The new HFP chat thread – Monday 4th May

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/2020/05/04/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-monday-4th-may/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. Let’s see how it goes. Take care!

Category

General

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

Anna says:

4 May4 May 15:28

BA holidays data point – I have a holiday booked to Spain for the end of July which I’ve paid about half of so far. I’ve just had an email saying if I don’t want to travel I can apply for a voucher. I was going to wait until nearer the time before contacting BA but I am wondering is this therefore means that the voucher will be for the amount still outstanding and that if we take it we won’t be expected to pay the balance prior to the original travel date? It’s a rather vague email!
- Anna says:
  
  4 May4 May 15:44
  
  Also, 2 of us are travelling on RFS bookings. If I accept a voucher for these, would I get the £70 and 30k Avios I used for these in voucher form (there was no 2 4 1 used), I.e. a future award booking would be discounted by £70 and 30k Avios?
  - Anna says:
    
    4 May4 May 16:05
    
    Thinking about this a bit more, we are booked on Cityflyer flights from MAN so I can’t see that they will be running in any case. Is this BA trying to get us to apply for a voucher before they cancel and therefore have to give us our cash back?!
    - Michael C says:
      
      4 May4 May 16:26
      
      I think it’s the latter, Anna!
      - AJA says:
        
        4 May4 May 19:01
        
        +1. I have just received an email about taking the e-voucher for my flights to Tel Aviv on 1 July using a 2-4-1 voucher. I am holding off until they formally cancel the flight before deciding what to do. I would like to try just rebook it for the same time next year.
Reader J says:

4 May4 May 15:58

Just called TAP Portugal to get a refund for an upcoming trip to Madeira. They only want to give an eVoucher. Is there no way to get a cash refund? Amex chargeback?
- Anna says:
  
  4 May4 May 16:03
  
  Have they cancelled it or are you doing it pre-emptively?
  - Reader J says:
    
    4 May4 May 16:15
    
    They haven’t cancelled yet, though the outbound is on 20/05.
    - Anna says:
      
      4 May4 May 16:32
      
      I think you’re only entitled to a cash refund if they cancel first. Are they cancelling earlier flights to Madeira do you know? If you can get an idea of whether TAP is likely to cancel nearer the time, you might want to wait a bit.
- marcw says:
  
  4 May4 May 16:27
  
  Chargeback.
  - Doug M says:
    
    4 May4 May 18:31
    
    Not if they haven’t cancelled the flight.
    - marcw says:
      
      4 May4 May 18:56
      
      Yes, that´s correct. I assumed, wrongly, that flight was cancelled. Also, TAP is planning to restart operations in 2 weeks time. Portugal has lifted already the state or emergency.
- Anna says:
  
  4 May4 May 17:49
  
  The flight hasn’t been cancelled so nothing to charge back for yet!
Oli says:

4 May4 May 16:55

Heathrow Express Fixed day ticket – did anyone manage to get a refund, or are they just doing date changes as stated on their website? I guess chargeback is not applicable as trains are still running.
- The Lord says:
  
  5 May5 May 15:28
  
  Got a date change email for one of my bookings. In fairness I got the email within a couple of hours of submitting online. Don’t have to provide the future date of travel yet, you are issued a voucher.
The Original Nick says:

4 May4 May 17:14

Eurostar trip to Lille from St Pancras on the 16th May is now showing no seats left. Really? I’m booked to depart the 16th and return on the 17th and both are showing no seats left and no other trains runnning that day. That tells me that the train has been cancelled but I’ve had no confirmation of either being cancelled. How do you do a charge back on my Amex card? Or is it not possible?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 May4 May 18:19
  
  They may have consolidated all passengers onto the trains you were booked on to or because of reduced max capacity they really are now sold out etc
  
  Until you actually have confirmation your train is cancelled you won’t have a valid chargeback claim.
  - The Original Nick says:
    
    4 May4 May 18:26
    
    Thanks.
- Doug M says:
  
  4 May4 May 18:34
  
  I thought that there were no trains to/fom Lille at the moment. It’s London Paris only, no stops.
  - Doug M says:
    
    4 May4 May 18:35
    
    Travel to or from Ashford, Ebbsfleet, Lille and Calais
    Whilst operating a reduced timetable, we regret to advise that we will not be able to operate to and from Ashford International, Ebbsfleet International, Calais Fréthun and Lille Europe stations for a temporary period.
    
