The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 14th September

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Max says:

14 Sep14 September 15:28

What’s currently the cheapest day 2 test? (Without having to travel to Derby/Skegness etc.)
- Shaw West says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 15:32
  
  Try this gov.uk site. there might be a test centre near you that will provide the £20 test 🙂
  https://www.find-travel-test-provider.service.gov.uk/test-type/green
- Tracey says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:45
  
  Nationwide Pathology £40. reliable and uses RM priority boxes.
OP says:

14 Sep14 September 15:28

It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to use 5x Suite Night Awards in a meaningful way before the end of the year, so am considering booking some speculative UK / Ireland / easy European city breaks on 24hr flexible rates and seeing if I can get a good upgrade to clear at the 5 day mark.

Does anyone have any recent successes or aware of any hotels with good suites in the SNA pool?

I’m aware the chances of them clearing on a weekend break in the UK right now are probably limited but worth a shot on a cancellable rate…
- Ikaz says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 15:47
  
  I got full suite upgrades at the turnberry hotel over summer and the JW Grosvenor last year on short stays
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 17:10
  
  Just had some clear @ Threadneedle’s in London … St Pancreas cleared too but I gave it a miss as 1) chambers club still isn’t open 2) it’s further from where I need to be and 3) costs more.
QFFlyer says:

14 Sep14 September 15:34

MBNA Horizon credit card – just got an offer for one of mine for 0.5% extra cash back (so 1% total) from 30/9-30/12.
- Neil says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 15:51
  
  I hope I get that one as its better than the Halifax offer I just got which is 0.5% for the same dates. I did get 1% on Halifax between May and August so that could be why I just got 0.5% this time.
  - Harry T says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 16:27
    
    Which halifax card is that?
    - Neil says:
      
      14 Sep14 September 16:35
      
      Just the normal Clarity one that I’ve had for ages and mostly gets used when I’m abroad. Obviously not used it much till they gave me 1% then I put a fair bit through as I’ve got loads of avios as well as flying blue and even united miles.
      - Harry T says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 17:46
        
        Thanks, Neil. How did you find out about the offer? I can’t see anything on my Halifax Clarity card.
    - Neil says:
      
      14 Sep14 September 17:51
      
      Both the 1% and the latest 0.5% offers came via emails from Halifax.
      - Harry T says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 18:31
        
        Cheers!
Paul says:

14 Sep14 September 15:35

I have just called to rebook cancelled first class returns to Dubai. Turns out there is no first class anymore to dubai. Only emirates fly first now. they offered business. should i accept business? or is there a chance i could get them to book me on to emirates first class? that would be a result!
- Rhys says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 15:38
  
  BA have a duty of care to get you to your destination, not necessarily to get you to your destination in First class so I doubt they’d rebook you onto Emirates and I’m not sure you’d have much success if you took them to CEDR/MCOL either. But you will get a refund if you fly Club: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/08/13/british-airways-first-class-downgrade/
  - Paul says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 16:40
    
    I’m not sure that’s right. I had business flights back from BGI in Feb cancelled. BA flight I wanted the following week was full in business. they offered me premium instead. I asked them to pay for virgin upper. They said no. I paid for the virgin tickets. Then took them through MCOL and won. I think this is the same scenario, albeit a different reason as to why they can’t offer the same cabin as the cancelled flight. Barbados was because the cabin was full. Dubai is because it doesn’t exist. Question is do I fork out £22.5k for flights to get repaid via MCOL. Actually i think that’s over limit for MCOL.
    - Anna says:
      
      14 Sep14 September 17:21
      
      Have they cancelled the flight or just downgraded you?
      - Paul says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 17:38
        
        Cancelled.
        I am now looking to rebook but the cabin no longer exists.
    - Ls says:
      
      14 Sep14 September 17:23
      
      The requirement is for them to reroute you under the same conditions. The CAA released a statement saying they read this as same cabin, same number of stops. Is there such a flight available (even on another airline)? If so, you are entitled to it. You will have to take them to MCOL to get it though.
      
      I think you would be better to take the business ones under protest, and claim 75% of the cost off the airline for them. Smaller outlay.
      - Ls says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 17:23
        
        Above is only true if cancelled. If downgraded, just fly J and claim 75% retrospectively.
      - Babyg says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 17:32
        
        CAA says 75% – https://www.caa.co.uk/Passengers/Resolving-travel-problems/Delays-cancellations/Downgrading/Downgrading/
      - Lady London says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 18:34
        
        +1
        
        State firmly your disappointment and that you only accept it because that’s all they offering so forcing you, and you accept it only on the basis that they will reimburse you and your companion the 75%involuntary downgrade compensation as provided by EU261 and npw incorporated into UK law.
    - Babyg says:
      
      14 Sep14 September 17:32
      
      Im in the same boat, pretty much everything ive read says 75% refund (assuming you fly in club and dont accept the changes before hand)… https://www.caa.co.uk/Passengers/Resolving-travel-problems/Delays-cancellations/Downgrading/Downgrading/
- Blenz101 says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 17:32
  
  Didn’t somebody in yesterday’s comments just come back from Dubai in first and gave it a shocking review. Is it completely gone or just not on your particular flight?
Lyn says:

14 Sep14 September 15:48

A question, or perhaps request for an opinion, for the medical experts please re Covid testing.

