Chat thread – Thursday 3rd April
Discuss today's stories:
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Are people still keen on holidaying to the US and contributing to their economy?
Lat summer I said if he won then that would be the end of my US visits.
I had three planned for this year – New York, Chicago and Sam Francisco.
On election night I cancelled the San Francisco trip at zero cost as a flight had already been cancelled.
The Chicago trip was avios and I just ate the £ 35. I thought it unlikely the flight BA would be cancelled plus I had a use for the avios.
I waited until 2 weeks before the NYC trip hoping for a cancellation but none came. It was just too much money to lose. I went at the end of February.
My US based friends understand completely my decision. I’m not the only non US person in my circle that is boycotting the US.
If people still want to visit then that’s their decision and I won’t criticise them for it. We are after all different.
I read the Washington Post and have done for years. One thing that horrifies me is the ignorance of many in the US over their system of government at both federal and state level. Also just the lack of humanity over the federal workers who have been dismissed. Yet they are the first to complain that the national parks are closed or of open are rubbish strewn or that they can’t get an appointment at the veterans hospital because the people who make the appointments have been deemed “non essential” and let go.
Boycotts work both ways. Statistically, there’s not much love for Trump in the UK, but I also know people who were reluctant to travel to the USA under Biden (who hated Britain) but who are now willing to travel. I also know people who won’t travel to Muslim countries because of their attitude to women/gays/Christians, but Dubai’s tourism is flourishing. And I know far more people who couldn’t care less about a country’s government when deciding where to travel; they care about the weather, the price and the things to see and do when they get there.
Within the USA, it’s interesting that there’s been a massive outflow of people from Blue states to Red states in recent years, with many claiming politics is behind their relocation. As I said, boycotts work both ways.
Are people still keen on holidaying to the US and contributing to their economy?
Absolutely not from me. It will be a very long time before I go back to the USA. Indeed I hope Europeans and many Brits will boycott the country and its goods.
As for the residents of Florida who work in tourism. They should have been worrying if “we will come!” back in November when they voted in huge numbers for Trump.
As we in Britain know only too painfully, voting for people or causes which promise easy answers to complex questions and a land of milk and honey, is a recipe for Disaster. Brexit taught us that much
And so say all of us!
Are people still keen on holidaying to the US and contributing to their economy?
Amazingly, many Brits still seem to although to us it feels expensive and just really bad value. There are just so many better places to visit for value, hospitality as well as greatly superior accommodation and food.
Are people still keen on holidaying to the US and contributing to their economy?
Amazingly, many Brits still seem to although to us it feels expensive and just really bad value. There are just so many better places to visit for value, hospitality as well as greatly superior accommodation and food.
This is pretty much where I’m at. I’m not best pleased by the election of Trump but I doubt many Red states would be on my immediate travel bucket list for visiting the States. The expense, poor exchange rate (ironically something Trump might actually be good for from a UK perspective) and insane tipping culture are far bigger turn-offs for me personally, which would still be factors if Biden was serving a second term.
@Paul – I’m impressed that you are so familiar with the voting habits of Hispanic Floridians, that’s a really niche subject!
I presume you also boycott China, Mexico, India, most of the Middle East, and every other country with a worse record on human rights than the USA?
@Paul – I’m impressed that you are so familiar with the voting habits of Hispanic Floridians, that’s a really niche subject!
I presume you also boycott China, Mexico, India, most of the Middle East, and every other country with a worse record on human rights than the USA?
+1 I guess we will all have holiday here or maybe Spain or France, oh hang on wait a minute……………
We own a condo in Florida with intent to spend 6/8 weeks in Autumn/winter in it but this year we’re only going for 2 weeks. Partly because of the Orange Idiot, but also we’d need to have a shorter visit in the next few years so we don’t count as a resident. So win-win. All the Americans we know are nice, moderate people. Trump supporters need to hear what Reagan said about tarrifs. He will be spinning in his grave!
