The HfP chat thread – Monday 7th June

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Anna says:

7 Jun7 June 15:58

I finally gritted my teeth and contacted BA on my OH’s Twitter account over the weekend and after 24 hours of messaging back & forth have got my MIA flights cancelled and so far avios and companion voucher refunded. I must admit this is much less painful than holding on the phone, even though I am deeply distrustful of anything I am told via social media!
Can anyone confirm my next task can be achieved via Twitter, namely making a new booking using a FTV I got last year when the cancellations began? Or is there absolutely no other option for this but the dreaded (7p per minute!) phone call?
- Stuart Evans says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:11
  
  Surely you don’t have to pay 7p/min (assuming you are in the UK)?
- Paul Pogba says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:22
  
  Try 1-800-247-9297 on Skype.
- Soo says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:42
  
  I called the Silver line 08004080009 earlier to rebook, nobody asked me to verify status.
- Anna says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:56
  
  The charge isn’t really the issue, it’s not being able to get through at all.
  Has anyone successfully redeemed a FTV via Twitter?
  - Anna says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 17:57
    
    Also is there a Bronze number, I’ve never noticed one?!
    - BJ says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 18:27
      
      Yeah, IME it is best number of all. Or at least it was.
  - Soo says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 18:41
    
    The 1st 2 times it said call back. I then tried option 2 to ‘book’ and connected quite fast, then said sorry did I get the right department, and he put me to the rebook dept. Other times it helps to call after 7pm for example. It sounded like a S African centre but I don’t care as long as it got sorted. Good luck!
Sukes says:

7 Jun7 June 16:00

Amex Plat Travel Insurance

I asked AXA if I travelled to destination ‘ for which UK FCDO does NOT have “against all but essential travel“ advice but which IS on the UK Government’s amber list on the date of departure whether I will be eligible for my insurance benefits. A current example would be the Canary Islands in Spain.’

AXA’s reply by email:
‘ If your destination is listed as AMBER but there is NO advice from the FCO regarding travel to your destination (no restrictions)

Not listed as all but ESSENTIAL travel only, BUT still listed as AMBER –The American Express Travel Insurance will be in place as per terms and conditions of the policy including Cvoid COVERAGE.’

I read that as Yes – full cover applies.
- egold says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:22
  
  is there such a thing? i thought all those on the amber list, are “against all but essential travel“
  am I wrong?
  - Optimus Prime says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 16:26
    
    Yes, there is – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain
    
    “The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands but excluding the Canary Islands, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.”
    - Sukes says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 16:36
      
      Yep, & the Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, Malta, Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete also have no FCDO advisory in place.
      - Anna says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 18:00
        
        Do we think this is going to change in the next few weeks?
    - Anna says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 18:14
      
      So all these people who have travelled to Spain, Greece, etc, are they not insured then?
      - Sukes says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 18:42
        
        No, they are probably not insured if you mean people currently visiting mainland Spain, Greece & are travelling under a non-specialist insurance policy.
        
        Typically if you travel against fcdo advice on such a non-specialist policy you will not be covered for anything on your trip & you will not be covered for cancellation if the advice was in place at the time of booking – in effect the policy is voided. If the destination does NOT have an FCDO advisory in place Covid medical cost & cancellation may be covered but there is frequently no cover for costs arising from Covid based lockdowns, quarantines or other government restrictions.
      - Triath5 says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 20:29
        
        Two separate questions as a response to Sukes saying people wouldn’t be insured
        
        1) Does that include:
        * Any type of claim NOT related to Covid? E.g. accident doing summer sports or whatever? Someone posted here recently that in a phone call with Amex they were assured if it had nothing to do with Covid you were fine.
        * Car hire excess or any claim resulting from a car hire in general? (As per the above)
        
        2) Why wouldn’t people just use the EHIC if it still has validity? Mine hasn’t expired yet, and I understand things like A&E treatment is covered, and anything you couldn’t ‘reasonably wait until returning to your home country for’. Is this not the case?
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 18:20
      
      Not sure how that shows there is such a thing as on amber list but no against all travel advice from FDCO …
- Optimus Prime says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:26
  
  Same goes for Nationwide FlexPlus Travel insurance.
- John says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:32
  
  What I am trying to establish is would I be covered for a refund in this Amber situation if Canary Islands refused entry to British people because of a variant spreading in UK and holiday needed to be cancelled ( not package holiday)
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 18:21
    
    Not Unless you booked when FDCO didn’t advice against all be essential travel and they change their advice when you are due to travel.
    
