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The HfP chat thread – Monday 23rd August

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

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General

Comments (509)

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

  • GERARD CREAMER says:
    23 Aug23 August 07:27

    Hi All, looking for recommendations on oneworld lounges at Athens, travelling on wednesday.

    • John says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:19

      There aren’t any, you get what you’re given

    • ChrisC says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:22

      Check the OW lounge database.

      Your choice might be Hobson’s

    • Beardless Hipster says:
      23 Aug23 August 09:54

      BA use Skyserv lounge in ATH

      • Richie says:
        23 Aug23 August 10:03

        It’s OK. Nothing to get excited about. Quite close to the gate. No toilet facilities in the lounge.

      • George K says:
        23 Aug23 August 10:16

        This used to be a decent lounge (maybe borderline on the mediocre), but Covid has really put a nail in its coffin for me. Food and drink has been significantly scaled back, and they blocked off the toilets inside, sending you to the public ones outside. If you’ve got PP, you might as well go next door to the Goldair lounge (or do both – up to you) which, as of three weeks ago, was pretty much back to its pre-covid glory.

  • Rui N. says:
    23 Aug23 August 07:34

    Any email address available for Post Office Life Insurance? I want to cancel my policy and don’t want to call…

  • Ron says:
    23 Aug23 August 07:51

    Hello, is booking with FTV covered by BWC, so I can change dates free of charge? We’ve got a booking in July22, I may need to change it to Aug22. Thanks.

  • Bill says:
    23 Aug23 August 08:06

    I’ve got a Free Now offer on my Amex. How should I use it when taking a cab leaving Euston. Do I pre book or head to the rank ?

    • TGLoyalty says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:21

      Use the freenow app to book.

    • Andrew says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:26

      You just use the free now app when you arrive at Euston – request a cab and one will be assigned to you and you are given its location – it’s the same as Uber but for black cabs.

  • Anna says:
    23 Aug23 August 08:28

    Telegraph reporting that Jamaica, St Lucia, Dominica and Morocco are set to go on the red list from next week. Spain to be spared due to lack of hotel quarantine capacity – which just shows the quarantine system is a farce!

    • Anna says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:29

      Also:

      “However, eight green countries including Israel are expected to turn amber, meaning anyone who is not vaccinated will have to race home before next Monday’s deadline to avoid being forced to quarantine for 10 days at home

      The other seven are popular holiday spots including Croatia and Madeira, and the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Turks and Caicos, as well as Lithuania and Montserrat.”

    • Andrew says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:42

      When’s the next review after this week’s one? Is it monthly?

    • APB says:
      23 Aug23 August 09:17

      That’s probably why my booking at the Fairmont Marrakesh was so cheap – booked last week 🙁

      • Blair says:
        23 Aug23 August 09:21

        If it’s a really good deal, weigh up if it’s worth still going. Bearing in mind the red list hoops.

        • APB says:
          23 Aug23 August 09:23

          It was a great deal £3.5k for 7 nights in the penthouse suite but the quarantine isn’t possible due to our work.

  • Simon says:
    23 Aug23 August 08:28

    Any idea how the same day free flight changes works ?? Do I just call up first thing and pick a different flight. We have 4 avios seats we would like to bring forward a few hours to a flight that isn’t showing Avios availability. Or can I do it on chat just after midnight ?? Presume I shouldn’t do OLCI either. Many thanks

    • Number9 says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:32

      Chat not open at midnight closes at 8pm.

    • Sam G says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:42

      Avios seats aren’t eligible for SDC, only cash. You’d need avios availability to do a change. This might appear nearer the time so keep an eye out

      • Jonathan says:
        23 Aug23 August 09:21

        This is correct. Same day change is a feature of Economy Plus fares. You can do the change online from midnight as long as you haven’t checked in. For Avios bookings you would need Avios availability on the new flight & to call CS so good luck with that at the moment!

      • Aso40 says:
        23 Aug23 August 10:27

        Also, avios bookings can only be changed up to 24 hours before departure, so it is even more limited.

        • Jonathan says:
          23 Aug23 August 12:48

          Not strictly true at the moment. You can FTV up to an hour pre departure then rebook. A good CS agent will do the whole process in one phonecall.

    • Simon says:
      23 Aug23 August 10:46

      Thanks v much everyone. Looks like we won’t be moving anything !

  • Rum says:
    23 Aug23 August 08:47

    Do I need to use my Chrinomics LFT that I have brought with me on holiday or can I use a local provider at my destination to get the tests done? It’s just so much cheaper at my destination so thinking of returning the unregistered and unused Chronomics tests.

    • Rum says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:47

      Darn autocorrect!!

    • Ben says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:54

      I don’t think they are refundable?

      • Rum says:
        23 Aug23 August 09:09

        The Chronomics site suggests they are – they’re unregistered and unopened so I’m going to try it. The difference in price is quite huge

    • Rhys says:
      23 Aug23 August 08:54

      You can do it locally if you prefer

    • Blair says:
      23 Aug23 August 09:22

      A local test generating a positive result denies you the ability to ‘self-manage’ your situation though. I’d always go with remotely supervised LFT.

      • Peter K says:
        23 Aug23 August 11:49

        So basically lie and put others at risk?

        • Blair says:
          23 Aug23 August 12:47

          Keep to yourself in your hotel till negative and extend your stay.

          • Rob says:
            23 Aug23 August 17:08

            Exactly. Feel free to do an official local test and risk whatever the locals do to those who test positive, or do a Qured test and if you’re positive just extend your hotel stay and lay low.

  • Reney says:
    23 Aug23 August 08:51

    @ TheInsiderFly, I saw your message from last night. Hope you found the HSBC WE letter and it says £0 fee. If you do call, would love to know the outcome.

    • manilabay says:
      23 Aug23 August 09:23

      I got the WE Mastercard earlier in August with the same £0 annual fee. Tried on the phone this morning to ask about it but they said it was just an error on the letter…

      • Reney says:
        23 Aug23 August 09:38

        yes it sounds like people get charged on first statement which is after the 14 day cooling period for me.

        • LS says:
          23 Aug23 August 09:44

          I think if you get charged, put a complaint in saying you applied on the premise they were giving fee-rebates out because of COVID (seen online). The letter confirmed this, so you didn’t exercise your 14 day cancellation right. You are now surprised you were charged this year. No lies, simple statement of fact. They will fold very quickly.

          • Lady London says:
            24 Aug24 August 10:52

            +1 polite letter setting out these facts is the way to go. If you have the letter they haven’t got a leg to stand on

        • JDB says:
          23 Aug23 August 11:45

          For me, although it was a while back, it was the first use of the card which triggered a statement and the fee only about a week after receiving the card. My subsequent, and now regular statement date is about 8 days later (so longer gap between statements 1 and 2).

          I think all this issue with the £0 fee letters is actually a mistake. In April or so they said they would waive the next annual fee for existing holders, but it looks as though it is wrongly programmed for new applications as well. So those claiming (and getting) a refund of the fee are getting an unintentional bonus.

      • Harry T says:
        23 Aug23 August 10:41

        I think it may be a case of hang up and call again until you get a reasonable agent? Or I just got really lucky…

        • Luke says:
          23 Aug23 August 19:23

          I think you will have more success if you just ask for the fee to be waived due to lack of travel, rather than on the basis of a mistake they’ve made in a letter.

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

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