The new HFP chat thread – Wednesday 1st April

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We have decided to run this new daily chat thread on Head for Points.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the defacto repository for random comments and questions. It is unlikely that the news flow will be so big over the next few weeks that we will need many ‘Bits’ articles, however.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind. At this tricky time, and given that many of you are stuck at home self-isolating, we want the HFP community to have a place to chat.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article. This has long-term benefits as its keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

By default, HFP shows the last page of comments under the article. If you want to see the first page of comments and read them all from beginning to end in order, click here: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/04/01/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-wednesday-1st-april/comment-page-1 The page will refresh with this article but the comments will now show the first page and not the last page.

We will continue to monitor how this is working:

we could potentially split it into a daily travel and non-travel chat thread

we may install some basic forum software

we may start suggesting potential topics for daily discussion

Let’s see how it goes.

We will do a separate article in a day or so about how we plan to run the site over the next few weeks. Take care!

Category

General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Bob says:

1 Apr1 April 06:21

Anyone tried Curve or Revolute with ISA topup?
Underlying either VA or Creation?
- Paul Pogba says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 07:50
  
  Curve works with Interactive Investors with a Lloyds card (but not a Creation IHG).
- AJDT says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 09:13
  
  Vanguard works with Curve and Virgin
- Tamara says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 09:25
  
  IG, anyone?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 12:41
  
  I tried HL and it didn’t seem to work with any card. Anyone had any luck?
  - Stephen says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 13:10
    
    Works when you call them to top up, but not online
The Original David says:

1 Apr1 April 07:11

Is Rhys going to get a mention for his guest appearance on this week’s Simple Flying podcast? Any chance you could become a regular contributor, to dilute the usual awkwardness of the conversations between Tom and Joanna?
- Roger says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 08:01
  
  Link
  What’s this podcast?
  - The Original David says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 08:07
    
    Not sure if the hyperlink post will appear, but search “Simple Flying” on your favourite podcast app…
    
    To be clear, I don’t think the podcast series is very good, AVTalk from FlightRadar24 is streets ahead.
    - The Original David says:
      
      1 Apr1 April 08:08
      
      A link is here, if it works: https://castbox.fm/x/1AqhR
    - Alfonso says:
      
      1 Apr1 April 13:36
      
      Simple flying is about the only site that doesn’t seem to understand I’m viewing it (infrequently) on a mobile phone. Pretty much every other website these days is responsive to what it’s being viewed on. Is it just me or this a common issue?
      - Rob says:
        
        1 Apr1 April 14:39
        
        Just you, I think. Do you have an obscure handset? We have had issues in the past about certain sorts of devices picking up the wrong version of HFP.
  - guesswho2000 says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 08:13
    
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simple-flying-aviation-news-podcast/id1498904030?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
- Rob says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 08:14
  
  We weren’t sure if it was actually running this week. Will link now it is out.
Paul Pogba says:

1 Apr1 April 07:48

Global pandemic is a great time to think about life insurance, are there any offers out there that include air miles or clubcard points as a sign up bonus?
- BS says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 08:04
  
  With something as major as life insurance, I tend to find that any benefit of miles etc. is vastly outweighed by the quality of a policy (or it suiting your needs). If it happens that the exact one you want gives out miles then great, but I would be choosing one based on what you need, rather than any bonuses. For things like this that can be life changing for you or those around you, it really is worth spending time (or employing a broker) to ensure you get what you want/need.
  - Spursdebs says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 08:34
    
    People on this site only tend to keep policy long enough to get points, cancel rinse and repeat. Same as with pet insurance. It’s actually nothing to do with if policy is the right one, the cheaper the better hold for 6 months cancel start again.
  - Paul Pogba says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 08:54
    
    I’m single, no kids and a 13 year old dog with low six figures in the bank. My only responsibility is a dog that will be dust in <18 months. A life insurance policy isn't really essential, it'd just leave a bit more for my parents and brothers. The higher probability is I survive this and want to go on holiday again.
    - Genghis says:
      
      1 Apr1 April 10:18
      
      I only see life insurance as a benefit if you have something to insure.
      
