The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 19th May

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stairali says:

19 May19 May 16:44

Best Hilton in central Bristol for those who have stayed at more than one?
- Ryan says:
  
  19 May19 May 17:11
  
  Hampton is very nice inside and a decent breakfast (pre covid)
  Double Tree for a good view if you can get a high floor, and plenty of parking and probably better room (slightly)
  Never stayed in Garden Inn
  - Tariq says:
    
    19 May19 May 21:34
    
    Doubletree was always my first choice and the Garden Inn as reserve when I used to go there every week. Trouble with the Garden Inn was the cost of parking in their own car park, but always managed to avoid that with the reasonably priced off-peak street parking available around it.
  - Jimmy says:
    
    20 May20 May 10:07
    
    I prefer the Garden Inn to the Double Tree, but only marginally. Not stayed in the Hampton, but it’s newer so the rooms might be a bit fresher.
- The cyclist says:
  
  19 May19 May 17:55
  
  I wouldn’t bother with Bristol, lawless place, always protesting about something, much better off staying in genteel Bath.
  - Lord Doncaster says:
    
    19 May19 May 18:30
    
    Agreed. Nothing much in Bristol unless you’re a fan of statue dragging.
    - Brighton Belle says:
      
      19 May19 May 23:50
      
      His Lordiness doesn’t peruse the works of art in the gallery then?
Tom says:

19 May19 May 16:49

Apologies if that has been asked elsewhere, on the requirement for a negative test before returning to the UK, does anyone know for sure if the test has to be done 72hrs prior to the flight (departure or landing?) or in the 3 days before?

The current wording from GOV.UK suggests any time in those 3 days, even if over 72hrs:

“You must take the test in the 3 days before the service on which you will arrive in England departs.

For example, if you travel directly to England on Friday, you must take the test on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.”

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england

Many thanks!
- bill says:
  
  19 May19 May 16:57
  
  Isn’t the example clear ? “if you travel directly to England on Friday, you must take the test on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.”
  - bill says:
    
    19 May19 May 16:57
    
    no more than 72 hours
    - Tom says:
      
      19 May19 May 17:01
      
      Not clear. Eg flights returns Friday 7pm, does a test taken at say 12pm on the Tuesday count? If it’s 3 days, it would; if it’s 72hrs, it wouldn’t.
      - ready to fly says:
        
        19 May19 May 17:06
        
        It is 3 days before travel. and yes, that means, it could be slightly more than 72 hours before travel. That being said, all things equal, I would take it within 72 hours of travel. I had a long discussion with American Airlines check in desk in Florida a few months ago about this topic because they thought i took the test too early and it took a bit of time and various internet searches to persuade them that the requirement was indeed 3 days, not 72 hours.
      - Tom says:
        
        19 May19 May 17:26
        
        Thanks @ready to fly. I thought it might come down to that sort of argument at the gate. Booking tests for flights to/from Porto for the football next weekend, out Saturday AM, return Sunday PM. With an early AM Saturday departure, outbound PCR needs to be Thursday at the latest unless I pay extra for the same-day turnaround. Hence the Q re whether a Thursday PCR would count for the return leg.
      - Lady London says:
        
        20 May20 May 03:15
        
        I had exactly the same situation and took the same decision as readytofly for exactly the reasons you’re worried about. I will do the same again.
        
        Life’s just too short to spend arguing with checkin staff, particularly in the US (and based on nasty experience I would add NZ to this), who are cross-airline staff that service all desks across an airport for many airlines and simply don’t keep up to date on differing airline and alliance rules let alone one country (the UK) that is operating Covid test countdown differently.
      - Lady London says:
        
        20 May20 May 03:18
        
        …but yes you can use same test both ways (noting PCR takes 24hrs to come back mostly and could be longer if you’re unlucky) if the timings work.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  19 May19 May 17:45
  
  It’s anytime in the pervious 3 days. 72 hrs isn’t a thing for U.K.
  
  Very simple in that regard.
bafan says:

19 May19 May 17:32

So I was curious about @Tracy’s differing information from Tui about Madeira flights, and they got back to me with wrong / differing information from her wrong / differing information.

