The HfP chat thread – Monday 9th August

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• Gary says:

  9 Aug9 August 11:20

  Repost as went on wrong thread. Has anyone stayed at Anantara Algarve? Any thoughts? TripAdvisor reviews seemed mixed.

  • Simon says:

    9 Aug9 August 11:40

    Great pool, good large rooms, but very limited food options (2 dinner choices – different buffet them each night in the main restaurant, or the high end restaurant – which to be fair we loved). Location sucks – Vilamoura is a poor man’s Quinta. It was half the price of the Conrad, which I suppose sums it up. Out of school holidays price premium, Conrad wins hands down.

• Pete M says:

  9 Aug9 August 11:40

  I am loving our freedom! Vodafone to bring back roaming charges from January: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58146039

  • Yorkie Aid says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:03

    Thankfully due to our fantastic deregulated telecoms market you have the freedom to change provider. Just port out if you don’t like it.

    • Gavin says:

      9 Aug9 August 12:17

      Potentially all of them will start charging within a couple of years, though.

    • Jonathan says:

      9 Aug9 August 12:43

      All of the decent networks will follow. 3 may maintain their generous roaming policies but then you’re stuck with the rubbish signal at home (or getting temporary 3 PAYG sims for holidays).

      • bafan says:

        9 Aug9 August 14:17

        Hopefully they’ll start doing E-SIMs at some point. Otherwise yes it’s not feasible to change my phone number every time I go on vacation.

        • Rhys says:

          9 Aug9 August 14:50

          Most phones have dual sim slots these days don’t they?

        • Magic Mike says:

          9 Aug9 August 23:18

          Esim doesn’t stop you having to change your phone number, it just saves swapping the little bits of plastic.

      • Jody says:

        9 Aug9 August 15:18

        We had no phone signal at all (new build house, wasn’t just three but all providers). Contacted Three, and they sent us a box out for free. Now get full signal, so can use phone, text etc which we couldn’t do.

        I see lots of bad reports on here about Three, but we’re both customers and only have good things to say.

        • stevenhp1987 says:

          9 Aug9 August 16:32

          When/How did you manage this?

          Been trying to get a Home Signal box for a while as we have 0 signal in our house. They keep telling us they don’t offer this to customers anymore.

    • bafan says:

      9 Aug9 August 14:20

      Are you a spokesperson for the government on a full time basis?

  • TheOtherN says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:08

    Vodafone were the first to drop free wifi on the Tube in London (without advising anyone), so vote with your bank account.

  • Aston100 says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:14

    Talking of freedom, I haven’t seen posts from ‘Freedom Dave’ (Dave1985) for a few days.

    • David says:

      9 Aug9 August 16:23

      I think he’s now moved on to erecting Union Jack’s across his home town instead at the end of every comment

  • Reney says:

    9 Aug9 August 15:26

    @Rhys I think only iphones sold in China and Hong Kong have physical dual sim slot. Given how popular iphones still are, I would say a lot of phones don’t have more than one physical sum slot.

    • Rhys says:

      9 Aug9 August 15:33

      Yes but all iPhones have support for Sim + eSim

      • Lyn says:

        9 Aug9 August 18:32

        Isn’t this only newer iPhones?

        A serious question, since our iPhones are old hand-me-downs and don’t even have current SIMs in them. They still work well for WhatsApp phone calls and to control a Sonos speaker though.

  • Blair says:

    9 Aug9 August 17:46

    Might have been covered previously, but is there a consumer right to step out of an existing contract without exit penalty if the free roaming feature is removed?

    • Lady London says:

      10 Aug10 August 11:01

      There should be. but smartly, they’ll make the change for new contracts now and others at contract rollover.

      Note that as with BA, Vodafone is about corporate customers and corporate customers will keep excellent deals including roaming. Just like BA hands corporates free seat selection from time of booking in all classes.

      Vodafone is not really a network if you’re not a corporate customer sooner or later they will turn on you.

• Ross Parker says:

  9 Aug9 August 11:53

  Does anyone have recent experience of LHR T5 Long Stay car parking? I normally use it, but there is something funny now with an “on demand” shuttle bus, apparently. We’ll be parking at 0500 for a 0710 flight. What are the chances that we’ll be stranded in a cold, wet car park?

  • MrHandBaggageOnly says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:37

    The buses have been ‘on demand’ since last year. It is likely you will not even be able to tell the difference. Experience last year was getting from car park to terminal was fine (admittedly not at 5am in the morning). Getting back to the car park was tougher, but I’m hoping those problems have been rectified. If the price difference isn’t crazy, you might prefer to use the short stay.

    • Ross Parker says:

      9 Aug9 August 12:49

      Thank you – very helpful.

  • Keely says:

    9 Aug9 August 21:19

    I’m a bit late to reply …but we waited about 7 mins at 5am last week .
    Roughly same time waiting for on demand bus (after calling ) at 7pm at night.

• john says:

  9 Aug9 August 11:54

  I’ve been trying to reach BA by phone / live chat all morning to do some complicated rebookings … they are always too busy and hang up… It’s not looking good if you have a future travel voucher and want to book a flight ! it reminds me of last summer when you could only get a refund from easyjet if you called them … anyone managed to get in touch with BA recently?

  • Pete M says:

    9 Aug9 August 11:55

    I always us the US number via Skype and generally manage to speak to them.

  • CS says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:30

    I had a similar problem this morning as well, and I decided to call them via the number for new booking and got through at the end.

