The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 8th September

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Kevin says:

8 Sep8 September 17:42

Planning a trip to Marseille (first time) for end of the month. Any recommendations about where or which hotel to stay?

Anyone got experience with Voco as I have noticed that Voco Paris has indicated that extra person charge is applied. Is this charge, 2nd person similar to Germany ?
- Gareth says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 18:21
  
  The intercontinental is nice in Marseille, some rooms have a lovely harbour view. Breakfast expensive for what you get but it’s on the terrace at the front which is a nice setting. Pool was adequate but not peaceful due to children when we stayed.
  - BP says:
    
    8 Sep8 September 20:28
    
    IC is very nice. I stayed there after getting engaged on the same trip and was upgraded to a room with a terrace overlooking the harbour.
- Genghis says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 18:37
  
  I normally stay at the Radisson Blu as it’s close to where I need to be. It’s reasonable, especially if I get a room overlooking harbour.
  
  For food, I recommend Chez Michel for bouillabaisse. For something a bit cheaper, L’inattendu.
  - BP says:
    
    8 Sep8 September 20:30
    
    I really wanted to like bouillabaisse but it was the strongest tasting fish dish I’ve ever had. At €50 I forced it down!!
- Patrycja says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 20:23
  
  Intercontinental is great and very central. We booked through Emyr and got €100 credit at the hotel and a bottle of champagne included.
Mikeact says:

8 Sep8 September 18:00

For those proposing using AA for overseas travel or US Domestic be very much aware, either Avios or cash. You have been warned.

American Airlines Updates Its Rules: Has No Responsibility For Delays And Cancellations

They don’t have to take responsibility for getting you to your destination if they decide it’s too costly or inconvenient for them to do so – the most they owe you is a refund.

I’ll let Rob pick up the rest of this story.
- Andrew says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 18:19
  
  You’d still be covered by UK legislation for the flight out of the UK (but not back).
- Anna says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:00
  
  Indeed – I am seeing many complaints from Americans on the timeshare owners group I’m in posting that AA have cancelled flights and in some cases then reinstated them at much higher prices!
  If you don’t get a refund for a cancelled flight, the US DOT is very good at putting a rocket up the airlines and making them pay up.
- Phil W says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:11
  
  I believe UK/EU 261 covers fights originating from or arriving into the UK and EU.
  - ChrisC says:
    
    8 Sep8 September 19:14
    
    it does not apply to non EU/UK airline flights TO the UK though.
    - Phil W says:
      
      8 Sep8 September 20:00
      
      You learn something everyday.
      - Tony1 says:
        
        8 Sep8 September 22:15
        
        Every day is a school day
- Richie says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:29
  
  It’ll be interesting to see if AA don’t want to ticket with BA on say flights such as WPB-JFK-LHR where JFK-LHR is operated by BA, in the cheapest fare buckets.
- TheInsiderFly says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 22:01
  
  Is there a source for this info?
  - Louie says:
    
    9 Sep9 September 00:31
    
    https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-service/support/conditions-of-carriage.jsp#changestoschedulesoperations
- Lady London says:
  
  9 Sep9 September 13:01
  
  I would have thought the US DoT would swiftly remind American Airlines of its responsibilities
Mart says:

8 Sep8 September 18:35

Anyone availed of the sainsburys energy offer? My reading of it (switch to the 2 year fix for 12,000 points dual fuel) is that once the points post, I can switch away for free. Wanted to confirm if any lived experience

Thanks in advance
- EwanG says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:06
  
  My reading of it is your plan will work.
  Exit fees (if you cancel this tariff before the end date): Not applicable
  😃
- Andrew says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 20:18
  
  Albeit 12,000 nectar is valued at £60, so might not be worth the hassle.
Anna says:

8 Sep8 September 19:02

What’s the likelihood of a firebreak in October/November? If we do get a 2 week half term I might not be able to resist taking myself off somewhere!
- Jeff Greene says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:08
  
  No idea
- Andrew says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:42
  
  Depends if non-essential travel is also banned and therefore insurance might be difficult.
- Harry T says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:47
  
  If you can predict that, the government will be interested in hiring you!
- Blenz101 says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:59
  
  Given the current briefing is to remove the red and amber lists for international travel the direction of travel would point to this not happening.
  
