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• Jtz says:

  13 Jan13 January 09:08

  I referred my mum to Amex gold, she’s been declined because of a mistake on the application, should she just reapply with my link or call them?

  Also anyone know how long hilton take to update status?
  Thanks

  • John says:

    13 Jan13 January 12:37

    Get her to write to them explaining what happened and asking them to reconsider the application.

    DO NOT put in new application with different information. Could trigger something called National Hunter, or Cifas strike on credit files.

    • Jtz says:

      14 Jan14 January 08:54

      Thanks a lot

• Mikeact says:

  13 Jan13 January 09:12

  So they would be no use within the new Virgin partnership…assuming it will be a done deal ?
  I guess Newquay will be shortly withdrawn from the route network.

  • Chris says:

    13 Jan13 January 09:41

    No need to guess- the short article explicitly mentions that Newquay is moving to LHR and the end of March…

  • Rob says:

    13 Jan13 January 11:40

    Flybe is operating the Newquay service to Heathrow, isn’t it?

    • flyforfun says:

      13 Jan13 January 11:48

      My preference for a London Newquay service is

      1) LCY
      2)LGW
      3)LHR

      The reason is that LCY is the quickest to enter/exit from. Going to LGW/LHR means being there an hour or so before at least. It eats into the time you could be driving there by.

• Milo2001 says:

  13 Jan13 January 09:21

  O/T – few question on forthcoming trip to US. I am BA Gold, flying solo on a AA ticket to US. Transatlantic legs are on BA operated A/C. Internal flights are American Eagle. I an PE (W) for transatlantic legs and Y for internal legs. Trip booked through corporate Travel Agent. Not been into US for some time. My questions:
  Do you have any tips for smoothing initial entry into US? arriving at JFK.
  Anyone know how the shutdown is affecting travel? scare stories starting to appear in press.
  I need some more tier points this year, would consider upgrading for a reasonable price. Not able to via web as refers me to travel agent and that is a no no. What are my best options?
  Will my BA Gold status give me lounge access on stopovers on internal legs, will be travelling through CLT and IAD on the trip? Any views on lounges at those locations?
  Thank you.

  • Doug M says:

    13 Jan13 January 10:03

    Have you entered US previously on your current ESTA? That lets you use a machine that speeds things up. I suspect not as you say not been for some time. If not I believe the only speed up is Global Entry, which is great if you’re happy to pay the fees and do the interview. It also provides TSA Precheck which can make security for flights departing US a dream, depends on airport. If you check luggage you have to collect it at your arrival airport, and then reclear security for domestics. There is no transiting in the US, with very limited exception.
    Different types of upgrade, but not all/any result in the additional tier points.
    I think in regard to uogrades and lounges you’d be better on FT. As a Gold I’ve no problem accessing AA lounges on domestics flights, but travel has been first not Y, not sure if that’s a factor. AA equivs to Gold do not get lounge access on domestics in Y.

    • Stu_N says:

      13 Jan13 January 10:38

      Yes to lounge access on US domestics via BA status (AA status flyers don’t get this but other Oneworld FFs do). If flying Y you should be able to select Main Cabin Extra seats for free if available and free drinks and snacks in flight as well.

      • Milo2001 says:

        13 Jan13 January 11:17

        Doug/Stu, thank you. it was almost two years ago that I last went, same ESTA still valid so will try electronic access. Lounge access will be good and have managed to select decent seats

  • Gin and Tonic Please says:

    13 Jan13 January 10:48

    BA Gold (ie. Oneworld Emerald) will get you AA lounge access. You should also get drinks voucher(s) for premium drinks at the bar. I’ve been to the CLT lounge several times. It’s huge and has lots of windows overlooking the apron, but otherwise uninspiring. AA domestic lounges generally have minimal facilities – snacks rather than meals (though CLT has a decent ‘guacamole bar’ from 4pm), limited choice of drinks unless you’re willing to pay for the premium ones, possibly a shower or two if you’re lucky (not at CLT). The exceptions are their Flagship lounges, which are only in JFK, LAX, MIA and ORD.

    • Milo2001 says:

      13 Jan13 January 11:20

      Thank you. Info on CLT useful. I would have liked to try a flagship lounge, but, will not be able to, whilst entering via JFK, I am leaving via BOS. I believe the best option there to be the new BA lounge.