  • Olivia says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:37

    Yes eventually but please make sure you ring via Skype etc as I got charged a huge bill for the privilege of being on hold to their toll number for an hour and a half.

• max28 says:

  9 Aug9 August 11:57

  We’re due to fly to Greece (Rhodes) in a couple of weeks’ time and I’m a bit concerned about the risk of quarantine if someone in your flight tests positive. Does anyone have any recent experience of flying to Greece and know if every flight arriving is being tested or whether it’s a rare occurence?

  • Blenz101 says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:05

    Random testing of passengers was my experience in Mykonos. Not sure if that was based on if you were entering on a PCR test or because of vaccination status but random people seemed to be pulled out and sent to another line.

    Given Rhodes is in a state of alert over wildfires that may be more of an obstacle to your trip than covid right now.

  • Frankie says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:12

    My friends flew to Athens on Saturday. I asked them about the arrival testing and they said they weren’t tested and they didn’t notice anyone being tested.

  • max28 says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:56

    Thanks both!

  • Dej says:

    9 Aug9 August 13:37

    Flew to thessaloniki on the 30th of July. Our party didn’t get tested ( both adults are fully jabbed) , tbf I didn’t see a lot of people being chosen to be tested

  • Harry T says:

    9 Aug9 August 15:57

    To be honest, this is the risk you taking flying anywhere at the moment, including back into the UK. I have heard of plane loads of passengers arriving in Greece being tested recently.

• Aston100 says:

  9 Aug9 August 12:24

  Got this from ATG in regards to a theatre visit later this month (5% statement credit on Amex).
  Not sure if this is a new thing, but I’ve not been asked for proof of Covid status domestically before now. If you’re under 18, they’ll simply take your word for it…

  **********
  We cannot wait to welcome you to our venue, but we need to make sure that you, our staff, and the rest of the audience are safe. Currently, upon arrival, as well as your eTickets, all members of your party over the age of 18 must demonstrate their COVID-19 Status to gain entry in ONE of the following ways:

  • Full vaccination (first and second dose), and with the second dose administered at least 14 days before your visit; OR
  • A negative lateral flow test taken within 48 hours of your visit; OR
  • Proof of natural immunity (positive PCR test within the last six months, after self-isolation has ended and up to 180 days after taking the test).

  Find out what we need you to bring to show your COVID-19 Status Certification.
  Please note that failure to provide your details may result in you being refused entry without a refund.

  Attendees under the age of 18 must provide verbal confirmation that they have not tested positive nor are currently suffering from symptoms of COVID-19; from their parent, guardian or the individual themselves if they are aged 16 or 17.

  • Memesweeper says:

    9 Aug9 August 12:57

    I was at an event two weeks ago that needed negative LF test regardless of vaccines. I expect more of the same in the coming months…

  • Dr Tom says:

    9 Aug9 August 13:22

    Yes, most theatres are asking for this now. Some of them are also asking for an LF test taken within 24 hours of the event. I go to the theatre regularly, so I’ve witnessed all the people who haven’t realised this and either don’t get in, or get sent to be tested and miss the start of the show.

    There are also theatres that ask for all this, but no one ever checks when you arrive.

    Another thing to be aware of is that some theatres do require masks to be worn inside (but that doesn’t mean everyone complies). Personally, I am continuing to wear my mask, but I do understand that there are very wide ranging views about masks.

  • Kevin C says:

    9 Aug9 August 13:40

    I was at the theatre last week and we had to do this. They were doing temperature checks as well. Most of the audience wore masks but not all.

    I went to the Formula e race at the Excel a couple of weeks ago. For that you needed to go into town the day before and have a PCR test with their own provider. Everyone in hospitality had to do this and you couldn’t arrange it yourself.

  • @mkcol says:

    10 Aug10 August 03:42

    I was at MK Theatre last night which is an ATG venue, had exactly the same email, and was thoroughly impressed with how well run the operation was.
    Even more so that the auditorium was available to enter as soon as we arrived – an hour before curtain up.
    Just a shame it was Jimmy Carr, dire second half.

• Grant says:

  9 Aug9 August 12:25

  Is anyone familiar on how EZY’s policy on face masks for children works in practice for UK internal flights? The pre-flight email I received suggests children aged 6 and over are required to wear one onboard, but I didn’t know whether this was generic to cover all destinations or if the EZY policy is actually different to Government policy.

  • Travel Strong says:

    9 Aug9 August 13:06

    EZY’s policy is general for all destinations. No first hand experience with kids + masks. However I sure you can apply the same as the adult mask mitigations: keep eating and drinking throughout and the mask requirements are minimal! EZY are very reasonable and just showing willing will be enough.

    • Grant says:

      9 Aug9 August 13:21

      Good stuff, thanks

  • Frankie says:

    9 Aug9 August 14:56

    My sister flew EZY to Belfast from Stansted on Saturday. Her 7 year old son had to wear a mask per their policy.

  • Harley says:

    9 Aug9 August 15:45

    My Flight last week they were very strict on it. Not only telling the parents in the row behind to put them on but also using the PA to announce it 5x during the flight making some sleep impossible 😂

• EDA says:

  9 Aug9 August 12:44

  Does anyone have any feedback on HSBC home/contents insurance? Are they any good?

  • Andrew says:

    9 Aug9 August 13:19

    It’s white label Aviva.

  • Sina says:

    9 Aug9 August 14:26

    Very good indeed, have used them for the past 3 years!

  • MM says:

    9 Aug9 August 15:52

    big fan of getsafe now.

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