“Hi bafan, for Madeira if you are fully vaccinated and have the cert from the NHS and it’s been 14 days since the second jab then a PCR test isn’t required prior to departure, however if not fully vaccinated then a PCR test prior to departure is needed. Thanks”

The Madeira tourism websites and Timatic state differently. I had my 2nd jab last weekend so I’ll book for June and I should be good to go but…it’s not confidence inducing to have different airlines making it up as they go along. I’ll pay BA premiums this summer I think, they are usually pretty great at LHR with any issues.
- Tracy says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:09
  
  Bafan, my situation slightly different as I will not be fully vaccinated but have had covid in last 90 days. I have a certificate from my GP with a copy of my positive result. Going by FCDO I do not need a PCR test so I am going to take reams of printouts from FCDO, Madeira tourism, tui website (as they state they are following FCDO advice) and keep my fingers and toes crossed there is no issue. My flight is 2pm Friday so will pitch up at airport way early just in case lol.
  - bafan says:
    
    19 May19 May 18:50
    
    Let us know how you get on; I’m really curious now. Madeira guidelines should let you on regardless as long as you have a PCR test on arrival and wait for the result in isolation.
    - Ron says:
      
      19 May19 May 19:04
      
      I don’t think she even need a PCR test on arrival, as she recovered from covid in the last 90days.
      - bafan says:
        
        19 May19 May 19:45
        
        Quite. I’m just making the point that there is no reason for Tui to have any of these gatekeeping guidelines. You either don’t need a test or one on arrival. They’ve created incorrect barriers to travel.
    - Tracy says:
      
      19 May19 May 19:57
      
      will do
- Ron says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:24
  
  I thought Tui advice is correct, but they didn’t mention about people recovered from covid?
  - Tracy says:
    
    19 May19 May 19:56
    
    my thoughts exactly, hence my apprehension
Colonel Blimp says:

19 May19 May 17:48

What are the rules about declaring any past convictions when entering the USA?
- bafan says:
  
  19 May19 May 17:51
  
  My friend’s Mom has to and it’s an absolute ballache. I think they send your B2 visa application to D.C. for adjucation. Usually takes 6+ months and for a while she was only getting them for 1-2 years. I guess now she has a pattern they give her 5 years now. Usually the standard is 10 years for someone on a B2 visa.
- Alex says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:41
  
  Depends what they are and when they were to be honest…some can be added to an ESTA without issue. Some require an embassy visit. Some will mean an automatic no entry.
  - bafan says:
    
    19 May19 May 18:52
    
    Yes. My friends Mom didn’t declare all of her income and HMRC prosecuted her for tax evasion or whatever, and the Americans called it a “crime of moral turpitude” or something. If tax is moral turpitude I have no idea what wouldn’t be…
  - Jonathan says:
    
    19 May19 May 23:37
    
    I think it’s only the category of serious crimes that would give a permanent no entry, or just endless offences that’ve been going on for years with no signs of stopping.
    
    It’s a shame that an American diplomat hasn’t read and commented on this to give us some better clarity, though people who like lots of international travel are generally people who stay away from trouble !
- Chris Heyes says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:42
  
  Colonel Blimp I think there was an ex-MPs daughter banned from USA due to a Cannabis conviction i seem to faintly remember
  - Anna says:
    
    19 May19 May 19:20
    
    They don’t like drugs or tax evasion! Don’t Americans get hunted down all over the world for income tax, regardless of where they work? So I think it’s a pretty big deal to them. Also, if you lie about any convictions, or even just “forget” to mention them, you can end up being barred forever.
    - Sandra says:
      
      19 May19 May 20:28
      
      Yes, wherever they are they pay the US tax man. When we were in the ME my OH’s US colleagues hated that he kept 100% of his salary!
      - RussellH says:
        
        19 May19 May 21:36
        
        Which is why the current apology for a prime minister, born in New York, suddenly decided to resign his US citizenship…
  - bafan says:
    
    19 May19 May 20:41
    
    And of course Ms. Nigella Lawson…
    - ChrisC says:
      
      19 May19 May 20:50
      
      Given she was a judge on a US TV show filmed in the US a couple of years ago I don’t think she was banned from the US
The Original Nick. says:

