The HfP chat thread – Thursday 8th July

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• Mark says:

  8 Jul8 July 08:36

  Anyone know the current cheapest provider for a test before you leave the Uk for the Balearic islands?
  Thank you

  • Rob says:

    8 Jul8 July 08:41

    Unless you want to miss your holiday, pay for a reliable one and not a cheap one.

    • LessCleverAndrew says:

      8 Jul8 July 16:55

      And the reliable ones are …?
      (I understand that you are not endorsing any of them. Only asking because its genuinely a minefield.)

  • Babyg says:

    8 Jul8 July 22:09

    Used https://www.dam-health.com/ today… very quick, results in hours via email (anti gen)… cheap (£29)…

• Jamie says:

  8 Jul8 July 08:38

  Flying out of Gatwick North early this afternoon – anyone have any recent info on how long it takes to get through security etc. at the moment? Cheers!

  • Lady London says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:37

    Recent reports on here flying out it’s empty. Flying in at peak times such as Sunday night at STN, early morning LHR (historically a pain anyway due the bunching of Transatlantic arrivals), some (few these days) LTN times is a different story however.

    Probably the easiest time right now “not* to be told by Aspire Lounge at LGW North that they’re “full”” with an empty lounge clearly visible. This is mainly due their contract with Qatar Airways and before Covid was becoming a “thing”.

    Unlike LHR T5 Aspire I have a soft spot for LGW North Aspire. It’s the old BA Lounge, staff are really nice and at least till Covid, breakfast was the more solid option than No.1. No.1 should be open now I think – I hope their lovely staff kept their jobs

  • Travel Strong says:

    8 Jul8 July 10:43

    Total bliss last Thursday PM. I actually felt the urge to take pitures as it was so eerie. No one around along the route to the car park, terminal entrance hall, security – all deserted. Then just a moderate amount of people in the departure hall. Aspire will be closed (due to the emptiness they are only open 7-9.15am) so no joy there. But you can walk in to weatherspoons and get a table immediately. Food ordered on the app was on the table in minutes too. Return on the Sunday was the same – first off the flight and we were literally then only ones in immigration and baggage claim for a few minutes!

  • Jamie says:

    8 Jul8 July 17:19

    Thank you both. Whizzed through in under 10 minutes and straight into Spoons – all very smooth but eerily quiet as previously alluded to! Now absolutely roasting in Malta!

• NP says:

  8 Jul8 July 09:02

  Has anyone had any experience getting a refund for Wimbledon tickets? I bought some through the LTA sale for tomorrow but the seats were awful so cancelled about 10 days ago. But they still haven’t processed and show as ‘cancel pending’ on my Wimbledon account.

  • NP says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:27

    Also they just dropped more tickets for tomorrow – block 200, good thing I cancelled!

• R says:

  8 Jul8 July 09:04

  AMEX Free night award – Marriott Bonvoy 25k spend

  I am just wondering, when do people receive their AMEX free reward? And where does it appear?

  • meta says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:17

    From a few days to a week after spending the required amount. It will show in your Marriott Bonvoy account. My first one never showed which was very convenient as I had then contacted Amex to issue it when it was convenient for me some months later.

  • Ikaz says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:26

    Mine appeared a few days after triggering it, it was on my Marriott account with my other vouchers

  • R says:

    8 Jul8 July 18:32

    Thanks guys! I had my Amex since Jan 2020. I thought I did not spend 25k as I use two different cards but it turned out that I’ve spent almost 30k but they did not issue a voucher. Contacted Marriott, seems like the issue was my address (I have two different ones), they are investigating it for me & should receive a voucher within a week or two.

• Marie says:

  8 Jul8 July 09:18

  Anyone arrived at Manchester in the last week?
  Any queues? When do they test passenger locator form?
  Thanks
  Marie

  • Eligold says:

    8 Jul8 July 16:32

    Arrived two weeks ago in the evening, the place was deserted. Although the Border patrol agent did say it was a lull

• TJ says:

  8 Jul8 July 09:19

  Just curious…has anyone ever won anything following the relaunch of Virgin Red?

  • BJ says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:22

    No, and I think I may have entered everything.

    • Ste C says:

      8 Jul8 July 10:14

      I won 4000 but not sure what for as the email didn’t tell me.

