The HfP chat thread – Sunday 30th May

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Yuff says:

30 May30 May 06:56

BA seem to have persuaded clots of customers to fly CE over ET.
Flight to Palma yesterday must have been 80-90% CE.
Food and service was excellent. Mind you with 32 people in business and the rest of the plane empty perhaps itv3as that difficult.
PMI was heaving with Europeans, you have to laugh France and Germany are tightening things for brits yet Europe, where every country has worse case figures, are opening to everyone…………I see some countries are still sore about recent votes………
- Andy says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:12
  
  That’s a very weird take. The EU has open borders so of course other Europeans are travelling. As we have the Indian variant here it makes sense for Germany and France to limit travel for us for now. It’s not to do with being sore about recent votes. Brexiters might not want to hear it but the rest of Europe couldn’t really give a flying fuck about brexit now. It’s happened and that’s that. It does seem some brexiters expect to be treated like we’re still in the EU though
  
  Brexit ears seem o
  - George1976 says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:14
    
    Also, last time I checked, France in Germany were in Europe 😂
    
    There are also other European countries which won’t let us in, so yes, very weird take.
    - Andrew says:
      
      30 May30 May 08:19
      
      Although last time I checked the U.K. was also in Europe.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        30 May30 May 08:32
        
        Yes a very odd use of the word “Europe”
  - JDB says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:45
    
    They too will already have the Indian variant; they just don’t sequence it as much or as quickly.
    - Sam G says:
      
      30 May30 May 08:46
      
      Yes, Germany particularly does almost no sequencing
  - BuilBackBetter says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:57
    
    What Yuff seems to imply is – no point France and Germany banning Brits when their citizens can mix with Brits in other countries and return back.
    There’ll be hundreds if not thousands of Brits
    - BuilBackBetter says:
      
      30 May30 May 08:58
      
      In Portugal
      - George1976 says:
        
        30 May30 May 15:37
        
        On the subject of Portugal, it was disappointing to see just a few days into Brits being allowed in, a minority of yobbish oiks disgracing our great nation by fighting and generally being obnoxious underclass scum yesterday before the football. Hopefully the police cracked a few of their heads.
  - Lord Doncaster says:
    
    30 May30 May 10:59
    
    Can tell which side of the fence you sat on. I don’t want to read expletives on a Sunday morning, thank you.
    - Lord Doncaster says:
      
      30 May30 May 10:59
      
      That was for angry Andy
  - Gruntfuttock says:
    
    30 May30 May 11:03
    
    Language Timothy!
    - Lord Doncaster says:
      
      30 May30 May 11:07
      
      Indeed! I blame the Guardian and its decision to print expletives rather than partially redact them. Free speech my a**e.
  - ashish says:
    
    30 May30 May 14:45
    
    So, why do remainers still discuss it in the media daily?
  - Bazza says:
    
    30 May30 May 14:51
    
    Can tell which way this site leans when they allow this sort of language. Embarrassing really for a site that pretends to be run by professionals
- John says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:35
  
  It is a reflection of their slow vaccination rollout that they need to slow down the importation of a more transmissible variant (which may not cause worse disease in an individual, but will cause greater numbers of infections with a similar hospitalisation/death rate).
  - Lord Doncaster says:
    
    30 May30 May 11:05
    
    The Indian variant will already be present in continental Europe though. Rather surprised at the German ineptitude of not sequencing Covid positive results…
- Bobby says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:53
  
  Can I ask if arriving in Spain was any different to pre-Brexit times?
  - Pete M says:
    
    30 May30 May 10:11
    
    You need to join the staffed, non-EU queue and get a stamp (no e-gates).
    - Lord Doncaster says:
      
      30 May30 May 11:02
      
      The staffed ‘queue’ in Alicante invariably had nobody using it before. I doubt it makes much difference.
      - Pete M says:
        
        30 May30 May 16:07
        
        Come back to me when travel resumes in earnest…
  - Yuff says:
    
    30 May30 May 15:54
    
    Quicker than January but not much difference although that could be due to only 3 Uk flights in the arrivals hall. Apart from stamping the passport it’s no difference to previously unless the e-gates are working.
    However the photos the previous day, in the Mallorca daily,, queuing to scan the QR code did look absolutely horrendous.
- The Savage Squirrel says:
  
  30 May30 May 09:29
  
  “BA seem to have persuaded clots of customers” This did make me laugh 😀
SteveJ says:

30 May30 May 07:20

After failing via chat going to try calling Amex today to see if I can get an offer emailed to me on 1 of my Cards added to another one that I’d prefer to use.

