The HfP chat thread – Sunday 8th August

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

• Will says:

  8 Aug8 August 11:33

  Ref curve card, anybody got a daily limit in excess of £4500.

  Annual limit fine but daily an issue for me.

  • roberto says:

    8 Aug8 August 11:57

    I have £9000 with a £1.6M annual limit. Metal personal card.

  • Aston100 says:

    8 Aug8 August 12:10

    Sometime late last year, numerous people found their limits extended to £9k daily / £1.6m annual.

    • Swiss Jim says:

      8 Aug8 August 12:38

      I had £9k. Got reduced to £2k daily limit on card renewal. But still have £1.6m annual limit. Go figure…

      I would look to have the £9k reinstated, but given it’s all MS think it’s better to keep my head down….

      • John says:

        8 Aug8 August 13:41

        Same here. So effectively £730k annual

      • Harrier25 says:

        8 Aug8 August 14:50

        To get the daily limit of 9k reinstated I had to revert back to a commercial card.

        • will says:

          8 Aug8 August 17:14

          Many thanks, I’m commercial with 1.4m annual limit, used for commercial.

          I’ll request a daily increase.

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    8 Aug8 August 21:24

    9k is the max as they said that’s the MasterCard limit.

• Anna says:

  8 Aug8 August 11:39

  Hive wisdom of the recently travelled – is it acceptable to only have electronic copies of PLFs for returning to England? There are very limited printing facilities where we are staying, hopefully the reception staff can print our FR boarding passes (they seem to have to be paper still!) but I don’t want to push the good will!

  • Aliks says:

    8 Aug8 August 11:48

    Yes – we were both fine with electronic when we returned from Faro a couple of weeks ago.

    The checkin guy had little problem handling my laptop – hopefully he was double vaxxed.

  • His Holyness says:

    8 Aug8 August 11:48

    I’ve never printed, why should I? Plus it’s bad for the environment. No issue.

    • Anna says:

      8 Aug8 August 12:05

      Thanks Aliks!

      Totally agree but I keep reading about people being denied boarding for not having exactly the right paperwork. Also Ryanair still seem to need printed boarding passes, regardless of environmental issues!

      • Sam G says:

        8 Aug8 August 12:16

        might be route dependent but usually you can use their app and it allows multiple boarding passes for family which some don’t!

  • Rich says:

    8 Aug8 August 12:18

    I’m sure you won’t have a problem, but why take the risk? All it takes is one gate agent to spoil your day and refuse boarding. This is the airline that was refusing boarding to people because their tests were older than 72h, even though they were perfectly acceptable to the UK!

    These days I would have paper copies of everything, sadly.

    • meta says:

      8 Aug8 August 12:37

      This is also the airline which denies boarding to those who use Prenetics or Qured tests.

      • BP says:

        8 Aug8 August 12:43

        Really? Why?

        • meta says:

          8 Aug8 August 13:15

          See some reports in chat threads over the last week that Ryanair check-in agents are denying boarding as they say Qured or Prenetics are not acceptable to them.

    • Rob says:

      8 Aug8 August 16:07

      The NHS app also goes down now and then – you’re not flying if you try to pull up your vaccination certificate and nothing happens. Download the PDF.

      You should also know that if you test positive – and possibly if you are in isolation too – your pass is disabled for 14 days. Another good reason to download, given that isolation is only 10 days.

  • Harry T says:

    8 Aug8 August 12:38

    On your phone as a PDF is fine based on my experiences flying multiple times during the pandemic.

  • Anthony says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:14

    Can you use BA eVouchers to pay towards a reward flight?

    • ChrisC says:

      8 Aug8 August 19:56

      No.

• Lord Doncaster says:

  8 Aug8 August 12:01

  Congratulations to Team GB! Exceeding the number of gold medals won by France and Germany combined 😁🇬🇧

  • Alex says:

    8 Aug8 August 12:17

    Well done to Scotland! Lol

  • Chris K says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:42

    But, according to that lovely, level-headed Guy Verhofstadt, the EU are the real victors. Because if you add all 27 individuals countries’ medals totals together, then they beat the USA.