• Ron says:

  8 Jul8 July 09:32

  We have a 241 booking to SFO cancelled, can I rebook after the original departure date? Or do I need to rebook before then? At the moment, MMB let me choose any flight for the next 355days, but just need to wait till 2022 school summer holiday dates available. Thanks.

  • Lady London says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:51

    after is fine. read on this daily thread how BA will try to restrict to flights within 12 months of ticket issue/purchase date.

    Get around this when flights are showing that you want by trying to do your own move in MMB online – it may well work.

    Otherwise call them when you see the flights you want come up on a cash search and just ask for the dates you want to rebook to and see if they just do it.

    If not – any seat that’s available for cash in your cabin you do have a right to be rebooked into if they cancelled your flight – remind them if necessary. Quote EU261/UK261 statute that overrides any BA t’s and c’s or policies if you have to.

    CEDR told BA recently in a case kindly reported by the person that won, to reroute someone on their preferred date that was >12 months from issue date of ticket. I am sure that provided passenger is being reasonable, both CEDR and MCOL routes will provide this if BA doesn’t.

    Quite ok to call BA ahead of the first flight on your booking and state due to the flight (first or other) they cancelled you will not be flying it and will all them back to request a reroute to a later date when you have managed to replan. This stops you looking like a no show.

    • Ron says:

      8 Jul8 July 13:42

      Thank you for the advice.

  • Jane says:

    8 Jul8 July 10:02

    excellent timing with this question, I was just wondering myself. I seem to be able to see more than 12 months ahead of my original booking for the outbound (Orlando) which is cancelled but not for the inbound which is still operating (MIA), but I don’t want to go till next August now so I can’t see the dates that I need. I think I’ll try twitter to let them know I won’t be on the return if it isn’t cancelled soon.

    • Lady London says:

      8 Jul8 July 11:05

      no need if it’s the first flight ie your outward) that was cancelled. That means airline isn’t expecting you on any flight after the cancelled one on your ticket ( not even if those later flights are all still running).

      That’s just how legacy airline systems work. As soon as you can’t/don’t take any flight on your ticket, all your later flights on that ticket are effectively flushed. Even if you just missed a flight.

      • Lady London says:

        8 Jul8 July 11:08

        note as far as I know, newer airlines/LCC’s may be a good idea to call, for example Easyjet, for later flights to make sure as they have their own reservations systems, not the GDS system used across the very great majority of older legacy airlines

      • Jane says:

        8 Jul8 July 12:33

        Thanks for that, I think I’ll tell them anyway, but yes, first flight cancelled and with BA (redemption). I’m torn at the moment whether to hold out to see if I can move it or to just cancel and start again. it’s not often you get 4 x CW to Orlando in August but I’d also be happy with in and out of MIA which is usually easier.

        • Ron says:

          8 Jul8 July 13:44

          Same as you, we’ve got 4 CW to SFO during summer holiday. I would rather just change it than start again, in case we don’t get 4 CW for the dates we want.

        • Lady London says:

          8 Jul8 July 15:41

          i’d hold out. if BA cancels you don’t need avios seats to be available on the later flight you want which is a major advantage

  • Louie says:

    9 Jul9 July 02:24

    I don’t know if this is just some people or everyone, but I have seen reports that the option to change your flight in MMB disappears once you reach the departure date. In which case you have to ring to rebook so are likely to have issues getting BA to agree to anything after 12 months from the booking date.

• HH says:

  8 Jul8 July 09:38

  A basic HSBC Premier Travel Insurance question. I have a trip booked in Switzerland (amber country) for the last two weeks of July. All flights, hotels and car hire are refundable. But if I were to make a claim for stolen baggage as an example, would they reject it purely because of the amber FCDO advice?

  • JDB says:

    8 Jul8 July 09:57

    The HSBC Premier insurance, like most is based on FCDO advice rather than the traffic lights. If you look at the product information document (the one with the green ticks and red crosses) it appears to offer no cover if you travel against FCDO advice. In the column “what is not insured” the second item is “Any claim if you travel against the advice” so I think that covers all sections.

    • yorkieflyer says:

      8 Jul8 July 10:29

      The same as the majority of policies e.g. Amex plat cover, a scandal in my view. A pity the regulator doesn’t step in. Nationwide Flex current account cover an honourable exception

  • HH says:

    8 Jul8 July 11:55

    Thanks both. If I’m departing on 17th July, I guess I’m not covered for anything even though FCDO travel guidance will be dropped for amber countries on 19 July? That’s annoying.

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