The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 21st July

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Mark says:

21 Jul21 July 08:20

Can I use a BA future travel voucher to book were part of the flights are operated by AA?
The AA flight is not showing at all (even without ba flight number on BA.com) but would they be able to book over the phone?
- ChrisC says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 10:09
  
  If the flight isn’t showing on BA com then I don’t think they can*. There would need to be a BA codeshare on the flight.
  
  I have booked plenty of AA operated flights under the BA codeshare as part of BA bookings (including some which are all AA metal flights)
  
  What’s the route?
  
  *Exception is Avios flights
  - Mark says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 11:28
    
    TLV-JFK
    JFK-SFO
    - Nick says:
      
      21 Jul21 July 20:50
      
      It doesn’t have to have a codeshare, they can book on AA*. But only if it’s in scope for the joint business – which TLV is not. Start in Europe and you’ll be fine.
Tazzy says:

21 Jul21 July 08:35

Any suggestions how to get through to BA ? I’ve tried 20+ times over last 24 hours and get cut off each time
- BSI1978 says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 08:39
  
  Subject to what you need to do, people have been enjoying success via Twitter
- Joe says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 08:47
  
  I rang the Avios team to cancel a booking on Sunday afternoon – got straight through!
- Louise K says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 08:52
  
  Holidays team are impossible at the moment and Twitter can’t help either. If it’s FO then Twitter will help, eventually.
  - Number9 says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 09:11
    
    I had success on chat for BA holidays. Early evening about 7pm on a Saturday.
    - ChrisC says:
      
      21 Jul21 July 10:10
      
      How do you get the chat to open?
      - Sukes says:
        
        21 Jul21 July 10:23
        
        You need to change your country setting for the website to non-UK. Try Ireland. Then the webchat function should automatically start to pop up.
- Harry T says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:07
  
  Try Twitter or the web chat on the BA website (you can get the web chat to fetch you a human – it’ll put you in a queue).
- Vern says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 10:20
  
  I tried Twitter and they fobbed me off. Eventually got through on phone but give yourself plenty of time. On fourth attempt I was on hold for 58 minutes. Took three minutes to sort issue out. Agent very apologetic and helpful.
SG says:

21 Jul21 July 08:54

Morning all
Could anyone help please or advice where to check if Uk Covid vaccination proof(Jersey) is accepted for entering Ukraine?
(VisitUkraine does not have a list)
- Nomid says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:42
  
  Not formalised so up to airport border personal.
  Requirements do say that your vaccination certificate must contain your passport details.
  And be prepared to pay for express-test on arrival
K says:

21 Jul21 July 09:01

Didn’t the government say that they will remove the FCO advice against travel to amber countries? Starting from 19th July? Most European countries still advised against travel. Any indication it will change ?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:14
  
  No they said they would remove their own advice not to travel to amber countries.
  
  The FCDO advice is based upon many factors not just Covid infection rates and they’d removed advice to some amber countries well before July 19th.
  
  Their advice will depend on how they view the situation on the ground there.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 09:16
    
    To illustrate my point France has no “essential travel only” advice but is on the newly minted Amber+ list.
    - K says:
      
      21 Jul21 July 09:38
      
      Yes exactly spot on. Advice says:
      
      The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the whole of Slovenia based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.
      
      Yet places like Hungary, Slovenia, Italy has low infection rates yet FCO says because of covid risks, they advise against travel, except essential Insurance won’t pay in this case
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Jul21 July 09:52
        
        But the risk might not be the risk of catching it but the risk of curtailing any none essential travel.
        
        Ie if your travel isn’t essential then it would be mad to go to Italy who require quarantine for all.
- Anna says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:23
  
  FCDO advice HAS changed for many countries since the removal of the quarantine requirement for the double jabbed – where are you looking at specifically?
  - Sarah says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 10:10
    
    There’s no logic to where it has been removed though. Eg. It’s been lifted for France, but that’s now ‘Amber plus’ but not lifted for Italy. Spain and Greece have far higher numbers than Italy, but their advice has also been lifted.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      21 Jul21 July 11:14
      
      See my point.
      
      It wouldn’t be sensible to go to France for anything but essential travel as you would spend 5 days in quarantine. If you need to be in Italy for essential reasons check with your travel insurance as they may still cover you ie Amex platinum will.
      
      This advice is used by the holiday industry.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Jul21 July 11:14
        
        Italy not France ffs
Phil W says:

21 Jul21 July 09:02

Edinburgh Airport – I’m guessing both Aspire and the No1 Lounges are remain closed. That’s what I can see online but some businesses forget to update their opening hours, so thought I would check.
- Stu N says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:30
  
  Nope, both closed for foreseeable future. BA lounge has apparently just reopened if you have access to that.
  - Ancient says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 20:18
    
    Annoying. Flying ex-EDI in 2 weeks. Wonder if Amex will refund refreshments.
- Rob says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 10:00
  
  No1 is not reopening.
- Phil W says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 10:15
  
  Time to call Amex and ask for a retention bonus on my Plat 🤣
Mighty Hunter says:

21 Jul21 July 09:13

Did the Exec lounge at GLA re-open as planned on Monday?
Any comments regarding the service?
Thanks
- Rhys says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:44
  
  The BA lounge is open at Glasgow.
VickyTM says:

21 Jul21 July 09:22

Hi, does anyone know where I can get travel insurance that covers travel to a place against FCDO advise, outside of Europe, that covers over 75’s for Covid…
Battleface is a max age of 59 and stay sure only covers Europe.
- Anna says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:26
  
  You might be struggling – where are you going (possibly Mexico but I might be wrong)? Some posters have managed to get travel insurance from a provider their destination (e.g. the USA), or through a packaged bank account.
  - VickyTM says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 09:42
    
    Yeah it’s Mexico… Hadn’t occurred to me till this morning that my dad who is travelling with us would have difficulty getting travel insurance. Actually Battleface cover everything except covid for him…. but it’s an obvious risk.
- JDB says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:40
  
  Maybe get your Dad to look at Saga who I don’t think have an upper age limit. You may need to get one insurance policy for him and another for you/your son even if that isn’t ideal.
  - VickyTM says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 09:43
    
    Yeah thanks – I’ll look into that. I have no problem getting 2 separate policies.
  - VickyTM says:
    
    21 Jul21 July 09:49
    
    @JDB, can you recommend any of Mexico city airport hotels for the first night?
    - JDB says:
      
      21 Jul21 July 10:11
      
      The Hilton in T1 (where BA arrives) is a bit grim (very tired indeed) but sort of OK for one night and there are some OK food places in the airport as hotel food bad+expensive. Only a few rooms have an external view. If you have a domestic flight the next day, the NH at T2 is more modern (like the terminal) and is our preference. Breakfast at NH is good. You need to take the monorail between terminals (only for airline passengers, so need to show boarding card/ticket) which is upstairs and a bit of a schlep from the customs exit where they confiscate trollies.
- JDB says:
  
  21 Jul21 July 09:47
  
  Of the packaged bank accounts Anna mentioned, Nationwide Flex Plus I believe covers ‘non essential’ countries and if over 70 you can buy a policy extension – I think £65. Read the covid exclusions carefully, but I think they are quite generous.
Michael says:

21 Jul21 July 09:29

They were still closed last Friday Phil.