We are double vaccinated. If we were to be exposed to Covid, how long would it be likely to take before testing positive on an antigen or PCR test?

The reason I am asking is that we’ll be taking our pre-departure tests in the 2 or 3 days prior to transiting Heathrow from an Amber country with fairly strict mask and “vaccine or negative test” rules. I would like to make a plan for how we would isolate if we tested positive before travel even if we had no symptoms.

Up until a few days before our flight we will be in a small countryside village and isolated from others except outside so we should be fine and if necessary could easily isolate.

But then we’ll be need to take trains and other public transport and stay in a hotel in a city for a few days before flying. This would increase our exposure even though though we would still be very careful and the rules in place in the country are fairly strict. Isolation would obviously be harder in this case. We can’t drop the city visit because that is where our BA tickets start and anyway flights to the closest airport aren’t running at the moment.

Thanks very much for any advice.
- barnaby100 says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:40
  
  They say 5 days but it was 3.5 for us (4 people)
  We went to the pub between 6-9 on Friday. Woke up with sore throat and headache Tuesday morning- ordered test which amazon lost. Went for in person test on Friday and was positive.
- Tracey says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:49
  
  3-5 days most likely. Theoretically possible up to 10 days, hence the isolation requirements.
  - Lyn says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 17:25
    
    Thank you both. @Tracey do you know if 1 – 2 days would unusual or even possible?
    
    It would be an antigen test because I’ve just phoned the pharmacy and the antigen results would be available much sooner than PCR.
    
    BA have cancelled our flights. I have to decide what changes to ask for so the flight is likely to actually happen and I also don’t want to lose the 50% avios award in First. This also means rebooking our hotel nights so I’d like to be prepared.
    - Tracey says:
      
      14 Sep14 September 19:12
      
      2 days would be possible theoretically given that you could be infectious for 2 days before you have symptoms and people have reported getting symptoms 3-4 days after infection. Whether you would initially have a high enough viral load to test positive on a simple antigen test I don’t know.
      - Lyn says:
        
        14 Sep14 September 20:17
        
        Thank you Tracey. This helps.
        
        And thank you to Laura and Babyg as well. Hope everyone recovers quickly.
- Laura says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 17:25
  
  I went to a festival Friday-Sunday. Was ill by Monday evening. Think I caught it on the Friday night as somebody I was dancing that evening also tested positive
  - Babyg says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 17:34
    
    the UK government expects most of us to catch it, hopefully youre double jabbed and youll recover quickly..
bafan says:

14 Sep14 September 15:49

Did Collinson’s Fit to Fly Test at St Pancras yesterday evening – have the result in 20 hours. Solid AF. £55.20 with the BA20OFF code.
- Ryan says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:07
  
  Even better is the Prenetics LF test from home – £23.40 with the discount
  - bafan says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 16:47
    
    Is that a PCR test, I didn’t know? Given the urgency I didn’t trust “at home” tests. Coming back IDGAF so I’ll go with “We Are Definitely A Real Company Doing Covid Tests Ltd”.
    
    If it’s an Antigen then that’s zero use to me.
Jane says:

14 Sep14 September 16:04

Can anyone recommend any good IHG or Hilton properties on the coast in Florida (either coast, we don’t mind a detour). I did have Hilton Bakers Cay booked for the 2021 cancelled trip but the points have increased significantly for 2022 so it looks like I might have to lower my aspirations a little.
- Tony says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:35
  
  Kimpton EPIC and Intercontinental downtown Miami were both good stays a couple years back. For something a little more boutique, try the Kimpton Surfcomer.
- Clive says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 17:14
  
  Hilton Marco Island is great
  - Jane says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 18:06
    
    Thanks, that was on my list to look at
- ianM says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 23:38
  
  Waldorf Astoria at Boca
  - JP says:
    
    15 Sep15 September 14:24
    
    +1 For Boca Raton WA. Has a bus and its own boat to get to the beach hotel. Amazing breakfast with Gold and loved the frozen grapes by the pool.
    
    I went on two of the free nights for the Hilton Barclaycard a few years ago….
Josh says:

14 Sep14 September 16:20

Wanted to get a last minute check before I press the order button:

SO & I are going to Ibiza for a couples chilled out week

Currently looking at the W Ibiza for 6 nights @ £1900. 2 of those nights in a “Wonderful” room, the other 4 in the “Cozy room with private plunge pool”

Also includes “Full breakfast”

We want to just have some nice food, relax and walk around. Is this a good price? Could we do any better/better value elsewhere?

Thanks!
- Ikaz says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:47
  
  Worth reaching out to Emyr/Bon vivant, the hotel might be part of the Marriott Luminous group so he might be able to get you some extras
  - Josh says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 17:14
    
    I reached out to Emyr but he couldnt see the room I wanted, and the other alternative was nearly 2x the price
- Richie says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 16:53
  
  How much is the 7pines?
  - Josh says:
    
    14 Sep14 September 17:10
    
    7 pines coming to 2.3k without the private pool which will be nice whilst we have to do some work and cant be in the resort area
- AFKAE says:
  
  14 Sep14 September 18:58
  
  Hotel La Torre del Canonigo is nice, at the top of the hill overlooking Ibiza Town. It’s an easy walk down to town in the evening and a slower stroll uphill on the way home.