The HfP chat thread – Saturday 29th May

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• George K says:

  29 May29 May 09:49

  Can I check one thing about those who have travelled to Greece with a vaccination certificate? The NHS one fails to show the middle name on it, and I know how strict things have been with travellers denied entry if the middle name is absent from the PLF and other documents. There’s no option to add it, as far as I can tell, and the only way around it would be to get a test certificate that would have the full name shown.

  Any ideas/experiences?

  • Char Char says:

    29 May29 May 10:11

    People really getting denied for middle name or is that something you heard by someone who knows someone?

    • George K says:

      29 May29 May 10:47

      Yup. Certainly happened on my flight to CFU last year, over the PLFs not having the middle name. The question is whether the same applies for NHS certificates…

• Tracey says:

  29 May29 May 09:53

  Airtime rewards: promo code BANKHOLIDAY, spend £8 on or before 31/5 for a £2 reward.

  • Reney says:

    29 May29 May 15:39

    thanks

• Paul says:

  29 May29 May 10:03

  In theory, would it be possible to use the same outbound PCR test result from London coming back from the U.S within 72 hrs? Might sound nuts, yes, but I may need to fly over there for one night and then return the next day. Just wondering if anyone on the forum has made a similar trip.

  I think I would need the test result to be valid from the morning I fly though. Would anyone know if that is currently possible to obtain at Heathrow?

  • Tracey says:

    29 May29 May 10:29

    Yes you can do that. It even confirms on the gov.uk page that it is allowed.
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england
    I’m sure there are testing centres at the airport.
    You will also need to book the day 2/8 tests, you could take the day 2 test when you arrive back at Heathrow.

    • Paul says:

      29 May29 May 10:34

      Thanks Tracey.

      • Sam G says:

        29 May29 May 13:56

        Which really makes you wonder why they bother, since both tests won’t have any chance to detect an infection gained during your travels! Better to do the day 8 test rather than the day 2 test I’d have thought

• Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

  29 May29 May 10:11

  Has anyone looked into watching the London Eprix from a hotel room? Seems like the Aloft and Doubletree should have rooms with decent views of the track, but it’s hard to tell which room categories would be best. Quite possibly I’m not the first person to have the idea and all the suitable inventory has already gone but there seem to be a lot of rooms still available to book…

  • N says:

    29 May29 May 11:37

    That sounds like a great idea, but what’s stopping the hotel bunging you into another room with a different view on the day you turn up? High risk.

• Michael AC says:

  29 May29 May 10:16

  I’d just like to say thanks for the article yesterday. Managed to use our first 2-for-1 voucher for a business class trip to Japan that for cash would be £7k. Thanks to this site I’ve maximised getting points for things I’d be doing anyway and I’ve been reaping the benefits for years now.

  • meta says:

    29 May29 May 11:03

    I ditched my 241 for Japan next year and booked JAL F with AA miles/Avios and ANA J back with Virgin miles. Overall cash is less than £500 return for 2 people.

    I’m thinking of ditching my BAPP all together given that surcharges are exorbitant and it doesn’t make sense to use 241.

    • Harry T says:

      29 May29 May 12:12

      @meta, how did you manage to find two seats in ANA J for Virgin miles? I’ve heard it’s quite difficult. Agree about the 241 charges.

      • meta says:

        29 May29 May 12:41

        Very lucky and a risky strategy. What I actually did was rather cunning if I may say so myself. I first booked them with Krisflyer miles when they opened up for Star Alliance redemptions (earlier than with Virgin). Then on the day they were due to open up with Virgin (330 days out at 7am apparently), I first called Singapore Airlines at around 6:50am and cancelled. Then called Virgin just after 7am, checked whether they had them available and they luckily went back to inventory. Then whilst on the phone, I transferred Amex MR points to Virgin which was practically instant (maybe 2 minutes max) and booked them with Virgin.

        It could have totally gone south. It was nerve wracking 20 minutes as they don’t have to come back to the award inventory.

        • Tom1 says:

          29 May29 May 15:52

          I couldn’t quite work out when seats were released when I booked. Almost felt like they were released at midnight Japanese time as always saw the “next day” being added when looking at U.K. evening time rather than morning. I was using the United site if that helps.

          Question of my own… I managed to get ANA F outbound from FRA on the 777, so the new Room /suite or whatever it’s called.

