The HfP chat thread – Monday 6th September

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.

George K says:

6 Sep6 September 13:47

Hey folks – have there been any reports of BA Holiday double TP bonuses not posting? Friend of mine is past the one-month wait period and hasn’t been able to make any headway with BA yet. I told him to raise it with CS via the webform. Any other ideas?
- roberto says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 14:28
  
  Mine never posted. Raised a query online 4 weeks after the trip and sorted within a week.
  - PMG says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 14:37
    
    I did the same last Monday, have had an e-mail and text confirming they will do it “shortly” but have not had anything come through yet…
Will says:

6 Sep6 September 13:53

Have just made first Avios booking with a companion voucher gained last year and a few years of saving points. Open jaw to the USA next spring in Club. I don’t comment much but am a regular reader to thanks to all for the useful nuggets of information on maximising earning and on making open jaw bookings with BA.

I used 02079493086 to contact BA and add the return flight. Was cut off on the first attempt after being on hold for an hour, but got through within 15 mins on the second attempt and was a very slick process.
- Memesweeper says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 14:52
  
  Good to hear of your success 🙂
- Polly says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 20:21
  
  And hope you get club suite seats
Andrew says:

6 Sep6 September 14:05

Pondering a transatlantic to Canada with them (hopefully) re-opening to the world tomorrow.

Most of it is straightforward. Double-vaxxed – tick, PCR – easy to sort, but I’m stumbling over the “Quarantine plan” – any thoughts? I think you just have to evidence adequate pants, socks and means to pay for a hotel for a fortnight.
- James says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 14:09
  
  I’ve enquired about this as well as soon to be going and it is literally a plan of what you will do should you test positive, uploaded on the arrivecan app. You can say that you would stay at a certain hotel and are able to get food delivered to the room.
- mr_jetlag says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 14:21
  
  evidence of adequate pants – yet another intrusion by the state into our intimate private lives!
  - JDB says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 14:36
    
    HMRC can already look at your Airbnb, Amazon, eBay etc accounts and soon at your credit cards and bank accounts, so this does seem a logical next step!
    - Char Char says:
      
      6 Sep6 September 15:47
      
      I believe the rumour of that has more effect than the actual action of them doing anything.
      - JDB says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 15:53
        
        Yes, that’s quite possible, but it isn’t just a rumour. Also making the platforms liable for VAT compliance has had a big effect.
      - Char Char says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 20:22
        
        Yes they may have the ability to do this, but I highly doubt its instant access or a simple process and especially not being cross referenced in real time.
    - KBuffett says:
      
      6 Sep6 September 17:35
      
      I’m not sure they have access to all accounts per se. They are obviously able to request financial information for account holders, just as they would be able to from any other organisation.
      
      It would be good to see some reference sources for this information?
      - JDB says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 17:54
        
        It was is in s126, Finance Act 2021, but not fully in force until later this year. HMRC will no longer need the permission of the individual or a tribunal to access bank/credit card data etc. as is currently the case. There were also FT articles about it on 20 & 25 August if you subscribe.
      - Char Char says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 21:08
        
        I see from reading the articles it looks annoying
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 22:43
  
  If you yourself test positive? You’d be covered by your holiday insurance
Save East Coast Rewards says:

6 Sep6 September 14:23

Got an email from Heathrow Rewards about a new ‘online community’ they’re setting up – does anyone remember BA Future Lab? I guess something like that. After filling in the needlessly long survey I was told I was not the type of person they were looking for.

Perhaps it’s because I said I don’t currently live in the UK.

Has anyone got the email and if you can be bothered to fill in the survey did you get accepted?
- Super Secret Stuff says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 15:53
  
  Very needlessly long, barely even considered doing it TBH. I take from the question about which borough you live in, that in reality they are looking for ways to get Londoners on side with the expansion
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 15:54
    
    I got rejected too BTW
    - Tom says:
      
      6 Sep6 September 17:47
      
      Is the link a generic one? I live close to Heathrow so would be interested in signing up but i did not receive an email!
      - Anon says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 18:21
        
        I don’t know if it’s a generic link etc but if it helps, I’m already part of that “community” (and I live – and always have lived – on the opposite side of Herts from LHR).
        
        I’d say I probably take part in a fifth of the invites to surveys/activities. Partly because some come in at an awkward time for me, whilst some seem contrived in an unsuccessful attempt to “think of a new and engaging way to make this mundane question ‘fun’”.
        
