The HfP chat thread – Sunday 3rd October

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Damien says:

3 Oct3 October 11:45

Flight back from Istanbul, great having the CW Suite. This time though they refused to switch on the IFE. They didn’t even hand out headphones. When asked they said that they “don’t have license to play entertainment on short haul”. I mentioned they played it in the way there… But they said “Not last night”. Strangely they also said I might not get a bloody Mary cuz of delivery issues.. only thought later that they should restock in Istanbul then.
- James says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 11:57
  
  Why have the facility then? What a load of rubbish!
  - Nick says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:26
    
    Airlines have to license the IFE content on routes, not aircraft. BA can get in big trouble with film studios if they play it on routes where they don’t have a licence, so actually it was your outbound crew who were in the wrong by enabling it.
    
    Istanbul is served by longhaul aircraft on a limited number of rotations only (for cargo reasons) and it’s really not worth the hassle of licensing it just for those. Only Madrid has it now, as that’s the only route with regularly scheduled widebody ops.
    
    They also don’t have catering supply arrangements at downroute shorthaul stations so there’s no uplift there. You can’t just call in an order and have it delivered to aircraft side in 20 mins on a turnaround.
Russ says:

3 Oct3 October 11:49

Anyone get any VPN recommendations? Any cost. Ta.
- Mr. AC says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:07
  
  Windscribe has worked well for me for the past 5 years. Good choice of countries. Supports Netflix etc. Apps and extensions for everything. Referral https://windscribe.com/yo/fynegk3m
- Guernsey Globetrotter says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:11
  
  NordVPN have 40 Avios per £ spend on the BA shopping portal atm. No idea what their service is like or how the subscription fee racks up versus other providers however.
  - Ls says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:54
    
    I would not recommend Nord VPN. Service unreliable, numerous messages saying I need to change my password after a set period of time (despite it being a secure one-use password from a password manager), and Netflix not always working properly.
    - Lady London says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 16:24
      
      +1 Very bad experience with Nordvpn. It worked fine for 1 year of a 3 year prepaid sub. Then failing to conceal the IP address (but no warning that their shield wasn’t operating anymore in the session) plus multiple failures, unavailability, forced account lockputs requiring password changes for no reason, etc. That was the second year.
      
      3rd year it stopped working completely. Customer support couldn’t solve it. But they admitted I was by far not the only one for whom paid Nordvpn had stopped working and not fixable “known problem”.
      
      Nordvpn’s solution was tp give me instructions how to use OpenVPN. Errr if I have to use OpenVPN cos Nordvpn has stopped working I want a pro rata refund of my subscription thanks.
      
      Throughout these problems in 2nd and 3rd year Nordvpn won’t address their nonperformance and won’t refund anything.
      Even where they’ve admitted I am the victim of a known problem that they can’t fix.
      
      I would say don’t go near Nordvpn.
      Especially, it would be a cold day in hell before I’d take out any lengthy subscription with any VPN. Nordvpn said you had a trial of 30 days and too bad our app has stopped performing,1/3rd of the time through ypur prepaid contract for 3 years and has stopped working completely 2/3rds of the way through.
      
      Nordvpn is in Panama which is well known as a tax haven and a place for shady criminals
      - David S says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 21:13
        
        I have Nord VPN and it works brilliantly for me. Hard job getting my Avios points from using the BA shopping portal though!
  - Sam says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 13:46
    
    I’ve been with Nord for three or four years
    
    It’s installed on my router so covers all devices at home. I also turn it on on my iphone when I’m out and about on some guest wifi
    
    Occasionally, things slow down so I switch to a different server. All streaming services work with it for me. No plans to change and I’ve prob got another 2 years prepaid up front
    
    There is always a big discount on their website or on cash back sites
- Yorkie Aid says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:21
  
  Proton VPN is robust and reliable but not the cheapest. Surfshark usually has a good intro offer but hikes the price ridiculously afterwards (several hundred percent).
  - Memesweeper says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 21:19
    
    +1
- Jay says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 14:29
  
  We use Ivacy for all our VPN and Dedicated IP VPN services. Based out of Singapore and they offer great support and quick responses. You can get lifetime subscription for $39.99 at Stack Social. Sign up for the Stack Social newsletter to get 10% code. Then pay just $36 for a 5 devices lifetime licence or $54 for a 10 device licence.
- Harry T says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 16:22
  