Are Brighton better at this than offshore? If so what time to Brighton come on the phones?
- Andrew says:
  
  30 May30 May 07:34
  
  Yes Brighton much better – they do cover the phones 24/7 but might have more chance of going through in daylight hours. If you have a card with an annual fee, particularly Platinum it’s best to call that number even if you want to talk about another card, as you’re more likely to be allocated to Brighton than if you have a free card.
  - SteveJ says:
    
    30 May30 May 09:04
    
    No joy, same response as chat, unless targeted with email for that card then they can’t add.
    - Andrew says:
      
      30 May30 May 09:27
      
      That is the usual response – they don’t often budge on offers being applied to a card not targeted.
James says:

30 May30 May 07:38

Anyone currently in the Algarve managed to find an Antigen test centre for cheaper than €45?
- Tracy says:
  
  30 May30 May 09:41
  
  Think we must have lucked in in Madeira. Clinic came to the hotel and did the tests for €20, was very easy…
- Rob says:
  
  30 May30 May 10:03
  
  If I was in the Algarve on holiday I wouldn’t be wasting my time trying to save €5 on a test ….
  - James says:
    
    30 May30 May 12:53
    
    Not even if it was on your doorstep as opposed to 30 minutes away? Strange take from you, Rob.
    - Rob says:
      
      30 May30 May 14:53
      
      That wasn’t the question.
      
      I’d happily pay €100 more in total rather than take my entire family 30 minutes away by cab and back again.
      - James says:
        
        30 May30 May 17:19
        
        I thought it was fairly obvious that the question was relative – I’m of course not going to travel far for the sake of saving €5. I was trying to save money, which I believe is the purpose of this website.
    - bazza says:
      
      30 May30 May 15:05
      
      Rob ain’t tight. He splashes the cash all the time.
      - Rob says:
        
        30 May30 May 18:11
        
        My wife paid £3k for 4 nights at CenterParcs next week so a few quid for an easy life on testing seems a no brainer 🙂
        
        PS. Yes I am aware we could have gone to a Portuguese 5-star, inc flights, for less money. Not my idea!
- Braiden says:
  
  30 May30 May 12:29
  
  On my second trip here since Green and used Qured both times. £30 and from the comfort of your hotel.
  - James says:
    
    30 May30 May 13:24
    
    I’ll be opting for Qured next time!
MadeUpName says:

30 May30 May 07:40

Anyone had experience of how long the BA document verification was process takes? As submitted at 6pm last night and not verified yet.
- James says:
  
  30 May30 May 07:52
  
  Go back into your tracking page, it was a little temperamental for us. We had to re-upload our test certificates and that sorted it.
  - MadeUpName says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:07
    
    Thanks James, I can still both docs listed on the tracking page – but nothing to indicate progress
- David S says:
  
  30 May30 May 09:47
  
  Where did you go to do this please. I failed miserably last week to do this in MMB. Then when checking in at LHR, realised I had input my OH’s date of birth incorrectly when we booked our PCR tests. Got the day and month right but somehow managed to pick the year as 2021 still. Jobsworth at checkin had to contact his supervisor as clearly my wife wasn’t 8 weeks old !!
  - MadeUpName says:
    
    30 May30 May 13:43
    
    BA emailed a link 72 hours before departure. Couldn’t do it before that.
    
    Our documents have been verified now (after uploading again, not sure if this was needed or not, but thanks James)
John says:

30 May30 May 07:46

Maybe this is widely known and I should keep quiet… but I was looking to buy a new (second-hand) car. Found some models online and called the dealers to book test drives. They wanted deposits which I paid on bendy… after the drives they asked for my bank details and refunded by bank transfer.