      • Anna says:

        13 Jan13 January 12:30

        Hi Milo (please tell me 2001 isn’t your year of birth!!), the Boston lounge is very nice indeed, if you’re on a late flight home you can sit in the main bar area and watch the sunset over the harbour with your cocktail (if you are, in fact, over 21 lol). The food is a nice change from the usual BA fayre, e.g. Korean beef with noodles. If you want a shower, put your name down early, I registered with the reception desk but after 2 hours still hadn’t been called even though the lounge wasn’t busy. Also we didn’t get to board directly from the lounge, we had to go back downstairs to the gate and it was a total shambles so be prepared for that!

  • Down the Back says:

    13 Jan13 January 10:57

    Hi Milo2001,

    Pretty sure you will not get any extra TPs if you AUP on an AA ticket. In the BA Tier point thread on FT there is an excellent Wiki from Karfa which shows which OW carriers you do get extra TPs with and which you don’t.

    Regards

    DtB

  • tartan says:

    13 Jan13 January 11:33

    Flew in and out of Newark over the Christmas and New Year period during the shutdown and US immigration and customs seemed about the same as usual i.e. slow and surly, but had no issues.

    A lot of New York services still seem to be running, as the city is paying for them to keep going

• Roger says:

  13 Jan13 January 09:53

  OT- Can anyone recommend a break-away excursion or experience on my way from Calaise to Amsterdam – driving?

  • Roger says:

    13 Jan13 January 09:59

    Also is it worth seeing Tulips in Keukenhof gardens?
    Some online posts suggest you do not need to get this tickets, instead drive around in adjacent area for even better views.

    Any recommendation is very helpful

    • Genghis says:

      13 Jan13 January 10:11

      Brugge and Gent are nice. Sombat in Antwerp for food. Baarle-Nassau was interesting for the weird borders and good chips and mayo.

      • RussellH says:

        13 Jan13 January 11:51

        Basicly agree.
        Brugge has the more compact, interesting town centre, but parking is a nightmare. Gent is bigger and sights are more spread out.
        Veurne is just off the motorway and across the border from Dunkerque, small, but still has real, dramatic Flemish Grote Maarkt.
        Genghis: did you ever have the ‘fun of driving through Baarle -Nassau / -Hertog pre Schengen? The borders are not exactly obvious these days.

      • Genghis says:

        13 Jan13 January 13:11

        @RusselH. I’m too young! Schengen signed before I was even born. The borders are still painted on the pavements – the bits of the Netherlands inside Belgium inside the Netherlands are just weird.

      • RussellH says:

        13 Jan13 January 13:53

        Genghis: AFAIR it was pre-€ when I lasy stopped – driving across northern Belgium, but needing a Dutch supermarket.. But I do not remember any customs controls. My father once described passing a string of tiny customs sheds with sleepy officials in them during the late 1960s.
        I do wonder what it was like there in the late 1950s / early 1960s when butter smuggling from NL->B was big business??

    • flyforfun says:

      13 Jan13 January 11:51

      What time of year are you going? Check to see the growing schedule at Keukenhof as there may only be limited amount depending on when you go.

      But, yes, when I went I thought it was pretty good. Worth going in to wander around up close. I’d only do the cheapskate option if you didn’t have time to stop.

      • Roger says:

        13 Jan13 January 11:53

        Going at Easter this year.

    • Craig says:

      13 Jan13 January 12:41

      We did Keukenhof but stayed in Haarlem which I much preferred over Amsterdam. We borrowed ‘bone-shakers’ from the hotel and cycled there and back, it was slightly heavy going into wind but very much doable. Kuekenhof was definitely worth the visit, we went right at the end of the season and bought tickets in advance online.

  • Lady London says:

    13 Jan13 January 12:55

    My geography is rubbish but if on the way, I found Rotterdam and The Hague to have far more interesting sights and museums than Amsterdam.

    Watch your speed the Dutch do enforce speed limits and a speeding ticket can easily be sent by them to you in England.

  • Delbert says:

    13 Jan13 January 13:32

    Utrecht is nice particularly when the sun is shining.

