The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 16th June

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• trader363 says:

  16 Jun16 June 11:40

  Data Point: Just had my emirates 777 flight in First from STN-DXB moved to LHR on the A380. The CS agent said that all availability for Nov has been pulled for the 777

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    16 Jun16 June 12:25

    Isn’t Dubai on red list? Not surprising.

    • trader363 says:

      16 Jun16 June 13:05

      Booked it speculatively a few months ago thinking that in November it may be taken off . . . .

  • Rob says:

    16 Jun16 June 15:47

    All Stansted and Gatwick flights are cancelled until March.

  • Lady London says:

    16 Jun16 June 16:12

    Result!!! 🙂 , if you still want to travel.

    Also a Result, if you don’t, as the change of airport opens up your UK261/EU261 cancellation rights (=same as canx, if airport changed). So if you don’t want to travel you can get full refund, or rebook (“reroute”) to another later date convenient to you.

    If you want to keep these options open do not accept the LHR flight meanwhile you can sort it nearer the time.

    • Rob says:

      16 Jun16 June 17:16

      Not a result, because Heathrow won’t have the amazing new F suite.

• MKB says:

  16 Jun16 June 12:51

  A question on deferring the expiry of Accor points:

  I only have Classic status, and have points due to expire with no plans to stay with Accor before then. I know that spending through their shopping portal will count as a new activity and extend points expiry by another year.

  I can’t see anything in any terms that says that buying gift cards (e.g. from Marks and Spencer) is excluded. Anyone know from experience?

  • ed says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:32

    I thought in theory (T&Cs) you needed some form of hotel spend to extend validity of Accor points. In practice survey points will do the trick e-rewards / club opinions, so guess other points earning activity might also do it. Accor have done an exceptionally bad job re their loyalty scheme during the pandemic.

  • DarrenS says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:59

    Personally, I would not rely on the portal, Accor’s IT is scratchy at best. Any chance that you could book a cheap Ibis, check-in and then leave.

    • blenz101 says:

      16 Jun16 June 15:41

      A drink in the hotel bar / resturant will also count. There is a list on the website of hotels which participate.

      Personally I’ve done OK with the various extensions / double status credits etc. But I am luckly enought to no longer be living on covid island.

      • Lady London says:

        16 Jun16 June 16:16

        +1 make sure you get your Accor card scanned or number entered when paying for coffee / drink in lobby of Accor hotel even if not staying. Points should credit very quickly (1-2 days?) check they do.

        Try to pay at hotel reception just, just in case bar or cafe area is ‘owned’ by a non-Accor till but mostly they are all Accor too.

    • ed says:

      16 Jun16 June 15:45

      if you go for a mattress run, just be certain to check that the hotel is qualifying. I think Ibis budget awards no points??

• Martin says:

  16 Jun16 June 13:22

  Am I right in thinking that any 241 vouchers issued under the current rules are ineligible for the increased number of seats starting September?

  If so, I may need to rethink my plans to upgrade to the premier BA card to get the 241

  • Alex says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:04

    That’s correct, will only apply to vouchers earned after 1st sept.

  • Rob says:

    16 Jun16 June 15:38

    Correct

    • Martin says:

      16 Jun16 June 17:13

      thanks to you and alex. I think I am actually better off waiting for september in my circumstances then.

• Lord Doncaster says:

  16 Jun16 June 13:32

  Hi everyone

  When traveling from an amber country (Tunisia) to the UK, can a UK passport holder transit in any EU country the moment to get to the UK? Looking at perhaps France, Germany, Italy or Spain? Thanks

  • Sam G says:

    16 Jun16 June 13:43

    You need to check the specifics of the country/airport involved but in the main it should be OK as you are non-Schengen to non-Schengen – the problems I’ve seen are trying to transit non-Schengen to Schengen country via another Schengen country that doesn’t allow Brits

    • Lord Doncaster says:

      16 Jun16 June 14:39

      I see. Just wondering because someone I know has supposedly come back from Tunis and I couldn’t see any direct flights since May 25 😳

