[BBbetter]

From MLE, I hope you have J tickets. The regular queue for exit emigration checks is long, open air for a part, hot and humid.
I don’t know if the new airport has commenced service, hope it’s better there.

[BBbetter]

StaggerLee wrote:

Supposed to be going to Oman in three weeks, via Doha. Finally booked hotels a couple of days ago and all non refundable. None of them have actually taken payment though so not really sure what to do. I was going to ring to chase but wondering what would happen if I don’t do anything?

Obviously too early to know if the whole trip will need to be cancelled but just trying to limit my financial exposure.

For countries like UAE, Qatar and Oman, the impact wont last more than a few days. Iran is just throwing everything possible and see what sticks. They’ll run out of missiles soon or will shift to focus on US and Israel.

But the bigger issue for you could be the flights etc. Whether the airspace will be open and if the airlines can still guarantee your preferred dates.

[BBbetter]

@BadOmens, no point moaning about it now its gone. As JDB suggests, best to ask politely the hotel if they could waive the fees due to your ‘assumption’ as you were not planning on the expense. If they refuse, theres not much you can do.

[BBbetter]

ffwd wrote:

There goes my Holiday to Doh then DXB. Anyone got any ideas for 2 weeks in March please (apart from Isle of Wight)?

If its the last 2 weeks of March, tulips start blooming in Netherlands.

[BBbetter]

Lots of complaints about Indigo these days. Flights stuck on tarmac for hours. Make a plan B if things go south.

[BBbetter]

BadOmens wrote:

Got a bit of a first world issue here. Email this morning regarding an upcoming 15 night redemption stay in Baros Maldives saying there’s a mandatory $232pp boat transfer fee. Hilton’s site now mentions it too. But it deffo never mentioned it when I booked last April. What’s the recourse on this? The email came from SLH with a don’t reply to this. So who should I contact do ya reckon? Obviously it’s a drop in a bucket, but I don’t like them making redemptions even less valuable.

If you have screenshots from booking, that can be helpful. Or the email confirmation saying transfers are included. If neither, reach out to hotel first and ask for clarity, then to Hilton if hotel insists on fee.
It was a such a good deal that it was just a matter of time before it was gone.

[BBbetter]

Worked fine yesterday night for HMRC and today for regular expenses.

[BBbetter]

GG is so happy it was posted twice, lol!

P2 recently was talking about staying near Solihull for a business related event and it brought back all memories!

[BBbetter]

davefl wrote:

When the hospitality gets too much for an introvrted soul – last night the place I expected to get food poisoning kept forcing more and more food on me, all complimentary. I don’t have a big appetite and am trying to lose some weight so left 90% of what they brought me. They were so insistent the guy literally picked up a spoon, filled with salad swimming in juices and almost tried to force feed me insisting that I try it. Total cost £5.

At the hotel even though I said I’d already eaten was invited to break the fast, politely refused and then an hour later he knocked on the door with home made desserts.

Been in my room all day due to the fog, pretty much trapped. Different guy knocks asking if I want breakfast tomorrow or dinner tonight. Said no thanks. Half an hour later he comes back with a huge tray of food, steaming coffee that looks like it would melt a spoon and plate full of cheese (which I loathe).

It’s all too much. They’re so nice, but dear me I can’t really cope with it.

Which hotel is this, davefl? Asking for a friend 🙂

[BBbetter]

yorkshireRich wrote:

AFKAE – how was Chiang Mai? Phuket is currently very hot. You staying anywhere nice? We are flying in economy from Koh Samui to Hong Kong next week. The price we paid was almost the same as a business class flight on Emirates from Bangkok to HongKong.

Koh Samui flights costing a bomb is not surprising. The airport is a private monopoly, owned by the same group as BKK airways and they charge exorbitant rates. Plus the known fact that most resorts there are upscale.

[BBbetter]

Heathrow stay and park question – has anyone stayed at any hotels other than Sofitel, with family and had a pleasant experience of parking?
Both Sofitel and LHR short stay quote double the cost of Hilton T5 and HI bath road stay and park packages.

[BBbetter]

BSI1978 wrote:

Graun reporting that the US is to ‘temporarily’ suspend both the Global Entry and TSA pre-check programs due to the continued/partial govt. Shutdown.

The cynic in me queries whether this would be a precursor to ending the schemes completely in their current form (although the report suggests a similar pause happened last year which I wasn’t aware of) but one to be aware for those still travelling to the States.