19 May19 May 17:53

Marriott Bonvoy Amex card question: I have received my card but I don’t really need it as I’m not eligible for the sign up bonus and I have Plat, ARCC and BA card. I only applied for the card so that my OH got her 24000 MR points for referring me. If I was to cancel now would Amex be OK? I don’t want to fall out with them. And would get a refund of the annual fee?
Thanks.
- Andrew says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:28
  
  Would probably have been better to have applied for one of the many free cards and then you could just keep it.
  - The Original Nick. says:
    
    19 May19 May 18:39
    
    Yep, should of applied for the Nectar. I completely forgot that there was an annual fee for the Bonvoy card.
- Memesweeper says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:58
  
  I’d keep it for the upcoming shop small and then see if there’s enough monthly offers to offset the fee.
  - The Original Nick. says:
    
    19 May19 May 19:37
    
    Good idea Memesweeper. Thanks.
Colonel Blimp says:

19 May19 May 17:54

screw that, I just wont tell em then!
- Yorkie Aid says:
  
  19 May19 May 18:09
  
  Just apply for an ESTA and see whether it’s approved.
  - John says:
    
    19 May19 May 20:14
    
    Even if your ESTA is approved, US CBP can still do a seemingly live check of some UK database at the point of entering the US, but I don’t know what circumstances would lead to them doing such a check or what sorts of crimes would show up (and the only people who do know wouldn’t be allowed to say, obviously)
    - Sandra says:
      
      19 May19 May 20:34
      
      I got selected for extra checks flying to Boston from Heathrow a couple of years ago & had to join a separate queue with other ‘spot check’ people before I was allowed my boarding card for a Delta flight. No reason or problem with ESTA & why was never explained to me
      - Travel Strong says:
        
        19 May19 May 21:30
        
        A number of passengers on every flight are SSSS on their boarding pass for extra checks, most are random, but some people are SSSS for life (unlikely, don’t fret it).
      - Travel Strong says:
        
        19 May19 May 21:30
        
        (For USA only)
      - Sandra says:
        
        19 May19 May 21:53
        
        Will find out next year Travel Strong as hopefully will be going to the US again …
Fk says:

19 May19 May 18:05

Referred my wife to gold amex during the bonus, am a gold myself, she made the application in time but amex have asked for bank statement for proof of address (address on her bank statement is her parents home) and they aren’t budging on providing a different proof
I get 13k for the referral nor sure if it’s worth the hassle for her changing address with her bank (everything is emailed anyway and she has access to her parents home for anything if it does come)

But we are now thinking is it possible to switch the application to plat to get to higher bonus…then it would be kinda worth it to go through the hassle

Thanks
- Anna says:
  
  19 May19 May 19:22
  
  You don’t have to live at the same address to give someone a supplementary card – or is the issue that your wife stated her home address was yours, and not her parents?
- John says:
  
  19 May19 May 20:18
  
  If her banks are registered to her parents’ address, she should have applied to Amex using her parents’ address.
  
  Amex isn’t going to approve a card if they can’t find her credit records.
  
  She is probably flagged on National Hunter now because of the discrepancies.
  - Fk says:
    
    20 May20 May 08:08
    
    She is registered for the electoral roll here at the new address, I thought they check that, she recently got the amex business card fine and they were fine with using a utility bill as proof of address
    Seems like for personal cards they want bank statement as proof of address
- Fk says:
  
  19 May19 May 22:16
  
  We moved in to a new place 2 years ago, when she last had an amex she was at her parents house so she put this new place down and amex are asking for bank statement to verify address, but her bank account details are all connected to her old address too
  
  Thanks
Red Flyer says:

19 May19 May 19:03

I have the free BA Amex card and my 23 months since cancelling Gold credit card is up on 25th May. Can I only get a welcome bonus on the Platinum card after 25th May and not on the Gold card?
- Red Flyer says:
  
  19 May19 May 19:04
  
  *24 months and not 23 is up in May.
- Anna says:
  
  19 May19 May 19:24
  
  Yes – pretty much any personal Amex bars you from the gold sign up but there are some stupendous Platinum sign up bonuses floating around at the moment if you get referred by the right person.
  Double check the date your card was officially cancelled though, someone recently didn;t do this and missed out by a couple of days!
  - Red Flyer says:
    
    19 May19 May 19:54
    
    Thanks will do Anna 👍