The HfP chat thread – Monday 19th July

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• VickyTM says:

  19 Jul19 July 13:25

  Sorry, I’m sure everyone is fed up with people asking about tests, but….. Entry to Barbados requires a PCR test which must be:
  1) Taken at an accredited or recognised lab by a health care provider.
  2) The specimen taken must be a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab (or both).
  3) The laboratory performing the test must be an accredited, certified or recognized facility
  (Relevant test accrediting bodies and standards authorities include: ISO 15189, CAP, UKAS or the equivalent)…

  Does this mean that I can’t use the testing facility at the airport? Which labs do please fit into the above criteria?

  Thanks for any help – I just don’t want to get it wrong!

  • roberto says:

    19 Jul19 July 13:59

    You can use the airport labs or Boots or whomever however it’s gotta be a full PCR test so not a rapid style one. Take 12hours plus for the results..

    Incidentally I just got back from Barbados and the entry system was really swish, if you can stretch to the assisted arrival cost , its about £45 each on Viator with cash 8ack from T C B I would as it cuts it to zero hassel especially if you plane lands with a couple of others.

    I used the Qured video test to get off the island and that worked out really simple. Used the BA discount to buy them ay about £34 each and took them with me. The on island release test is $50USD but the queues were manic when someone else went.

    • VickyTM says:

      19 Jul19 July 14:30

      Brilliant – Thanks 🙂

• Martha says:

  19 Jul19 July 13:27

  HELP!
  I have just booked a last minute flight for 925pm tomorrow. I need a fit to fly certificate, Any recomendations for same day service or a guarantee I will get one well in time before my flight?
  Thank you so much!

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    19 Jul19 July 13:32

    Check the airport you are flying out of, get there 3 to 5 hours before and you should be fine (unless you test positive)

    • Pete M says:

      19 Jul19 July 13:41

      Well, it also depends where you’re going, because you may not need a test… There is no requirement to have a test to leave the country per se.

      • VickyTM says:

        19 Jul19 July 15:04

        @Pete M Was it you that wrote a long and informative review of your recent Mexico trip? If so, could you point me in the direction of it as I can’t seem to find it in the last weeks chat threads. Thanks.

        • Pete M says:

          19 Jul19 July 20:12

          I did: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/07/14/the-hfp-chat-thread-wednesday-14th-july/comment-page-3/#comments

  • Harry T says:

    19 Jul19 July 13:48

    Vivo Clinic do same day tests in many parts of the UK. They have good reviews on trust pilot and we used them for a next day test result which arrived promptly the next morning.

    • Martha says:

      19 Jul19 July 14:04

      That’s great.
      Thanks

  • MW says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:59

    Be careful of the 3-5 hours advice. No one can tell you what the requirements are for the country you are visiting, you really need to look at the testing requirements for the specific country.

    Depending on your vaccination status, some may not require anything, others accept lateral flow tests (which are cheaper and take less than an hour), while others require PCR express tests (which take ~1-6 hours, depending on the provider), and others require a full test which may take 24-48 hours, depending on your provider.

    Please, PLEASE check the requirements for the place you are going – not meeting those (exceeding would be fine usually) could result in a nasty surprise at the airport.

• trader363 says:

  19 Jul19 July 13:48

  How long does VS take to transfer to HH? And also how long do MR points take to transfer to HH?

  Looking to make a HH redemption ASAP, for check in next week

  • John says:

    19 Jul19 July 13:54

    They are generally done once a month in bulk. Mine have taken a couple of days to 22 days.

    • John says:

      19 Jul19 July 13:55

      Sorry should have said VS to Hilton

      • trader363 says:

        19 Jul19 July 14:29

        thanks

• Crafty says:

  19 Jul19 July 14:23

  Has anyone managed to get Test and Trace to correct an incorrect isolation period requirement? I’ve been contacted today, as somebody I work with and saw last Wednesday has tested positive; but the website says I need to isolate for 10 days from tomorrow. I’m sure it should be 10 days from the day after last Wednesday (i.e. Thurs).

  • Anna says:

    19 Jul19 July 14:59

    Yes – call 119, explain what’s happened and ask them to take you off the contact list. I had to do this – I didn’t get a further text confirming I was off the list but no one checked whether I was isolating so I just assumed they had done it.

    • Anna says:

      19 Jul19 July 15:00

      Your circs are a different but 119 should still be able to sort it out! It’s shambolic that the actual contact tracers don’t even know the rules.

      • Marie says:

        19 Jul19 July 15:35

        Interesting. I didn’t know you could appeal.
        On our T and T call I explained we didn’t all sit in our assigned seats of the plane ( as a family who knows who is getting along when you book these things ). Only half of us ended up contacted so presumably based on proximity to infected person and what seats you were in .
        I would have appealed and we would of had 2 xbox geeks happy at home and 2 NHS workers working . Today is day 10 .

        • Anna says:

          19 Jul19 July 16:21

          When they’ve clearly got it wrong it’s easy – it might be more difficult proving where you sat on the plane.

