The new HFP chat thread – Monday 6th April

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

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/2020/04/06/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-monday-6th-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. Take care!

Category

General

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

rams1981 says:

6 Apr6 April 10:51

took out tesco pet insurance on 20th Feb and still no clubcard points. Should have posted by now? Anyone else in same boat?
- Craig says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 10:59
  
  Pretty much exactly the same dates as you and no points for me either?
- fivebobbill says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 11:01
  
  Mine came through in 40 days, wife took hers out on 19th Feb, arrived 3rd April.
- Sprout says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 12:18
  
  Took mine out on 22/2 and landed last Friday.
- prune says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 15:26
  
  my points posted to my wife’s account!!
  - Craig says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 16:40
    
    I got excited then, nope, nothing there either.
fivebobbill says:

6 Apr6 April 10:54

Need some advice please. Am about to invest in this years Stocks & Shares ISA, initially a tentative £10k – £12k. Is there a fee free route via Curve or Revolut? Looking at Vanguard online, I have my curve linked to Hilton.
Many thanks
- fivebobbill says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 11:03
  
  Sorry, by “fees” of course I mean card charges for financial transactions, not the fund fees…
  - James K says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 11:33
    
    HL accepted my curve linked to virgin no problem / charges
  - rams1981 says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 11:48
    
    I have topped up both Barclays and HL via curve with no fees.
  - fivebobbill says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 13:01
    
    Thanks guys, all seems to have went through ok 👍
  - Waddle says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 17:21
    
    AJBell accepted Curve with Virgin behind it.
Chris says:

6 Apr6 April 11:04

Has anyone found a way to successful speak to BA? Every option on the automated call line just cuts you off. I accidentally requested both a refund and a voucher (clicked back through to see if it had a status update weeks ago and also initiated the voucher). Got it in writing i’d requested a refund, 3 days later got it in writing i’d requested a voucher, no surprise it’s the voucher that paid out. No avios or Companion voucher refunded
- e14 says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 11:29
  
  Call sales
  - Chris says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 11:57
    
    they’ve “consolidated their contact centre” the sales line points you towards the Covid line and disconnects you with no further options
- AG says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 13:14
  
  Call the number but DON’T press 1 (or any of the other options they present), after a while they will just put you into the queue. That’s how I managed to, was only 15min wait a week ago around 8.30am.
Sk123 says:

6 Apr6 April 11:05

Just to update, I called Swiss Air yesterday and got through straight away. She processed refund. Its on an Amex card that I have already cancelled but people here have reassured that Amex will contact me. She said it might be August by the time the refund gets processed! Is there anything else I can do re S75? Never done it before or goes getting a full refund mean you can’t claim for anything else.
- Charlieface says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 14:38
  
  Yes S75 is still possible on a cancelled card. Chargeback: not sure but you may be out of time anyway
Anna says:

6 Apr6 April 11:22

From what people have said – does a refund not count towards paying off an Amex statement balance? Statement date is the 8th & I am still waiting for £2.5k from BA. Though I could just pay off the council tax for the year when/if the refund lands I suppose.
- Genghis says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 11:26
  
  No.
  
  I wouldn’t spend cash now if you don’t have to. Call Amex when the refund lands.
  - Anna says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 12:52
    
    Will do, thanks.
    - Reeferman says:
      
      6 Apr6 April 18:05
      
      Depending on timing, it’s not necessarily straight forward. I had exactly this issue, but Amex said it had already sent the instruction to my bank (about a week before the DD date) so told me to cancel the DD with the bank and then reinstate it next month.
      Amex assured me there would be no interest charge (I kept a print out of the on line chat, just in case!)
Alistair L says:

6 Apr6 April 11:23

Has anyone tried to get refunds from SAS for flights during April? I’ve a flight booked for Friday 17th to Denmark which is unlikely to go ahead, but is not yet cancelled. Been able to ring EasyJet and get them to refund the return flight despite it not yet being cancelled, but looking for some guidance if SAS would do the same?
- Hugo says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 16:40
  
  I had several flights with SAS. The first one I applied for a voucher because I knew I could use it. it has not arrived yet though.
  The second and third were cancelled by them and so full cash refunds requested and agreed but not arrived yet. They said approx 2 weeks and we are not at that stage yet.
  the fourth one is a similar date to yours and not heard anything yet but I don’t think they have quite got to that stage yet, but I think they will so I would just hold on.
Russ says:

6 Apr6 April 11:32

Just spoken to Amex about charge-backs for flights purchased on Gold CC after three weeks of blank walling by airline. Amex have refused.
- Doug M says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 11:39
  
  HUCA
  - Alex M says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 12:06
    
    I think it’s HUACA, not HUCA !
    - AJA says:
      
      6 Apr6 April 13:04
      
      I’m not sure that it matters. Both are acceptable acronyms. The first A in your preferred acronym just stands for “And”.
      - Kev 85 says:
        
        6 Apr6 April 13:57
        
        I’ve no idea what either mean
    - Doug M says:
      
      6 Apr6 April 14:43
      
      Hang up call again. Phone agent are often just misinformed about things. HUCA is always a good initial tactic.
- Aston100 says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 13:40
  
  I had successful chargebacks against two airlines, with a cancelled PRGC Amex.
  Try contacting Amex again.
- Jake says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 14:12
  
  How long did you wait for the airline to respond before going to Amex?
- Charlieface says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 14:28
  
  I would take them to the FOS for refusing. They have absolutely no reason to refuse, and cannot make you go to the airline first (especially if you cannot get through)
- the_real_a says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 16:14
  
  You dont ask, you tell them! And for sure phone back for another agent, but dont be fobbed off. Make sure any refusal is noted in your account notes, and ask them to read it back to you.
  - the_real_a says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 16:15
    
    Then complaint, then FOS then S75 if your Gold is a CC version.
- Harry T says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 20:51
  
  Just do the chargebacks online. I did this and they were approved essentially immediately. My girlfriend called and it still hasn’t worked.
Doug M says:

6 Apr6 April 11:38

Foreign Spend Amex Refund.
If a Euro amount is refunded to an Amex what is the points and exchange rate situation. Assume points are reversed, including additional ones, airline and foreign? They’ve had the 3%, taking back the extra foreign spend points seems like double whammy. As for the refund they just use the exchange rate at the point of the refund, but do they extract another 3%?
- Genghis says:
  
  6 Apr6 April 13:10
  
  From limited experience of refunds in non-GBP, the 3% FX fee is effectively refunded: assuming exchange rate stays the same, if the item cost £100 (translated from USD, say) + £3 FX fee = £103, you’ll receive a £103 refund.
  
  As to what exchange rate is used, however, the original one or the one when the refund is processed, I don’t recall.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 13:36
    
    I think it’s the one at time but I’ve successfully argued when it’s been less than the original to get it refunded.
    
    Ofcourse I didn’t complain if it was in my favour. 😉
  - Doug M says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 14:46
    
    Thanks both.
    - Stu N says:
      
      6 Apr6 April 15:44
      
      Recent USD refunds have been at rate on day of refund so have actually made a small profit given the collapse in value of sterling. Don’t know if FX charge has been refunded but points have been clawed back.
      - Harry T says:
        
        6 Apr6 April 20:52
        
        I’ve been refunded in euros recently and made a £15 profit, so I assume they were using the exchange rate on the day of refund.