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The HfP chat thread – Saturday 25th September

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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.

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Category

General

Comments (426)

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

  • Alex says:
    25 Sep25 September 16:29

    Flying BA CityFlyer tomorrow from BER. I was able to check in and get my boarding pass without submitting any documents (Vaccination, test, etc). Does this mean I get straight through security?

    • HH says:
      25 Sep25 September 16:35

      Yes, I’ve had the same flying back from Zürich.

      • Pete M says:
        25 Sep25 September 17:59

        They’ll check your docs at the gate or you can pop to the check-in desks. Careful if the flight is from B gates – they are a long way away from the main terminal.

  • HH says:
    25 Sep25 September 16:34

    As was covered on HfP earlier this summer, Vodafone no longer support Tube Wi-Fi. Has anyone found a workaround to use it again? I’m on a 2-year contract, and now that I’m back at the office it is making Tube journeys miserable…

    • Char Char says:
      25 Sep25 September 16:36

      Talk to fellow travellers?

    • John says:
      25 Sep25 September 16:49

      If you have a Virgin Media account for home broadband / TV, you can sign in with your details for that. Failing that, maybe a Virgin Mobile PAYG SIM?

      • MilesOnPoint says:
        25 Sep25 September 18:56

        Don’t get a Three PAYG sim, new PAYG Three customers not eligible for Underground wifi despite nothing on the Three website stating this. May try my luck with Virgin Mobile SIM… (in same boat as a Vodafone customer)

    • DaveL says:
      25 Sep25 September 22:47

      Our 5G home broadband router (on 3) does the trick. Maybe shift broadband if renewal is near?

  • Oliver says:
    25 Sep25 September 16:39

    Hi everyone. Is it possible to fly back into a different UK regional airport than you depart from for a companion voucher redemption?

    Currently flying out INV-LHR-MLE, returning MLE-LHR-(+7 days)-INV. We deliberately put a gap between LHR and INV on the return to allow us to just make our own way back and avoid the compulsory trip to Inverness. Ideally, we’d prefer to return into Edinburgh, connecting on from Heathrow straight away. Would this be possible? Theres a suitable Edinburgh flight available for a rewards booking.

    Many thanks

    • Anna says:
      25 Sep25 September 16:51

      It’s certainly permitted – you’d need to call and ask for the final leg to be amended, which might involve paying a fee.

    • ChrisC says:
      25 Sep25 September 17:03

      Remember if you just booked a separate LHR-EDI then it’s not a connection and you’d have to collect your luggage and then recheck it in again as they won’t interline bags to separate tickets.

      Problrm is changing a booking usually involves a reprice of the entire ticket which could be expensive

      • Anna says:
        25 Sep25 September 18:04

        It’s an avios booking, so there wouldn’t be any repricing. Call centre can amend the connecting airport, though there’s always the possibility of getting a “computer says no” CSA!

        • ChrisC says:
          25 Sep25 September 19:29

          It’s not clear if the Ex INV trip is avios or cash.

          Oliver only mentions that there are avios seats available for the .LHR- EDI leg.

    • ianM says:
      25 Sep25 September 18:31

      There might be a tax difference as INV is low APD

      • Anna says:
        25 Sep25 September 18:54

        Is anyone actually reading the post?! OP wants to return into EDI, not fly out of there.

        • Matt says:
          25 Sep25 September 19:00

          You can end in LHR if you want, doesn’t cost you any more (probably slightly less in fees in fact). Alternatively you can end in any domestic airport served by BA, as long as there’s avios availability on the flight.

      • Lady London says:
        25 Sep25 September 23:36

        The news just gets worse from Three doesn’t it? I am a longstanding 3 customer but just finding it really hard to stay with them.

    • Oliver says:
      25 Sep25 September 20:31

      Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. I’ll give BA a call and fingers crossed they let me change the final return leg from INV -> EDI

  • Backpacker says:
    25 Sep25 September 17:01

    Marriott Creation credit card – Bonus 3 points for every pound spent.
    Has anyone received this yet, almost the end of september and I’ve still got nothing?

    • Britbronco says:
      25 Sep25 September 19:11

      No not yet, we all seem to be in the same boat at least

      • Guernsey Globetrotter says:
        26 Sep26 September 08:26

        No – none here either. The t&c’s implied that the points should be credited by Sept 11 so I sent them a chaser via web contact a few days ago but no response yet – will update when (if!) anything happens…

  • Wally1976 says:
    25 Sep25 September 17:30

    Hi folks, just wondering if anyone on here knows of any way of paying for Florida theme park tickets using Amex MR or hotel points? Thanks

    • Andrew says:
      25 Sep25 September 18:06

      You can use your MR points as a statement credit for anything you buy at a rate of £4.50/1000 points.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        25 Sep25 September 18:08

        But don’t do it because they are worth 0.8p by moving to Avios then nectar.

  • Mo says:
    25 Sep25 September 18:09

    Hey all

    Is a there possibility that BA will extend the 241 companion vouchers again? Got one expiring in December and another April 2022.

    Also, does the return leg of the voucher have to be completed before the expiry of the voucher?

    • Anna says:
      25 Sep25 September 18:16

      Further extensions looking unlikely so you may want to go down the FTV route to extend your vouchers. Outbound leg has to be flown by the expiry date.

      • Mo says:
        25 Sep25 September 18:26

        Thank you.

        I’ve actually got a third voucher which expires sept 2022 as well!

        Best thing to do is just book a one way to Manchester or something, right? Then cancel?

        • Anna says:
          25 Sep25 September 18:59

          Yes, I did exactly this with one of ours. Booked MAN-LHR then cancelled the next day and got the FTV.

      • JDB says:
        25 Sep25 September 18:49

        For the FTV you have to complete the outbound and return by 30 September 2023 which is different to the rule Anna advises for the original voucher when the expiry date is for your outbound.

      • Lady London says:
        25 Sep25 September 23:40

        Also please don’t assume FTV’s will be available forever.

  • Jaime says:
    25 Sep25 September 18:48

    Anyone having trouble with the BA mobile app for android?
    After months of data not being updated, shuting the app down and opening again, today decided to log off and uninstall the app.
    Restarted the phone, downloaded and installed the app again and now it does not let me login with a error message.

  • Graham says:
    25 Sep25 September 19:05

    Can someone travelling into the UK unvaccinated quarantine at home or do they still get put up in a hotel to do the quarantine ?

    • YFP says:
      25 Sep25 September 19:11

      If you’re flying from a red list country it’s hotel. Everywhere else from the 4th of October is at home I believe. if flying before that, even amber countries are also at home.

    • ChrisC says:
      25 Sep25 September 19:33

      To clarify quarantine from a red country is in a hotel that you pay for.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      26 Sep26 September 02:25

      Hotel quarantine if for red list arrivals only and it doesn’t matter if they have or haven’t had a vaccine.

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

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