        That said I did win £10 for my efforts a few months back.
Oliver says:

6 Sep6 September 14:26

Niche question. Anyone know if you can book the return leg of a companion voucher booking before the outbound? There’s very limited availability on the return leg which I want to secure whilst awaiting Avios to be refunded so I can afford the outbound (which has more availability).

Companion voucher was triggered after 1st September so doesn’t need to start in UK, hence I’m able to book the return leg first.
- AJA says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 16:47
  
  Until 1 Sep I would have said not possible as the companion voucher had to start in the UK. Now, as you say, you don’t need to start in the UK so effectively you’re booking a xxx-LHR-xxx ticket.
  
  Your problem may be that you are effectively booking the return before the outbound. If you were looking at buying the LHR-xxx flight for a date later than the xxx-LHR date I think you’d be ok.
  
  You could always be the guinea pig and try booking it and report back on whether it works 🙂 If BA won’t let you book the LHR-xxx sector you could cancel the xxx-LHR sector on payment of £35 and have the voucher and Avios returned to you.
  - Oliver says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 23:00
    
    Thanks AJA. Not gone for it yet, but if the refund takes more than another day I’ll give it a go as the guinea pig and I’ll keep everyone updated!
- Tariq says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 21:18
  
  Is the outbound flight available in a lower class? You could book what’s available now, and upgrade later?
  - Oliver says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 22:57
    
    Great suggestion Tariq – sadly not as it’s an I class fare helpfully opened up by my new companion voucher
Denis says:

6 Sep6 September 14:41

Booking flights LHR-DXB-LHR and want to maximise Avios. Is transit through DOH ok and is lounge open there? Many thanks.
- AL says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 15:04
  
  I looked in to this this morning. Outbound, DOH arrivals to DXB must have a printed (not SMS, email, website etc.) certificate of negative test taken and dated within 72hrs of arrival. Back again, Qatar is on Amber list, so negative test before DOH-LHR, PLF and Day 2 test. Given current state of things, seems reasonably straightforward.
  - Denis says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 15:29
    
    Thank you AL.
  - Laura says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 15:41
    
    Is the 72 hours definitely before arrival and not departure? I have been looking in to DXB arrivals from UK and thought the PCR requirement was before departure? I actually was wondering what time is printed on the certificate as I’ve not travelled with these testing requirements yet – the time the test is taken, received or processed etc? Or does it just give the date?! Trying to figure out when the earliest I can take a test is!
    - Denis says:
      
      6 Sep6 September 15:59
      
      +1
- Rob says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 15:09
  
  How about Finnair? Only €683 from Helsinki to Dubai return in Business at the moment and they’ve just swapped the short haul plane for the A350. More tier points too.
  - Denis says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 15:28
    
    I don’t think there are direct flights from HEL on the dates I need this Oct…
Booker1989 says:

6 Sep6 September 15:16

Guys FYI I am currently in Kardamena Kos. Flight out was near full, pretty straight forward at Gatwick, Greek authourities asked to see PLF, saw V for vaccinated and waved us through. Weather is good, lots of cheapish flights if anyone is thinking of a break away.
AL says:

6 Sep6 September 15:22

WeWork sent me a voucher for their WeWork On Demand service over the weekend – “pay as you go access to 40+ locations across the UK, without need for long-term commitment”. “Work space” (offices) available by the day, meeting rooms by the hour.

Free day of office space when you download the WeWork On Demand app and use TRYONDEMANDUK at checkout. Haven’t tried it yet, though.
- Phil W says:
  
  6 Sep6 September 15:31
  
  Tried dummy booking, looks like it works.
  - Rob says:
    
    6 Sep6 September 16:49
    
    It will work. I got this last week – bit pointless as we’re already here but ….
    
    If you’re currently WFH and fancy a change of scene it’s worth using if you’ve always been interested in how WeWork works.
    - AL says:
      
      6 Sep6 September 16:59
      
      How is 3pm beer quality? Used to be great in Canada, then moved here and questionable in their Manchester ones!
      - Rob says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 17:23
        
        There is sparkling wine on tap now too, at least in Eastcheap today. Currently have a Camden Hells Pale Ale next to me.
    - KBuffett says:
      
      6 Sep6 September 17:37
      
      I love WeWork. Are there any deals/collaborations like the historical Regus Gold Pass etc?
      - Rob says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 18:45
        
        No. The new plan lets you pay just for days you want though.
        
        Full time hot desking is £275 per month IIRC so just over £10 per day. You’d pay that on coffee if you sat in a cafe all day.
      - Axel says:
        
        6 Sep6 September 19:52
        
        I think the Marstons Pub Hub type deal is better, if there is one near you.
        
        £10 per day shift includes a burger or veggie tacos for lunch