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The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 30th June

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General

Comments (436)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Yorkshirerich says:
    30 Jun30 June 15:05

    I’m with you on this one. I bought 2 apple watches and was given a poxy few hundred avios. I thought “this isn’t right”, a couple
    Of months later when u had a free afternoon I submitted the form and now I’ve been given the correct few thousand avios points.
    Also similar happened with insurance I bought, no avios at all, I submitted a form was given the 3k avios that was advertised.

  • stevenhp1987 says:
    30 Jun30 June 15:19

    Hypothetical:

    I come back from a Amber List country. Buy Day 2 + 8 test.

    Use Day 2 test. Leave country. Come back, require Day 2 + 8 test again. Could I buy just a Day 2 test and put both the old order id and new order id into the Passenger Locator Form as I’d already have a Day 8 Test?

    Not planning on this anytime soon, but curious in case we decide upon it.

    Also, Day 8 is a on or after. What’s stopping me from taking TTR, then not using the Day 8 test (as I can take it at any point in the future. I don’t see any restrictions about not taking it this century) and using that towards another Amber list trip and once again buying a Day 2 test to go along with it?

    • ready to fly says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:02

      Because when you come back from an Amber country you need to purchase a Day 2 / Day 8 Package and get a single order confirmation number for the package of tests. If you are stopped by immigration and they see you bought only a Day 2 package (because you have a spare PCR test at home) i suspect they will not be satisfied with your reasoning and you risk a fine. On the other hand , if you are lucky and not checked at the border, it might work

      • stevenhp1987 says:
        30 Jun30 June 16:07

        But the Passenger Locator Form allows you to enter multiple booking references. Why would it do that if you’re not allowed… ?! Makes no sense to me!

  • Yorkshirerich says:
    30 Jun30 June 15:27

    I know no body as a crystal ball but we have some knowledgable people on here and would be good to listen to opinions.
    So the question is, I have 3 weeks off in October for an honeymoon. Where do I potentially book the flights to? Bali or U.S.A. Bali is our first choice but I’m tempted to book America as virgin had some decent prices the other day, and although Bali seem desperate to be open I’m not sure if October is too soon

    • Pete M says:
      30 Jun30 June 15:29

      Mexico.

      • Sam G says:
        30 Jun30 June 16:31

        2 weeks Mexico & a US stop off on the way back . Flights a little fiddly as you can’t go via the US to get to Mexico, so might need to book UK-Mexico/US-UK and then the Mexico-US flight separately

    • Anna says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:01

      October isn’t that long off, to be honest, and there’s no guarantee entry requirements or foreign office advice will change in your favour by then. I’d either go with somewhere currently on the green list (Caribbean) where you’d be insured at the time of booking and presumably more likely to be able to change without penalty if it goes back to red/amber. OR book somewhere fabulous in Europe, the weather should still be ok in the south of the continent and you’ve got GHIC cover plus (probably) insurance and won’t have to wear a mask for 10 hours on a plane plus potential of being potentially stranded a long way from home if things change again suddenly.

    • Sam G says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:29

      https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/bali-reopening-tourists-delayed-covid-19-15115682 I’d forget Bali for this year realistically

  • Richie says:
    30 Jun30 June 15:33

    Btw Some BACF cancellations happening for mid-July

    • Anna says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:04

      I noticed a few for Mallorca and Ibiza, it would just be such a faff trying to get test results which would fall comfortably within the 48 hour requirements if we also have to get to LCY (and risk getting a positive result after we set off!)

  • Nigel W says:
    30 Jun30 June 15:52

    If BA cancels a flight and tries to rebook me on one that leaves four hours later. Does that mean I can cancel for free (it was an avios booking).

    • Alex says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:08

      if it has a different Flight number then yes absolutely

    • stevenhp1987 says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:08

      New flight number?

      Then yes.

    • Nigel W says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:47

      All sorted, free cancellation, avios and taxes back in full and lloyds voucher returned and to be used by 30th October!

  • Andrew says:
    30 Jun30 June 16:00

    NCP sent me a code for their App today for a day’s free parking.

    So as not to forget it’s there, I added it. *Then* I read the instructions to find out how long it’s valid for…

    The promotion lasts until 31st August, but the code activates immediately and is only valid for 24 hours once added to the app.

    Annoying…

    • Aston100 says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:28

      Through some malfunction, their number plate system and payment machines at the Imperial War Museum up in Salford seem to think you came in an hour earlier than you did, but left at the correct time.
      This can take your stay over the 4 hour threshold into the higher charging band.
      Website says to ring a number. After waiting over 30 mins, the person who answers tells you to email them instead.
      I still await a response more than a week on.

  • Andrew says:
    30 Jun30 June 16:12

    APH, the parking company that infuriated thousands by shutting down their offices at the start of Covid, sent me an email promoting a pre-paid MasterCard yesterday.

    It’s called “CannyApp”, which I’m guessing is a play on children in the olden days saving money in a tin can, and offers a 3% fund return on all overseas spending and free withdrawals from ATMs

    Looks interesting. Any thoughts?

    • Sandgrounder says:
      30 Jun30 June 16:48

      I saw this. It promises to be no more expensive than the high street banks for overseas spending. A check of the Ts and Cs reveals a margin of 7% on the MasterCard rate. Not too canny really, well not for the consumer….

      • Rich says:
        30 Jun30 June 17:09

        The High Street banks do have some terrible forex fees though. Often 3% with a minimum fee, sometimes + a fixed fee on top IIRC.

        Wouldn’t be hard to make an argument that 7% is cheaper, especially with a lot of low-value transactions!

        • TGLoyalty says:
          30 Jun30 June 17:11

          You can just use your standard credit card that used the exact MasterCard rate but charges a 3% fee … that would be 4% cheaper?

          • Sandgrounder says:
            30 Jun30 June 21:29

            If you would have used a debit card with a fixed transaction fee on top of the 3%, it probably would be a better deal. But not a good deal compared to the plethora of 0% options now available.

  • Anna says:
    30 Jun30 June 16:15

    It now looks as though all countries are starting to move to requiring a PCR test on entry for unvaccinated travellers – Spain has just announced it won’t accept antigen or LAMP tests from July 2nd. This is rather a tight turnaround given that it has to be taken 48 hours or less before arrival. What’s the normal turnaround on a PCR test?

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

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