The new HFP chat thread – Thursday 2nd April

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• Rhys says:

  2 Apr2 April 08:18

  Ok folks it’s time to consider what kind of comment section we would like to tend at HFP. Whilst we have historically had a fairly hands-off approach to moderating with only the occasional intervention when things get seriously out of hand, the last few days have made it clear that some people have too much time on their hands. With that in mind let’s reflect on a few key principles:
  – personal attacks are never ok
  – please try and leave comments that are relevant, productive and helpful
  Bickering about politics is not a productive use of anyone’s time. We will now be enforcing stricter moderation and you may find your comments deleted even if they are only vaguely unproductive. Despite our best efforts we are not around 24/7 and some comments do occasionally slip through he net. Please do reach out to us if you believe a comment has been overlooked.

  (On a side note, some comments are deleted because they are subcomments to a comment we have decided to remove. In such circumstances the entire thread is removed.)

  • Mac D says:

    2 Apr2 April 08:28

    An option to report might help

    • memesweeper says:

      2 Apr2 April 11:55

      +1

      makes a moderator’s job easier

  • Stu R says:

    2 Apr2 April 08:37

    Perhaps start by not using the term “reach out” … we may have left the EU, but we haven’t moved to the other side of the Atlantic just yet 😉

  • Kev 85 says:

    2 Apr2 April 08:57

    I think the last 2/3 days have *generally* been quite civilised but yes before that there was some silliness.

    • Rhys says:

      2 Apr2 April 08:57

      There’s been some silliness in the last 2-3 days as well, unfortunately

      • Kev 85 says:

        2 Apr2 April 11:13

        Fair enough. It might have been deleted before I had a chance to see it.

        It’s sad how people behave on the internet sometimes. It’s probably a reflection of how they actually are as a person but they’re too scared to behave like that in “real life”

        • Aston100 says:

          2 Apr2 April 12:23

          It’s that old chestnut about a combination of internet anonymity + an audience

      • Capt Hammond says:

        2 Apr2 April 19:27

        Tbf, Rhys, a lot of the “silliness” can be traced back to provocative comments made by one or two individuals. One contributor in particular has seemed to dominate the comments sections for a while now, often with some rather controversial and polarising views at times. Taking action to (temporarily) mute them might help.

  • Doug M says:

    2 Apr2 April 11:41

    What is the HfP view on proper forum software, that would be my choice. Ability to block specific posters, need to setup an account, both I think would help with the recent troubles.
    I was unaware that problems had continued, I’ve seen nothing in the last 3 days, assumed it had quietened down. Maybe the moderation has just been much more proactive.

    • Rhys says:

      2 Apr2 April 11:43

      We’ve considered it but it’s all a trade off – not convinced yet. Increases complexity significantly.

  • Aston100 says:

    2 Apr2 April 12:25

    “Please do reach out to us if you believe a comment has been overlooked.”

    How do we do this without a ‘report’ button?
    You guys should just setup forums and force users to register accounts..
    You’ll be saving yourselves a lot of headache.

    • Rhys says:

      2 Apr2 April 12:57

      It’s called email 😉

  • ChrisBCN says:

    2 Apr2 April 15:36

    What about setting limits for – ‘personal attacks are never ok’? Some things are obvious, but there is a grey area, for example is it acceptable to say ‘you are talking rubbish because x’.

    And also we have had people passing a lot of medical advice recently, some of which has been dangerous advice. How on earth would you deal with that? I suspect easiest to delete it all as you can’t realistically moderate what is accurate and not.

    How about a permanent block by device/IP from posting comments after three strikes? Might stop some of those more sweary/racist/offensive comments that seem to come in overnight (and thanks for deleting them as you do).

    I’ve set this kind of policy up in the past and it’s never easy, so good luck!

    • Doug M says:

      2 Apr2 April 15:49

      I think basing any behaviour around medical advice provided in HfP comments says less about the poster than it does the person acting in it.
      Any system that allows you to post on the basis of unvalidated email will always be open to abuse.
      IP blocks are a very imperfect system.