    • Anna says:

      13 Jan13 January 16:44

      That sounds like a line from a spy film 😂

      • Alan says:

        13 Jan13 January 16:47

        Hahaha love it 🙂

• Geoff says:

  13 Jan13 January 10:01

  I’m amazed at the *flood* of OT posts (nevermind on a Sunday morning). Time for a “proper forum” and keep article comments on topic…? I’m confident Rob has considered it; are past reasons not to do it still true for 2019? Surely we could raise an army of volunteer moderators to keep spam at bay

  • Alan says:

    13 Jan13 January 10:05

    Please no – that would then just mean having to check another forum rather than just enjoy the spontaneity of the comments here. Some of the OT stuff is there best! Curve used to have a Slack community, was really easy to keep track of all the convos, now it’s a forum you have to keep checking different threads.

    • Alan says:

      13 Jan13 January 10:06

      *is the best

  • Leo says:

    13 Jan13 January 11:11

    Happy to see all but one of the OT comments today (so far) are in the Bits thread though. It really does help! I wouldn’t want to see the OTs go but it’s sensible to have some pattern to where they go IMHO.

    • Alan says:

      13 Jan13 January 11:21

      Agree, having them concentrated in bits each day is really helpful. Could even add a little sentence at the comment box saying please add off-topic discussions to Bits to try and help new visitors!

  • Anna says:

    13 Jan13 January 12:34

    I’m happy for the OT’s to be in the bits section – and surely Sunday is when a lot of people will actually have the time to post?!

  • Russ says:

    13 Jan13 January 14:34

    Hmnnn…not sure trying to moderate business leaders is the right tack to take. We are too independent and well versed in seeking information from multiple sources without being loyal to any.

  • the_real_a says:

    13 Jan13 January 14:58

    I really dont share the OCD outrage of others concerning the OT posts. My only wish would be to edit comments and to receive notification of new posts to “threads” you have already commented on.

  • Chris says:

    13 Jan13 January 15:00

    Leaving aside the fact that your own post is OT (arguably it’s O-OT) – was there a particular question about the topics in the article that you’d wanted to ask but haven’t been able to because of the ‘flood’?

    Like an empty garage, the comments section isn’t exactly brimming with value if it doesn’t contain comments and I struggle to see any problem with the current state of affairs, unless or until the signal/noise ratio becomes an issue which is nowhere near the case right now

  • Graham Walsh says:

    13 Jan13 January 15:38

    I like this. This could be a good option that fixes the issue of no notifications on posts you’ve made too as usually you post a question and this is a good way to segment it.

  • Rob says:

    14 Jan14 January 08:33

    We have just done that for BA – Rhys wrote it when he was here. Just needs some tidying up from me. If it works we may repeat for other schemes.

    In general regularly asked questions which are 100% legit (which cannot, for eg, include the Plat upgrade link because you need to be targeted and some who are not targeted do not get the bonus) do get an article, if only because it lets me email a link to the next person to email me about it.

• Iain cameron says:

  13 Jan13 January 10:07

  Its becoming apparent to me that as the pound dies against the euro..that alot of these great ex eu fare we used to take advantage of are becoming less good value…when u factor in hotels and relocating for the outbound flight..ur almost better to just fly from here…

  • Lady London says:

    13 Jan13 January 21:46

    So it sounds like even if Qatar comes up with another good sale next week, as ex-EU tickets are priced in…. er…. EUR…. we who are paying in GBP won’t notice how good the next Qatar sale is?Because we now have to pay so much more GBP this year to get same number of EUR as last year?

• Dan says:

  13 Jan13 January 10:09

  The OT comments are (almost) the best part of the site for me. I couldn’t count how many deals / tips etc, I’ve picked up that way,

  Not sure I agree with the forum idea, although I do think the way the site is structured makes it unlikely that many people go digging through comments on articles that are more than 1-2 days old, even if info would be more relevant there, which probably adds to the amount of OT.

  • Dan says:

    13 Jan13 January 10:10

    Response to Geoff. One thing I would really value is the ability to edit / delete posts!

• Milo2001 says:

  13 Jan13 January 11:16

  Doug/Stu, thank you. it was almost two years ago that I last went, same ESTA still valid so will try electronic access. Lounge access will be good and have managed to select decent seats

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