I am trying to book a flight from New York to Raleigh Durham using miles, which is a short flight. I have a bunch of Amex MR points, 7k virgin points and some avios points
Annoyingly, United Airlines has an option for 5k points and $6 in tax, which is perfect. But it seems like there’s no good way for me to get my Amex points to my United Airlines account (i don’t have any points with them)
Any thoughts on how I could transfer my Amex points to my UA account somehow?!@Paul – I’m impressed that you are so familiar with the voting habits of Hispanic Floridians, that’s a really niche subject!
I presume you also boycott China, Mexico, India, most of the Middle East, and every other country with a worse record on human rights than the USA?
+1 I guess we will all have holiday here or maybe Spain or France, oh hang on wait a minute……………
Best to holiday where it suits you best from an overall perspective without considering the political aspects which are anyway rarely as simple as some like to portray. I think human rights in the US are terrible and many are treated in a barbaric way, but the reason we don’t go there is because it’s such bad value, too expensive, tipping nightmare, best natural sights horribly overcrowded and the art of hospitality has been largely lost. So many other wonderful opportunities.
I am trying to book a flight from New York to Raleigh Durham using miles, which is a short flight. I have a bunch of Amex MR points, 7k virgin points and some avios points
Annoyingly, United Airlines has an option for 5k points and $6 in tax, which is perfect. But it seems like there’s no good way for me to get my Amex points to my United Airlines account (i don’t have any points with them)
Any thoughts on how I could transfer my Amex points to my UA account somehow?!Send 40,000 Amex to Marriott Bonvoy. Send 60,000 Marriott to United, you’ll end up with 30,000 United miles. You can send less and get less, but that’s the optimal proportions.
Can anyone remind me is BA refusing to check luggage through if avios tickets have forced travel between 2 European destinations to be via 2 BA tickets on BA flights connecting in London?
Eg if flyng FRA to SOF on award tickets with a few hours to connect in LHR – if I can’t get BA to put these 2 award flights on one ticket by calling to book, will their checkin in FRA refuse to check my luggage through to SOF?
@LadyLondon – We did MAN-LON-ATH, asked at the T5 connections desk manned by BA staff if they could interline our bag, they said yes and smiled sweetly, handing my boarding passes back, only to leave it in London!
Given it’s never taken me more than 10 mins to get through security at LHR, I would just do it
Cannot make this up, just got an email from BA with the link: https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/BritishAirways to bid for upgrades … of course it doesn’t work.
However, if I type https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/Iberia it works fine.
It is not only BA’s IT that is a mess but anything they touch really.
Boycotts work both ways. Statistically, there’s not much love for Trump in the UK, but I also know people who were reluctant to travel to the USA under Biden (who hated Britain) but who are now willing to travel. I also know people who won’t travel to Muslim countries because of their attitude to women/gays/Christians, but Dubai’s tourism is flourishing. And I know far more people who couldn’t care less about a country’s government when deciding where to travel; they care about the weather, the price and the things to see and do when they get there.
Within the USA, it’s interesting that there’s been a massive outflow of people from Blue states to Red states in recent years, with many claiming politics is behind their relocation. As I said, boycotts work both ways.
I have absolutely no issue traveling to the US. Those who voluntarily live in the UAE or fly Emirates to wherever are what we in Vienna like to call Vaterlandsverräter. We (the West) have never had it better, dancing on a vulcano like there is no tomorrow. Nobody is truly “poor” here, by 1900 standards. But one day quite soon China will catch up to us and our children will ask themselves why we weren’t more sincere & erudite in our expenditures.
It’s why I like to fly Air France, knowing it is an airline “friendly” to it’s staff due to the myriad of unions. I’m no socialist but believe everyone has the right to own their own home and retire in relative security as our parents could. It is completely possible for a legacy airline to have a great product, turn a profit at take care of it’s employees. Ever seen anyone over 40 at Emirates? I could never in good conscience fly such an airline. And anyone who says otherwise is a shortsighted appeaser.
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