The HfP chat thread – Thursday 15th July

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• Alex says:

  15 Jul15 July 12:18

  Has anyone applied for a John Lewis credit card recently? They’re asking me for a certified copy of my driving licence or passport and then proof of address. I don’t know anyone who can certify it so I’ll have to pay someone, not sure I can be bothered.

  • Andrew says:

    15 Jul15 July 12:20

    Not sure why you would want a John Lewis credit card anyway.

    • Alex says:

      15 Jul15 July 12:22

      Shop there and Waitrose regularly as we get staff discount from my partner

  • Alex says:

    15 Jul15 July 12:21

    To add, I did move house about 3 weeks ago.

    I’m not sure if it’s excessive or if I could expect this from all applications for a bit.

    • Peter K says:

      15 Jul15 July 13:00

      If your name is not on the electoral roll at your new address (likely if only a few weeks since your move) then expect issues like this.

    • John says:

      15 Jul15 July 18:22

      Lesson for future is make applications before you move house.

      Short time at address is also a negative factor

      If you had applied using the old address you would probably have received it – depends if you have access and mail redirection (sometimes they won’t redirect cards)

  • Sam G says:

    15 Jul15 July 12:46

    Some Post office can certify for a few quid

• Dej says:

  15 Jul15 July 12:18

  Hi all, can anyone advise me, we have a 7.05am flight to Greece in a few weeks. Just wondering what time I need to get to terminal 5 these days. Hopefully we should have priority check in, and priority security checks.

  • JK says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:31

    Would love to know this too, for a 6:55am T5 departure… is 1-2 hours prior still acceptable?

    • Pete M says:

      15 Jul15 July 14:30

      Unless things go terrible wrong like they did this week (with loads of security and check-in staff isolating), 2hrs is plenty and 1hr is perfectly doable. But really hard to predict these days, so I’ve been aiming for 2+ recently.

      • Jonathan says:

        15 Jul15 July 14:51

        1 hour is cut off for checking in luggage so brave to cut it that fine unless HBO.

        • Pete M says:

          15 Jul15 July 15:21

          60 minutes before long haul flights depart and 45 minutes before short haul flights.

  • dej says:

    15 Jul15 July 20:22

    thanks all

• Natalie Bowers says:

  15 Jul15 July 12:25

  Does anyone know if the Virgin Upper Class Wing at Heathrow will also be re opening when they open up the Clubhouse (which I think is today) or will we need to use the main T3 entrance….?

  • Rob says:

    15 Jul15 July 14:19

    It’s open, I used it this morning.

    • Natalie Bowers says:

      15 Jul15 July 15:22

      Woohoo. How long from car to lounge Rob?

      • Rob says:

        15 Jul15 July 15:59

        At least 10 minutes, because you need to clear security (albeit via a private lane) and walk across the terminal to the lounge.

        • Natalie Bowers says:

          15 Jul15 July 16:00

          Great, thanks

• Kazim says:

  15 Jul15 July 12:39

  Nectar and Esso

  Have 7x offer on my nectar for filling up at Esso but T&Cs says have to swipe card at checkout- does this mean the offer will not be triggered by using the Esso app to pay for fuel even though the nectar card is linked to the account?

  • Peter K says:

    15 Jul15 July 12:58

    Possibly it won’t. Some offers are pay by app only, so it’s possible that some are pay non-app only.

  • maccymac says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:34

    This happened to me on a previous ‘swipe card at checkout’ offer. I didn’t get bonus points when i paid through the app. The following week I went to the kiosk and scanned my nectar card at the till and the bonus points showed up. Quite annoying. YMMV.

• Matthew says:

  15 Jul15 July 13:17

  Hi, if anyone has a link for the 70k plat offer please can you email me. Pretty sure Rob doesn’t have one to send. My email is m p switzer @ gmail . com without the spaces of course, thank you.

  • Chas says:

    15 Jul15 July 14:27

    Have messaged you (and only because I know Rob doesn’t have this referral, as protocol would otherwise dictate that he should use his referral link).

