Chat thread – Thursday 10th April
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This is today’s chat thread.
If you have specific questions about Avios, hotels or credit cards, please ask them in the appropriate forum and not here. This thread is a good place to post interesting deals you have spotted or your general thoughts on travel and all things miles and points. Thank you for contributing.
Monitoring my wife’s flight U28761 to LGW-MLA earlier, there was an announcement for a delay of 45 minutes due to air constriction, but luckily was lifted a few minutes later, all flights seem to be on time.
Flight time 2 hours 45 mins, so lands 30 minutes ahead of schedule.I don’t know if it’s been mentioned already but Uber has started DCC with a 1.5% fee. If you open the app, selected your account and wallet you can set it to always pay in local currency. I think it’s being rolled out in certain countries only to start.
Good morning from IC Berlin, where I last stayed about three months ago. Upgraded to premium room from classic, same as before. Checked in by the same person on reception. Given the exact same room. Is that a coincidence or do they try and give returning guests familiarity?
Particular thanks to @freckles for guesting me into the First lounge at T5 yesterday, an experience I probably would not have obtained on my own. Certainly better than the PP options!
Carrying out research for Asia, I came across the below, just a heads up for anyone traveling to Thailand from the 1st May 2025.
Digital Arrival Card
From 1 May 2025, all foreign nationals entering Thailand, whether by air, land or sea must complete a digital arrival card online before arrival. Travellers can register for an arrival card within 3 days before they arrive.
Morning all! Quick IB question. I’ve made my first (very good value!) IB J redemption MAD-BOG-MAD with a Companion Voucher. If I call to add the MAD-LHR final leg, does the voucher cover that too? And does the last leg need to be in J too or can I do that in Y to save some Avios, please?
Yes it does, and you can book into economy to save some avios and cash. Check that the luggage allowance will be enough, however.
If the short-haul was already available, you may also get charged amendment and/or phone fee.
Yes it does, and you can book into economy to save some avios and cash. Check that the luggage allowance will be enough, however.
Super, thanks! We travel light, thankfully! 🙂
But see amended post above!
Carrying out research for Asia, I came across the below, just a heads up for anyone traveling to Thailand from the 1st May 2025.
Digital Arrival Card
From 1 May 2025, all foreign nationals entering Thailand, whether by air, land or sea must complete a digital arrival card online before arrival. Travellers can register for an arrival card within 3 days before they arrive.
I’m pretty sure I completed this online this Feb both for visiting Thailand and for Malaysia
Ah – good point, thank you! Let’s see how kind the BA telephone gods are today!
Yes it does, and you can book into economy to save some avios and cash. Check that the luggage allowance will be enough, however.
If the short-haul was already available, you may also get charged amendment and/or phone fee.
I never knew this was an option? I had same MAD-BOG-MAD flight with a voucher, but booked a separate positioning flight LHR-MAD-LHR, due to high taxes etc from London, I guess the return makes sense in this case.
We are both still showing as Gold on Hilton Honors.
Have statuses not changed yet or have we got another undeserved status year?Carrying out research for Asia, I came across the below, just a heads up for anyone traveling to Thailand from the 1st May 2025.
Digital Arrival Card
From 1 May 2025, all foreign nationals entering Thailand, whether by air, land or sea must complete a digital arrival card online before arrival. Travellers can register for an arrival card within 3 days before they arrive.
This is pretty much like the South Korean arrival card; available to fill in 3 days in advance of arrival, electronically. I think much of S.E. and East Asia are doing something along these lines. SK started on 24/2/2025.
Yes it does, and you can book into economy to save some avios and cash. Check that the luggage allowance will be enough, however.
If the short-haul was already available, you may also get charged amendment and/or phone fee.
I never knew this was an option? I had same MAD-BOG-MAD flight with a voucher, but booked a separate positioning flight LHR-MAD-LHR, due to high taxes etc from London, I guess the return makes sense in this case.
Yea, and then you have the return connection protected + bags checked through. Just need the outbound positioning flight booked separately.
Hi all. I have to go to Dortmund in a couple of weeks for work. There are no direct flights, but it seems easily accessible by train from both Cologne and Düsseldorf. I’m wondering if anyone has any recommendations/experiences of which might be best to fly to?
@phantomchickenz you’re welcome, happy to help and great to meet a fellow HfP’er.
Yes it does, and you can book into economy to save some avios and cash. Check that the luggage allowance will be enough, however.
If the short-haul was already available, you may also get charged amendment and/or phone fee.
Mixed result – after a bit of an argy-bargy about how many extra Avios were due, we settled on an extra 13,000 in Y with the voucher. He didn’t charge me the telephone service fee, but did charge me the £35pp change fee. So all in all £245 (assuming 1p per Avios), which I think is worth it for the peace of mind on the return + it’s on the IB A330, so we get W seats.
IB redemptions are quite pricey within Europe, especially when compared with cash fares. The taxes alone can be nearly as much as booking the cheapest cash fares direct with IB!
But definitely worth it, as you say, for the peace of mind of a protected connection and interlined bags.
Hi all. I have to go to Dortmund in a couple of weeks for work. There are no direct flights, but it seems easily accessible by train from both Cologne and Düsseldorf. I’m wondering if anyone has any recommendations/experiences of which might be best to fly to?
Have used both airports but it was pre pandemic. Didn’t notice anything particularly memorable at either to be honest.
I’d be looking at the totally of your trip in terms of both airline and train costs and schedules and total travel times
Way off topic…
Electric Garage Doors. Anybody got any products to reccomend or avoid please?
IB redemptions are quite pricey within Europe, especially when compared with cash fares. The taxes alone can be nearly as much as booking the cheapest cash fares direct with IB!
But definitely worth it, as you say, for the peace of mind of a protected connection and interlined bags.
100%! The outbound positioning flight is £98 for two!
Way off topic…
Electric Garage Doors. Anybody got any products to reccomend or avoid please?
We had our up and over door electrified; not the best solution.
For not much more we could have had a roller door as we had at previous house. Use a good specialist company.
Way off topic…
Electric Garage Doors. Anybody got any products to reccomend or avoid please?
I can’t recommend but, Costco have a range of garage doors, free fitting on some, but obviously you would need to check prices.
https://www.costco.co.uk/Tyres-Automotive/Garage/Installed-Garage-Doors/c/cos_8.10.2
Looking for inspiration to get out to BKK
I’m planning on a trip to experience some first class cabins. Current plan is BKK to HKG on Emirates 1st (cash), HKG via SIN to DEL on SQ 1st (air miles) then DEL to LHR business on VS
Trying to decide on option to get out to BKK to start with. Easy option is AY from LHR with HEL stopover but was looking for other ideas. EVA maybe? What do people think. I have plenty of Avios but limited on other points
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