The HfP chat thread – Sunday 16th May

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a270 says:

16 May16 May 08:26

1. Have to travel urgently to the USA. There have been many questions as to which provider would work out the cheapest for Day 2/8 and Fit to Fly tests. Who would be the cheapest and most reliable for ALL 4 tests in the UK (including Day 5 Test to Release). I have heard of Randox here with the BA code but perhaps someone has worked out a better mix?

2. My flight is on Saturday morning so how soon before travel should I do and test and post it so as not to be too early/too late?

3. I will be away for 10 days so what’s the best covid insurance option? I am 41 and healthy and have had my 1st vaccination.
- a270 says:
  
  16 May16 May 08:48
  
  Also, the USA websites say they accept antigen tests (for Fit to Fly) so does that mean I can go for the £26 Virgin/£33 Cured one as opposed to the full PCR fit to fly test?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  16 May16 May 08:52
  
  Try battleface or stay sure for insurance
  - a270 says:
    
    16 May16 May 09:08
    
    Thanks, I just checked Stay Sure but since USA is an amber list country only cancellation is covered.
Rich says:

16 May16 May 08:45

1. It’s a but Wild West, and prices/ availability are changing. I found the MSE list helpful: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/how-to-find-the-cheapest-private-coronavirus-tests-for-travel/

2. Aim to take the swab on Wednesday 1 minute after your flight departure time (unless your provider says different). Check how they want you to return it, but many use the Royal Mail Priority postbox – you can find collection times on the website. Your timings shouldn’t be a problem

3. Don’t know. I’m self-insuring (but that’s for Portugal! Wouldn’t do it for US!)
Reney says:

16 May16 May 09:10

@Genghis any more thoughts on my curve GBIT problem. I responded that I did the transaction on 1 May, the receiving party appears to have received it, the 1st card has had the transaction refunded but the 2nd card the transaction was pending for a while and now disappeared. I note i did GBIT within hours when I realised I used the wrong card.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  16 May16 May 09:24
  
  Thank your luck that curve hasn’t charged and not worry
  
  Or if you are worried it’ll hit your card at a later date and tip you over your credit limit contact curve and ask them to sort it out.
  - Genghis says:
    
    16 May16 May 09:26
    
    For a card that relies on being a middle man, receiving and paying, their reconciliations process is v flaky.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      16 May16 May 09:33
      
      Even when I’ve thought I got lucky it charged in the end.
- Genghis says:
  
  16 May16 May 09:24
  
  You might have got away with it! Some curve transactions have been taking up to a week to process recently. It’s happened a couple of times ever to me where the charge hasn’t actually materialised: one for SS just before Xmas last year with Amex actually.
- Andrew M says:
  
  16 May16 May 09:46
  
  I have exactly the opposite problem for a transaction made in April. GBIT has charged the new card and not refunded the original card. The transaction is for several thousand pounds and Curve haven’t replied to the support ticket I raised.
  - Roberto says:
    
    16 May16 May 10:20
    
    So you’re a few k down and you’re not raising hell?
    - Andrew M says:
      
      16 May16 May 10:28
      
      I’ve messaged them several times on the support ticket but they haven’t got back to me. I don’t want to get too aggressive with them due to the nature of the transaction which involves a government bank. They’ve always been incredibly slow to reply to messages in the past, often taking several weeks, so I expect it will get sorted at some point.
      - Genghis says:
        
        16 May16 May 10:52
        
        Curve has known to double charge / double authorisation even not involving GBIT. You need to manage accounts closely.
  - Chrisasaurus says:
    
    16 May16 May 11:25
    
    Well this concerns me – does anyone actually reconcile their own GBIT transactions? I’m a heavy user (owing to being disorganised – same reason I don’t check them)
    - Memesweeper says:
      
      16 May16 May 13:12
      
      I’ve been very causal and don’t systematically check. I’ve noticed things go wrong and they’ve always corrected themselves. Given me a false sense of security that their recs system works OK! I’ll be more careful in future.
- Reney says:
  
  16 May16 May 10:19
  
  Thanks all, I’m just worried that it gets reversed out of the receiver later. And when curve does charge it, it does so to any random card.
Toddy says:

16 May16 May 09:12

Just booked one of the Virgin Voyages UK cruises for August.