  Used ExpressVPN last year, which was pretty solid. I’m using NordVPN again this year due to a very good price that stacked nicely with a TaCoBell offer. I’m pretty happy so far – works well on my phone and laptop.
- Russ says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 17:00
  
  Thanks everyone. Surprised to see NordVPN picking up a few negative comments. Think I’m going with HarryT’s suggestion of ExpressVTN as heard good reviews elsewhere. Thanks everyone.
  - His Holyness says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 17:52
    
    I was with ExpressVPN for years, but I had many issues with Flix and Al-Beeb (for example I couldn’t download anything on the Player). I switched to Nord I’ve had zero issues. Never face a “Proxy” message from any providers.
- Benilyn says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 19:49
  
  Surfshark been using for about 12 months+, works great for Netflix, app is slick, multiple family members using it, £1.84 per month via my referall link
  https://surfshark.club/friend/wEPxWBBZ
Tony says:

3 Oct3 October 11:52

Question about the new Chase current account when spending abroad – would this essentially remove the need to use Curve?

Your Chase debit card works everywhere that accepts Mastercard. We won’t charge you when you use it abroad, plus you can withdraw cash with a transparent exchange rate and no fees from us.”

Interested particularly in overseas USA spend. (Not huge amounts, just leisure holiday day to day spend).
- Youllnever says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 11:57
  
  Yes, no need to use Curve with the Chase card.
  - Harrier25 says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 14:25
    
    Except on weekdays the FX rate is better with Curve and Revolut than the likes of Chase, Starling and Monzo etc.
- Reney says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:02
  
  From a purely aboard spending perspective, given you earn 1% for the next 12 months. Arguably yes, in fact not having to switch cards for the weekend is good. Assuming you don’t buy anything that needs section 75.
  
  After 1 year, if 1% don’t carry on. Then you earn nothing for spending. In which case this card is no different to any other similar products. For example Monzo seems similar, there is a limit on the amount of cash you can withdraw but really how much cash do you need?
  - Tony says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:05
    
    I was referring more about the zero fees on foreign transactions, but yes good points.
- Rob says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:15
  
  Yes, but you have been able to do this for 10 years with a Halifax Clarity credit card. Nothing special about Chase.
  - Yorkie Aid says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:25
    
    Clarity is great but you don’t earn anything
  - KBuffett says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:46
    
    Can with withdrawn fee free cash when abroad with Halifax?
    - Yorkie Aid says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 13:30
      
      No fees from Halifax but interest accrues immediately. Simple to just pay it off immediately to avoid any interest though.
  - Sandgrounder says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:48
    
    You get free use at Chase ATMs in the USA, which is unique for a UK issued card.
    It’s not a proper current account at the moment though, some features such as DDs are missing. I use Starling as my secondary account, I won’t be changing until the Chase account is fully operational .
    - Reney says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 12:49
      
      It looks like Monzo allows you to withdrawn cash but there is a limit.
    - Yorkie Aid says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 13:32
      
      Not true. PNC Bank doesn’t make any charges for overseas cards. I have often used them with Clarity.
    - Reney says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 15:36
      
      Just realized only Chase ATM. Might be easier with a UK card that allows any banks’ ATM.
    - Paul Pogba says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 17:56
      
      I dont think I’ve ever been charged in the US using a Nationwide FlexPlus card, it is a fee account though.
      - Yorkie Aid says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 18:24
        
        You’ve been very lucky then. Even if your bank or card doesn’t charge a fee (like some Nationwide cards and Halifax Clarity), the ATM provider usually does charge non-customers a convenience fee. IME PNC Bank is a rare one that doesn’t charge a fee to non-customers.
  - Rob says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 14:50
    
    You are giving up S75 protection and the list of exclusions is huge. Plus, erm, you lose credit card points.
- Genghis says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 13:43
  
  Bear in mind the difference in exchange rates used. Chase uses the MC rate, which is set once a day, and is invariably around 50bps more than the interbank rate that Curve uses, notwithstanding any other fees etc.
- Anuj says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 14:08
  
  So does starling, Revolut, Monzo etc. it’s nothing new
  - Harrier25 says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 14:28
    
    Staring and Monzo DO NOT give you the Interbank rate. They give you the less attractive MasterCard rate!
    - Mr. AC says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 19:22
      
