Qatar Airways has a new airport lounge at Singapore Changi, open for British Airways flights

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• Aston100 says:

  31 Jan31 January 10:26

  Shoestring. What exactly would it take for you to stop being a denier?

  • Shoestring says:

    31 Jan31 January 10:36

    I’m not a denier – I’m sure it’s a dangerous virus – but we have sophisticated ways to contain it and devise an effective vaccine in short measure

    and it’s a pussycat virus compared to SARS, which caused 775 deaths worldwide attributed, obvs more than that – I’m hoping pussycat virus can be kept at half that, what with the warm season fast approaching and the vaccine in place by next year

  • Karen Brown says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:18

    What’s a denier?

    • Shoestring says:

      31 Jan31 January 11:23

      we’re not talking tights

      denier as in denying the pussycat virus could turn into a deadly world epidemic if not contained and a vaccine rapidly found

• LewisB says:

  31 Jan31 January 10:50

  Is it just me or are Virgin flight and hotel deals generally expensive? It annoys me that with BA Holidays I can search for Qatar from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh to non-BA destinations but NOT CARDIFF. Yet Virgin include Qatar from Cardiff but the prices are always really high.

  • BJ says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:04

    Especially considering BA fly loads of empty planes to Cardiff.

    • Nate1309 says:

      31 Jan31 January 13:50

      So annoying driving past those planes on the way to my friends in Rhoose to know I can’t fly on them 🙁

    • John says:

      31 Jan31 January 16:48

      Hi BJ

      Any advice on INV? We’re flying ex-INV (starting EDI) later in the year. Wondering whether one way car hire or train to INV (Are the new trains available yet in the morning, and first class?) – family of four, but kids r young so 2 x train tix prob sufficient. Unsure if one way car hire pricey, probably. thanks!

      • David the 1st says:

        31 Jan31 January 17:14

        Either would be fine – train is a bit meh, but the views are fantastic going over the top, and you can enjoy them without having to watch for the car in front. Not easiest to get from train station to airport either, so on balance would probably advise car and enjoy the journey, of the cash isn’t too far out.

      • Jill (Kinkell) says:

        31 Jan31 January 17:15

        Hi. At least you can leave the car at Inverness airport right next to the terminal. Train will require taxi or bus out. Probably doesn’t cost more than £10-15 . New Courtyard hotel on site opening ‘soon’
        I think if I was coming from EDI I’d take a car hire..easier with luggage etc. All depends on which flight you’re getting from InV.

      • David the 1st says:

        31 Jan31 January 17:16

        l frequently use those for the southbound journey, so should probably encourage all to take one ways northbound.

      • BJ says:

        31 Jan31 January 18:23

        To add to other comments already posted, I would stay at a hotel in Inverness for anything other than the late departure. Be aware Inverness hotels can be very expensive though, even for poor hotels. If you go by train exit station to the left and you can get bus direct to the airport from the bus stop you will see ahead of you. Train from Edinburgh 2019 was about £16 standard advance IIRC. I’m not sure what the latest is on the introduction of the refurbished GWR trains is but I believe they all have First class. Taxi to airport was £20 the last time we used. There are express coaches from Edinburgh to Inverness which don’t take much longer than the train, AFAIK they still sell one or two tickets on each for £1. Citylink Gold has more comfortable seating, beverages and snacks included. With kids I think I would take the car fir flexibility though, but be careful on the A9 as it has frequent accidents. Allow 4-4.5h for the journey even though you could do it in under 3.5h. Be aware that if you are departing INV, you do not need to return there, we always route back to EDI.

        • John says:

          1 Feb1 February 13:32

          Thanks BJ
          yes, late INV departure 15:55 IIRC
          just rem’ed, car would necessitate 2 child seats – which are usually silly price.
          maybe back to train option!

• Cat says:

  31 Jan31 January 11:42

  Enormous plastic water bottles at the ready…

  • Shoestring says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:43

    heh heh! not sure I will fit into the 5L version

    • BJ says:

      31 Jan31 January 11:51

      Lol

    • Aston100 says:

      31 Jan31 January 14:18

      Woah… I was expecting more denials from you Shoestring.

      • Shoestring says:

        31 Jan31 January 14:30

        we’re setting up a blockade of the Tamar Bridge this Sunday

  • BJ says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:50

    Sit it out at a bothy in Locchinver 🙂

    • Cat says:

      31 Jan31 January 12:05

      Can I sit it out at a nice BnB in the Seychelles instead? At least until it’s a bit closer to bluebell season!

      • BJ says:

        31 Jan31 January 12:14

        Very mild in Lairig Ghru last weekend but I see what you mean 🙂

• Anna says:

  31 Jan31 January 13:03

  Why are the repatriated Britons being quarantined in one of the most densely populated areas of the country, especially as they are apparently landing at Brize Norton?!

  • SimonW says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:11

    Because it is grim up north and there is an empty accommodation block ? And it is not one of the most densely populated areas of the country. And the virus cant travel more than a few meters in the air.

    • Alex M says:

      31 Jan31 January 14:10

      That’s the opening line of my favorite song…
      Hope Rob doesn’t mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agWubOKCP4A

    • Anna says:

      31 Jan31 January 16:41

      The North West is the most densely populated after the South East, Greater London and the West Midlands.

  • Lady London says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:18

    Slightly OT why would British people have been in Wuhan? Is it a tourist centre or known for a particular industry?

    • Rhys says:

      31 Jan31 January 13:21

      It’s not that many – only something like 150 on the repatriation flight, from a population of 10+ million!