The weekend options are ‘sold out’ via Virgin Red, but you can use points via Virgin Holidays (3000 pts = £16.50). Another benefit of going via VH is that you can upgrade to suites etc.
Peter K says:

16 May16 May 09:30

Can I have a referral code for Octopus energy please? Thank you.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  16 May16 May 09:34
  
  Here you go
  
  share.octopus.energy/mist-goat-44
  
  But check the comparison sites too
- KS says:
  
  16 May16 May 09:34
  
  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/hfp/octopus-energy-50-referral/
- KC says:
  
  16 May16 May 10:03
  
  share.octopus.energy/ready-jay-390
- Harry T says:
  
  16 May16 May 10:16
  
  share.octopus.energy/green-otter-673
- Peter K says:
  
  16 May16 May 11:12
  
  Thank you all.
Bpd says:

16 May16 May 09:36

Good morning all!

I just got an email from BA a few days ago saying that my wife’s out outbound flight from our trip to the USA in June (booked under half avios discount with a 241) has been cancelled and weirdly the replacement flight seems to be in the opposite direction (SFO to to LHR) and I also haven’t received the same email..

Since its unlikely we’d be able to go, instead of cancelling the trip I’d like to see if I can move it, I think some people might have been successful previously with moving half avios + 241 bookings so it’d be great to get your advice.

The flight is on the 7th June so ideally want to sort this out soon
- Jonathan says:
  
  16 May16 May 14:14
  
  You won’t have a problem moving within ticket validity (364 days). You will have a fight going beyond that.
  
  First of all check if you can move online through manage my booking as some people seem to be able to go beyond a year through that. If not then try a couple of times on phone in case you get lucky, if not then it’s the MCOL/CEDR route.
Bpd says:

16 May16 May 09:51

Good morning all!

I just got an email from BA a few days ago saying that my wife’s out outbound flight from our trip to the USA in June (booked under half avios discount with a 241) has been cancelled and weirdly the replacement flight seems to be in the opposite direction (SFO to to LHR) and I also haven’t received the same email..

Since its unlikely we’d be able to go, instead of cancelling the trip I’d like to see if I can move it, I think some people might have been successful previously with moving half avios + 241 bookings so it’d be great to get your advice.

The flight is on the 7th June so ideally want to sort this out soon and also is an open jaw so can’t change it online.

Also, I did use the virgin half points deal to book the same trip in September so if possible I would like to change destination aswell as date
- Bpd says:
  
  16 May16 May 12:13
  
  Oops didn’t realise the post was being moderated so posted again as I thought it didn’t go through.
  
  Turns out I changed it from an open jaw to a return from LHR to SFO. Ideally I’d want the outbound to LAX instead of SFO but unsure whether the change is allowed with 300 or 500 miles?
Chada says:

16 May16 May 10:05

Does anyone know how long BA refunds are taking?

BA claims to have issued my refund for a cancelled fight (to my Virgin Premier card) on 24th April but I have had nothing back on the card yet.

BA are insisting it’s a Virgin problem, needless to say Virgin knows nothing about it until the transaction posts.

Any suggestions?
- Travel Strong says:
  
  16 May16 May 11:15
  
  Virgin money do sometimes seem to hold on to money for a full “14 working days”, meaning tomorrow may be the day, given the bank holiday. Perhaps they have this coded to MCC types, as my airline refund from virgin also fell into this annoying extended delay.
- Travel Strong says:
  
  16 May16 May 11:18
  
  (and virgin money know more than they are letting on. I pushed them on it and they said they process in 14 days… then when it did not post I pushed further and they explained (for the first time) that actually, it will take 14 working days.)
  - JohnT says:
    
    16 May16 May 19:00
    
    Check not showing right down the transaction list with the date of your original payment !