  • Matthew says:

    15 Jul15 July 19:53

    Thank you HFPers all sorted 👍

• Jack says:

  15 Jul15 July 13:23

  MCOL update on case with BA. I had flights in F booked to Seychelles on redemption. BA cancelled and suspended the route permanently. My requests for rerouting were refused multiple times, only a refund/voucher offered, so eventually issued MCOL for cost of replacement flights in F on different airline. After MCOL issued, BA eventually offered a reroute but in J on Qatar, which I refused as it was not ‘comparable transport conditions’ as I had booked in F.

  Went to hearing and district judge ruled in my favour – BA had to pay for the replacement ticket. He seemed annoyed that rerouting was only offered after court papers had been issued, despite me requesting multiple times and citing EC261. Judge also agreed that ‘comparable transport conditions’ clearly means J is not comparable to F. Judge did not agree that the presence of downgrade compensation means they can downgrade me at will (because the CAA guidance states downgrades should be avoided). The CAA guidance, it is just guidance, but you need a good reason why you think you should deviate form it. I know this doesn’t set a precedent.

  It would have surely been cheaper for BA to book the ticket themselves on the other airline (which was my point too) but they decided to take it to hearing. I realise it is a difficult time for the airline industry, and had they offered me the rerouting in J initially when I requested I might have considered it. But they decided to stonewall me leaving me no option. Hope this is helpful advice to someone else and thanks to those on here who posted with advice.

  • meta says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:37

    So happy for you even though it seems it wasn’t easy. It just goes to show that you need to be persistent and not let it go. Hopefully you now get a reroute on Emirates or Etihad in F.

  • Mark says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:48

    Nice one there. Did they have to pay you for any other costs besides the flight? Does this process actually involve you going to a court to hear the proceedings?!

  • MattB says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:54

    Always wonder how they (BA) would approach this? Did they turn up with an army of lawyers or was it just the one vs yourself? Im assuming you represented yourself.

  • AJA says:

    15 Jul15 July 14:02

    Well done! BA really needs to be more reasonable with rerouting requests when they cancel flights and suspend routes entirely. I have some sympathy for them given the overall issues related to the pandemic but I have always gone with the mantra “customer is king” and I think knowing what the law is just stonewalling customers is not what a great airline would do. BA thinks it’s better than it really is.

  • YC says:

    15 Jul15 July 14:03

    Excellent – Did you have to pay an F fully refundable ticket when taking them to MCOL?

    • Jody says:

      15 Jul15 July 14:19

      I’d like to know that too. Also, were the costs you paid to file the complaint based on the cost of a replacement F ticket? It’s these potential costs that are putting me off MCOL and pushing me towards CEDR instead.

      • JDB says:

        15 Jul15 July 17:07

        CEDR can be rather arbitrary and they make strange decisions, sometimes in your favour, sometimes not and they don’t actually apply the law as such, although the arbitrators are supposed to have some legal training. MCOL will get your a more serious consideration of your case and strict application of the law. Both CEDR and small claims track have £10k limits.

  • Jack says:

    15 Jul15 July 14:21

    Thanks all. It did require a bit of work, but the whole process is designed to be relatively straightforward. BA also had to pay for my claim fee and hearing fee. It was a telephone hearing, so relatively straightforward and efficient, and yes BA did appoint an external law firm, but I just represented myself (I have no legal training). When I issued the claim I didn’t actually purchase the ticket (as I expected BA would settle quickly), but I did eventually buy the ticket ahead of the hearing. I was surprised that it went all the way though, any previous MCOLs I’ve ever issued were always settled pretty swiftly. The best outcome would have been if BA had just rerouted me as I requested (and saved themselves the hearing fee and presumably the cost of the external law firm).

    • Memesweeper says:

      15 Jul15 July 14:28

      Thanks for keeping us posted @Jack – what a palarva just to enforce your clearly stated legal rights.

    • Jonathan says:

      15 Jul15 July 15:05

      I’m gobsmacked they let this go in front of a judge, would have expected an 11th hour capitulation. What was value you put in claim as a fully flex F will take you beyond small claims track limit (usually £10k). I wouldn’t be keen on going down this route as fees are 5% of claim.

    • Jack says:

      15 Jul15 July 15:44

      Thankfully it was a fair bit less than that, but yes over £10k it goes to fast-track and you can be liable for some costs if you lose (I’m not an expert, but as long as you behave reasonably, the most you can lose in the small claims track is the claim/hearing fee I believe – I could be wrong however).