      For instance, I have a wife and a son so would want them financially secure if I died – i.e. enough to pay off the mortgage and then enough to generate an income if invested.
      
      Once we’re “Financially Independent”, I don’t plan on having life insurance.
- Scallder says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 09:36
  
  not airline miles but can get a £100 Amazon gift card for going through money supermarket
Maciek says:

1 Apr1 April 07:50

Nothing on RAM joining OW?
- Rob says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 08:13
  
  Waiting to see what reward availability and taxes are like.
Berneslai says:

1 Apr1 April 08:27

OT: Nothing on the latest Marriott breach? I don’t think they can avoid GDPR fines this time.
- Pangolin says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 12:17
  
  Apparently it was limited to those who were recently selected for targeted promos. For once, I’m actually glad that Marriott passed me over yet again!
Jonathan says:

1 Apr1 April 08:28

I have a BA 241 voucher that I can click over now . I’m just under the £10,000 required spend and have put the card away for a while . If I get the voucher now will I just have 2 years of life in it or will a new voucher come with a 2 and a half year life ?
- Spursdebs says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 08:36
  
  Looks like new vouchers get standard 2 years, but who knows what will happen.
  - Rob says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 14:54
    
    BA has said all new vouchers triggered by 30th June get extended too.
    - Jill (Kinkell) says:
      
      1 Apr1 April 17:23
      
      Excellent. I’m holding off, but my cut off date is Beginning of June, so this is good news. Any word of extending status? For the first, and probably last time ever, I achieved the dizzy heights of Gold. Regrettably it’s of no use at all in the foreseeable future. Already 3 trips are scuppered.
      - Polly says:
        
        1 Apr1 April 23:41
        
        We are still waiting for word on that. We don’t think we will get our 2 BA sectors in, but we have till August, and will just do a day trip or a quick trip to Dublin if and when flights resume. Flights booked for early June, but obvs not cancelled yet.
- AJA says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 09:00
  
  You will only get the usual 2 years. There was a thread over on FT about it. BA in their wisdom seem to think the flight disruption won’t affect new vouchers. In retrospect you’d have been better off triggering it in Feb or very early March as it would have been extended.
  - Genghis says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 10:20
    
    I’m sure others have very recently reported getting a voucher with 30 months on it?
    - AndyGWP says:
      
      1 Apr1 April 13:49
      
      “British Airways has now told us that all 2-4-1 vouchers earned by 30th June 2020 will be extended by six months at some point”
      
      https://headforpoints.com/2020/03/25/new-british-airways-amex-241-vouchers-not-extended/
Tom says:

1 Apr1 April 08:35

BA Status.

So I emailed the below to BA the day before last and guess what happened this morning, upgraded to Gold even though my year is 8 July. Not sure if it’s a wholesale change by BA or whether it’s because I complained. Worth a go for anyone else frustrated.

Good luck.

Dear Sirs

BA Exec #: *******
Email: *****
DOB: *******

I direct messaged your team via Twitter and have been advised to email this address.

I am very disappointed with the BA announcement with regard to frequent flyer status.

I am a loyal BA flyer with currently 1,185 Tier Points with my year ending on 8 July 2020. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak I had bookings with BA totalling 520pts which would have comfortably got me to Gold status.

I am very disappointed to see BA has reduced the required Tier points for those with May and June renewal dates, but not for anyone else. We have all lost these months of flying and I had more that enough bookings ahead of the outbreak. Whether your year-end is June, August or December we have all lost at least 3 months collection.

I really do hope you will be reconsidering this half baked proposal or my loyalty to BA will be really tested going forward once this horrible situation passes.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Secret Squirrel says:

1 Apr1 April 08:40

Has anyone recently got the sign up bonus for BAPP card after Canx BA free card then applying for BAPP?
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  1 Apr1 April 09:33
  
  Thanks peeps for reply last night @ 11.47pm in chat but my enquiry is related to holding BA free Amex and Canx, then applying for the BAPP & getting any sign up bonus.
  - Anna says:
    
    1 Apr1 April 10:58
    
    The rule is that you can’t get a sign up because bonus if you’ve held an Avios earning card in the past 24 months. I haven’t heard of any glitches in this instance, unlike the SPG.