    • Ricatti says:

      31 Jan31 January 21:11

      Each Chinese regional city is more like a megapolis of > 10 million, skyscrapers, schools, local universities, factories, banks, businesses.

  • BJ says:

    31 Jan31 January 18:27

    Because they will put them anywhere except London or the Home Counties.

• Georg says:

  31 Jan31 January 13:15

  O/T and certainly a bit niche here… American Express Gold Card in Germany has currently a sign up bonus of 40000 MR points. Requires an address in Germany and probably a bank account there (but not sure about the latter). Cost is EUR 144.— per year in monthly instalments. First three months free, but bonus revoked if cancelled after less than 12 months. Conditions are slightly different to UK Amex cards but if criteria are met this should still be a no brainer. MR points convert 5:4 into a (different than UK) range of frequent flyer schemes, there is no lounge access but a discount on priority pass, foreign exchange fee is 2%

  • Pangolin says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:37

    But is it possible to transfer those MR to M&M or is it still blocked due to the court case?

    Miles and More tends to give better offers for Germany than the UK, so I just set my registered address to that of the Sheraton Leipzig 🙂 Not sure that will work as easily for the Amex!

    • BJ says:

      31 Jan31 January 14:17

      Thanks, I didn’t think of that so I’ll give it a try.

      • Pangolin says:

        31 Jan31 January 15:47

        Also useful if you want to take advantage of Family Pooling (only for DE, AT, CH).

        • BJ says:

          31 Jan31 January 18:32

          I think I’m just looking for a route out now with something for my remaining miles. Scrapping Bonvoy transfers was the final straw.

        • Lady London says:

          31 Jan31 January 21:39

          The LH gift card cash out route gives you a different selection of retailers depending on which country Miles & More country you say you are in when you log in. The voucher arrives electronically and very quickly.

          So if you log in to the UK you can take an Amazon voucher but when I looked in the German country options Amazon is not there. Around nov-dec they usually give you 10% off points cost of items in the Worldshop (IIRC higher status might get more) and if you really want to get rid of points some small electronic items are not ridiculous (they charge points as well for shipping).

          Depending how many LH miles you have to get rid of internal flights in the US in J were fair priced but availability hard to find. And watch out there is a sneaky additional procedure you have to do before it’s ticketed that is not obvious. So even finding the award seat s d getting it booked and the ticket ref. you could lose it (I did).

        • BJ says:

          1 Feb1 February 06:10

          The hig5card option is not available at the moment due to the legal action. I’m hoping a flight will pop up I can use, even if it means collecting a few more miles via hotels.

        • Lady London says:

          1 Feb1 February 14:29

          @BJ The giftcard option has defo still been available to those logging in and selecting UK site since the German court case. I used it to cash out to Amazon in that time.

    • Georg says:

      31 Jan31 January 14:57

      I don’t know, I haven’t tried myself. Blog I read suggested it’s possible but couldn’t verify on M&M or Amex websites. M&M site states only MR points from cards issued in Switzerland. So probably not currently possible.

      • Georg says:

        31 Jan31 January 14:59

        Should be in response to Pangolin

  • Charlieface says:

    31 Jan31 January 16:02

    N26 current account might be useful, I think you could open with a UK address and later change it to Germany. But I seem to remember something about having to verify ID in a German Post Office, but I could be wrong.

• Rhys says:

  31 Jan31 January 13:57

  …fewer deaths, though.

• ChrisC says:

  31 Jan31 January 14:05

  what a load of rubbish the VS website is

  Only offers Econmy flights. No way to select Premium or Upper.

  do they not think some people might want to travel in other cabins?

  Am off to expedia (other OTAs are available)

  • New Card says:

    31 Jan31 January 14:17

    errr

  • Rhys says:

    31 Jan31 January 14:22

    ….I suggest you look again, this is a problem on your end and not the virgin site

    • jc says:

      31 Jan31 January 17:51

      ^ This. Their website is great for comparing classes, shows all at once in a grid (or pick one from the outset).

    • ChrisC says:

      31 Jan31 January 20:41

      I may not have been clear – this was for the flight and hotel offer

      I’m familar with the flight only options and the way that it displays flights.

• Shoestring says:

  31 Jan31 January 14:43

  I’m logged into AerClub – where might I find AerClub’s version of Combine My Avios?

  • marcw says:

    31 Jan31 January 14:50

    Shoestring, you need to log-in in Avios with your username and password avios.com/eu/en. Once you’re in: Manage my Account –> Combine my Avios

    • Shoestring says:

      31 Jan31 January 15:03

      thanks, got it now

      • Alex M says:

        31 Jan31 January 15:25

        when i tried to pull avios from Iberia to aerclub using avios website, I got error message after typing in my Iberia credentials. I am sure they are correct – I can log in to my Iberia acct no problem. Could it be because Iberia put my last name into Personal details section twice (they have line for second surname)?

        • Shoestring says:

          31 Jan31 January 16:04

          could be

          just did a test IB—>Avios.com—>BAEC and all easy for me, emptied out my IB a/c

          my email addresses are different avios.com vs the other 2/ but I guess my name is the same, 1 surname

          IB only ‘likes’ a numeric password 123456 – so if you have got anything else (@lex5!) – switch it to 6 numeric digits

        • SideshowBob says:

          31 Jan31 January 17:27

          Thanks SS, I couldn’t get it to work until I saw this numeric password hack. What a ridiculous IT system where their own computer generated alphanumeric PIN cannot work.

        • Shoestring says:

          31 Jan31 January 17:38

          Iberia IT has half the letters it needs for an accurate description of how good it is

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