The new HFP chat thread – Monday 27th April

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• Joe Green says:

  27 Apr27 April 09:09

  I have MR points in my Amex business platinum account which I can’t redeem at 0.9p. Is there a way to change to personal platinum account perhaps I can open a new platinum personal account and combine?
  If I do this does anyone know if the 0.9p offer is for new accounts also?

• Essjay says:

  27 Apr27 April 09:50

  What’s the best approach for dealing with a negative Avios balance on the Amex BAPP card? I’ve cancelled, and been refunded, a few flights so I’m now sitting on a negative balance that runs in to a few thousand Avios. I’ve shifted spending to the Platinum card because of the double points. The BAPP was my primary everyday spending card prior to that. Will Amex use MR points to “pay off” the BAPP negative balance?

  • Genghis says:

    27 Apr27 April 09:52

    No.
    Cancel the card?

  • Craig says:

    27 Apr27 April 09:53

    I cancelled the BA card, I think I can wait 24 months before reapplying. Mrs S will become eligible for the bonus in 15 months on the BAPP. There was no mention of the negative balance when I cancelled.

    • Essjay says:

      27 Apr27 April 11:53

      Good to know. I’m probably going to go down that route then. Given the reduced spend at the moment, it would take months just to get back to a zero balance!

      I’m sure there are quite a few others in the same situation. It might make sense for Amex to zero out the negative balances as an incentive to keep the card, it’s an active disincentive at the moment.

  • Rum says:

    27 Apr27 April 10:32

    I’m thinking of cancelling my BA card too. Already got my voucher for this year – the reset begins again in September for me so still a while to go and it’s uncertain if I’ll be able to use the voucher this year. I’m thinking it might be best to upgrade gold to Platinum to get the double points and use my HSBC alongside it. Then reapply for BAPP when the travel situation improves.

• Sk123 says:

  27 Apr27 April 10:08

  I tried to get the BA Premium card by making a new application as I’m nearing my £10k spend on the BA free AMEX. The system picked up that I already had a free card and asked me to log-in to upgrade. However, nothing seems to be happening when I put in my details and click log-n. I don’t want to keep trying this again and again as it does credit checks or does it not matter? I have done this route previously but then, the system did not pick up that I had a card during the application process. I used the same email address as the BA free Amex. Is there something I should/shouldn’t be doing?

  • Rum says:

    27 Apr27 April 10:28

    Log in to the Amex website and then just reload the application page from the same browser and without logging out. It should then pick up from where it left off and ask you a few less questions. I think this is the process still if I recall correctly.

  • Charlieface says:

    27 Apr27 April 14:18

    Credit check usually happens only after you click confirm

    • Rum says:

      27 Apr27 April 15:00

      Do they really do a credit check for each card or a soft search?
      I recently asked Amex about this and they were giving conflicting responses…

      I was under the impression they did a soft search on a new card application if you are an existing cardmember

• Tom Shaw says:

  27 Apr27 April 10:16

  Is anyone still waiting for a companion voucher to be refunded? Cancelled flight on 16 March and the tax was refunded within 3 weeks but the avios and the companion voucher still not showing on my account. Is this normal ?!

  • Ele says:

    27 Apr27 April 12:33

    Got mine back within 3 days (the 241, avios, and the tax refunded – even though they’d said the tax could take 3-4 weeks). Think I was lucky. If I was you after all that time I’d chase up.

• Andrew says:

  27 Apr27 April 10:17

  According to Michelle Platinum members in the US are set to get a package of measures in May to offset the lack of travel benefits members are getting at the moment. I wonder if similar will happen here?

  • n_g says:

    27 Apr27 April 10:58

    Was going to write a similar post, would be great if they managed to add a few small perks that made sense in the world of no/reduced travel.