    If it was book against FDCO advice and it’s still against FDCO advice you’re on your own if you decide not to travel.
Super Secret Stuff says:

7 Jun7 June 16:00

Just got an email notification about Lufthansa or United LHR to Guam for £709 pp in economy. November through to March inc. Xmas and NYE. Nice 25 to 30 degree c weather, dry season and solid chance of being let in as it is part of the US, very tempting
- Harry T says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:05
  
  Economy though
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 16:10
    
    Yeh but this is Jacks Flight Club we are talking about, you can normally find an upgrade for a couple hundred
    - Super Secret Stuff says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 16:12
      
      Also £1200+ normally for economy, it is a pretty good deal
    - Super Secret Stuff says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 16:15
      
      Wish there was a delete button, you have to go via Germany and Japan, ooops
- Dubious says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:10
  
  I have heard bad things about the quality of accommodation in Guam.
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 16:31
    
    Looks good if you pick the right one
- Aston100 says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:28
  
  Jack’s Flight Club I presume?
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 16:34
    
    Yep, got really excited when I saw it but no way I will travel via Germany and Japan.
    
    I only get the free emails, not worth subscribing too! Between the JFC free emails and Secret Flying I get the majority of really good deals via email
    - DT says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 16:42
      
      Premium Fare Deals on FT is also worth the occasional check, more world wide focused so it’s not often an exUK or exEU pops up but tend to be very good value when they do.
      - Super Secret Stuff says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 16:44
        
        Interesting, thanks
      - mr_jetlag says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 16:51
        
        +1 the premium fares forum is actually my bookmark for FT in general – got notified of some superb 1000+ TP runs there in the past.
      - Aston100 says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 17:09
        
        Agreed. I used to keep an eye on that pre-Covid.
        
        I also tried the error fares forum on FT but the use of seemingly random codewords made the Beardy Bendy Ernie talk on here look nice & easy.
      - kitten says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 19:07
        
        And there was me searching the Financial Times…id-iot kitten 🙂
      - DT says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 20:27
        
        Yep the TP runs are fantastic, much happier to have to go via Germany and Japan if it’s in J 😀
Stuart says:

7 Jun7 June 16:14

Just had an email from Virgin to say their flight sale has started – not checked yet to see what the deals are
- Andrew says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:40
  
  Price matching BA’s sale is the usual approach.
- IanM says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:24
  
  Flights may be cheap to USA but you’ll find car rental will cost x5 your flight!
  - Yorkie Aid says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 18:32
    
    Go somewhere you wouldn’t want a car like NY or LV.
  - Andrew says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 18:38
    
    Or get Ubers
Ana says:

7 Jun7 June 16:46

Hello!
We are looking to have a professional to snag the home we are buying. Do you recommend any company?
- Aston100 says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:10
  
  Snag.
  Is that better or worse than Blag?
- Tony1 says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 18:12
  
  Try searching for dilapidation reports from surveyor. Also take time and date stamped pictures.
  - Steve says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 20:05
    
    Dilapidations are completely different from new home snagging, and involve reading and understanding the lease, and normally on commercial property.
- Steve says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 20:02
  
  New Home Quality Control.
  
  I work in construction and I’m often impressed with their detail.
Laura says:

7 Jun7 June 17:10

newbie question, sorry.

If a business taking part in Shop Small processes their online payments through PayPal, will I still get the £5 credit?
- stevenhp1987 says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:19
  
  No.
  - Laura says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 17:25
    
    Thanks! Frustrating. Looks like I will need to go in in person then.
- Rob says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:45
  
  No. Counts as a payment aggregator.
Mark says:

7 Jun7 June 17:21

Anyone have any experience with buying 3rd party car rental insurance to reduce the excess? Any companies to recommend? Looking at Eversure and it’s £8 for 4 days and covers me up to £7k.
- JDB says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:47
  
  I’m not sure where you are travelling, but I f you do use Eversure and a number of others, you aren’t covered if going to an ‘all but essential travel’ country / area. icarhireinsurance is the same. Can’t see why it should be the case but it is listed in the ‘what isn’t covered section’
  - Mark says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 17:51
    
    Thanks JDB. Travelling to Inverness / Isle of Skye which seems fine.
    
    On a separate note, if I were to fly from Inverness to London, do I have to join the potentially long line at security given it’s a domestic (?) flight?
    - Blenz101 says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 19:31
      
      You will need to go through security to board a flight domestic or not.
- John says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 23:08
  
  I have used iCarHireInsurance.com for the last few years. Mainly I’ve stuck with them because I had a good experience when I had to make a claim back in 2017. They paid up the excess quickly (£500) after a lorry drove into me while it changed lanes on the M6.
Cedric says:

7 Jun7 June 17:35

What are the best promo codes if booking on websites like Hotels.com, Expedia, Agoda etc? I’m seeing 10% is the max usually?
- Rob says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:44
  
  Yes, usually 10%. But with Hotels.com a code usually invalidates hotels.com Rewards credit, so you’re not any better off overall.
  - Genghis says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 19:19
    
    Well… assuming you’re paying for yourself, 10% off is better than the effective just over 9% return on hotels.com. Even if they were equal, money off now is better than a fixed aggregated nightly amount in the future.
    - Bill says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 20:05
      
      Cheaptickets.com often has 16% or more
    - marcw says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 20:28
      
      +1
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 21:55
      
      Using one of the portals narrows the margin