News: Virgin Atlantic upgrades, save 20% on PremiAir, IHG’s credit cards get an app

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• GJS says:

  24 Dec24 December 14:46

  OT and I know this has come up a lot – felt sure that the extra Avios for £4 spend on BAPP didn’t need to be saved to card, but Amex help desk disagree and say they need a screenshot! Have I misremembered? If not, does anyone still have the wording?

  • Peter K says:

    24 Dec24 December 15:05

    It was automatically saved to people’s cards by Amex apparently. I don’t have a BA amex currently so don’t know personally.

    • Rob says:

      24 Dec24 December 15:19

      It does show on your list of saved offers.

      • meta says:

        24 Dec24 December 15:26

        I also have a screenshot of the banner which says that you do not need to save it to account! It’s not showing under my offers, but I did get the initial batch, but nothing since cca 15 Dec.

        • GJS says:

          24 Dec24 December 15:58

          Thanks everyone. Just realised that the banner is still appearing via desktop login (not in app) so I have submitted a screenshot.

      • Rich says:

        24 Dec24 December 17:11

        Not on mine, any more.

        I have a rich history of saving offers, then going back some time later to discover they’ve disappeared from Saved Offers. CS absolutely stonewall me every time, and on more than one occasion I’ve resorted to typing in capitals on live chat. I must start taking screenshots!

• John Caribbean says:

  24 Dec24 December 15:47

  OT
  I haven’t recieved my 25000 avios for joining Barclays Premier. Has anyone else not had them? Isn’t something supposed to be emailed out and then a code inputed?
  Barclays CS just told me to contact “Avios or American Express or whoever”

  • tom1 says:

    24 Dec24 December 16:44

    I spoke to the Barclays Premier team – they have a ‘relationship manager’ who is there to sort these things! I enquired last week and was told they were inundated – and there would be a delay. However there had been an internal communication that suggested all remaining points would be issued in the week of 23/12/19.
    Sounded very much like a brush off, but will give them the benefit of doubt and see again next week!

  • AndyW says:

    24 Dec24 December 16:53

    premierrelationship_bankingteam at barclays.com

    Sorted it in a couple of days.

    • John Caribbean says:

      25 Dec25 December 23:31

      Thanks everyone

  • Anthony says:

    24 Dec24 December 19:45

    I didn’t get mine by the 20th, dropped an email to the premier banking email address and got a response on Saturday. On Monday afternoon I got an email with the voucher in. They seem to be quick to sort it if you email them

    • Benilyn says:

      25 Dec25 December 01:07

      Have you redeemed, and has yours posted?

      • Anthony says:

        26 Dec26 December 22:36

        I redeemed on Monday afternoon and the points posted today

  • Andy D says:

    24 Dec24 December 22:32

    What is this offer, I’m already Barclay Premier, is it only for new sign ups?

    • Rob says:

      24 Dec24 December 23:28

      Yes, do a HFP search. Existing members got a flight discount.

• Boi says:

  24 Dec24 December 15:48

  Any wine deals out there? My sister left her wine in my house and I gave away 3 bottles as presents 🤣

  • Boi says:

    24 Dec24 December 15:48

    She had bought it via BA so don’t think she will accept supermarket wine as replacement

    • John Caribbean says:

      24 Dec24 December 15:50

      Virgin wines offer from a post by Rob a few days ago

    • Shoestring says:

      24 Dec24 December 15:58

      there was a great one on Naked Wines the other day but you missed it! 🙂

      they messed up, it was £3/ bottle for some very quaffable stuff

      otherwise probs Virgin with a new email address

      • Boi says:

        24 Dec24 December 19:08

        Thanks. Maybe I will wait and see if a deal comes along. She won’t be around until new year.

        • Shoestring says:

          24 Dec24 December 19:22

          I already got told off for drinking too much in No1 🙂

          not sure what more you can do – it was stoptember, stop-ober, stoptember then another stoptember – 4 bloody months – you drink too much just once and it’s like D-I-V-O-R-C-E

        • Lady London says:

          24 Dec24 December 20:34

          I thought the stripey kitten mitigated that @Shoestring?

        • Shoestring says:

          24 Dec24 December 20:51

          it’ll keep coming back for about a week! lol

          good job she has her merits

          that stripey kitten will not happen, when you get a cat it’s for 16-17 years and the first one nearly killed me already

• AndyK says:

  24 Dec24 December 17:09

  OT. Anyone received promised £5 from Curve for using the card?

  • Genghis says:

    24 Dec24 December 17:30

    Yep. Received almost straight away

    • AndyK says:

      24 Dec24 December 19:20

      In my case nothing and support just got back saying it is only for selected group of customers

      • Genghis says:

        24 Dec24 December 21:49

        It was targeted. Were you targeted?

