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The new HFP chat thread – Wednesday 22nd 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/2020/04/22/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-wednesday-22nd-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

Comments (241)

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

  • FrenchLondoner says:
    22 Apr22 April 09:39

    Good morning HfP readers!
    I am looking for recommendations for a good accountant, ‘open-minded’ (well what I mean by that, for example, is they would not be insisting the 3% billhop fee cannot be included as a company charge when you pay your VAT though them…).
    I have been using my current accountant for now 4 years, but I am not sure I am getting Value for Money with them, and I believe I spend too much time arguing with them… This is a very simple ltd company structure, with one person only as director and employee. Thanks in advance for any recommendation.

    • Kipto says:
      22 Apr22 April 09:57

      Wrong site.

      • FrenchLondoner says:
        22 Apr22 April 10:15

        Sorry Kipto but I will still be trying my luck here:-)
        As mentioned above, “we could potentially split it into a daily travel and non-travel chat thread” so it is not all about travel… Plus many people on this forum are self employed…

    • Berneslai says:
      22 Apr22 April 11:14

      Try TC Group

    • Neil Murray says:
      22 Apr22 April 11:25

      @FrenchLondoner I can thoroughly recommend Stephen Cornwell of Cornwell & Cornwell, who handles a number of ‘small’ accounts, including mine and those of some friends (I have a company that sounds like yours, plus some other freelance income, rental income, full-time job etc).
      Very efficient, and reasonable charges so the money he saves me comfortably exceeds his charges anyway.
      He’s in Twickenham. Address: 194 Stanley Rd, Teddington TW11 8UE Phone: 020 8977 0901
      Feel free to mention my name.

      • FrenchLondoner says:
        22 Apr22 April 20:37

        Awesome, will do Neil. Thank you so much for the recommendation
        Philippe

  • Harry T says:
    22 Apr22 April 09:53

    So it’s looking like the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix will be moved forward in the calendar a week or two, if the current plans go ahead. I booked a room for five nights at the W Abu Dhabi for the Grand Prix weekend after reading the article on HFP. The hotel has since gone up a category.

    If the race is moved, is it reasonable to ask the hotel to move my reward booking to the new race dates, and not charge me the difference in points? Failing that, would I be within my rights to ask for a refund of points without a cancellation charge? At the time of booking, the T&Cs specified that I would have to pay the cash price for the booking if I cancelled the redemption – but if the race moves, surely the weekend should just be treated as a normal flexible redemption rather than a special event booking…

    • Harry T says:
      22 Apr22 April 09:53

      I should say my booking is a 5 nights for 4 Bonvoy redemption booking.

      • MJ says:
        22 Apr22 April 14:47

        Hey Harry,

        I did the same and the new Marriott policy is that they are refunding all future stays for any date until June 30th.

        Might be wise to wait it out and see what happens with the F1, if it’s moved then ask for a change of dates. If nothing is confirmed by late June I may be inclined to cancel just in case, given the very harsh normal cancellation policy.

        • Harry T says:
          23 Apr23 April 01:58

          @MJ
          The T&Cs of Marriott’s COVID-19 cancellation policy seem to imply that bookings during special events aren’t necessarily eligible for free cancellation.

    • Blindman says:
      22 Apr22 April 11:33

      @HarryT
      Do you really think F1 will be going ahead this year?
      IMHO they should scrap the season.

      ALSO
      Did you get an AVIOS surprise after the Qantas Golden ticket flights?

      • avstar says:
        22 Apr22 April 23:11

        details?

      • Harry T says:
        23 Apr23 April 01:57

        @Blindman
        Hopeful for the F1 but agree it looks unlikely there will be spectated races.

        To be honest, I’d accept just being able to cancel my booking without punitive T&Cs, if the race is moved.

        I didn’t get an Avios surprise but I credited to Qantas FF, as I had heard they weren’t eligible to earn Avios and Tier Points. Did you credit to BAEC?

  • Anna says:
    22 Apr22 April 10:50

    Data point – I had to cancel a 2 centre car hire booking which was made as a BA holiday. BA sent me an email saying I could credit the full cash amount towards a future booking. Last week I booked new award flights for next Easter and requested the credit by email. This has appeared on my card in the last couple of days. I’m very pleased, of course, but I fail to see why BA can’t be this efficient with other bookings!

    • Anna says:
      22 Apr22 April 10:50

      I also got round the 12 month rule by booking one way flights.

    • MattB says:
      22 Apr22 April 11:27

      Thats interesting to hear, an I ask how exactly this worked?

      I have a £600 BA hotel only booking i’m going to cancel, which had a 20% cancellation fee . I’m happy to accept the £120 hit but obviously want the remainder as cash refund. But if they push a voucher I could potentially use to get a refund against the fees on my reward booking for next Easter?

