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The HfP chat thread – Friday 16th July

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We are running this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

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General

Comments (383)

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

  • roberto says:
    16 Jul16 July 20:46

    Is it 2 hours or 24 hours before take off you can cancel an Avios booking?

  • BJ says:
    16 Jul16 July 20:49

    People returning from France from Monday must quarantine for 10 days even if double vaccinated…see BBC breaking.

    • Mark says:
      16 Jul16 July 20:55

      What a sh@t show it’s become.
      The UK government travel Hokey Cokey carries on.

    • Andrew says:
      16 Jul16 July 21:06

      All this chopping and changing spells the end for mass tourism for 2021.

      • Paul says:
        16 Jul16 July 22:36

        Yes I agree, was looking at a possible last minute trip to Mexico but it would be foolish. Europe is no go, in part because of some insane pricing and cancellation terms. I could perhaps accept the price but no refunds 3 weeks out in many parts of Greece is simply mad!
        Even as a seasoned traveller the risk of finding oneself in a red list nation with the attendant costs of returning to plague island is not sensible.

        • Pablo says:
          17 Jul17 July 08:17

          You don’t need to book accommodation in advance. Last year we were booking when we were already in Greece. It’s not like they are bursting at the seams with tourists.

    • JDB says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:32

      No doubt our French friends will now reciprocate and require us to quarantine…

      • Hak says:
        16 Jul16 July 23:03

        Question is, how long will this persist?

      • Lady London says:
        16 Jul16 July 23:43

        … As they should. for medical reasons not political (unlike the UK decision)

        This means I can’t take up a contract I just accepted today. They are unlikely to wear the 10 days quarantine after I get back, before I can start.

        From mid-August to nearly the end of September the Covid fires are going to rage in England. Boris doesn’t deserve to get away with this. But unfortunately he just might.

    • David says:
      16 Jul16 July 23:03

      Is anybody really surprised?

    • HBommie says:
      16 Jul16 July 23:12

      This must be another shade of amber, or maybe ruby, but not quite red?

      Is Rishi off to Cap Ferrat?

    • The Savage Squirrel says:
      16 Jul16 July 23:34

      It was only yesterday someone on the chat thread was insulting those who chose not to travel in 2021 due to the difficulties as ridiculous or stupid….
      …. well this is why. If you’re in a job or own a business where you can’t work remotely, you never know when you’ll be hit with this, making travel beyond the UK significantly risky and, in practice, virtually impossible. If you can work from home (or don’t work) of course that is a whole different ball game.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      17 Jul17 July 01:09

      3.4% of cases are beta … the government has finally lost the plot

  • Waddle says:
    16 Jul16 July 20:56

    Hi folks. I’m planning on booking a surprise flight with my avios for a friend. They are part of my F&F list. Will they still be notified by email if I book it but put down my email and/or their partner’s (but not theirs)?

    • Anna says:
      16 Jul16 July 21:11

      All communications will go to the email you put on the booking – all our travel notifications come to my email even when booked on my OH’s account as I do all our holiday admin. That said, the real surprise is going to be where your friend can actually travel to, given the traffic light Bingo going on this week!

      • Anna says:
        16 Jul16 July 21:16

        Though if your friend has a BAEC account it will show up there, so bear that in mind.

    • Jo says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:23

      This unfortunately happened to me. Booked a flight for myself and my mum online and even phoned BA afterwards to confirm that no email would be sent to her and she received an email anyway. Not the flight confirmation email but a ‘we can’t wait to welcome you on board again for your upcoming flight’ email. Gutted that our surprise was ruined! I still don’t know how to avoid it in the future….

  • Stephan says:
    16 Jul16 July 21:09

    Given these constant changes in green/amber/red lists, does Amex Platinum travel insurance still provide cover for non-covid things if you travel to a amber/red country?

    • Anna says:
      16 Jul16 July 21:12

      It depends on FCDO advice generally, not the traffic light system.

      • Stephan says:
        16 Jul16 July 21:22

        OK thanks for the tip. Seems like the FCDO for my likely destination no longer advises against all but essential travel, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks so hopefully that should be fine but will just check with them directly

  • Henry says:
    16 Jul16 July 21:25

    Quick query on domestic avios flights – the normal price EDI-LON is about 5k avios each way plus £35 and I booked that myself. My friend who is also BA Bronze looked at the same flight and it was quoting 19500 avios and £79, both identical flights and classes one person flying. ANd no option to adjust the avios or cash required

    Anything I have missed here that would explain this….I’ve never seen this before?

    • AJA says:
      16 Jul16 July 21:58

      Has your friend earned any Avios in the last 12 months? If not he won’t be eligible for RFS flight rewards as you must earn at least 1 Avios in the last 12 months.

      If he has Nectar get him to transfer 400 Nectar points to Avios. Then try booking.

