The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 19th October

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Ryan Gill says:

19 Oct19 October 16:02

Help appreciated. I’m hoping to fly from UK on Saturday with my family to Malaga. As far as I understand, 4 of us will have to do a day 2 test (lateral ok) when we get bk to UK on 2nd November. The youngest being 4 won’t have to.
On our Govt website it seems to say the Spanish require over 12’s to do a test within 72hrs of arrival? Is this correct?
- Anna says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 16:06
  
  Yes, but it doesn’t need to be a PCR test. This has been the case since Spain re-opened to visitors earlier this year. We got our 2 teenagers tested at MAN the day before we flew to ensure the results were back in time as you would most likely be denied boarding without them.
  - Anna says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 16:07
    
    Obviously that’s if the over 12’s aren’t fully vaccinated, which I assume they’re not!
    - Ryan Gill says:
      
      19 Oct19 October 16:20
      
      Thx Anna for the help. It’s appreciated.
  - Ryan Gill says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 16:27
    
    What kind of test is quickest? I guess a lateral and the result is instant. It can be self administered?, and the evidence kept for the Spanish authorities.
    - Anna says:
      
      19 Oct19 October 16:44
      
      No, you need to book one with an appropriate provider and get a certificate of proof. Collinson do 3 hour turnaround at some airports but there are plenty of places you can get them done.
      Did you not check all this when you booked the holiday!
      - Anna says:
        
        19 Oct19 October 16:47
        
        You also know about filling in the Spanish Travel Health form within 48 hours of travel, don’t you?!
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        19 Oct19 October 17:07
        
        You can use the Chronomics or Qurad etc lateral flows
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 16:18
  
  Only the Over 12’s which aren’t fully vaccinated ie 2nd dose of a vaccine more than 14 days ago.
Aliks says:

19 Oct19 October 16:12

I’m just booking a flight Heathrow to Madrid with avios. Although there are several flights per day, most of them are operated by Iberia and regardless of whether you book on the Iberia or BA website, you have to pay the Iberia avios/surcharges.

The best offer from Iberia is £41 + 6,500 avios. Did I miss something? Surely I can get this as a BA codeshare for much l£25 and 7,500 avios
- AJA says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 16:44
  
  What date and which cabin? Have you earned at least 1 Avios in the last 12 months? If not then you can’t take advantage of the RFS fees. Also are you saying that the best offer from Iberia of £41 + 6,500 Avios is what you see when click for more pricing options on BA’s website?. I just checked economy for 29Oct and I can see 8,250 Avios + £17.50 one way or 9,250 Avios + £12.50 on the BA0458 7:20am departure.
  - Aliks says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 17:11
    
    Sorry I should have given more details. I have earned lots of avios in the last 12 months, and I am looking at Economy. Yes – when clicking the “more pricing” options £41 + 6,500 Avios is the best offer.
    
    For 13th November, the only BA flight that has the “Reward Flight” icon is the 06:20
    All other flights that day are Iberia non-reward even though they do show a BA codeshare.
    
    My question is really about why the BA codeshares don’t allow Reward Flight pricing even when booked on the BA website.
    - Babyg says:
      
      19 Oct19 October 17:16
      
      that flight is the a380 🙂 – i get the following
      11000 Avios + £ 4.50
      9750 Avios + £ 10.00
      7250 Avios + £ 17.50
      4650 Avios + £ 35.00
      2900 Avios + £ 45.00
      (fyi stump up the points and fly Business – its an a380)
      19250 Avios + £ 4.50
      15000 Avios + £ 17.50
      13500 Avios + £ 25.00
      10000 Avios + £ 57.50
      8000 Avios + £ 72.50
    - AJA says:
      
      19 Oct19 October 17:34
      
      The reason is because specifically on the Madrid to London Heathrow route where Iberia operates a number of flights on behalf of BA, these flights cannot be booked as Reward Flight Savers. RFS only applies to flights operated by BA ie on BA metal.
      
      As Babyg says stump up for Club and take the early flight – it’s the A380!
      - Aliks says:
        
        19 Oct19 October 18:56
        
        Aha – the A380 its very tempting! but of course the downside is the need to get out of bed at 3am on the Sunday morning. Also my flight to S America would mean I am travelling for a full 24 hours . . .
        