        • AndyK says:

          24 Dec24 December 22:52

          yes, replied quoting T&C. Let’s see what they will come back with

  • Rooster says:

    25 Dec25 December 03:13

    Useless Curve as always

    • Nick_C says:

      25 Dec25 December 09:56

      The way I (ab)use Curve, I’m not going to contact then over the promised fiver that hasn’t arrived. I don’t want a human looking too closely at my transactions. Same goes for several other financial institutions I deal with.

      Merry Christmas to them all, and thanks for all the fish.

      Merry Christmas to everyone on here too, whose cryptic comments often open doors that I might otherwise walk straight past.

      And to Rob and the Team, for a Web site that has truly changed my life!

      • Jimmy says:

        26 Dec26 December 22:24

        Ive just found a way – which I think you are referring to and just had confirmation from the statements. Anyway I can learn or share? Any tips in which to find the cryptic clues! ?

• Robert says:

  24 Dec24 December 17:25

  An O/T request for Christmas…

  I’m booking hotels for a USA road-trip with my wife next year. Does anybody have hotel recommendations for any/all of the following (I have IC Ambassador as well as the usual Hilton/Marriott status, and points to use across the boards which would be ideal). We particularly like nice exec lounges for pre-dinner drinks etc.

  We’re looking for recommendations for: New Orleans, Nashville, Chicago, Detroit and Toronto.

  Anything very much appreciated, and merry Christmas!

  • sunguy says:

    25 Dec25 December 15:45

    We really enjoyed the Waldorf in New Orleans….The Roosevelt – lovely old building – really lives up the the old world charm that befits Waldorf…..

  • Dave Barron says:

    25 Dec25 December 20:17

    Had a nice stay on points at the IC Chicago Magnificent Mile a few years ago (great spot for exploring city and a fab view from corner room – massive pool too!). It was a points stay and no status so can’t comment on breakfast / lounge etc. We stayed two nights paying little for the cheapest night!

    In Toronto previously had a nice stay at Hilton on Richmond Street West.

    Detroit has a nice Marriott at the Renaissance Center too with view of city or across river to Windsor in Canada.

    Whatever you do be aware of some steep city centre parking costs so it pays to do research. If passing through then there’s plenty free parking options in terms of Hamptons etc which are cheaper on points too as a budget option where you just need to make a pit stop – many are much cheaper as cash which earns points too. Don’t expect much status recognition from Hilton if just Gold as in my experience many Americans have it though credit cards etc!

  • Joe says:

    26 Dec26 December 09:58

    I stayed in the Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago on points last year and got upgraded to a very large room – it was Labour Day weekend though, which I think meant the hotel was quieter than normal. The hotel was very nice, and the staff seemed super eager to help at checkin, although we never really interacted with them after checkin since we ate breakfast in the restaurant in the Hyatt Centric next door as it had much more choice for vegetarians.

• Shoestring says:

  24 Dec24 December 17:37

  well EUR3601 = £3081, so you might have been better off getting your 300K Avios when they cost £2985 as I suggested earlier 🙂

  • Shoestring says:

    24 Dec24 December 17:44

    got my Black & Decker electric chainsaw assembled earlier & cut a stack of logs

    if I can’t type tomorrow through absent limbs or fingers, you know why

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      24 Dec24 December 20:09

      Reciprocal saw here for those free, pallet fire wood for the burner!

      • Lady London says:

        24 Dec24 December 20:37

        Aren’t pallets made of treated wood though? Not necessarily a good idea for indoor burning…?

        • Shoestring says:

          24 Dec24 December 20:43

          stink like hell and soot up the chimney, apart from that – free wood

        • Secret Squirrel says:

          24 Dec24 December 21:59

          Only the coloured ones. Most are made of pine.
          Burn well,don’t smell at all and the best of all are free.

        • Secret Squirrel says:

          24 Dec24 December 22:03

          For insurance cover you should always have your chimney swept by HETAS approved sweep.
          We have ours done annually.
          If you don’t & have a fire contributed from the burner, no payout.

        • Secret Squirrel says:

          24 Dec24 December 22:07

          Treated ones marked MB, I stay clear of those!

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        25 Dec25 December 10:49

        Amazing what subjects get discussed on a flying loyalty point site.
        Anyway, enough about logs for today.

        Hemorrhoid creams – over to you Shoestring & Lady London 😄
        Merry Xmas!

• Shoestring says:

  24 Dec24 December 17:53

  talking about 93 year old aunties etc, I was made to think of our own limited lifespan in October when my 89 year old neighbour went & died on me

  he was perfectly brainy/ lucid and OK apart from a few old person falling over episodes – and still into fishing etc, no senile dementia

  while I was on holiday he fell over again and they thought an observation spell in hospital was needed – where he fell over again, broke his hip & died after the hip replacement operation, I guess it was the shock + maybe infection

  there one minute, gone the next

  • Lady London says:

    24 Dec24 December 20:41

    This is why people are afraid of going into hospitals in the UK. This looks like filth/ negligence. But how to prove it? Did he have family to try to observe/protect?