    I mean, you just have to ignore the obviously fatal factual flaw that they didn’t compete as one entity, and that having 26 extra chances to submit athletes for each event naturally resulted in far more medals. But other than that, really he has an excellent point 😀

    • Lord Doncaster says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:05

      I did notice Mr Verhofstadt did the usual willy waving. If we look at the EU total and divide by 27 it comes close to the bottom of the pile 😂

    • Sandra says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:06

      For me, although they were all well deserved, the absolute top was Jason Kenny’s gold at about 4am this morning and we’ll worth staying up to watch. He’s not the fastest but tactically brilliant!

    • Pangolin says:

      8 Aug8 August 15:43

      And according to Verhofstadt the EU has won the last four World Cups

• Nav says:

  8 Aug8 August 12:23

  Well done to China for being the daddy of you all! 🇨🇳

  • The Lord says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:07

    They came 2nd?

  • KBuffett says:

    8 Aug8 August 15:24

    And what about you, how did you do?

    • The Lord says:

      8 Aug8 August 16:28

      Great, enjoyed the whole thing

• Gtellez says:

  8 Aug8 August 12:23

  I need a PCR test to enter Maldives. I’m flying from UK to Madrid (on the 15th) and MAD-MLE (on the 16th). Can anyone recommend a good fit to fly PCR test provider? In the BA website there are so many providers and the difference in price is huge. I would need to send the sample on Saturday morning and have the results by Monday afternoon. Thanks!

  • Optimus Prime says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:01

    I wouldn’t risk it if you are going to post it on a weekend. How about Collinsons’ rapid PCR (results in 3 hours)?

    • Blair says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:04

      I second this. For the sake of an extra £40-60 why on earth would you not want to save yourself the tension and hassle of a postal test. Go get a rapid turnaround test in a city centre or airport test centre. One of them is now providing rapid turnaround tests from a conference room in the Manchester Jurys Inn.

  • Anna says:

    8 Aug8 August 14:08

    The 3 hour Randox PCR test at MAN (booked when we didn’t realise LAMP would have been ok!) came back in just under 3 hours. Collinson LAMP is £70 I think, same turnaround.

    • Gtellez says:

      8 Aug8 August 21:02

      The problem is the timing, since our train arrives at MAN at 19.30 on Saturday and we leave at 10.30 on Sunday to Madrid. My first option was to check the airport testing but it closes at 19.00 and if I take the test on Sunday they don’t guarantee the results until Monday at midnight (the flight is on Monday at 21.00). Maldives doesn’t allow LAMP, just PCR so no an option to get the results earlier. Then Randox only offer drive through and we don’t have a car… So it seems that everything is against me!
      I have checked and I could get a PCR test in Madrid for 75 euros each, so I think I would take that option and not risk my holidays with a postal test. Thanks all for the advise!

• Optimus Prime says:

  8 Aug8 August 12:57

  I’ve seen reports of Moderna’s vaccine being 93% effective after 6 months while Pfizer’s drops to 84%. Is there a similar study about AstraZeneca?

  • Blair says:

    8 Aug8 August 14:06

    Oh god don’t even encourage them by asking to see statistics that will be used against us. We’ll have the AZ vaccinated back in lockdown by Halloween, Pfizer will be allowed circulate freely till they start their lockdown a week after fireworks night, then the Moderna crew locked up before the first Sunday of Advent. Because, y’know, it would be unequal if anyone wasn’t locked down for Christmas.

  • Rob says:

    8 Aug8 August 16:02

    Friend of mine went to a dinner party last weekend and 5 of the guests, inc him, are now positive. All double jabbed. This is on top of the multiple people I know who were infected over the last month.

    93% efficiency against something highly contagious still doesn’t get you far when you look up what 93% means. It does NOT mean that 93% of people are 100% unable to be infected. You won’t get badly ill if you test positive but you need to forget any ideas about not getting it.

