The HfP chat thread – Thursday 21st October

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• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:06

  I got contacted by track and trace a few days after flying to London. Apparently regardless of my PCR result I’m supposed to isolate for 10 days. But if I had my vaccines done in the UK rather than Italy I’d not have to do this

  • meta says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:59

    I thought UK now recognises EU vaccines and no isolation. Track&Trace don’t know what they are talking about.

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/countries-with-approved-covid-19-vaccination-programmes-and-proof-of-vaccination

    For Italy: EU DCC showing you’ve had a full course of an EMA approved vaccine.

    • Anna says:

      21 Oct21 October 16:38

      +1, T & T are hopeless. They caused endless problems for my family back in the summer by sending out multiple notifications to people to isolate when they didn’t actually need to. If you want clarification, speak to 119 who do seem to have a better idea of what they are talking about!

• Ryan Gill says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:06

  Anna, although lamp tests are accepted for teenage children, I don’t think RAT tests are, except in limited circumstances. We have booked a lamp test at Heathrow due to the sub 3hr wait. I think an antigen test would be OK for my step daughter who is travelling on a UK passport with her mother who is a Portuguese citizen travelling on a Portuguese passport.

  • Anna says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:55

    My point was that PCR tests specifically are not required for Spain.

• QFFlyer says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:18

  Creation IHG points have just landed, sometime in the last hour. Statement date 14/11, so 8 (7? It’s 22/11 now here) days late, but they arrived.

  • Anna says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:55

    Good, that suggests that it’s not just IHG playing hardball!

  • SteveJ says:

    21 Oct21 October 16:14

    +1 glad I didn’t need to call them!

    • Yorkie Aid says:

      21 Oct21 October 18:11

      +1 for same statement date. They weren’t there this morning. Very happy 🙂

• Triath5 says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:22

  Random question, but is there an easy way to buy Arsenal FC domestic tickets without having a membership? I recall some sort of benefit through Amex Plat but I might be mistaken.

  Any input appreciated! Much obliged!

  • Spurs drive me mad says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:32

    Have a look at travelzoo

    • Spurs drive me mad says:

      21 Oct21 October 15:33

      Wouldn’t let me post link but just put football in search box and it will come up.

  • lev441 says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:39

    Buy tickets using Membership reward points transferred over to Emirates skywards

  • Crafty says:

    21 Oct21 October 16:59

    Most games go to general sale now, due to significant reduction in demand. You do need to wait for the various membership tiers to have their chance to buy first, then it’s open season.

    • Triath5 says:

      21 Oct21 October 17:48

      Thanks all. Tried the Emirates Skywards route but the game I want isn’t listed, and only seem to be showing hospitality boxes.

      I’ll have a look at other avenues.

• Nomid says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:42

  Am I correct in thinking that companion voucher generated via BAPP this year will be valid for 30 months as opposed to 24 months from January 2022?

  • Anna says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:56

    I think that’s as long as it’s generated by 31/12 but I may be wrong.

    • AJA says:

      21 Oct21 October 17:48

      As Anna says they are all valid for 30 months if generated before 31 Dec 2021.

      • AJA says:

        21 Oct21 October 17:50

        Actually it’s a 6 month extension so BAPP vouchers are 30 months. BA basic Amex 2-4-1 vouchers are valid for 18 months.

    • WaynedP says:

      21 Oct21 October 19:44

      Yes, it is in the FAQs on ba.com, 30 months if triggered by 31/12, and confirmed by the actual expiry date shown for each individual voucher.

      However, the wording of the accompanying email hasn’t been updated, and should be ignored if correct 30 month expiry is evident on checking the voucher itself.

  • RKEdin says:

    21 Oct21 October 16:34

    My new voucher appeared this week and the email from BA said it would be valid for 24 months. However just checked my account and it shows as valid to April 2024.

• David says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:49

  Ok what do I do ……. I had booked a 15 night stay at the Moxy in Aberdeen (mattress run) and was supposed to check out on Sunday . I checked in -in person – I now find the hotel had checked me out on day 9 because I hadn’t used the room for 2 nights – Help !

  • Andrew says:

    21 Oct21 October 15:53

    So they checked you out in the middle of your walking holiday?

    Bet you were raging after 2 nights in a bothy and expecting to come back to a hot shower.

    • David says:

      21 Oct21 October 15:55

      Yes ! Lol

  • Harry T says:

    21 Oct21 October 16:32

    Did you leave the DND sign on the door?

    • David says:

      21 Oct21 October 17:06

      I never do that lol

  • Anna says:

    21 Oct21 October 16:42

    It’s slightly concerning that you had effectively disappeared half way through your stay yet nobody saw fit to alert the authorities!

    • David says:

      21 Oct21 October 17:10

      Anna – apparently it’s for Health and safety reasons – I think they sublet my room !

  • Mike says:

    21 Oct21 October 16:59

    Tell them it was you base for exploring the Highlands, you checked in before going camping and want a guaranteed base to return to in the event of bad weather etc.

    Ask them to reinstate the rest of the booking as you may return and certainly would have checked out. If they argue with you ask under what part of the terms and conditions they were doing it under and that if you’d returned on day 11 having been out and about without a signal what would they have done if the hotel had become fully booked?

    I guess in future it’s definitely put a suitcase in the room and a DND on the door. They surely must have people who need leave a hotel for a night or two. I did it this week, I’m in a Hilton all this week but I ended up having to attend something in a different city for a night so booked a Hilton there, so was absent for a night from the original. I’ve done the same at Marriott hotels for similar reasons.

    • David says:

      21 Oct21 October 17:08

      I never return to check out tho I do it on the app !
      I think it’s sorted now they have reinstated stay and offer me an upgrade – hahahahhah

      • Triath5 says:

        21 Oct21 October 17:57

        Do you mind sharing the economics behind this mattress run? I’m ~15 nights away from Marriott Platinum and seriously considering what to do.

        Are you Aberdeen-based? No cheap Marriotts in London unfortunately so wouldn’t do a mattress run here, and think it might be a bit of a stretch to fly somewhere else but maybe this is something people do?

        Any insights appreciated.

        • David says:

          21 Oct21 October 20:03

          You need 50 nights for Marriott Plat and reward nights count – I will be short 15 (25 carried over and 10 nights I will stay before the end of the year). The 15 nights cost 30K Marriott points. My return flights to Aberdeen from Manchester cost £50.
          Hopefully next year I will spend 20 nights in W, St regis , JW – the free breakfast for 2 is £2000 value – never mind the upgrade , early/late check out.
          30k Bonvoy points are worth £210 at 0.7p valuation.
          Hope that helps

• BlueHorizonUK says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:51

  Not sure if anyone has seen this on BA.com Exec page

  Between 01 November and 17 November inclusive it will not be possible to claim missing Avios with our partners, so please make any requests prior to this date.

• Duncan says:

  21 Oct21 October 15:52

  Discovered that there’s a special promo for Railcard users that you can use when booking direct with IHG. Limited sample, but as far as I can tell the discount is legitimate and for the hotel I was looking at (InterContinental Edinburgh) also offered a longer free cancellation period than the rates otherwise offered. Only running to the end of 2021, but worth checking if you’re planning any trips!

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