      • Anna says:
        22 Apr22 April 13:02

        They texted me a few of days before we were due to collect the car and asked if we’d accept a voucher for the full cash amount. I agreed as that was much more flexible than the flight vouchers which need Avios availability, and they emailed me confirming that I could claim the full amount of £729 by replying to the email when I made another booking, but that the new trip had to be completed within 12 months of my original outbound travel date (April 10th). My news travel dates are April 2nd to 18th 2021, but I booked 3 F award seats to NYC outbound only, and submitted the credit claim via the original email. So I’m not completing my trip within 12 months but they can’t tell that from my outbound travel date.

      • Lady London says:
        22 Apr22 April 20:34

        @MattB I would check before giving up taking cash, whether a voucher can be used to rebook a different type of item and get the answer in a probable form.

    • Charlieface says:
      22 Apr22 April 13:06

      But if the flights are cancelled can you not cancel the whole booking for cash refund?

  • Hugo says:
    22 Apr22 April 11:00

    Malaysia are excelling themselves now. I had a domestic booking with them on the 14th August. Without telling me, they changed it to the 13th August. I then asked them to give me the 15th August instead. They would only do this for £100 which is 3 times what I paid in the first place. I cannot believe how poor their service is. I am not sure I ever want to book with them again.

    • Lady London says:
      22 Apr22 April 20:37

      Credit card chargeback if you can, s.75 if your card qualifies

  • David says:
    22 Apr22 April 11:14

    My parents were supposed to travel from South Africa to the UK in June with Emirates. The flight has now been cancelled and Emirates are offering ’ticket on hold’ for 760 days from the date they booked the flight which was January. However as they are over 70 they are relucant to travel next year as the risk of COVID 19 could still be fairly high but if they “cancel” there are sginificant cancelation fees coming to around 50% of the intial ticket cost. It looks like the standard EU flight cancellation rules do not apply to Emirates as the flight starts outside the EU and Emirates is not an EU airline.
    Does anyone have any advice on any other options they may have?

    • mr_jetlag says:
      22 Apr22 April 11:18

      Ask if they can change passenger names or credit to a separate Emirates booking, then use it and reimburse your folks? 760 days is a long time not to be flying.

      • David says:
        22 Apr22 April 11:22

        Good point but non of the close family is in SA anymore so giving it to another family memeber may be difficult. However there may be other people who could use it.

      • Lady London says:
        22 Apr22 April 20:38

        a long time for money to be at risk too.

    • Sarah says:
      22 Apr22 April 11:52

      Raise a section 75 dispute with the credit card company if you want a refund assuming Emirates have cancelled the original flight.

      • Sarah says:
        22 Apr22 April 11:54

        Also just to flag Emirates are offering refunds – you need to fill out a form on their website but I expect it will take a while to get processed given the backlog

    • Charlieface says:
      22 Apr22 April 13:07

      Is the inbound cancelled also, as that starts from the UK and means they could cancel the whole booking?

  • TonyG says:
    22 Apr22 April 11:25

    Where’s Harry?
    Have I missed something?

  • Will198 says:
    22 Apr22 April 11:27

    Quick question on Amex Platinum insurance.
    We have booked a B&B in Italy at the start of June for 5 nights.
    I had to pay a 50% deposit by bank transfer as they did not accept credit cards.
    I know normally I am covered if I use a different method if the person I’m paying doesn’t accept Amex or someone else paid and I’m paying them back.
    I imagine by the start of June there will be flights operating but will be mainly for business/essential travel.
    The question is will they cover “disinclination to travel”? As it will probably be technically possible to get there.

    • Stu N says:
      22 Apr22 April 12:24

      Payment by other means is fine if provider doesn’t accept Amex but get some documentary evidence of this to submit with your claim.

      The threshold is “all but essential travel” with Amex; if FCO guidance is still that they should pay out, it it’s less than that you’re in disinclination and won’t be covered.

      • Will198 says:
        22 Apr22 April 13:12

        Thanks v much. Am going to see if they will let me move my deposit to another date.

    • Paul says:
      22 Apr22 April 12:29

      Alitalia are one of the carriers still operating daily, Rome only if I recall, but 3 or 4 a day. Who were the flights with?

      • Will198 says:
        22 Apr22 April 13:14

        Flights were with BA but booked with avios. I was able to refund them online for £1 each before BA changed their policy.

  • Blindman says:
    22 Apr22 April 11:31

    Data Point
    Asked for Virgin Miles to be transferred to Hilton on the 8th April by phone (for both me and Mrs B)

    Only I got the secondary email query from fcsverify on the 15th which I answered that day.

    Points posted to Hilton today for both accounts.

    So as someone mentioned yesterday it seems like the transfers are done on a Wednesday.

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

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