The HfP chat thread – Thursday 15th July

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Capecam says:

15 Jul15 July 08:53

Is anybody aware of BA paymrnt system being down today. Tried several times and several cards and will not go through ?
Amy C says:

15 Jul15 July 09:04

I have searched the easyJet website thoroughly to no avail so hoping someone may know the answer here.
My flights to Pisa this week were cancelled. I can’t decide whether to request a refund or switch for free to another flight next year. Ideally I’d switch but don’t want to make that decision yet. Do you know if there is a time limit on making this decision? I don’t want to try to switch in say, October and then find I missed the boat and am then no longer for a refund either. Thanks in advance.
- Matthew says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:48
  
  Think my pal has one from 6 months ago that lets him choose still…
  - Bill says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 09:56
    
    I have one from 13 months ago that I haven’t yet touched. It’s disappeared from MMB 1 month ago so I will have to call (probably next month) when I want to rebook. I believe they’ll need to issue new confirmation number when I call
    - Lady London says:
      
      15 Jul15 July 19:15
      
      Easyjet were refusing to reroute flights they’d cancelled in May-June 2020 as early as September 2020. It was just “system says no”.
      
      Is anybody having a better experience with them perhaps more recently?
      - DK says:
        
        15 Jul15 July 19:27
        
        My flights to Madeira for Easter were cancelled. I was allowed to re-book to any dates/any Portugal destination online. Opted to rebook Madeira for early June. All done online with zero issues.
Aliks says:

15 Jul15 July 09:21

How do Future Travel Vouchers work for BA 241 redemption flights?

As there are two people on the PNR there are two FTVs – does each passenger get half the amount of cash and avios paid?

and does the FTV reactivate the 241 benefits in any way?
- Tracey says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:22
  
  Your 241 is wrapped into the FTV, so you can use it as you did before. You’ll be booking for the same 2 people so it won’t be a problem. The FTV contains the 241, Avios and cash. Use it how you want.
  - Aliks says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 09:25
    
    Actually we flew the outbound leg of the trip, but took an FTV for the return leg – does that make a difference?
    
    And just to confirm – although there are 2 FTVs – when I redeem one of them, will it automatically redeem the other FTV as part of the transaction?
    - kitten says:
      
      15 Jul15 July 19:17
      
      has to be same people travelling
Tracey says:

15 Jul15 July 09:21

Grr! Morning flight to TLV in August cancelled. It seems BA have cancelled that rotation completely for August. Transferred, painlessly on MMB, to the previous evening flight, but arriving after midnight isn’t ideal.
r* says:

15 Jul15 July 09:21

What does the AS stand for on a boing 737 8AS? What type of 737 is it?
- Tim says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:35
  
  The code ‘AS” is just representative of different configurations of a 737-800 NG. Each aircraft is kitted to the requirements of the original operator. Ryanair have a lot of 737-8AS, which are short field performance aircraft with very limited extras.
  - Stu N says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 11:12
    
    AS = all standing 😉
  - Rui N. says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 11:38
    
    This is not true. “AS” is simply the Boeing customer code for Ryanair – or better, it used to be, as Boeing doesn’t use them anymore. All aircraft ordered by Ryanair had that code, it has nothing to do with as specific aircraft or a specific aircraft configuration. if they ordered a 747-400, it would have be 747-4AS. E.g., BA’s one is “36”, which they inherited from BOAC. So, their 747-400 are, for Boeing, 747-436.
    You can just search for “Boeing customer codes” and you’ll easily find the history about this and all the codes.
Clem Fandango says:

15 Jul15 July 09:31

+1 to the HGI at Hatton Cross, but I think Rob is right that the first tube won’t be until after 05:00. Are you driving or taking public transport?

I’m in the same position (07:05 flight to Kos) but I’m driving to Heathrow. Booked a 1 night stay plus parking which comes with the first night at the hotel. When we wake up early we’ll drive to T5 and drop the car off.

Cost wise it’s competitive with paying for parking separately. We need 2 weeks parking and a family room, which also triggers the £50 back from Amex.

Long time reader, first time poster 🙂
- John says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 10:09
  
  First bus is at 0348
- Sam G says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 12:53
  
  If at all possible I’d go and check in at T5 the night before (even if it means paying for short stay)
  
  The early buses are busy and it’ll be much easier without bags. You’ll also miss a likely huge queue for bag check in
- PJJ says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 14:08
  
  If you are driving to Heathrow, has anyone else used the Purple Parking on Bath Road right next door to the Premier Inn. Have parked the night before flight, told them staying next door and used their ‘free’ shuttle bus the next morning. I know Premier Inn isn’t very well up on the list of most but for a quick stay and early start seems fine.
  - Andrew says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 14:48
    
    Yes, have used it in the past, it’s just a pest to get to it if you arrive from the North rather than the South.
    
    My best ever parking bargain was at Purple a couple of years back. 7 nights – £19.
Andrew says:

15 Jul15 July 09:35

Hoping to go to the USA late Sept. USA is on Amber list which is not a huge problem (as both of us are both vaccinated BUT the USA is still not allowing people from the UK. Unless I’ve missed it, have not seen anything in the news about the USA, anybody seen any news?
- Harry T says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:36
  
  I haven’t seen anything concrete. There was some vague muttering about opening up transatlantic travel in September but it appeared to be based on throwaway comments.
- Sandgrounder says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:40
  
  I presume not with Pfizer or Moderna Andrew, it’s going to be even longer before team A-Z (member here) make it Stateside!
  - Sandgrounder says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 09:41
    
    Sorry WITH Pfizer or Moderna 🙂
  - Dave1985 says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 09:49
    
    AZ haven’t even applied for authorisation yet so if vaccine passports are required in the US…..
    
    (not saying they will be but it’s possible/now realistic they could be)
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 09:55
    
    Shapps reckons that AZ talk is all a red herring .. we shall see
- Andrew says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:56
  
  Other Andrew here, and coincidentally also booked for a US trip late September (we are different people honestly!) But my view is it’s unlikely to be open for most of us until 2022, particularly as others have said, if you’re an AZ recipient – the 20 year olds can get their own back on us for having their summer Ibiza trips cancelled and jet off to Miami instead!
  - Pete M says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 11:16
    
    For once I have to agree with Shapps: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/white-house-says-no-plans-require-vaccines-foreign-visitors-2021-05-21/
  - Jonathan says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 11:34
    
    Google “Biden Keeps Travel Ban on Europeans Despite Pleas to Ease It” from Bloomberg today. Certainly not a positive take on US opening up.
  - Jill ( Kinkell) says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 14:02
    
    We’re booked for Denver 7 Sept, and we’re AZ vaccinated. Not looking good! However, I’d be quite pleased if BA cancelled the flight. It’s another road trip that will be put aside for a later date.
Sandra says:

15 Jul15 July 09:39

Etihad Amex offer mentioned earlier on Platinum by Andrew is also on my Gold card, along with Aaargh Betty again!
- Steve S says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 09:44
  
  On my ARCC too
- jack charlton says:
  
  15 Jul15 July 10:13
  
  note that the t&c for the etihad offer requires you to go via a special link, and that pages indicates that only some flights / routes /fares are eligible for the offer.
  - Memesweeper says:
    
    15 Jul15 July 12:19
    
    If it’s useful against TFCs on redemptions that would be super useful, and might just change my next planned redemption.