The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 8th December

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Swiss Jim says:

8 Dec8 December 08:00

Would anyone like to share a Costa referral code?
- KP says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:02
  
  7C072
  
  Thanks !
  - Swiss Jim says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 08:03
    
    👍
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:09
  
  Oof, beaten by a min.
  The things we do for half a cup of coffee!
Mark says:

8 Dec8 December 08:09

Looking at a 1-way from IST to LHR. Is the only option to pay in USD as default? Seems to be the case…
- KP says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:10
  
  On BA? You can call them and price it in GBP…
  - Mark says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 08:40
    
    Yes BA. Righttt, thanks.
  - K says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 09:51
    
    Can you call BA to price up any route in GBP? would like to book a flight using evouchers, but keen to get the e-voucher back in GBP instead of local currency? Anyone done this?
    - KP says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 16:07
      
      Yes any flight can be booked in GBP if you call.
      
      Mind you, if you book in non-GBP currency the voucher is in the same currency.
      And it’s converted to GBP when you use it for another ticket, at prevailing IATA FX rates
- John says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:34
  
  If it’s very soon and you are 99.9% going, use Amex travel or another UK online travel agent
  
  Nobody is going to price international items in TRY for a while
  - Beardless Hipster says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 11:20
    
    Turkish version of budgetair will price up in TRY but BA is costlier than direct.
    - John says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 12:40
      
      Well yeah but I meant airlines flying out of Turkey will not file fares in TRY. I expect Turkish travel agents will be able to charge in TRY if they have a way to convert their currency quickly
Robert says:

8 Dec8 December 08:16

Hi all can anyone recommend or provide a link for the new test needed to be taken 2 days before returning to England? The gov website seems to only have a list of providers for the day 2 test after returning, where I’ve managed to get one of those for £15, but they’ve not got a list of providers for the pre-travel test. Many thanks
- John says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:36
  
  How would the government know about testing providers in the whole world?
  
  Basically any test works although there are specificity and sensitivity requirements, no airline is going to check these
  
  In theory you can set up your own testing “lab”
- NorthernLass says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 10:30
  
  Where will you be taking the pre-departure test? Plenty of countries have options locally.
- elguiri says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 10:59
  
  Project Screen by Prenetics we’ve opted for. Should be arriving here today for us to take with us and upload result by camera 2 days before return flight.
  - AndyGWP says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 11:36
    
    We will be doing this one as well
    - elguiri says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 17:47
      
      Mine is now coming tomorrow, so that’s a 2.5 day delivery time, in case anyone is planning to get them last minute…
- Tracey says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 11:37
  
  Qured will post out to you. I ordered on Sunday and Amazon delivered them on Monday. £22 each.
  
  Curious where you can get a day 2 PCR for only £15.
  - Robert says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 13:30
    
    Thanks all, that’s great I’ve managed to get the qured £22 ones and will take in hand luggage. Rather get them here than abroad in case of holiday period closures/delays. I got the £15 test from zoom testing.
Greg says:

8 Dec8 December 08:20

Does anybody know how long it takes to get the 10,000 bonus avios with a Sainsburys Credit Card ? I signed up back in August and immediately spent my £400 in-store but no sign of my bonus

Any suggestions ?
- StevieKicks says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:32
  
  Took about 3/4 months for me
- Cathy says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:38
  
  I also took the card out in August, didn’t spend until September due to holidays and the 10,000 points posted on the 26/11.
- Travel Strong says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:49
  
  4th statement seems to be consistent feedback
Josh says:

8 Dec8 December 08:37

Hi all, can anyone tell me if it’s fine to buy a £250 gift card from Selfridges online to get the £50 off Amex offer?
- Andrew says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:42
  
  If you have a £50/£250 Amex offer for Voucher Express it’ll work.
  