          For HND-FRA the 777 flight is mid morning IIRC, which I never like returning from Asia – I feel like I pay a night in a hotel, and then pay for a lie flat bed for a daytime flight. The evening departure (about midnight) is a Dreamliner – so the older J seat i think. As it happened the only availability was J on the Dreamliner so I booked it.

          Should I keep looking for a J/F seat on the 777, or stick with the evening departure on 787? Interested to know what you think.

        • meta says:

          29 May29 May 16:44

          Reward seats are actually released midnight Japan time 355 days out via Star Alliance partners. This means 4pm UK time (or was 3pm before daylight saving).

          I am actually planning on staying at IC The Strings on points the night before (was only 35k). It’s about 20 minutes to Haneda. I’d pick a hotel close to Haneda or on direct subway/train line that doesn’t cost much and it won’t fee like a waste of money.

          I haven’t flown ANA before, only JAL, but I prefer to arrive the same day back to UK as that means one less day off work for my partner. I mean it will still be miles ahead anything that BA offers whichever plane you chose. If more room is important, you should try to get 777-300ER otherwise in terms of service Dreamliner would be the same.

        • Bob says:

          29 May29 May 16:55

          Anyone looking at the United site for ANA availability don’t rely on it as they’re slow at updating it. Best to check the ANA site directly and that way you’ll know well in advance which dates have seats available that will be bookable by Virgin when they’re released to them at 331 days out.

        • meta says:

          29 May29 May 17:56

          @Bob ANA website has different availability for their members, so it won’t be accurate either.

• Axel says:

  29 May29 May 10:35

  What number and options are you trying to get through to the exec club?

  • Pete M says:

    29 May29 May 12:31

    The general 0800 727800 and ask to be put through. Calling at 8am when they open is best.

• Russ says:

  29 May29 May 10:44

  As it’s bits, nice to see Waitrose cafes open this morning. Staff said they didn’t have an eta when free coffee was returning but said the engineers were starting to test all the machines from 1st June. –

  • TGLoyalty says:

    29 May29 May 11:42

    I’m not a user of the cafes but yes it’s nice to see society opening back up and indoor dining opening.

    Walking past busy indoor/outdoor spaces in my local town centre is so much nicer than the empty ones I used to walk around in feb/March.

  • Mike says:

    29 May29 May 13:45

    Ooooh can’t wait for Waitrose free coffee to return

• Tariq says:

  29 May29 May 11:15

  Some brief observations from the Leeds Marriott for Harry T, following the chat the other day. Was booked in a ‘family room’, basically a double double, hotel and room were modern, service good, breakfast very good – table service with comprehensive menu including a range of fruit dishes, pastries, yoghurt and cooked plates including pancakes. No silly ‘one/two choices per person’ limits on the menu like some hotels. Executive lounge currently closed, had a look on the first floor where it is supposed to be, and it looks like there is construction going on – so not expecting it to open any time soon. Hotel doesn’t have its own parking, but you can validate your ticket from the shopping centre carpark which is just around the corner to get £15 overnight rate. The streets of Leeds were very messy last night… Would be a decent hotel to rest up after a night out!

  • Harry T says:

    29 May29 May 11:44

    Thanks, Tariq! I’m glad you had a good stay. Was it quiet there at night? I am hoping for a good nights sleep before an exam – sadly not a night out.

    • Tariq says:

      29 May29 May 22:07

      Yes very quiet in the room, was on 5th floor (6 in total).

  • DarrenS says:

    29 May29 May 12:44

    I was in Leeds last night. Trust me in was quite compared to pre-Covid.

    • DarrenS says:

      29 May29 May 12:48

      *quiet

    • Harry T says:

      29 May29 May 14:53

      Thanks!

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    29 May29 May 14:10

    I remain the butt of longstanding joke at work after taking three loops of the city before eventually figuring out how the hell you get into that car park…

    • Harry T says:

      29 May29 May 14:52

      I’m glad I’m getting the train then 😊

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      29 May29 May 14:55

      @Chrisasaurus – if it makes you feel better, just about anyone who drives into central Leeds for the first time has a similar story about the Leeds 1-way “loop” 😀 .

      • xcalx says:

        30 May30 May 10:55

        Plus a fine for drifting into a bus lane. A few years ago before the bus lanes there was a sign showing the way to marriott. It was still up a year after the bus lane fines started. I live in Leeds and it caught me out dropping someone at the hotel.

    • Tariq says:

      29 May29 May 22:09

      Think I pretty much copied that last night!

  • Lord Doncaster says:

    29 May29 May 18:41

    Messy because of the drunken roughians?

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