    • Pete says:

      8 Aug8 August 17:00

      But not getting ill or dying is basically all that matters.

      • Rob says:

        8 Aug8 August 17:13

        Of course – but too many people don’t understand how likely they are to contract it. My wife is not doing her usual two days in the office next week, for example, because we are hoping to leave the country next weekend and it is an unnecessary risk given that she has no meetings.

      • Optimus Prime says:

        8 Aug8 August 17:22

        Well yes, but if you test positive before boarding a plane your holiday is ruined despite your vaccination status.

        • Bagoly says:

          8 Aug8 August 23:01

          Testing positive before boarding a ‘plane for the journey back (and so having to buy ten days in a hotel at short notice) has always been what I saw as the most likely risk (although pre-vaccination not the most serious).
          Does any insurance cover that?

    • Lord Doncaster says:

      8 Aug8 August 17:14

      Makes me wonder what they were doing at the dinner party …

      • Rob says:

        8 Aug8 August 17:45

        Sitting around a table in close proximity eating I imagine ….

        • Lord Doncaster says:

          8 Aug8 August 23:30

          How can you be sure they didn’t drop their car keys in a glass bowl?

• Jimbob says:

  8 Aug8 August 13:14

  Off for a short family trip to London at the end of August.

  Any recommendations where to have a nice brunch with fussy teenagers?

  • Zoe P says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:29

    Dishoom is my favourite. Really cool Indian brunch food.

    • Mikeact says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:56

      If you don’t mind queuing..

      • KBuffett says:

        8 Aug8 August 15:26

        You can book for parties of at least 6

  • Tim Rogers says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:32

    Gloria in Shoreditch is a good bet. Cool, great food and very Instagram-ready.

  • Ben says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:49

    Balthazar in Covent Garden is a good bet for traditional brunch and bistro dishes.

    Or German Gymnasium at Kings Cross for a more, well, German twist (and great cocktails) in a fantastic building.

  • Harry T says:

    8 Aug8 August 14:01

    We always enjoy brunch at Scarlett Green.

    • Jimbob says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:08

      Thanks all, lots of great recommendations

  • Ben says:

    8 Aug8 August 14:19

    Caravan at Granary Square. Would have thought teenagers would enjoy the vibe of Granary Sq/Coals Drop area, there is also a branch of Dishoom as suggested by Zoe P

    • Rob says:

      8 Aug8 August 15:56

      Granary Square Brasserie next to Caravan is actually a branch of The Ivy – not actually sure why they don’t use the name. Generally a decent brunch choice.

• NP says:

  8 Aug8 August 13:23

  Has anyone booked a day 2 test through expert-medicals recently. Every time I try and submit the form the page refreshes and doesn’t submit?! Tried on my phone and PC

  • N says:

    8 Aug8 August 13:25

    same for me this morning. went with randox in the end. poor IT is enough for a company to lose my business!

    • Joints&Piles says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:14

      +1

      I just booked ‘return to UK’ and day 2 tests with Qured. The order process and confirmation emails were clear and sensible.

      Being the kind of person who likes a back-up plan, I also ordered a ‘return to UK’ test from Chronomics. The website was awkward, unclear and incomplete, the confirmation email poorly written and uninformative, and the order confirmation doesn’t state the same type of test that I ordered and is missing details like passenger name.

      Creates zero confidence. Now I need a back-up plan for my back-up plan…

  • Gavin says:

    8 Aug8 August 14:06

    Bought one a couple of days ago without issue

  • Anna says:

    8 Aug8 August 14:10

    A friend I told about it said she was having the same issue yesterday. I vaguely remember that it’s easy to miss one of the boxes or fill it in incorrectly. Otherwise hopefully it’s a temporary glitch and not because they’ve been binned off the approved testing list!

    • Anna says:

      8 Aug8 August 14:14

      Or try ordering the green list test if the amber vaccinated one isn’t working, or vice versa, they will be exactly the same. Pretty sure I ordered green list ones as they weren’t selling an amber day 2 only at that point.
      Let me know if it works so I can tell my friend!

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