  If you have a £50/£250 Amex offer for Selfridges, you’ll need to buy instore.
- Ls says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:43
  
  No.
Fab212 says:

8 Dec8 December 08:56

Apologies if already discussed (I scanned previous days chat for answers) – cards related post: Has Bendy backed by Shanghai stopped working for most transactions for anyone else over the past few weeks please?
- Fab212 says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 08:57
  
  * Bendy Metal and Shanghai Prem.
- Ls says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 09:00
  
  Mine works fine.
  - Fab212 says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 09:01
    
    Thanks Ls – how about cash withdrawals? Those seem to be declined automatically now.
    - Yuff says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 09:44
      
      It’s been a bit hit and miss the past few days, it didn’t work at duty free in Madrid on Monday when I tried it on my phone but worked later at kings cross
    - Tariq says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 15:37
      
      Worked OK for me on Sunday.
- Mr(s) Entitled says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 09:16
  
  At this point does anyone still think that Curve and HSBC Premier are unable to crack the HfP code?
  - Danny says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 09:40
    
    Why do you think the codes are meant for hiding from the card companies?
  - Lady London says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 12:03
    
    It’s the hot and cold masses that force providers to kill things they were perfectly well aware of but didn’t have the volume or publicity to get provoked previously
  - dougzz99 says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 13:59
    
    What gets me is asking the questions over and over. Do small transactions to test, and you have your answer. It matters not what others say, only what actually works for you.
    - F212 says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 14:40
      
      I said I am experiencing issues and wanted to understand if it was widespread. Not asking if it will work…
- BP says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 18:16
  
  Been using it in Dubai fine.
AndyGWP says:

8 Dec8 December 09:03

Hi folks.

We have flights with the lovely Ryanair on Friday that we are no longer able to take.

a) how can I find out the cost of the APD for the flight?
b) has anyone ever managed to get the APD refunded (aware there is an admin fee for this, so trying to work out if it’s worthwhile)
c) can you get multiple passengers tickets refunded under the same admin fee?

Thanks 🙂
- AndyGWP says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 09:09
  
  Well, I’ve found the following form, so that answers “b” – https://refundclaims.ryanair.com/
  
  Which says the following (which answers “c”) In accordance with Ryanair’s General Terms and Conditions of Travel government tax refunds are subject to a reasonable administration charge of £17/20EUR per person/per booking. We will review your request and will be contact with you within 7 working days.
  
  So just ‘a’ outstanding…. I can’t see anything on the original booking that references the price breakdown.
  
  I should have mentioned that it is in relation to flights from the UK to Europe (Czech) and UK to Europe (Portugal)
  - AndyGWP says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 09:10
    
    £13? Agreed?
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rates-and-allowances-for-air-passenger-duty
    
    Not worth it then – ho hum
- NorthernLass says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 09:15
  
  Is Ryanair not allowing changes any more?
  - Yuff says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 09:46
    
    7 days notice needed, pretty useless on this day and age plus bags aren’t covered by the free change
  - AndyGWP says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 10:28
    
    They are. You can only change to a flight departing in 2021, so unfortunately little time left to utilise
    - Beardless Hipster says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 11:31
      
      You could take a gamble, pay the fees and change to Stansted-Marrakesh for early February. If the fligh ban gets extended due to covid cases remaining high in the UK (which is likely), Ryanair will cancel flights and you will get most of your money back (minus the change fees perhaps). Worked for me in November when I caught covid and couldn’t fly. I changed the flight fee free to Cologne – Marrakesh, FR cancelled and I got full refund.
      - AndyGWP says:
        
        8 Dec8 December 16:44
        
        Thanks – change fees are £150 unfortunately so not worth the gamble. Good tip tho 🙂
      - Alex says:
        
        8 Dec8 December 23:54
        
        actually, if Ryanair cancels you get all the money back including the change fee, luggage, extra legroom seat, etc.
        
        In September I had a Stansted – Alghero return flight for a long weekend, decided not worth going with all the tests in and out so changed for Stansted-Podgorica for a fee, with Montenegro on a red list flight was canceled and got all the money back.
        
        in case the flight is not canceled you lose the original amount plus change fee. Some people might just cut losses rather than increase bet to stay in a game. No good money after bad money as they say in investment.
Simon L says:

8 Dec8 December 09:41

What’s Virgin like with regards to upgrading there gold members on a flight ? Booked premium to LAS in Jan , upper class looks wide open , will I be lucky or are they very strict like BA and will only upgrade if overbooked etc
- Sean Mc says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 09:47
  
  Cant answer your question directly – but have never had an Upper flight to LAS that is not full with every seat taken.
  - Andrew says:
    
    8 Dec8 December 10:09
    
    What’s better in Covid times?
    
    Sitting in a Full Upper, or sitting in a quiet Prem?
    - Rhys says:
      
      8 Dec8 December 10:16
      
      I’ve felt fine on full A350 flights in Upper. The seats are very private.
- FFoxSake says:
  
  8 Dec8 December 10:00
  
  Will fill up with staff and family nearer the day