      • JDB says:

        15 Jul15 July 16:14

        I’m so pleased you won; well done for pursuing it. Sadly, BA will keep refusing others as they (rightly) hope most won’t pursue them to MCOL. You are right on costs for small claims; conduct of claim has to be unreasonable for either party to get legal costs.

  • Richie says:

    15 Jul15 July 17:02

    It’s great that you won. They really need to stop the stooopid games they play.

  • Lady London says:

    15 Jul15 July 18:54

    Thank you very much for reporting back on your success Jack. Very pleased for you.

• Mark says:

  15 Jul15 July 13:28

  Anyone ordered the lateral flow test from Project Screen? How long did it take?

  Flying on Monday morning 8am from Stansted so might be too tight to order now…

  • ankomonkey says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:56

    Ordered just before England state school half term and received tests within about 48 hours.

    • Pete M says:

      15 Jul15 July 14:36

      I ordered on a Sunday a couple of weeks back and it arrived on Tuesday via DPD, so next working day. But a colleague ordered yesterday and it didn’t arrive today, fingers crossed for tomorrow. It may be a bit of a risk now to be honest.

      • Mark says:

        15 Jul15 July 14:40

        Thanks both. Fingers crossed… They mentioned on their website 2pm cutoff for next-day delivery. Let’s see…

• Phil says:

  15 Jul15 July 13:30

  Would appreciate checking my understanding of the entry and testing requirements for our forthcoming trip.

  We are traveling to Munich from Scotland (EDIFRAMUC) 23-Jul, returning (MUCFRAEDI) 7-Aug.

  As we are fully vaxed, my understanding is that to enter Germany we are required to:
  – Complete Digital Entry Application – no earlier than 20-July:
  https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de/#/register/1

  On returning to Scotland we need to:
  – Complete Passenger Locator Form – 6-Aug
  https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk

  – Complete Pre-Departure Test – 6-Aug (Qured Booked)

  – Complete Day 2 Test – <9/8
  https://quarantinehotel.ctmportal.co.uk/Quarantine/Home.aspx?country=Scotland

  We do not need to complete a Day 8 test or quarantine as we are fully vaxed and Germany is Amber.

  The only issue I see at the moment is that you cannot book a Day 2 only test through the mandated Scotland return portal.

  Have I missed anything? Have I misunderstood anything?

  Appreciate HFPers time in checking my homework.

  Additionally, any news on whether Austria is likely to align with Germany's entry rules for UK residents before the 24-Jul? Technically, we are supposed to be going to Austria but have booked back-up in Bavaria.

  • SteveKicks says:

    15 Jul15 July 14:32

    You might have to wait until they update the ctmportal website when the Amber rule change comes in to force on Monday.
    Alternatively, I’ve heard several people have managed to use alternative tests (e.g. Randox) instead of the £88 CTM version

    • BP says:

      15 Jul15 July 16:14

      Who checks that you’ve booked a day2 test? Do you just write the booking number on your arrivals form?

      • SteveKicks says:

        15 Jul15 July 16:22

        Yeah you just put the reference number on your PLF

  • GeorgeJ says:

    15 Jul15 July 15:48

    There is no real reason why Austria would align with Germanys rules, they have differed on lots of things for the past year, particularly since a dispute over cross border transmission. The stated plan is for the restriction on UK nationals without Austrian residence rights to continue until 31 August and whilst this may be revised, nothing is promised.

    • Phil says:

      15 Jul15 July 15:59

      My thought on alignment was generally they brought in the UK travel ban at approx. the same time and stopped the landing ban at the same time. I had hoped that they would then take Germany’s approach of shifting the UK to a high incidence classification versus the variant location. We’ve visited Fuschl am See every year for 12 years and it’ll be disappointing not go this year. That said, we will probably thrilled getting Bavaria given the year we’ve had.

      • GeorgeJ says:

        15 Jul15 July 18:51

        Yes, Bavaria is a pretty good substitute. I am resigned to not getting to Austria (we spend a lot of time in Salzburgerland) until September.

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