The HfP chat thread – Saturday 29th May

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• Prune says:

  29 May29 May 07:28

  I have booked a decent room at the Westin in Malta for 2 adults and 2 children in July. It was a very good price for 8 days as it included breakfast for all of us. However last night when I checked the booking they have changed it online to just 2 adults instead of the children as well. I have the email confirmation with the original price and the specification of all guests.
  Not too sure whether to call them to query this now or just wait till I get there? The room will accommodate all of us so there isn’t a risk from that side?
  But when I price it up now it is about €1000 more expensive.
  What do you think is the best strategy here?

  • Andy in Cheshire says:

    29 May29 May 07:53

    I’d definitely call them, and quote your booking confirmation reference or date.

    Don’t wait until you get there.

  • High Grade says:

    29 May29 May 09:35

    If you have your booking confirmation I would wait until you get there. As you say the room will accommodate you all so that’s not a problem. Don’t give then the option to tell you it was a mistake and you need to rebook/pay more,

    • Tom says:

      29 May29 May 10:15

      I’m with High Grade, if they haven’t changed your room type and you have a confirmation email stating the original booking details I’d just stick with that and turn up and play dumb about the change. If they’d changed your room I would flag now as there is a possibility you turn up and find there are no appropriate rooms available.

  • Aristeides says:

    29 May29 May 11:16

    I am in exactly the same exposition as you for same hotel in August but am not worrying as I have the original email with booking details for four of us.

  • Tracy says:

    30 May30 May 09:48

    Just checked my August booking. Still showing as 4 people but I have 2 children 18+ so had to book for 4 adults and pay the extra person fee. Bit disappointed I won’t get the Malta tourism credit though.

• BSI1978 says:

  29 May29 May 08:10

  Amex card worked fine in B&Q just now, surprisingly busy albeit it’s BH weekend and the St Alban’s store had an additional 15% off discount this weekend.

  Still impossible to find a fire pit for love nor money however….!

• Kevin C says:

  29 May29 May 08:39

  Am fortunate to get tickets to a Euros knock-out game in Glasgow. The Doubletree is available on points as are the Radissons. The Radisson Red near the Hydro looks quirky and is a closer cab ride to Hampden Park. Or I could just book the Hampton with cash. Advice welcomed, thanks.

  • BP says:

    29 May29 May 08:47

    Radisson Red is nice with a great rooftop bar. Finneston area 5 minutes walk away is cool for drinks and food. Radisson Blu is walkable to Hampden Stadium or a short train trip to Mount Florida.

    • Kevin C says:

      29 May29 May 10:28

      Thank you!

    • Adrian says:

      29 May29 May 22:36

      Radisson Blu is walkable? I guess it is if you have an hour to spare but not something I’d fancy doing. I think I’d go with your train suggestion!

• Dr Tom says:

  29 May29 May 08:49

  If anyone is waiting for their second Covid-19 injection, originally I booked the earliest possible date, which was 11 weeks after the first jab. Thought I’d see if there were any earlier options, cancelled to rebook and now I get choices 8 weeks after the first jab. So, if you’re looking to travel this earlier and want to be fully vaccinated earlier, give this a try.

  • David says:

    29 May29 May 08:56

    Are you in one of the priority groups/ages?

    • Dr Tom says:

      29 May29 May 10:03

      43 and not in a priority group.

  • Andrew says:

    29 May29 May 08:58

    What age?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    29 May29 May 09:10

    Consider that all the articles / studies suggest that the longer the period between 2 AZ doses the better.

    Don’t think it makes any difference for Pfizer.

    • Joseph Heenan says:

      29 May29 May 09:27

      Do you have any links? I struggled to find a study that showed whether 8 weeks is worse than 12, the data all seems to be 12 versus 6 or less.

      • kitten says:

        29 May29 May 17:56

        I currently have a 6 week gap for Pfizer. Will it make any difference if I push the 2nd one out to 11-12 weeks? If it was AZ I would. Unsure about Pfizer.

        • Jonathan says:

          29 May29 May 19:42

          I’d take a shorter interval with Pfizer as trial data showed ~90% efficacy with 4 week interval.

          For AZ it’s nuanced. If I lived in a current hotspot or was in a priority group likely to get an Autumn booster then I’d take 2nd at 8 weeks. If I was in a group unlikely to get Autumn booster I’d take 2nd dose at 11-12 weeks.

          Trial (& real world) data show 62% vs 90% for 4 & 12 week intervals. Duration of immunity almost certainly longer with increased interval. We don’t have the data for 8 week interval but likely to be worse than 12.

          I certainly wouldn’t let a cheaper holiday (1 less PCR test) push me into expediting 2nd dose.

  • Tracey says:

    29 May29 May 09:50

    All mass vaccine centres (England) have been told to be pragmatic on this. If they have vaccine they should use it. Most are offering walk ins rather than insisting you have a booked appointment.
    The original guidance was anyone over 50 or having certain conditions could move their second AZ forward to 8+ weeks (from 11), now anyone should be able to do so.
    The advice that AZ works slightly better with 11 weeks rather than 8 isn’t strong. In any case having had 2 jabs is meant to be a better defence against variants of concern.

