The HfP chat thread – Thursday 19th August

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

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

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions. With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind. At this tricky time, and given that many of you are at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article. This has long-term benefits as it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page. If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here. This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

Category

General

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

Patrycja says:

19 Aug19 August 09:31

I’m travelling to Madeira on Monday. I checked in online and uploaded all information to Madeira Safe online portal (app is telling me it doesn’t start working until I arrive to Madeira).

I uploaded photos of our Scottish vaccination certificates. How long does it take to get them validated?

The QR code is already appearing and I believe this is all I will need to enter Madeira.

Any real life experiences?
- AFKAE says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:51
  
  Yes, that’s all you need.
  After collecting luggage you get triaged into test on arrival and QR code queues.
  Then the QR code people get further divided into light green and dark green. We were dark green (all uploaded stuff approved). At the end of a short queue someone just goes through all your data …name/where you’re staying/when you’re leaving and then off you go. Slowest part was passport control as we were in the middle of the plane and nearly last off. All in all pretty painless.
  - Patrycja says:
    
    19 Aug19 August 11:37
    
    Thank you! So I don’t need to wait for the document to be approved to be able to board the plane?
    - AFKAE says:
      
      19 Aug19 August 13:50
      
      No, you have a light green QR code and join the light green lane when you’ve collected your baggage.
      The approval (changing to dark green) arrives pretty late, inside the last 24 hours before you depart, but the QR code you have is fine.
      - Patrycja says:
        
        19 Aug19 August 16:32
        
        Awesome, thank you
    - h2d says:
      
      19 Aug19 August 15:32
      
      All the documents are approved once you land in Madeira – when you arrive you will show your documents and then speak with a nurse who will validate your documents in the system. Once this is done it will automatically enable the workflow whereby you can request a free antigen test for your return to the UK. Was a slick process when we were there a few weeks ago.
      - r* says:
        
        19 Aug19 August 16:25
        
        For vaccinated entry to Madeira, do you just need a pcr test before flying or do they test on arrival as well?
      - Patrycja says:
        
        19 Aug19 August 16:34
        
        Very helpful. This put me at ease! Last month we used Qured for return trip to Uk but we will book a free test via the app once we arrive. It’s not giving me an option to do that now.
      - Tracey says:
        
        19 Aug19 August 20:28
        
        In answer to r*, you don’t need any test if you’re 14 days past your second vaccine.
JSemity says:

19 Aug19 August 09:32

Data Point: made a large payment to the creatives using beardy on Tues (17th). Posted as normal to beardy transaction list (as a purchase).
Nigel says:

19 Aug19 August 09:35

Anyone know whats going on with Plaza Premium T5? Is it open or not i’m seeing conflicting accounts.
- KP says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 09:38
  
  Not open and no confirmed news of when it will open
  - Pete M says:
    
    19 Aug19 August 09:40
    
    Wasn’t open last Friday, will check tomorrow but not looking promising. I am so bored of the bacon baps upstairs…
- Rob says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:00
  
  Was open briefly and closed again. Deffo shut last Sunday – we were on a gate next to it.
BrotherBear says:

19 Aug19 August 09:36

Anyone know if Singapore flights are operating?

I booked my brother and his future wife flights for their honeymoon – out 31st Aug back mid September. They don’t appear to have been cancelled and so will have to take a cancellation fee if not going to be cancelled. Obviously within the 14 days of the flight now.

Thanks in advance
- Carol says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 09:58
  
  My flights went ahead as scheduled in June so I took a FTV – just rebooked this morning for next June.
- Anna says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:22
  
  Cash or avios (if BA)?
- Sam G says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:25
  
  They are operating four times a week, so likely they’re on the ones that are running
- VerdantBacon says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 13:14
  
  If they’re booked on BA15 this will likely get cancelled, BA11 is still operating and is unlikely to be cancelled
Michael C says:

19 Aug19 August 09:43

Quetion on (first-ever) BA Holiday booking:
Bit surprised that they refused to break down price for me so I could see how much hotel cost, but I do remember (by phone) that since I moved the booking (Boston at Easter), the price is no longer competitive, so I might as well do the booking myself and gain the (Marriott) points.
Am I right in thinking the easiest/cheapest way to do this is to add a one-day car booking, then remove the entire hotel reservation? and that there should be no cost for that? Thanks!
- Rob says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:00
  
  They won’t break it down, that’s the whole point of BA Hols – to allow BA to quietly dump flights cheaply.
  - Michael C says:
    
    19 Aug19 August 11:05
    
    Makes sense, Rob: the flights are indeed decent and don’t want to lose them.
- Reeferman says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:23
  
  I don’t know if it’ll be the cheapest way, but it may not be the easiest! My BA Holiday booking could only be amended by phone. It is extremely difficult to reach BA Holidays. Best option (which worked for me this morning) seems to be to phone on the dot of 8am, when lines open.
- Anna says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 10:28
  
  I’ve rebooked the BOS IC on points for the end of March, I noticed both cash and points prices had come down a lot as well.
  
  Is this a booking you’re trying to amend or a new one from scratch? You should be able to just add flights and car using the “customise my trip” facility, but be aware that adding car hire isn’t always as cost effective as adding a hotel. BA holidays work even if you just add one night at an airport hotel so that might be an option.
  
  The ins and outs of BA hols need a separate article due to the vagaries of BA IT. I only realised the other day that you don’t need a return flight for it to work!
  - Michael C says:
    
    19 Aug19 August 11:04
    
    Thanks, Anna & co: it’s a booking that’s already there. Should I be able to make changes online? And will they be free?!
    If not, will turn to the chat again: just leave it open on a second laptop as it counts down from “you are 80th in line”!
    - Jonathan says:
      
      19 Aug19 August 11:36
      
      You can’t cancel elements of an existing holiday booking on-line though you can add additional ones eg. Car hire to a flight & hotel booking.
Michael C says:

19 Aug19 August 09:45

PS as a couple of people mentioned they were looking at Boston for ’22, just as an fyi, the Kimpton Onyx becomes the Onyx Boston Downtown Curio by Hilton this Sept.
- Blair says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 11:25
  
  It was always odd to have the Indigo and Kimpton on the same block. So not surprised it has left IHG. Not a fan of the location by the TD Garden. For IHG I’d plump for the IC any day. Hiltons obvs much less attractive now the nonsense F&B credit for Boston (still too low) is in place.
- Harry T says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 11:34
  
  Thanks!
Andrew says:

19 Aug19 August 10:09

10% on NatWest Rewards
- KBuffett says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 11:02
  
  I really need to get a LBG card….
fivebobbill says:

19 Aug19 August 10:51

BA’s Book With Confidence policy.
I know this has been covered extensively in here and on the site in general, but could someone please clarify this particular point.
I know the FTV’s are valid until Sept 2023, which is great for anyone who has already accepted one, however I have a 241 about to expire in around 6 weeks and am undecided. I know Rob says hold off as the 241 expiry date may yet be further extended, but I don’t read anything online to say that BA couldn’t pull or amend the Book With Confidence policy at any time? I read on BA that FTV’s can be claimed for travel if you “booked from 3 March 2020 onwards for travel due to be completed by 31 August 2022”, however I don’t read anything to say that BA couldn’t stop issuing FTV’s from next week?
Am I missing something?
- KBuffett says:
  
  19 Aug19 August 11:13
  
  Good question. I am also in the same boat.
  - Mike says:
    
    19 Aug19 August 17:41
    
    As am I