      Indeed. Everyone seems to read “free” and lump in Revolut and Curve with the likes of Starling, Monese, Monzo etc. They’re worlds apart!
      - John says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 19:25
        
        Well, they’re 0.25%-0.75% apart
Anuj says:

3 Oct3 October 12:00

Virgin have given me a £1.3k limit. Now I know I won’t be able to pay off and then earn any more points than on £1300 but what about spending towards the £10,000 per year ?
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:25
  
  If am not wrong, you can spend more by paying off, but your monthly points are capped by the credit limit amount. And all that spend will count towards the voucher.
  - Youllnever says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 13:29
    
    Correct, with a limit of £1.3k, you’ll need to make sure you spend the max limit for 8 months (or spread it out slightly across the whole year).
    - Youllnever says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 13:30
      
      Actually, I misread your message. My message was regarding the points – not sure if the spend is separate from the points.
JRC says:

3 Oct3 October 12:04

Looking for somewhere less than 4 hours flight from London for 5 days sun in first week of January. Thoughts on Malta or Madeira? We are in late 30s so not sure if will have the right pace/ mix of good restaurants. Prefer to avoid Canary Islands unless they have become significantly upmarket since we last went 10+ years ago!! Wife thinks Madeira will be very windy in January, no idea why! Thanks!
- Anna says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:16
  
  It won’t be beach weather and both attract a lot of older visitors in the winter so it depends what vibe you’re looking for. The Atlantic islands get trade winds all year round do it depends how fiercely they are blowing when you get there.
  
  Plenty of upmarket places in the Canaries if you stay in the right area and better chance of sunshine. Think RC Abama and Palacio del Duque in Tenerife or various Melias and Iberostars elsewhere. Might just breach your under 4 hour flight requirement though.
- Guernsey Globetrotter says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:36
  
  I wouldn’t write off the Canaries just because of one bad experience a decade ago. The weather will likely be significantly better than your Madeira or Malta options. There are so many different types of holiday experience to be had across the group of islands. Even on Tenerife’s west coast you have a full spectrum from the kiss-me-quick English pubs in Playa De Las Americas to much more laid-back and sophisticated offerings further north in the Costa Adeje and the little fishing villages like La Caleta. The north coast is totally different again. Then you have the ancient Laurel rainforests and slower pace of life of La Gomera just a short ferry West again… and these are only the examples that I’ve experienced. We haven’t yet tried Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma of El Hierro but surely there must be something there to interest you?
  - Anna says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:55
    
    Lanzarote is beautiful, with everything from volcanic craters and lakes to white sand beaches. Best diving and snorkelling we’ve found outside the Caribbean. However the one time we went in January it was just a bit to chilly to sunbathe so I wouldn’t risk it if that’s a priority.
    - JRC says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 13:04
      
      Thanks Anna & Guernsey Globetrotter. I should clarify, not seeking to sit on beach for 5 days, but looking for sunshine for walks/ hikes/ coffee culture/Alfresco lunch, etc. Recent reviews on RC Abama are a bit mixed and doesn’t sound great for 4-5k Eur – for 5 nights — maybe COVID related but expect perfection for that- bus to the beach etc.
      Jeans and a T-shirt is fine for Jan (the alternative in UK….)
      - E says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 13:38
        
        I’ve been to Madeira in January. For the 5 days we were there it poured for 3 of them and it was cold! Might not be typical but it wasn’t pleasant. On the upside it wasn’t windy any date apart from our arrival day.
        
        It might be better for meals and cafes if we’d stayed in the centre of Funchal but in the area outside Funchal where most hotels are it was very geared to the elderly and their requirements at that time of year.
      - Anna says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 15:23
        
        If you’re not bothered about the beach look for something away from the coast – Tenerife has a rain forest and some amazing hiking trails. There’s a parador inside Teide national park which I’m hoping to stay in at some point to get up the volcano at dawn. The Anaga mountain range is slightly reminiscent of Hawaii in its topography and well worth a visit.
  - AJA says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 13:04
    
    +1 for Tenerife. Costa Adeje is suitably upmarket. Gran Canaria has some upmarket hotels too, particularly in Melonaras. But each to their own.
    - David says:
      
      4 Oct4 October 11:20
      
      +1 for Melonaras on Gran Canaria. Very nice area and hotels.
- Harry T says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 16:27
  