        Anyway, I booked business on an Iberia flight the previous day plus a night in Madrid airport Hilton. Gym, spa pool – but not quite the same as an A380.
Jane says:

19 Oct19 October 16:20

any data points on how long it takes from getting the BA digital boarding ‘we are checking your documents’ e-mail till the confirmation that you are verified takes ? just uploaded mine at 2 and nothing yet.
- Matty says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 16:26
  
  I’ve had it back within minutes when I’ve done it after 9:00 pm for a flight the next morning. The other week, it was a couple of days, maybe longer but I can’t recall exactly. I’ve done the same today – maybe about 4 hours ago – for a flight tomorrow. Nothing yet. It will come through. I’ve luggage to check in, so a visit to the desk in any event.
  - Jane says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 16:28
    
    Thanks, our flight isn’t till Thursday but I think we are going to do twilight check in tomorrow evening so hopefully time to fix any problems if it doesn’t come through.
- Babyg says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 17:20
  
  took approx 2hrs on Sunday even (lhr-fao)
- Toby says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 18:05
  
  Took 6 hours for ours to Crete on the way out. I made. Mistake on my one coming back and that delayed it – took 24 hours. I assume it had to be escalated
- Jane says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 19:38
  
  well 3 out of the 4 submitted were returned at about the 6 hour mark. looks like I might have to leave my 6 year old at home.
Ryan Gill says:

19 Oct19 October 16:53

Thanks for the reply. What is the point in checking everything when you book a holiday, when things are permanently changing? TBH, I read that teenager’s are treated as the vaccinated for the day 2 test and somehow conflated this with Spain allowing unvaccinated teenager’s in. Thanks for the help.
- Anna says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 17:09
  
  Things aren’t necessarily changing at your destination. Vaccination also has no bearing on the day 2 test!
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 21:58
    
    It does because only under 18’s and fully vaccinated over 18’s can take a day 2 LFT from Oct 24th.
    
    Day 2/8 PCR for the unvaccinated
Triath5 says:

19 Oct19 October 16:55

Has anyone topped up Monese with Curve? Does Curve charge extra for this?
- Peter says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 17:10
  
  Monese has hefty top up limits, like £200 a day, £500 a week, £1000 a month, with max 2 top ups a day.. (can’t really find a link, but worth knowing).
  - Blenz101 says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 18:52
    
    And super quick shut downs for funny business. It’s a long since dead route for fun and games.
Jon L says:

19 Oct19 October 17:22

I just referred my other half and I’m ready to cancel my BAPP. Do I need to wait for the 12k Avios to be moved over to my BA account? Or can I cancel now and safely assume they will come as usual in about a month?
- Guernsey Globetrotter says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 17:26
  
  Wait until they are transferred if you’re looking to cancel altogether or you’ll likely lose them. If you were downgrading to free card however that would be OK.
- Rob says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 18:12
  
  I wouldn’t risk it for the sake of a few pounds.
Mark says:

19 Oct19 October 17:30

Am I slow? Just saw my Amex Gold referral got bumped to 18k MR and the person that signs up will get 35k MR!
- AndyW says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 17:45
  
  Yes…
- Rob says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 18:12
  
  Bit slow 🙂
Anuj says:

19 Oct19 October 17:39

What’s Madrid like in mid November? I see right now it’s 21-25, I would probably be going the weekend of the 12th.
- Peter K says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 17:50
  
  Just Google it. There are numerous websites dedicated to answering that sort of question.
  - Patrick Cold says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 18:32
    
    When we can choose to be anything why not choose to be kind? You could have been very easily in the same amount of words as you chose not to be. Or just not reply?
    - Peter K says:
      
      19 Oct19 October 18:39
      
      I didn’t think my answer was harsh, but reasonable. It’s the teach a man to fish rather than give him a fish principle. Which is kinder in the long run? To give an answer once, or to help the person find a route to the answer every time?
      
      I appreciate that tone does not come across in the written word, but no malice was meant, just reasonableness. I actually changed my reply before posting as it came across as harsh. Clearly I failed in that regard.
      - Patrick Cold says:
        
        19 Oct19 October 18:52
        
        Fair enough Peter. Point taken.
  - Anuj says:
    
    19 Oct19 October 18:48
    
    I did google it but from own experience average temperatures vs asking someone who goes spain every year is always more useful.
    - John says:
      
      19 Oct19 October 18:58
      
      Well, I went in November 2017 and it was freezing until late afternoon. Remember Madrid is quite high up and inland
      - JDB says:
        
        19 Oct19 October 19:05
        
        Yes, I am not sure how travelling regularly to a place helps. Have lived in England most of my life – we got married in mid November in bright sunshine, on our anniversary since then we have had sun, snow, rain, gales or just grey!
- Marina says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 21:55
  
  I lived in Madrid November can be quite cold -mornings are foggy as well
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  19 Oct19 October 22:00
  
  Cold? Depends on your definition but I suspect it’ll be nicer than the U.K. in November.