    • Pete M says:

      29 May29 May 12:27

      Can confirm Tracey’s advice – got my second AZ jab after 9 weeks by simply walking in at the Crick Institute in London – they were more than happy to give it.

      • Mouse says:

        29 May29 May 15:49

        Pete M, Is that also where you had your first jab, or did you just go with your vaccine card you’d received from another centre?

        • Pete M says:

          29 May29 May 16:00

          It was the same place, but my understanding is it makes no difference, as long as the centre is offering AZ. England is supremely fortunate to have the NHS and to have NIVS (the National Immunisation Vaccination System), which all the centres run on. So you can literally turn up at any vaccination centre in England and they’ll have details of your first vaccine and can record your second one. I don’t think there’s really an appreciation of how world-leading this is!

    • TGLoyalty says:

      29 May29 May 15:07

      There’s no strong evidence that 8 weeks is any better than 6 either (study mentioned above)

      Now for the over 50’s and at risk that might be a risk worth taking but for the rest why bother affecting the efficacy.

  • Sandgrounder says:

    29 May29 May 09:51

    I did this earlier today too, everyone can book with an 8 week gap now. Hopefully now I will get to Iceland before the eruption finishes.

    • Sandgrounder says:

      29 May29 May 09:52

      Anyone eligible that is of course.

    • Rob says:

      29 May29 May 10:22

      Don’t they do covid-safe home delivery?

      • Sandgrounder says:

        29 May29 May 11:19

        Not with lava sadly, it is only available on site.

        • kitten says:

          29 May29 May 17:58

          🙂

  • ChrisC says:

    29 May29 May 15:20

    I got a text and email yesterday offering me the earlier jab. I’m 55

    I’ve kept my original date for the 8th June as I’ve got that fixed in my mind plus don’t want to take the risk of cancelling it and possibly losing the 8th June slot if there is nothing sooner.

    They had the wrong appointment time the text though it’s correct in the email.

    • AJA says:

      29 May29 May 16:59

      I got a text last night offering me the opportunity to book earlier. Coincidencently my second jab appointment is currently also 8 June. I’ve also decided not to bother changing it as I also don’t want to lose that date. I also noticed that the text has the date as 6/8/2021 when it should be 8/6/2021! Have print out with correct date so just going to turn up as originally booked.

• KBuffett says:

  29 May29 May 09:04

  I received an email from Curve yesterday highlighting their retailer c a shback rewards.
  They mentioned Pret on their email, but I don’t have that offer. Does anyone else?

  • MD says:

    29 May29 May 09:36

    I got that email too, but the whole rewards function is on the fritz for me at present. “Something’s gone wrong. There was an error. Please try again!” App is up to date.

    • MD says:

      29 May29 May 09:41

      And that most foolproof of tech procedures, turning it off and on again, works its magic! Can see the offers now. Nope, no Pret for me either. Would have been useful. Just the usual Costa, Five Guys, Harvey Nichs etc.

• Optimus Prime says:

  29 May29 May 09:23

  Is BA still doing Overnight Bag Drop at LHR T5?

• Katherine says:

  29 May29 May 09:36

  If I book 3 CW seats to MCO using a 2-4-1 voucher and then cancel to get a FTV, will I need to ‘pay’ any additional Avios if I re-book using the FTV for the same route but at a later date?

  • Rob says:

    29 May29 May 10:29

    Only if the Avios price goes up, either because you switch from an off-peak to peak date or BA sticks up the points cost.

• Swifty says:

  29 May29 May 09:49

  Morning! Have a q. BA cancelled our Malta trip 12 hours before takeoff. So theyve said they’ll rebook it for june 10 when flights restart. In the meantime I’ve accepted it as I felt pressured at the time, but can I still claim the e261 money? I also booked an additional trip to Portugal which we went on instead that same day, as I’d set so much time and effort and PCR tests etc and they would have run out of time if we had waited another day for more research. I do have travel insurance but I’m pretty sure they wouldnt cover that. The pertinent question is: now I have had a trip I no longer feel confident to do all the pcr tests, the 1 in Portugal was extremely aggressive (blood brain barrier area) and the forms actually made it hard to unwind. I want to cancel the rescheduled malta booking. What do I say? Many thanks.

  • bafan says:

    29 May29 May 10:13

    No. Once you choose to accept the change that’s it (Re: Malta). That’s why you don’t accept the change until you’re 100% sure it works for you.

    • bafan says:

      29 May29 May 10:13

      Of course you can get the FTV with no problem whatsoever.

  • Lady London says:

    29 May29 May 18:07

    I will be very surprised if their reason for cancellation was directly due to a deterioration specifically caused by Covid. Ask promptly on Flyertalk for someone to look up the officially filed reason for canx. It’s only easily visible for a short time. Also ask BA. Gut feeling this could be claimable for comp part of EU261 due canx <14 days.

    Comp part is separate to duty of care part and your reroute to June comes under the duty of care part. I suggest you look into the reasons with a view to claiming comp anyway. Rob did an article on herr on a case that was won that sounds like yours.

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