Unfortunately my underlying card rejected the £8999 bendy transaction to buy the car I chose…. maybe I should have done more ernie to train them up
- Wally1976 says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:04
  
  How much were the deposits?
  - John says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:42
    
    Well I was expecting to just get refunded to the card. £199 each for the 3 cars I was seriously considering, all at different dealerships. If you were so inclined you could go on test drives every week…
    
    Maybe they only did it this way because they assumed debit cards are attached to a bank account and bendy comes up as debit. If using a credit card directly (they accepted Amex) I expect they would refund to the card.
- Jonathan says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:12
  
  What’s your daily Curve limit? Maximum on a personal card is supposed to be £4,500 so that may have been the issue. A few people have £9k/day on personal but they will drop to £2k/4.5k when you get a new card (old one expired or change tiers).
  - John says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:36
    
    £9000 hence why I tried £8999. It was accepted by curve but not by my underlying card because I had never spent more than £3000 in a single curve transaction before.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:34
  
  Sounds like a failure in the AML processes
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    30 May30 May 08:34
    
    *their.
  - Lady London says:
    
    30 May30 May 13:42
    
    Should be ok to do again if within your limit and you phoned them and pre-cleared it as legit.
- BuilBackBetter says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:49
  
  Call the underlying card issuer and request them to increase limits?
- SteveJ says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:56
  
  Most surprising part of this story for me is that dealerships now expect a deposit for a test drive?
  - Tariq says:
    
    30 May30 May 09:23
    
    Could be if they let you take the car away on your own, due to Covid.
James says:

30 May30 May 08:25

If I cancel an Amex Travel booking today and re-book today, will I still be able to take advantage of the £50 off for £200 spend offer despite me using it on the initial booking?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  30 May30 May 08:35
  
  In my experience yes no problem
JDB says:

30 May30 May 08:51

Have to admit I was a little sceptical about the excitement of extra Club Avios seats last week. However, my wife had vaguely mentioned in the past wanting to go to the Dominican Republic and a golfer reminded her yesterday. We booked for Feb, but there are still two Club seats on most of the three days a week BA flies in Jan/Feb.

If anyone has been, any bright ideas of best area/places to stay, preferring to avoid huge resorts. Might look at villa or apartment as well. Don’t mind if it is expensive, as long as it’s good! Looking to play golf, but don’t need to stay at a course. Thank you for any help!
- Cat says:
  
  30 May30 May 09:50
  
  The Samana peninsula is stunning. I stayed in Hotel Todoblanco, Las Galleras, which meant I had access to some *stunning* beaches, mostly accessible by boat trips, or motorbike, or by horse! Playa Rincon is breathtaking.
  In the opposite end of the country, I stayed in a SLH hotel near Barahona (I’ve forgotten the name), and did some marvellous daytrips into the NP – Bahia de las Aguilas is not to be missed!
  - JDB says:
    
    30 May30 May 12:52
    
    Brilliant, thank you very much Cat.
- Cat says:
  
  30 May30 May 09:55
  
  It was Casa Bonita near Barahona. A really pretty boutique hotel. I got upgraded to one of the room with a plunge pool and a view of the ocean, it was heaven!
ChrisC says:

30 May30 May 09:23

Does anyone know which room rate Emyr uses when he books Hyatts (specifically Andaz) like for IHG it’s the ‘non member best flexible rate’

Ta
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  30 May30 May 09:35
  
  It’s always the standard flexible no member discount pay at the hotel rate.
  
  In Hyatt’s case that’s the “standard rate”
  - ChrisC says:
    
    30 May30 May 09:47
    
    Thanks TG!
  - Rob says:
    
    30 May30 May 09:58
    
    With Marriott he can book the member flex rate if you are a Bonvoy member.
    - Harry T says:
      
      30 May30 May 11:30
      
      I can confirm Rob’s comment here from practical experience.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      30 May30 May 11:33
      
      Not whenever I’ve asked 🧐
    - KBuffett says:
      
      30 May30 May 12:37
      
      I qualify for the Marriott Healthcare rate. Can I stack this with Emyr or AmEx FHR?
      
      Also, which Marriott properties in Central London (or 30/40 miles nearby) have the best pool & spa facilities (excluding Bvgari or Langley)
      - Harry T says:
        
        30 May30 May 13:28
        
        Healthcare rate only works if you’re booking directly through the Marriott app – can’t use with FHR or Emyr.
        
        Marriott Park Lane has a decent pool and it’s available for the healthcare rate. Hopefully when you book your time slot they won’t let a family of four into the pool under a booking for two people and then not allow you to use the pool due to covid regulations 😊