      • ChrisBCN says:

        2 Apr2 April 17:43

        Unfortunately there are people who will act on or, or follow the lead of, someone who they perceive as a knowledgeable poster.

      • David says:

        2 Apr2 April 23:57

        I’d hardly describe what was being offered by the poster you’re referring to as ‘medical advice’, more a lot of incorrect, unfounded and possibly dangerous hokum. It simply had no place here.

• Mac D says:

  2 Apr2 April 08:26

  As its obviously got consequences in this situation, so each individual has to make their own decisions

• TripRep says:

  2 Apr2 April 08:29

  https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/02/british-airways-expected-to-lay-off-36000-staff-amid-coronavirus-crisis

• Waddle says:

  2 Apr2 April 08:35

  Are there any readers who are sole traders under their own name and applied for the COT rewards biz card? What was the application process like and what were you asked to show? Does the card play nice with the ‘curvy’ tool and/or the ‘revolutionary’ method?

  Thanks

  • iain says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:01

    I have it for my company, easy to apply for and use. Definitely works with Curve, which is handy.

  • JD says:

    2 Apr2 April 14:13

    Yes same, I def needed a biz bank account connected to the card when I signed up. Annoyingly the chip and pin in card itself doesn’t work, have tried changing the pin etc. to no avail. However have attached to Curve which is great and it works fine online. Nearly at my 5k spend for the bonus!

  • Connor says:

    2 Apr2 April 16:23

    Applied as a sole trader. Think I was just asked for my income etc and that was it. No documents or anything.

• Rui N. says:

  2 Apr2 April 08:49

  Any email to contact Melia regarding missing points? The “claim points” form on the website doesn’t work (it tells me that my checkout date is wrong). TIA

• Jonathan says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:03

  I imagine my 241 voucher circumstances will be similar to many others . I clicked over a voucher yesterday which I didn’t want to until later in the year . I just felt if I didn’t get it now I would lose it .I was just under the £10,000 spend made up mainly from travel expenses . These travel expenses will now be refunded in the next couple of months .That being the case it would have left me with no opportunity to make up the spend to the 10K required hence I clicked it over . Other HFP readers might be in the same position and if so should consider their options .

  • Anna says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:33

    From what has been written above, new vouchers will get the 6 month extension up till June.

• Alejandro says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:13

  What is the phone number for Virgin to IHG transfers? Is the rate 1:1?

  • Secret Squirrel says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:20

    All information available in your VA account.

  • The Urbanite says:

    2 Apr2 April 19:59

    Bona fide number on their website – https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/contact-us.html

• Billy Nicholson says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:18

  HI all…I have a question about using my BA Companion voucher with an ‘open jaw’ return. I plan to fly LON – SYD then pay cash to fly home from Aelaide to an Asian hub (KUL, SIN or HKG) then bolt on a return to London from one of those Asian hubs to my original reward booking out to SYD. I thought that as LON – SYD is BA’s longest flight, this would be allowed? Can someone confirm please?

  • marcw says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:31

    Yes

  • Anna says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:36

    Well it’s a good time to grab an award seat to SYD at least! It depends on the length of the flights, if SYD to your Asia destination is shorter than SYD to London you should be ok, but other readers might want to confirm!

  • Erico1875 says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:38

    Yes. I had a similar type booking. Avios LHR tp BLR then cash Goi to Kuwait. Then Avios Kuwait to LHR.
    The open jaw i.e BLR to Kuwait has to be less than the final Avios sector

    • Billy Nicholson says:

      2 Apr2 April 09:47

      Right so because SYD to Asia is shorter than Asia to London I will be ok….thanks all

      • memesweeper says:

        2 Apr2 April 11:58

        be aware “open jaw” redemptions are only bookable on the phone… which is a bit of a challenge at the moment.

      • Genghis says:

        2 Apr2 April 12:58

        Because SYD to Asia is shorter than both Asia to LON and LON-SYD, you’ll be fine.
        IIRC it’s possible also with Santiago, Chile and Sydney

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