Its such a cynical move by the admin as these programs are paid for and they could be funded with their own money, yet DHS is keeping that money and adding more people to regular queue in the hope people get angry and turn against the democrats.

[BBbetter]

davestat wrote:

An interesting concept I spotted in KUL for Breakfast was for the reception desk person to actually scan room keys to confirm the number of official guests booked into a room and comparing it to the number of guests in from of her. Simple and it certainly caught people out. Western tourists were ok and we weren’t scanned at all.

Have seen many hotels print sheets with rooms and number of guests that is verified before seating is offered.
Staycations are quite popular with locals in that part of the world but it looks like some try to get away with paying less.

[BBbetter]

Am assuming this card will be more rewarding for status chasers rather than points earners, similar to the Marriott cards. But would they extend the benefits to star alliance flights? If not, going to be a very small crowd.

[BBbetter]

Goonerdad wrote:

Afternoon all,

Just browsing flights in my lunch hour (as you do!).

Looking at Madrid to Hong Kong. First leg is with Iberia and the second leg with Qatar. Am I right in thinking that to use a CV voucher both flights need to be on an Iberia flight number?

Thank you.

Correct. Not just Iberia flight number, but also the metal.

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davedent wrote:

Do you rate Indigo? £1000 to BKK from Man in biz worth thinking about …..

That’s likely connecting at BOM or DEL. The seats are recliner seats not lie flat, but more importantly I heard you might have to change terminals at BOM / DEL.
Edit: changing terminals is for international vs domestic, so you might be fine.

[BBbetter]

Dragonlady wrote:

Morning from a very grey Delhi and where the air quality is truly disgusting ( you’d swear you were in a room with chainsmokers ).Very good flight with Indigo ( old Norse aircraft ). Fastrack security at LHR, access to No 1 lounge ( so I didn’t bother going to the Centurion lounge )and fastrack immigration here. Deplaned and bags collected within 20 minutes.Now stuck in the madness that is traffic in Delhi.

It’s so bad, there were reports that the air quality index published is being manipulated.

Ignoring the air quality issue, unless visiting places in northern India, I’d suggest entering the country via BLR or HYD as they significantly better for immigration and transit. Though obviously more frequent connections at BOM.

[BBbetter]

If you change address in BA account to Germany, BA will block all transfers from UK programs like BAPP and Barclaycard.

[BBbetter]

Lisbon airport yesterday – all families with children moved into a separate queue that had just two counters, resulting in a longer queue than any other! So much for prioritising families!

[BBbetter]

strickers wrote:

I see Chase has brought out an insurance product, Chase Protect. £12.50 a month for travel, breakdown and phone. Travel is £5k cancellation each and breakdown excludes at home, it’s a no from me.

What would you recommend strickers?

[BBbetter]

Tahiti wrote:

12k points for £3k spend 6 months.

Same here today.

[BBbetter]

Dom wrote:

BBbetter wrote:

Is the Amex chat service down? When i click on the chat link, it takes me to login page even though i had logged in just a few seconds earlier.

Is this on the website or the app? I haven’t tried today but I remember having the same problem about a year or so ago, the website chat just took you to a login page even though you were already logged in, logging in again at that point didn’t help.
Back then I found that the chat in the mobile app still worked fine, so if it is the website chat you are having issues with then maybe try the mobile app instead.

Thanks Dom, mobile worked!
Cant believe they havent sorted the bugs on website yet.

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strickers wrote:

Had enough now, this weather can do one! Checked my solar generations stats, Jan this year was 54kWh, 30% less than any of the previous 5 years. Feb is well on track to be the worst on record too, down 15% already with more rain to come. I cheered myself up a tiny bit by saving €50 on a hotel for June. 36 days until we are on our way to Sri Lanka, happy travelling everyone, enjoy the sunshine and try to bring some home please.

Each year brings a surprise. On the flip side, ponds and lakes must be getting filled up and ground water too.
Am kicking myself for not adding an expansion pack to the powerwall. It runs out by 6pm and am forced to pay the peak rate.

[BBbetter]

Is the Amex chat service down? When i click on the chat link, it takes me to login page even though i had logged in just a few seconds earlier.

[BBbetter]

I agree with above. Player 2’s identity check was stuck with curve and the app had no update for a couple of weeks. Sent an email and within 2 days, the check was complete and approved.