  I wouldn’t judge anywhere based on experiences from ten years ago, tbh. Tenerife is actually very pleasant if you stay in the right parts, just like any other tourism heavy island. I would personally recommend the Sheraton and RC Abama, based on stays last November (RC is more upmarket but the Sheraton is solid and the location is good for getting out and about). I certainly didn’t pay anywhere near 4-5k euros for the RC, so that seems like odd pricing – use points? Tenerife is a great place to run and hike, with very good weather. I don’t know what coffee culture is, so can’t help there.
Mart says:

3 Oct3 October 12:22

Need to stay a night next february not far from knutsford. Any tips for a nice hotel/possible to combine with amex offers/emyr offerings? Thanks.
- The Savage Squirrel says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:46
  
  How close?
  If we’re talking close by: Cottons is unexceptional but nice enough; pool is decent; restaurant OK.
  The Mere is nicer but a little further
  - The Savage Squirrel says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 12:47
    
    Travel more widely and … well Cheshire is not short of hotels with a footballers wivesish veneer of luxury but genuine quality is quite tricky to find; at least for me 😀
    - mart says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 13:34
      
      30 minute taxi journey max ideally!
      - Crafty says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 21:33
        
        Owen House Wedding Barn has a small number of quirky rooms on a working farm. If you get a night when there’s no wedding on you may enjoy that.
Mco says:

3 Oct3 October 12:30

Anyone know if its possible to use two cards at Selfridges via their website? Trying to get the £50 off which is on two of my cards. Maybe via a phone call or any other way?
- Andrew says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 12:49
  
  Not as far as I know, but depending how easy it is for you to get to a Selfridges store, you can buy something on line for £250, return for a gift card in store and then spend the gift card and the rest on Amex online.
  - HH says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 13:04
    
    Has anyone tried the ‘buy with Amex online and ask for a refund on gift card in store’ approach? I’ve pored through their T&Cs and there’s nothing suggesting they’ll do that…even with gift receipts it says the original payer will be refunded and they can buy you another gift!
    - Andrew says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 14:46
      
      Yes, no problem at all. The assistant did remind me I could get a full refund but I said I’d prefer a gift card and they were happy to do so.
    - Harry T says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 16:28
      
      Yes, I’ve purchased with Amex and then asked for a refund to a gift card in store. They have no issues doing that. It’s a good way to benefit from the offer but spend later.
      - Mco says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 17:25
        
        No store close to me though. Do you think I could call and ask for refund to a gift card for an online refund?
Martin says:

3 Oct3 October 12:45

Looking for some ideas from the wisdom of people here. Hoping to go to Uzbekistan next June. The flight options from Manchester are either via LHR with Uzbekistan airlines or via Ist with Turkish. I am more inclined to go with Turkish as the better option but the question is whether it is with the upgrade as the 2 sectors will only be c.4 hours each ? Any thoughts? Thanks
- John says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 13:18
  
  Depends on the price surely… The seats will be 1.5x as wide as economy seats
  - Martin says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 13:49
    
    £1300 extra return. Never having flown Turkish wonder if it is worth it? For longer sectors then I would upgrade.
    - Nick says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 14:33
      
      1300 not worth it IMO, particularly if TK still gives meals and drinks free in economy (they did last time I flew with them). Most aircraft have IFE even on shorthaul so the time passes very quickly. PP for a lounge in IST/SAW and you’re winning.
- Dave says:
  
  3 Oct3 October 14:46
  
  Uzbekistan Airlines are something else, believe me!!
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    3 Oct3 October 16:08
    
    Relatively modern fleet nowadays, plus government owned so would hope safety is fairly high. No notable incidents that I can think of. Shouldn’t be too bad if it is the cheapest option.
    
    FYI, one of the best countries (if not the best) to book a cheap hostel when you need to extend a hotels.com booking or the Tesco offer.
    - Mr. AC says:
      
      3 Oct3 October 19:27
      
      Government owned doesn’t mean much when you’re talking about a country such as Uzbekistan. All else equal I’d avoid. The only state airline in the former Soviet Republics I’d board without trepidation is Aeroflot (and any Baltic ones assuming they have any state owned).
      - Martin says:
        
        3 Oct3 October 21:40
        
        Looks like Turkish it is from Manchester – thanks for your views. Is there a recommended route to getting a PP? I have a BA Amex. Normally fly BA club for leisure trips so never had the need for a pass before