    • Shoestring says:

      24 Dec24 December 20:54

      they’re doing an inquest, he is still not buried after about 9-10 weeks, so I think they’re looking for negligence, my other neighbour was convinced it was bad practice but very hard to prove

      • Lady London says:

        25 Dec25 December 01:15

        Frightening. It really looks like filth and/or negligence. The hospital will have other cases occurred. Health professionals have access to these stats. I hope someone is ‘on’ this for him. If they’re taking it this seriously, hopefully it’s because there is someone who knows the truth about this hospital and wants to prove it.

        Is it any wonder particularly old people are terrified of going into hospital in the UK?

        • Spurs Debs says:

          25 Dec25 December 09:24

          The truth is old people are seen as bed blockers and a drain on resources. I could be here till new year telling you horror stories. My own uncle in for 16 weeks with sepsis lost the use of his legs with spinal infection. All they were interested in was kicking him out even tho he couldn’t walk and a host of problems. Hospital kept setting up meetings with family then cancelling last minute, kept phoning my Aunt who is 80 trying to trick her in accepting him home. Had to threaten them with legal action. My friends FIL fell broke his hip 86 they replaced that on day 3 when no family were present asked him if he was ready to go home and could he make a cup of tea, he said yes. Lasted 2 days at home before he fell again and landed back in same hospital.
          My uncle is now in a home which is another nightmare, my friends FIL fell again a few weeks later on a Friday night last January and had to wait 3 hours for ambulance outside on his driveway. They told my friend to move him and put him in a garden chair! .
          I get zero help with my own mum 2 types of dementia took me 6 trips to surgery just to get her a flu jab organised as she’s housebound and I can’t manage to take her outside anymore. Had 6 phone calls telling me what they couldn’t do, in the meantime 3 home visit by GP and 2 by nurses but not one of them could give her flu jab.
          No one doubts NHS at breaking point but the amount of waste is equally appalling.
          Won’t even start on crap I had to deal with with husband and brain tumour.
          But enough of that doom and gloom
          Merry Christmas to all and safe and happy travels on excellent redemption flights or bargain fares for 2020.

        • Lady London says:

          25 Dec25 December 12:31

          Thank God you are there to speak about it @Spurs Debs.

          Are other countries’ government health services as bad? Are older people (in particular) treated as badly in other countries? Are other countries’ hospitals also bad, but no one talks about it?

          If I could fix one thing for Christmas it would be this.

        • Spurs Debs says:

          25 Dec25 December 12:49

          It’s hard LL one thing I advise is make sure you all have power of attorneys in place medical and financial. My cousins took my advice as I was able to help them through the process and I set up their parents documents ages ago. The tricks the hospital and social services try and play are horrendous. If you don’t have anyone who knows the system it’s going to be a shock to you dealing with it. You have rights, your relative has rights but you need to know them because you won’t be told!
          The first thing social services want to know is if you own your property and how much money you got.
          The forms they send out are very ambiguous and fortunately I’ve got someone I used to set up family trust who knows her way round these forms. What they don’t tell you is if you sign you are legally held responsible for all charges. This is what they sent to my 80 year old aunt with early onset dementia. Fortunately my cousins don’t sign anything without checking with me first. I’m not an expert at all but I know the system.
          I also would be interested to know how other countries deal with their ageing population because frankly this country should be ashamed of its self.
          I speak as a carer full time for my mum who has two types of dementia plus physical disabilities and who is disabled myself.
          One thing I know about is the nhs/ dwp/ social services systems!

        • Anna says:

          25 Dec25 December 21:00

          Sad to say, but I think we have it relatively good here. In other countries, even in Europe (e.g. Spain) it usually falls to the family (and more often than not, daughters, especially the eldest) to look after ageing parents 24/7 in their final years. Hence the less developed the country (I.e. with less health and social services provision), the more children people tend to have.

  • albert says:

    27 Dec27 December 00:09

    It is well known that the risk of death following a hip fracture is very high indeed. Surgery is pretty much the only way of reducing this mortality.

    Disappointing to see so much NHS bashing on this forum. There does seem to be disparity in healthcare provision across the nation but on the whole it is a very good healthcare system and one of few worldwide that offer free access at the point of care.

    If you think it’s bad now, wait and see what happens if the Tories have their way and privatise it. Contracts will be handed over to the lowest bidders and profits will always come before the patient.

    It’s not all doom and gloom, however, as I’m sure you’ll be able to find a health insurance policy that gives out some avios alongside your premium.

• Boi says:

  24 Dec24 December 19:06

  Still trying to decide if I should keep IHG black after first year…renewal due in Jan, bagged free night already. Now spending on partner’s card and half way to 10K.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    24 Dec24 December 23:28

    Best card on the market if you ask me.

    Plenty of ways to reach 10k spend too

    • mvcvz says:

      25 Dec25 December 09:37

      I agree that the card has lots of advantages, and use mine as my main UK spend. However, it’s operated by those unmitigated w*****s at Creation, who have less skills, knowledge and interest in providing an adequate service than my cat.

      • Shoestring says:

        25 Dec25 December 13:35

        don’t mention cats

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