    • Gustavo says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:04

      Reward flight saver I think. You/your friend need to have collected at least one avios in the last 12 months to qualify for the flat fee flight. I booked for my wife and I to go to Glasgow and we found similar prices to what you found. We booked just before avios required went up so 9k avios plus £35 return.

  • Nomid says:
    16 Jul16 July 21:44

    Flying to Geneva. Rented a car in french sector as cheaper. Will I get the french stamp in my passport for crossing?

    • Stephan says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:04

      Do they stamp British passports now when travelling to the continent?

      • Nomid says:
        16 Jul16 July 22:06

        I will get Swiss stamp as it will the first port of entry into Schengen area. Question is about then crossing into French sector to rent a car

      • Frankie says:
        16 Jul16 July 22:42

        They did in Ibiza. One arriving and one leaving.

      • Yorkieflyer says:
        16 Jul16 July 22:45

        Or between France and Spain?

    • Tony1 says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:12

      Did not even examine my Covid Cert when I drove from Spain to Andorra. Did have a good look at my alcohol stash though !

    • Gavin says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:49

      I’ve never had my passport checked in many years of crossing between the sectors (very rarely even see any officers). In recent years a security guard outside the entrance to the French sector has wanted to see a car hire booking in order to go through. I’ve not been there this year though, so it’s possible they could be checking passports now.

    • Ryan says:
      16 Jul16 July 23:27

      I’ve rented a car from there before, picked up in Switzerland and returned in France
      Literally no difference in terms of stamping or borders – but this was back in 2014

    • Lady London says:
      16 Jul16 July 23:39

      If you rent a French car from the airport then you just choose the exit labelled to France coming out of immigration – you don’t go to Switzerland at all as you don’t go out under that sign you choose the French sign to exit under. then you land at the half of the car hire desk (it’s often half) that is France. Basel/ Mulhouse airport works the same.

      Beware though – it matters more for winter but when I did this the car spec for pickup at the French side was considerably worse. For example if you come out in Switzerland exit, and rent in Switzerland, then you get winter tyres included (typically). If you’re going to France you then have quite a few miles extra after you leave the airport, to cross the French border. However one advantage is that if you’re also travelling in Switzerland, a car picked up on the Swiss side is more likely to already have the French motorway sticker on the windscreen so you won’t have to pay for a new one. Slightly less likely with a car picked up on the French side.

      Whatever you do, when you return the car, make sure you approach the airport from the country your car was hired in. You can’t return a car hired at Hertz Switzerland side, to Hertz France side. That counts as a crossborder hire and is surcharged. Even if it is 10-15 mins or so for someone to drive it round to the other side of the car pak (probably next to where you left it) after you’ve caught your plane you were late for when you did that.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      17 Jul17 July 01:11

      Considering the news just switch it to Swiss side to Be safe

  • Chris says:
    16 Jul16 July 22:08

    Anyone know of any hotels within striking distance of London with outdoor pools? As best I can tell only really Berkeley in London and two choices in Egham that i can find. Wondered if there are others people are aware of

    • AndyW says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:14

      The Langley

      • kitten says:
        16 Jul16 July 23:50

        Cliveden if you’re feeling expansive and don;t mind a smallish one (IIRC)

        • Lady London says:
          16 Jul16 July 23:52

          The Berkeley in Knightsbridge/Belgravia has a pool on the roof. they do have (expensive) outside memberships though so if it’s open it won’t be just hotel guests.

    • Toppcat says:
      16 Jul16 July 22:33

      Depends how you define striking distance? Shoreditch House and The Ned both have rooftop pools – not sure what the post-covid access rules are for members vs hotel guests though. I think the other Soho House (White City?) does too.

      • Kevin C says:
        16 Jul16 July 22:44

        White City is outdoors I think.

        The Grove has an outdoor pool.

      • Chris says:
        16 Jul16 July 22:45

        I guess it’s not a hard and fast metric but then neither is “London” 😂

        Within an hour or so of central London

  • Chris says:
    16 Jul16 July 22:50

    Doesn’t look like a non-member can book a stay at White City or Shoreditch house

    • MilesOnPoint says:
      16 Jul16 July 23:47

      Can confirm that non-members can no longer book to stay at any of the Soho House locations (Shoreditch, White City House, Soho Farmhouse, Babington etc..).

      The Ned is possible to book for non-members but they block access to pool for non-members which slightly defeats the purpose. Some attractive rates for NHS staff though (50% off)

      • TGLoyalty says:
        17 Jul17 July 01:12

        The Ned allowed access for hotel guests that booked directly when I stayed in late 2019

        • MilesOnPoint says:
          17 Jul17 July 07:54

          Hi TGLoyalty,

          The Ned now has a system of “temporary membership” for non-members staying which you have to “apply” for and they can refuse(!). Post-COVID, even if you are given this temporary membership when staying, the pool is only accessible to full members of the Ned. We cancelled our booking in Autumn 2020 as a result, didn’t see the point.

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