The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 6th July

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• Steve says:

  6 Jul6 July 05:01

  Hopefully won’t be relevant for much longer, but I was impressed with Collinson for test to release yesterday – it was under 10 minutes from getting off the DLR at City Airport at 11am yesterday to being back on it having done the test, and got the (negative) results just before 8pm.

• Steve says:

  6 Jul6 July 05:03

  Also, while I don’t see it mentioned as much here as a holiday destination, going to France was very easy – no quarantine for double vaccinated UK visitors, and the Eurostar was quiet (and no immigration queues on arrival, of course).

  • JC says:

    6 Jul6 July 09:00

    What did you need to get through security at Gare du Nord? In the form of testing

• James says:

  6 Jul6 July 05:22

  I’ve flied the first leg of my BA Holiday and should have received double tier points as per their offer yet only got 80 instead of 160. Does the full route have to be completed until they credit you with the bonus tier points?

  • Louise K says:

    6 Jul6 July 07:58

    Yes, all legs must be flown to be awarded any tier points.

  • James says:

    6 Jul6 July 09:16

    Please ignore my shoddy English! *flown.

  • Optimus Prime says:

    6 Jul6 July 09:40

    According to the promotion T&C’s the bonus TP’s will post within a month after the return flight.

    https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/executive-club/offers/holidays-double-tier-points#

    “Standard Tier Points for the flight element will be awarded in line with regular awarding timelines after completion of the return flight which is part of a Qualifying Booking. The initial transaction will be updated when the Bonus Tier Points are added to the standard Tier Points, within one month of the return flight which is part of a Qualifying Booking.”

• Mo says:

  6 Jul6 July 05:35

  Hi. I signed up for capital tap card in June taking advantage of 30k bonus points offer from head for points.

  I received the initial 9900 avios points and have hit the 5k spend within first 3 months. However the second bonus is only showing as 10k rather than 20k points. Furthermore I have not been able to redeem any of my points accrued from spending (1 avios per pound so have around 5k points). I have been told by customer services to await the next few billing cycles for this to correct itself. Is that normal from others’ experiences?

  • Rob says:

    6 Jul6 July 07:42

    Bonus normally posts after 4th billing cycle. Email Rhys at headforpoints.com if you have issues and he will fix.

• Lee says:

  6 Jul6 July 05:55

  1 additional reward point for every £ spend up to 1000 points on my gold card.

  • Youllnever says:

    6 Jul6 July 08:36

    Got it – thanks!

• Patrycja says:

  6 Jul6 July 06:27

  Good morning,

  Am I right in thinking that day 2 tests for returning from a green country to Scotland can only be purchased from this website and no other alternative is accepted?

  https://quarantinehotels.ctmportal.co.uk/Quarantine/Home.aspx?Country=Scotland

  • Gtellez says:

    6 Jul6 July 06:51

    Yes, even if you fly to England but then go to Scotland, you have to use that website and pay that very high price.

    • Tracey says:

      6 Jul6 July 07:42

      Loads of people have flown into England on one of the English test packages without a problem. Some of the companies even have drop off points in Scotland and Wales. More difficult if you are flying direct into a Scotland, but flying into England it seems perfectly reasonable to follow the English rules.

      • MattB says:

        6 Jul6 July 08:30

        The welsh govt are similarly misleading. Their website leads you down the path of ordering the overpriced tests through them yet much further down the page it becomes clear that is only relevant for flights direct to Wales, and even then not compulsory to use ctm.

        I was planning on booking a day 2 test at LHR on the day we arrive home, my only concern is missing slots if we are delayed not sure how flexible they are.

    • Wollhouse says:

      6 Jul6 July 08:01

      Not true. I ordered from the English link, flew into Scotland and drove to my home in Scotland. All legal. I noted that the PLF wanted a reference in a format it recognised (I tested this by inputting the reference for my business partner that I had just used to complete her form and my form would have accepted it if I hadn’t changed it my actual reference). nobody checked upon arrival so I strongly suspect you could order from England even if flying into Scotland. I posted previously that I had looked up the ownership of the Scottish company and it was “interesting” to me that the gvt had felt they were the appropriate form to award the contract to! 😉

      • Wollhouse says:

        6 Jul6 July 08:02

        Sorry, My response was to Gtellez. I agree with Tracey.