  • John says:

    16 Jun16 June 13:59

    The UK’s classification is not relevant to whether other countries will let you pass

• John says:

  16 Jun16 June 14:06

  Anyone flown KLM recently?
  Everything I have read indicates I should be allowed to fly MAN – AMSTERDAM -ROME in July (we will be quarantining on our return)
  Anyone had any issues transiting?
  Thanks

  • Sam G says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:23

    I believe you currently can’t transit Amsterdam to a Schengen country as Brits are not admissible into NL

    See https://www.schiphol.nl/en/transfers/

    • Clive says:

      16 Jun16 June 18:02

      I’m reading this a different way but depends if it is true transit ie bags checked through and BPs issued:

      If you stay in the airport’s transit zone and leave again within 48 hours to a destination outside the Netherlands, you can travel via Schiphol. You must be able to prove that you have a connecting flight within 48 hours. You will also need valid travel documents.

      https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/travel/visas-for-the-netherlands/qas-visas-for-the-netherlands/qas-travel-restrictions-for-the-netherlands

• bill says:

  16 Jun16 June 14:16

  i recall amex platinum charge card has a £10 credit for addison lee each month. if i make one joureny that is £9.45 do i get £9.45 credit or zero ?

  • Stu N says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:53

    It would credit £9.45, then should you take a second trip you’d get £0.55 credit on that.

    • bill says:

      16 Jun16 June 14:56

      Thanks Stu N

  • Tomgold says:

    16 Jun16 June 17:46

    where can addison lee take you for less than a tenner?

    • stevenhp1987 says:

      16 Jun16 June 18:45

      Next door.

• Rimmingtown says:

  16 Jun16 June 14:19

  I’m planning a trip to Mexico to visit the Aztec and Mayan sites, anyone had experience of such a trip.

  • Anna says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:33

    Yes to some of the Mayan sites in the Yucatan peninsula – Chichen Itza is the obvious one but there are many other worth visiting as well. If the Hacienda Chichen is still open it makes for an atmospheric stay before or after sight-seeing. The inland city of Merida is also worth visiting, there’s a great museum there with a lot of the artifacts which were found at these sites. You’ve also got the option of a beach stay to add on in Cancun or further south on the Riviera Maya. There’s some great scuba diving if that’s your thing, one of the few places you can dive in cenotes.

    We booked a package trip but the tours were arranged by a local operator, I think the name was Kathy Matos. It was a good few years ago, though so you’re probably better getting some up to date recommendations. IIRC correctly we flew with AA via MIA and got an internal flight with one of the Mexican airlines.
    Hoping to visit Mexico City one day to explore further.

  • GeorgeJ says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:57

    Yes, several times and well worth doing. Aztec sites are mainly in the highlands centred on Mexico city (superb National museum of Anthropology which gives an excellent introduction to the many civilisations) from where you can see the recent excavations next to the Cathedral and the temples of the Sun and the Moon just outside the city. Also easy drive or bus to Puebla.
    Maya is mainly on the Yukatan peninsula. As Anna has said the Maya Mundo museum in Merida is a good introduction though nowhere close to Mexico city’s. Chichen Itza is the most famous site but a deviation to the Puuc sites (Uxmal etc) is well worth it. If you decide to leave from Cancun visit the site at Tulum (small but well worth it) and if you have enough time, Tikal across the border in Guatemala is spectacular and remote.
    Palenque is also supposedly worth a visit but I haven’t managed yet.
    Generally bus travel (use the first class and express buses) and internal air in Mexico are well managed and cheap.
    Points availability to Mexico City is often very good, Cancun can be quite difficult.

• Keely says:

  16 Jun16 June 14:22

  Can anyone confirm please how soon the intro bonus Nectar points post on the Nectar Amex ? Spent qualifying amount about three weeks ago ….

  • Reney says:

    16 Jun16 June 14:30

    Pretty sure faster than 3 weeks.

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