The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 9th November

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• James says:

  9 Nov9 November 04:01

  @blenz101 I went to o2 yesterday and they said as per emirates website that they dont accept the 3 hour pcr test.

  Anyone have any experience using rapid pcr tests? They said its literally the same output just the word rapid and they check the time stamps. If its too early they will suss it out

  • Andy says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:21

    Does the apply to countries needing a PCR test? I need one for Thailand and was going to use the O2

  • Andy says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:23

    Does the apply for tests for countries as well? Was thinking of using the O2 for Thailand but not if it’s not going to be accepted

    • Andrew says:

      9 Nov9 November 07:33

      They wouldn’t have much of a business if all countries refused their tests.

  • Blenz101 says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:46

    The confusion is because the UAE doesn’t accept or even offer anything but a full PCR test and rapid PCR test seems to be used as shorthand for rapid covid test such as lateral flow test.

    The certificate just says “ COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR” makes no mention of rapid. Happy to show you a sample if Rob gives you my email.

    I’ve travelled throughout the pandemic on EK with this test type and it has always been accepted.

    • Rich says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:11

      Have just fallen foul of that for a trip to Dubai, ordered the predeparture Randox test (no BA discount anymore btw) and it won’t do – I need the full RT-PCR in clinic test.

      • Benilyn says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:24

        Hi Rich – what stage in the process of travel did you find out you fell foul?

        • Rich says:

          9 Nov9 November 08:43

          Just prior to Online checkin getting paperwork in order for submission. Meant not being able to check in 24 hours before and losing the Randox cash as they don’t do refunds or conversion to a day 2 arrival test (same kit). My ATD is normally excellent but on this occasion it let me down!

      • Katie says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:48

        Did you submit your results via online check in? I thought you had to show in person.
        To clarify UAE do not accept home test kits which is what Randox offered to Rich

        • blenz101 says:

          9 Nov9 November 08:53

          No results are submitted in advance. You can show results on your phone or hard copy, most people taking tests at the airport on 3 hour turnarounds I suspect use their phone.

          UAE do no officially accept home tests although plenty of reports here that agents would not be able to tell and provided the dates comply are not bothered. Obviously you could get caught out here. Nobody in DXB will care, they will have expected the check in agent to have checked.

        • Rich says:

          9 Nov9 November 18:10

          I use VeriFLY so yes, but of course you can also show them at the airport but I hate waiting behind people that do that as has happened a lot to me recently flying out of Spain.

      • blenz101 says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:49

        Just to confirm the Collinson tests are all clinic tests with the samples collected by a healthcare professional. What Dubai won’t accept is a test where you take the test yourself and post off as it could have been taken by anybody.

        Also remember the vast majority of travellers to Dubai are coming from countries where document forgery, corruption and application of rules is far more lax than in the west. Emirates rules apply to all but their is acceptance that it is unlikely most people in the UK will be getting other people to take the test for them, purchasing forged certificates or similar.

        • Rich says:

          9 Nov9 November 18:11

          I use VeriFLY so yes, but of course you can also show them at the airport but I hate waiting behind people that do that as has happened a lot to me recently flying out of Spain.

    • Katie says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:45

      @blenz101 Yes please, can you provide your email as the lady said it will say RAPID on there. I will clarify what they accept on my flight tomorrow.

      • blenz101 says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:50

        Yes, hopefully Rob can provide you my email and I’ll forward over a copy of my certificate.

        • Rob says:

          9 Nov9 November 09:28

          I can’t, because Katie put a dummy one in her comment.

        • Katie James says:

          9 Nov9 November 11:00

          apologies I have updated this now

      • KP says:

        9 Nov9 November 09:57

        I used these 3 hour turn around PCR test for Dubai on BA, it was no issue at all.

        Rapid just means ‘fast’ and has nothing to do with the chemistry of the test….

• Boi says:

  9 Nov9 November 05:48

  Hi,
  Looking for accommodation recommendation in Bahamas. Planning to spend xmas there as a group (minimum 10. max 17 including kids).

  Also advice on things to do?
  thanks in advance

  • Anna says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:56

    Sounds amazing, glad you managed to find somewhere for the family reunion Boi! Which island will you be staying on as that will dictate accommodation and activities.

    • Anna says:

      9 Nov9 November 07:58

      Also are you thinking hotel/villa etc?

      • Boi says:

        9 Nov9 November 13:05

        Thanks Anna. Looking forward to it. We are flying into Nassau. Which island is best?

        I am open to either villa or hotel…I am at early stage of planning but time is running out.

        Sorry for late response I just woke up.

• Thywillbedone says:

  9 Nov9 November 06:38

  Morning all.

  Do direct messages (i.e. not tweets) on Twitter to BA still work? I am getting automated responses from a Chatbot to my DMs …just want to make sure a real person will eventually read them. (re cancelling an Avios booking, not urgent so don’t want to waste more time on the phone listening to the long BS template message you have to wade through prior to being booted from the queue before you can even join it)

  Thanks.

  • Toddy says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:12

    My last DM took 4 days for a person to respond.

  • Sam G says:

    9 Nov9 November 10:59

    Live chat probably better bet

    • Thywillbedone says:

      9 Nov9 November 13:13

      Thanks. Could not get the live chat to fire yesterday …assuming it was too busy also.

      • Sam G says:

        9 Nov9 November 13:57

        later in the day seems better for chat & phones in my experience – 6-7pm time

• Jon says:

  9 Nov9 November 06:53

  MR transfer to BA finally complete a week later.

  • Scott says:

    9 Nov9 November 09:02

    Mine arrived today, requested Fri 29th Oct.

