The new HFP chat thread – Thursday 26th March

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• GERARD CREAMER says:

  26 Mar26 March 08:28

  Any update from BA on retaining status, i havent seen anything on website

  • Rob says:

    26 Mar26 March 11:09

    I am told it is coming.

• fivebobbill says:

  26 Mar26 March 08:33

  Someone (can’t remember who) was asking about the payout timing of the Tesco Pet Ins bonus the other day. Just to say mine has appeared overnight, some 41 days after purchase.
  That’s a very welcome 8,000 avios for anyone on the old rate.
  At the risk of incurring the wrath of the “unsullied” in here, many thanks to Shoestring once again for the tip, keep them coming mate 👍

  • Shoestring says:

    26 Mar26 March 08:37

    cheers that was a joint effort with SpurDebs

    • fivebobbill says:

      26 Mar26 March 08:44

      Apologies to SpursDebs (and anyone else), thanks again 👍

  • Spursdebs says:

    26 Mar26 March 09:02

    You’re welcome lol although I had forgotten I had told you.

• Qwertyknowsbest says:

  26 Mar26 March 08:36

  Appreciate any guidance with downgrading Amex Plat and BAPP cards to no fee cards. No longer need Amex Plat benefits until this crisis is over when will upgrade cards again. Best cards to opt for and confirmation that Amex rewards remains with new card? I guess Straight forward to do but the wisdom of H4P contributors would be appreciated.

  Thank you.

  • Shoestring says:

    26 Mar26 March 08:46

    I’m a fan of Green (£60) as it has had some great Amex offers and preserves your MR points

    but you could also go for Gold (£140) or the free charge card, maybe others

    • Qwertyknowsbest says:

      26 Mar26 March 08:51

      Thanks, I wonder if the Gold would honour free for first year given I am an existing Plat card holder?

      • the_real_a says:

        26 Mar26 March 16:52

        Yes i have it free on the downgrade. Same account / offers / history / merchant whitelist etc

  • fivebobbill says:

    26 Mar26 March 08:46

    +1, work in progress, as soon as my new Green card arrives the Amex Plat is going…

  • raikje says:

    26 Mar26 March 09:08

    Don’t forget the “American Express Rewards Credit Card” – no annual fee and earns Membership Rewards, so your balance is maintained. That’s what I did when I cancelled the Plat.

• Loops83 says:

  26 Mar26 March 08:49

  Hi all. I have a domestic CE ABZ-LHR booking; first leg flown 18 Mar and return was booked for 1 April-they cancelled this very soon after booking and rebooked on earlier flight same day. Since then the lockdown means I don’t want to go and put my family at risk. Problem is the e-ticket no was changed for the rebooking of the cancelled flight which has put some weird rules on there (assume it was treated as a change)-to change the ticket costs more than a new ticket!! I know this can happen with rebooking but BA won’t help over twitter and I wouldn’t try to get through til the 72 hours. That said I won’t hold my breath, had a nightmare with various other BA flights I had booked for travel over the past couple weeks.

  All a bit long winded-apologies-is there a way to get the original e-ticket rules reinstated? First world problem I know but work uncertain and I can do without losing £100+ for no reason.

  I cannot get a clear answer from them (or anywhere) whether I am entitled to a voucher for the flight as it is not specified whether ‘journey’ means a leg in the booking or if the fact I have flown the ABZ-LHR leg means I’m ineligible? Any help gratefully received to stop a few extra grey hairs!

  • Lady London says:

    26 Mar26 March 23:37

    @Loops83 if BA canceled your flight, or if they changed your flight number, or if they moved it signifcantly even if it does still have the same flight number, in all these cases you are entitled to get a refund in cash of that flight and anything else left on the booking. Your choice. Not theirs. And you are not obliged to accept a voucher. Just tell them EC261

    If they refuse ask your credit card for s.75 refund or, especially if you still need it and it’s expensive,ask under s75 for cardco to fund replacement transport. Could be worth looking at any travel insurance you have too.

    I

• Peter says:

  26 Mar26 March 08:49

  Hi, got an email from BA with voucher codes from a refunded flight, will they appear online on the Exec Club somewhere too, like the Amex vouchers?

  • Aliks says:

    26 Mar26 March 09:55

    I don’t think so. I too have a voucher and I searched all over but no trace. Can’t even find out how much the voucher is worth

• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  26 Mar26 March 09:02

  Flown my last BA segment for a while (until at least the lockdown is over, or longer if it seems a good idea to continue to limit travel)

  I was flying LHR-NCL going home for lockdown and I’d like to share my experiences.

  BA has cut catering so the staff don’t have to handle or prepare food. You get a small bottle of still water and a biscuit. CE also got a packet of pretzels. No BoB in economy or other catering.

  I was in CE and the flight was a 321neo so no middle seat tables so the benefit over Y was a packet of pretzels. In the grand scheme of things it’s no big deal. I’m not going to be demanding a refund in the current situation but I might suggest that they make short haul all Y until things return to normal as long as the seating algorithms try and space passengers appropriately.

  I had booked this flight just before Boris Johnson announced the lockdown but knew it was coming so I planned my trip home.

  The crew reminded everyone to stay at home and follow official advice and hoped to see us again ‘sometime in the future’.

  Beware in T5 airside only WH Smith and Boots is open. As the restaurants and bars are closed the main general seating area was quite crowded, but if you look around you can find seating areas that have nobody sitting there so will be safer.

  I was in the airport a number of hours before the flight as I needed to work. I walked through the (always quiet) tunnels to T5B where it was very peaceful and found somewhere comfortable to sit with a socket.

  If you still need to get home. Don’t delay! But if you don’t need to travel then delay your plans even if it does mean having to take one of those dreaded vouchers. But remember you can claim your voucher up to an hour before departure so hold off and your flight might get cancelled which gives you more options.

• Cavallinorampante says:

  26 Mar26 March 09:05

  BA cancelled my cash Business Class flights (not Avios) to Malta yesterday and I have only been given a Refund Voucher offer online forcing me to have to call for a cash refund. Anyone else seen this?

  • jamie says:

    26 Mar26 March 09:22

    Yeh it is a real pain, especially as I don’t know what the voucher will be. I’ve found it impossible to get through to BA call centre, the system just cuts me off even before the messages are finished, every time. It is a shitty system

  • Rob says:

    26 Mar26 March 11:05

    Use the workaround pinned to our home page and you can have cash.

• Anna says:

  26 Mar26 March 09:20

  There was an advisory to wash loose fruit & veg with soap as the virus can live on them.

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