    • Aaron C says:

      19 Jul19 July 15:45

      Interesting. I’ve often wondered what would happen if some Archbishop of Banterbury named you as a contact even if you hadn’t seen him in months. Alternatively if your friend tests positive you could ask him to name you and you get 10 days off work.

      • Rob says:

        19 Jul19 July 15:52

        You do know that you can trigger the NHS app to tell you to isolate, if you want 10 days off work?

    • Crafty says:

      19 Jul19 July 18:59

      Unfortunately, based on my experience today:

      – the operators cannot do it; the system will not allow them to correct an incorrect isolation date
      – the guidance is to get the person who you were exposed to to correct it themselves
      – however, there is in fact no option for that person to do it

      The sort of bureaucracy that £37bn buys you. So, I’m stuck with the “legal duty” to self isolate for 5 days longer than the rules say I should.

      I can understand why so many have lost faith in following the rules.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:39

    they pulling any random off the street to do this with a script

    How does 10 days from tomorrow even make any sense. You had to have been a close contact within 48 hours of them first getting symptoms and then isolate for 10 days from the last contact.

    No reason not to be careful even if it was more than 48 hours before but shouldn’t be legally obliged to.

• Harry T says:

  19 Jul19 July 14:25

  My reading of the FCDO page is that travellers from the UK are not allowed in unless they have a valid exemption from a very limited list.

• LessCleverAndrew says:

  19 Jul19 July 14:44

  Is there a definition of what constitutes an (involuntary) change that would allow me to demand a refund or another booking? Is it more than 2 hours? 4 hours?

  And is the time different for the option to force a rebooking or getting a refund? Thanks.

  • Anna says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:01

    Unfortunately, unless your flight has been cancelled and you have a new flight number, it’s down to the airline’s own policy as to what constitutes a reasonable delay.

  • AJA says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:22

    Which airline? BA changed its policy in Oct 2020 meaning that a refund is only triggered if the changed flight time is more than 4 hours different from the original scheduled time. The ability to rebook onto any other BA operated flight or any joint venture flight is allowed regardless of flight retiming

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/10/24/british-airways-schedule-change-refund-4-hours/

• Trickydic says:

  19 Jul19 July 15:09

  Hello, I hope someone can help or point me in the right direction to get the correct information.

  I’ve just been informed by BA that my return Avios booking in First to the Miami later this year has been changed to Club World due to operational reasons, I’m sure I remember reading some information in the comments section about what BA are required to do etc. but I can’t remember where it was.

  I’d like to have all the information before I speak to them. At the moment we’re both gutted to be missing out on First.

  Thanks everyone

  • Rhys says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:15

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/08/13/british-airways-first-class-downgrade/

    Note that you can’t claim compensation until you have flown the affected sectors

  • Sean says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:17

    They’re not required to do anything – once you have flown, however, you can claim reimbursement of 75% of the cost of the flights (excl true taxes). It may be possible to get them to re-route you but unlikely. Presume there is no longer First on those flights. DO NOT accept the difference back in avios as the 75% is much more.

    • AJA says:

      19 Jul19 July 15:28

      If BA do refund the difference back in Avios you can still claim the 75% downgrade reimbursement (it’s not compensation, it’s a refund of overpaid Avios) after flying. You will just deduct the amount of Avios BA refunded in the interim in your final calculation. You could also actually try claiming that the Avios given back to you by BA was the compensation for the inconvenience caused and that you are entitled in addition to the full 75% downgrade reimbursement.

  • John says:

    19 Jul19 July 15:25

    When are you due to fly? Are you expecting US to be open to UK passengers by then?
    This could influence what you do next.

    • Trickydic says:

      19 Jul19 July 15:44

      Thanks for all the advice, there is an AA flight with First availability going out and a BA with First on our return dates (cash tickets). Would it be worth seeing if they would move us onto them? We don’t get to fly first very often so this was a real treat.

      Flights are in October so I’m hopeful, President Biden mentioned in press conference recently that he should be able to make an announcement about travel to Europe (will it include the UK???) in the next few days.

      • John says:

        19 Jul19 July 17:52

        USA had raised UK to highest threat level today and advised US citizens not to visit UK.
        Believe odds are negligible that USA will allow people in from UK in foreseeable future.

  • Nicky says:

    19 Jul19 July 20:59

    I posted a comment regarding this a couple of days ago. My return flight from Miami in F was also downgraded. It was an Avios booking (2-4-1 voucher). I did mot use the 0203 number from the e-Mail I just rang silver exec club no. and went to Avios bookings. I got through in 2 minutes and was offered an earlier flight home (17.05 instead of 20.45) and there was F availability. All in all it took 15 minutes to change – at no cost.

• MJ says:

  19 Jul19 July 15:25

  I’ll be moving to Switzerland soon for a new role. Any advice from readers on a sensible credit card strategy in Switzerland?

  • Blair says:

    19 Jul19 July 17:13

    +1. One of the few countries where non-residents can and will be given bank accounts and credit cards. I am waiting to press go on a Swiss account if M&M fail to launch a replacement UK card

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