• aviosnewbie says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:12

  Any experience with the travel insurance for flight cancellations on Curve Metal? Our Emirates flight in Feb 2022 from Dubai to Mumbai was cancelled and they’ve now put us on the next flight which is after 12hrs. So I’ll need to book a hotel for an additional night – spoke to Emirates and they confirmed there is no compensation. I’d booked the ticket using the VA card fronted on Curve Metal

  • Blenz101 says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:56

    Where does your ticket start, if in the U.K. the you will have options. Emirates Connect will provide a hotel or you would potentially be entitled to one under UK261 duty of care by law.

    If your ticket starts in Dubai then EK’s assumption is that you would just travel to the airport later and have correctly told you no compensation is on offer.

    Curve Metal travel insurance covers you for your losses after you have checked in. Have a look at the section “ Delayed Departure”. This isn’t going to apply where you have been given several months notice to mitigate your loss.

    Presumably you could pick another flight if the one 12 hours later doesn’t work?

    • blenz101 says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:28

      Also, you talk about purchasing an additional night in Dubai in hotel as a result of this delay. Your travel insurance is going to expect your trip to start and end in the UK. If you are stuck at the airport after check-in on your UK outbound or stuck on your return UK inbound they will cover you food and hotel (albeit in almost all cases the airline will as well).

      They are not going to pick up a hotel night during the middle of the trip itself. They would expect you to have accommodation in place for each night you are out of the country.

      • aviosnewbie says:

        9 Nov9 November 09:14

        Thank you! We’re flying BA from London to Dubai, then spending a week in Dubai. After that flying DXB-BOM with Emirates (this is the flight that is delayed), spending a few weeks in Mumbai and then finally BA back BOM-LHR. Based on what you say, we won’t be due any compensation from either the insurance company or the airline. Looks like I’ll just have to fork out an additional night in Dubai then. Not to mention how inconvenient the new flight is going to be with a toddler. Original flight departure was at 16:10, and now Emirates have put us on the 04:10 departure the next morning

        • blenz101 says:

          9 Nov9 November 10:03

          Have a look at the EK schedule, another flight may be better suited. If KSA for example reopens to those who have been in India then demand may pick up and flights could be reinstated / additional flights added between now and Feb.

          You can get the Hampton by Hilton near DXB for usually under 50 GBP, so even if you do have to pay for a hotel you can control costs to what any insurance excess would be anyway. Several of the airport lounges also offer areas to sleep although appreciate that isn’t ideal with a toddler.

      • Katie James says:

        9 Nov9 November 11:05

        is Dubai Connect automatically offered on long stop overs?
        I had a 22 hour stopover but wasnt offered one in the past. via emirates

        • Blenz101 says:

          9 Nov9 November 12:05

          Yes, available in all classes but you need to request it.

          https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/before-you-fly/dubai-international-airport/dubai-connect/

  • Genghis says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:57

    What does your policy say?

• Andy says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:23

  Has anyone had Amex Gold credit for the 10% Morrison’s offer yet? Had two transactions, one on the 27th October and one on the 3rd November and had nothing so far

  • Paul says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:31

    2 credits from transactions on 28 and 30 October posted to my acount on 5 Nov. My other half is still waiting for a credit from 29 October

    • Andy says:

      9 Nov9 November 07:46

      Hmm I wonder why mine hasn’t then, I guess I better chase them

      • Toddy says:

        9 Nov9 November 07:58

        You’re wasting your time.
        1) You’ll be told the T&Cs state that a statement credit can take up to 90 days.
        2) Numerous readers have commented on the delay taken for offers (especially Morrisons) to come through.

        Relax. You’ll get your credit 😀

        • Andy says:

          9 Nov9 November 10:51

          I thought the same Toddy but actually I just chatted with them. So the second transaction on the 3rd November had been activated already and the credit will post within 72 hours. For some reason the one on the 28th October isn’t activating properly. So they’ve manually fixed it for me and the credit for that one will be in my account I’m 24-48 hours

      • Toddy says:

        9 Nov9 November 17:57

        Glad you got it sorted Andy!

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:46

    Received credit two days back for transaction on 26th.

  • Katie James says:

    9 Nov9 November 11:06

    It will come through

• Andrew says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:35

  MR finally turned up in my BA account today after a 12 day delay. Seems the problem is fixed. Just in time to convert to Nectar before the BA IT meltdown.

  • Lee says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:49

    +1

• Allan says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:53

  I am Bonvoy platinum at the moment on 41 nights so 9 short of properly renewing.
  With the extension for next year, is there any benefit to either taking out the amex for additional 15 nights or staying the extra 9 nights to properly re-qualify?

  • Harry T says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:11

    You’ll get the platinum welcome gift if you hit 50 nights this year. Probably cheaper to pay the £75 card fee, if you don’t already have holiday plans that will give you the other 9 nights.

    • Allan says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:25

      Thanks Harry.

    • Rob says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:30

      Pay the £75, get the 5 suite night awards, get the 15 nights again in early Jan and then cancel ….

      • Allan says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:33

        Sounds like a plan

      • Allan says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:34

        Any experience as to how strictly the names need to match on accounts? I’m waiting to reset my BA card sign up wheras my wife already has a BA card so wouldn’t make any difference to her clock.

      • David says:

        9 Nov9 November 10:34

        While it’s in my head do stays at the Cosmopolitan LV still count as nights stayed – this month ? I’m 9 nights short too.

  • NSL says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:20

    If you want the 50 night gift then take out the card. Make sure that the additional elite nights or SNAs will be of use to you next year (chasing status again?)

    • TGLoyalty says:

      9 Nov9 November 09:16

      The extra nights post against the current year not next year. They’re only useful if the OP is going for titanium.

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