  • Secret Squirrel says:

    27 Apr27 April 17:21

    Do you mean according to Flyertalk…😉

• Rui N. says:

  27 Apr27 April 10:27

  Does anyone have an email for the Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport? (not the Express)
  I have a stay there next, which will not happen (hotel is closed for everyone but key workers), but they apparently won’t cancel my reservation, so I wanted to send an email for them to do that (and avoid having to call to IHG). TIA

  • Chris says:

    27 Apr27 April 12:41

    We had a meeting here about three years ago. Looking back at the old emails they all came from operations at higlasgowairport dot co dot uk

    Can’t guarantee it’s still in use or if you will get a response though.

    • Rui N. says:

      27 Apr27 April 13:17

      Thanks very much Chris. I’ll give that a good, and if it doesn´t work I’ll call closer to the date of my stay.

      • BrianW says:

        27 Apr27 April 14:32

        Their IHGService Twitter account are really responsive dealing with these requests, I’d give that a go if the email doesn’t get a result.

• SL says:

  27 Apr27 April 10:31

  Hi

  Does anyone know if Amex MR balance can be transferred from platinum business account to a personal IDC dollar Amex Green balance?

  Also is there any annual fee for the IDC green card?

  Thanks

  • Rob says:

    27 Apr27 April 10:45

    $100, plus $36 for MR (at least that’s why I pay).

    As the Bus Plat MR account is in your name, and not your company name, I would imagine this is possible but I can’t be certain.

    • SL says:

      27 Apr27 April 11:52

      Thanks very much. How does the transfer of MR take place between accounts and roughly how long? I’m guessing you have to call or is it possible to do it online/in app?

      Thanks

      • guesswho2000 says:

        28 Apr28 April 02:30

        Yes you have to call, and my experience of international MR transfers is a few days. Easy enough though, CS know exactly what to do.

• Deb says:

  27 Apr27 April 10:56

  Hi Rob, been saving Virgin miles for 3 years for trip to Florida next year, now have 69000 ,
  Is it best to move them to Hilton, or if I stay, could they be all lost ?
  Any advise would be greatly appreciated

  • Peter K says:

    27 Apr27 April 11:07

    This has been asked so many times in articles about Virgin Atlantic. Could you lose them? Yes. Is Hilton the right choice? Only you can decide.

  • Rob says:

    27 Apr27 April 11:07

    Up to you!

    Bottom line – you will definitely lose 50% of their value if you transfer (assuming you would have got 1p per mile when redeeming for flights) but you may lose 100% of the value if you stick.

  • RTS says:

    27 Apr27 April 11:10

    if it makes you feel any better, i am sat on 215k virgin points… It’s like game of blackjack… dealers hand is showing a 4 and I am sticking on 14 😀

    • RTS says:

      27 Apr27 April 11:11

      And to add to this… my main MC card I use is the Virgin card… 😀 Perhaps I ought to look at switching this out to either the HSBC PWE or IHG… though I have zero status with IHG and zero points…

  • Andrew says:

    27 Apr27 April 11:11

    You have to make the judgement on what we know.

    The Liberal Demcrats have demanded that the Government offer no funding to any organisation involving tax exiles.
    The Labour Party are no fan of Beardie, particularly after he publicly shamed their former leader by releasing CCTV footage questioning his honesty over “no seats” on a Virgin Train.
    The Greens don’t approve of flying.
    The SNP don’t approve of flying and there’s only a limited Summer service from Paisley anyway.
    In recent years, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Flybe have all been allowed to fail.
    Then there’s the Government in power. Virgin have refused to be involved with criminal “repatriations” – not entirely helpful.

    Only you can decide.

    • Rhys says:

      27 Apr27 April 11:13

      Indeed. Whether Virgin survives this is anyone’s guess. Best to make the call yourself – and if you’re wrong, at least you hate yourself and not us 😉

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        27 Apr27 April 12:04

        Good answer Rhys! 😎

      • Chrish says:

        27 Apr27 April 14:30

        Rhys yes your correct but most (not all) people on here want someone to blame for their lack of ability to make the call themselves, after all you or Rob will either be right or wrong lol

  • TonyG says:

    27 Apr27 April 11:15

    and remember you can only transfer 60000 of them

    • Rob says:

      27 Apr27 April 11:38

      Good point, a 1000 top-up from Amex Membership Rewards, if you can, would be sensible to let you move 70k.

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