdays after 10am.

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      15 May15 May 17:36

      Previous Plat – 4 x weeks @ 50k
      Wife’s Plat – 2 x weeks – zero.
      Spoke with Brighton.

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