  Unless a vaccine resistant variant appears and ICU beds start to rapidly fill up a firebreak is unlikely.
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    9 Sep9 September 09:44
    
    You mean like this one? That’s already here?
    
    https://inews.co.uk/news/mu-covid-variant-of-interest-uk-cases-detected-vaccines-who-1186886
- Genghis says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 20:09
  
  Somewhere between no chance and virtually certain.
  - Asim says:
    
    8 Sep8 September 21:33
    
    Whenever Boris has said it won’t happen, it always has, so I think a firebreak during half-term is quite likely.
    - Colin MacKinnon says:
      
      8 Sep8 September 21:43
      
      Won’t happen because they’d have to cancel COP26 – and Boris and Nicola want the photo ops.
- Lady London says:
  
  9 Sep9 September 13:25
  
  Depends if unvaccinated kids all mixing in schools kicks it off again. But it’ll only matter if there are still lots of Tory voters left who will die. And I think Boris got most of them done in the 150,000 that are gone already.
  
  So other than the personal financial considerations to MP’s of how long the favours and backhanders from Toŕy sponsors in exchange for ripoff PPE pricing and some of the world’s highest fees for over-testing be kept going, I would say you have an1 excellent chance of am October break but still payimg ridiculously unnecessary amount for test fees.
  - Polly says:
    
    9 Sep9 September 14:03
    
    Just love the cynicism there LL…keep up the entertainment… cheers from Montflaquin btw..
Sharon says:

8 Sep8 September 19:03

Hi, could I check if my understanding of the rules for flying into and out of Dublin please? Living in NI, thinking of trip to Tenerife. If fully vaccinated – no testing requirements?
TGLoyalty says:

8 Sep8 September 19:21

What exactly are you asking? From NI’s perspective you’ve been in an amber country in last 10 days you should do a Day 2 PCR
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 19:22
  
  That was for Sharon at the end of page 9 ffs
geoff says:

8 Sep8 September 19:26

I’ve a friend leaving to return to USA from London next week- does she need to book a test or can we use the free LFT antigen tests here and get a text result back from NHS as proof?
Will that satisfy airlines and US border control?
- The Canuck says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 21:14
  
  Border control couldn’t care less. I’ve been in and out of the US over a dozen times this year and haven’t once been asked by CBP to show the test.
  
  I don’t think the airlines will accept a text though. Best to pony up for an antigen test, cheap and results come in 20 mins
  - Geoff says:
    
    8 Sep8 September 21:16
    
    Okay thanks
- ChrisC says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 21:40
  
  NHS tests don’t meet the ‘requirement of proof’ for the US as they don’t contain all the info needed
  
  Type of test (indicating it is a NAAT or antigen test)
  
  Entity issuing the result (e.g. laboratory, healthcare entity, or telehealth service)
  
  Specimen collection date. A negative test result must show the specimen was collected within the 3 days before the flight. A positive test result for documentation of recovery from COVID-19 must show the specimen was collected within the 3 months before the flight.
  
  Information that identifies the person (full name plus at least one other identifier such as date of birth or passport number)
  
  Test Result
  
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html
aDifferentSimon says:

8 Sep8 September 19:55

Just did my second trip to Morrisons in Wimbledon. Never any Amazon or JL cards you swines!
- Jashan says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 20:55
  
  Morrison’s Wimbledon is one of the worst.. poor selection & grumpy staff
- Eoc says:
  
  8 Sep8 September 20:59
  
  Try Eastbourne. Got 2k JL yesterday. Got the £250 cards. Better than a truckload of the £25 ones. Plenty left and lots of Amazon too