    Customers with tickets to or from Ashford International or Ebbsfleet International will be able to depart from London using their Eurostar tickets to transfer to and from St Pancras International via South Eastern rail services.
    Customers with tickets to or from Lille Europe who still need to travel can do so to or from Paris Gare du Nord instead. Tickets are valid for travel on a TGV train between Paris and Lille Flandres.
    - The Original Nick says:
      
      4 May4 May 19:07
      
      So why haven’t I received confirmation of the train being cancelled? It’s all very cagey
      - Doug M says:
        
        4 May4 May 22:46
        
        Because that confirmation would allow you to ask for a refund. Eurostar are only publishing the timetable one day in advance, your train is almost certainly cancelled, and if it was the one or two a day they run it won’t stop at Lille as things stand. If they don’t confirm this you don’t have the right to a refund. It’s just a further tactic being used to retain cash. I have a train to Paris this Wednesday, as yet it’s not cancelled, so I can’t ask for a refund. They continually offer rebooking or credit, but that’s not what I want. Tomorrow they’ll almost certainly cancel and I’ll ask for a refund.
Ammar says:

4 May4 May 17:27

My sister booked a flight via amex travel. They have emailed her today stating that her original flight is non operational and issued new flight details from Heathrow instead of Gatwick. When she called the amex travel agent they stated despite the time change and change of origin of flight, she would not be eligible for a refund as delta count Gatwick and Heathrow as part of London. Does she have any argument for a refund under ec261? She paid with an amex credit card.
- Anna says:
  
  4 May4 May 17:52
  
  It’s known that airlines count all the London airports as one departure point, so your sister might struggle claiming on those grounds. What is the time difference and what is Delta’s policy in respect of time changes?
  - Ammar says:
    
    5 May5 May 03:59
    
    Flights leave 2 hrs early on outbound and return. I will check the policy. Thanks m
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 May4 May 18:21
  
  When is this flight booked for and did she have travel insurance prior to March?
  - Ammar says:
    
    5 May5 May 04:00
    
    Booked in February. Yes she has travel insurance
- Don says:
  
  4 May4 May 18:59
  
  This is covered clearly in EC261. Read the Reg.
- Pangolin says:
  
  4 May4 May 19:28
  
  If the flight number changes then right of refund is guaranteed, regardless of what they claim
  - Ammar says:
    
    5 May5 May 03:57
    
    Thanks, that’s what I thought
Baji Nahid says:

4 May4 May 18:19

Bought tesco pet insurance on the 30th of March, the points haven’t been added to my account and its been 35 days.

Anyone else in the same boat? Wondering if i should call them up
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  4 May4 May 18:24
  
  Called up today and requested a full refund from BA for cancelled flights. How long does it take to receive any emails confirming the refund is being actioned?
  - Stuart says:
    
    4 May4 May 19:23
    
    I rang on Friday to cancel a flight and the money was credited to my card today. The email was received just after the call had ended
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      4 May4 May 21:31
      
      No emails but AVIOS & 241 credited so it’s being processed.
      Got to say You First line was very quick & professional.
- Jon says:
  
  4 May4 May 19:28
  
  I am in an almost identical boat to you. I purchased Tesco Pet Insurance on 31st March and still no points either yet.
  - Leigh says:
    
    4 May4 May 21:58
    
    Just checked my account: points were credited on the 29th of April – purchased the pet insurance on the 16th of March.
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  4 May4 May 19:58
  
  No points received from early Feb.
- Reeferman says:
  
  4 May4 May 22:47
  
  Same here – I took pet insurance on 30th March and still no points. Just checked my Tesco Club account and it says points collected up to 7th May will appear on the May statement – available on 18th May apparently
Bill says:

4 May4 May 19:02

https://twitter.com/airportnewsMAN/status/1257365842502864902?s=19
- Colin MacKinnon says:
  
  4 May4 May 21:04
  
  For those of us who don’t tweet, or have forgotten the login on a device they don’t often use, a short summary of what you are referring to is useful!
  - Grant says:
    
    4 May4 May 21:44
    
    *news* looking like the @VirginAtlantic B747 fleet is indeed being congregated at @manairport, with G-VROS leaving @HeathrowAirport tomorrow and arriving at MAN 1300. #manchester #virginatlantic
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      4 May4 May 23:29
      
      Why wouldn’t Manchester impound their aircraft?
MarkH says:

4 May4 May 23:14

Why go via Curve?

Direct top-up using Barclaycard works fine with no fees.
- guesswho2000 says:
  
  5 May5 May 12:03
  
  Not always, a lot of us got stung with advance fees from BC, who had been free for years, a couple of months back. Rev were playing games with their MCC.