        • Gtellez says:

          6 Jul6 July 09:33

          I had that doubt a month ago (flying to MAN and driving to Scotland), after calling the helpline of Scotland they definitely told me that as I was self isolating in Scotland, I had to use that test. Same as not been able to use Test and Release…

• BJ says:

  6 Jul6 July 06:37

  A thought for Tuesday morning: will we see the usual preXmas Nectar double up event at Sainsbury’s this year? Seem there’s no reason why not. However, could it have implications for avios to Nectar transfers? There has already been the suggestion that restrictions on these is not simply due to security concerns. What, if anything, is BA going to do if faced with the prospect of a big avios outflow prior to a Nectar double up? For those that likes double up (personally I am not a fan) it might prove prudent to get any avios you need transferred to Nectar by October? All questions here, because it might be something or nothing at all.

  • Freddy says:

    6 Jul6 July 07:12

    The double up has been restricted to £100 so there won’t be a mass exodus from avios. I used to use up my nectar points during double up but it’s a bit of a con. A week before they do 50% off toys and week after the promotion they do 50% off all clothing. Then add in the promotions on wine and you really not getting the value doubled up as everything is full price

    • BJ says:

      6 Jul6 July 07:42

      Wholeheartedly agree it’s a con of sorts, and only replies to restricted items. Best just to redeem at standard rates on hood deals on anything throughout the year. Despite that it’s popular. Despite the limits if late it could mean a lot of avios movements and they all mount up. We’re BA to put in place restrictions these would then impact on people moving for argos, ebay etc too. So just thought it was worth a mention.

      • Toby says:

        6 Jul6 July 08:26

        Agree it’s a con on many things. However, I have found great value though on kids clothes as the sales on those seem to be near constant and the quality is really good.

        I’ve also occasionally found good value on kitchenware and a few wines.

        I suspect it’ll be back. Sainsbury’s does seem to be investing a lot in nectar right now….

        • MattB says:

          6 Jul6 July 08:36

          Personally I’ve only seen the value for doubling up on alcohol so we always max out our allowance on each card. Although with all the earning opportunities over the past year or 2 we’ll still have loads left over.

• Tarmohamed says:

  6 Jul6 July 06:45

  Why do the PCR tests administered to inpatients in NHS hospitals stink? Not once did the 6 PCR tests we had done privately in the UK, Dubai or Pakistan have a sour tip/bud! According to the nurse they’re the same as the NHS test centres.

  (Since my sciatica pain, I had an emergency surgery yesterday, some of yourselves kindly did give me suggestions to reduce the pain when I asked a few weeks ago)

  • Roger W says:

    6 Jul6 July 07:50

    I had the PCR test prior to knee surgery last week at a Nuffield Hospital. No smell recollected.

    Good luck with your recovery. I had a discectomy 10 years ago for sciatica. Sorted that but still get frequent back discomfort. Core strengthening only long term benefit for that.

    • Tarmohamed says:

      6 Jul6 July 08:08

      Thank you – once I’ve recovered I really need to start getting active.

  • Andrew says:

    6 Jul6 July 08:59

    I’ve had 30 PCR tests in NHS hospitals, and not once did I notice a detectable odour from the bud.

    It’s usually the throat swab first, then the nose. Perhaps you had a throat infection and only noticed when the throat mucus was moved to your nose?

    • MattB says:

      6 Jul6 July 10:16

      30!! assume you work in the NHS? I’ve still thankfully not had the need to even take one. No FOMO here.

    • Lady London says:

      6 Jul6 July 10:25

      eeeeuuuchh. Too much information ! need another coffee.

      Probably spot on Andrew. Dogs detecting disease by smell (each disease has its own smell signature) is interesting. Dogs can do it, at least one country has had “Covid dogs” at airports.

      My Dad had a small touch of one disease. He got tested for it and was confirmed he had it after his osteopath, whom he was visiting for something completely different, suggested he get tested for the disease as the ostepath smelt it.

      • The Savage Squirrel says:

        6 Jul6 July 17:05

        Uncontrolled Diabetes is the best known example. Distinctive odour that any trained person will spot.
        Well, that and alcoholism or a weed habit. Not casting any aspersions about your Dad🤣.

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