The new HFP chat thread – Thursday 7th May

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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/2020/05/07/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-thursday-7th-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.

Frances says:

7 May7 May 14:43

Has anyone recently cancelled their Virgin Atlantic Credit Card, if so, what was the easiest way to do it?
- J says:
  
  7 May7 May 15:42
  
  Call?
- Brian W says:
  
  7 May7 May 21:18
  
  I cancelled mine last Friday. Took 5 mins on hold then 5 mins to cancel it.
Chrisasaurus says:

7 May7 May 15:09

This wearing gloves fallacy is dangerous, why is it persisting?
- Rob says:
  
  7 May7 May 15:33
  
  But you don’t wash the gloves. You do wash your hands. If you’re my wife, you keep the free gloves from the grocer on the hall table and put them on again next time you go out to handle fresh food.
Super Fede says:

7 May7 May 15:17

Aperol is on sale in Waitrose (and Partners) – only £12 a bottle (reduced from £15)
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  7 May7 May 15:36
  
  It’s only £10 on Amazon …
  - Super Fede says:
    
    7 May7 May 15:39
    
    Thanks for the heads up. I’ll order some later (using the HfP link of course) advantage of Waitrose is I get them now, but Amazon will get next weeks order 😁
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    7 May7 May 15:40
    
    Data point:
    Virgin flying club Whatsapp contact, took 3 x days for a reply but once in dialogue only took two messages and 10 x mins later all done.
TGLoyalty says:

7 May7 May 15:36

Why don’t they put out more hand sanitiser stations instead would be far better

Not seen a single supermarket install hand sanitiser stations on the way into a supermarket or on the way out ether.
- Harry T says:
  
  7 May7 May 15:41
  
  Supermarkets won’t want to pay for them!
  - Lady London says:
    
    7 May7 May 18:47
    
    Mine has one but it’s hidden near the fruit and veg and not signposted. At least it’s present unlike the masks they emailed us all to say they had….!
- Harry T says:
  
  7 May7 May 16:18
  
  Also what Larry said. I’ve heard of people trying to steal masks from ambulances.
- mark2 says:
  
  7 May7 May 16:25
  
  In our local Waitrose (Alcester) the person who allows people in and out gives you a squirt of sanitiser as you go in.
- Jill (Kinkell) says:
  
  7 May7 May 16:59
  
  Our Tesco has several tables with hand sanitiser , paper towels and spray to clean the trolley as you you go in.
  - PerkyPat says:
    
    7 May7 May 18:13
    
    My local Aldi has hand sanitiser on the way in.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      7 May7 May 19:34
      
      You should try our local Superdrug. One in, one out system. Enter and have to stand in a square marked on the floor, you have to extend your arms as far as possible whilst hand sanitizer is squirted into your palms from a distance, now on your way!
- BrightonReader says:
  
  7 May7 May 18:35
  
  The M&S I go to in Brighton has staff wiping the handles of shipping baskets
  
  The Morrisons has paper towels and spray available
  
  Ditto the big Sainburys I use.
  
  But people need to take some responsibility for themselves as well and have their own wipes and sanitizer. I have a very small plaxtic bottle from a Delta amenity kit that I take with me when I shopping.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    7 May7 May 19:30
    
    My local Waitrose and M&S have someone wiping the handles before they are stored to be collected which is great.
    
    Morrison’s leave a spray bottle and paper towel so you can wipe your own but you’ve already collected the unwiped trolley, then touched a communal spray bottle so your hands could be contaminated by then anyway.
    
    No hand sanitiser dispensers at anyone one of these 3 supermarkets I visit.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      7 May7 May 19:36
      
      Our Waitrose, queue along high street as the oldies here do not know what 2m looks like so stay 4-5m away from the person in front. Bless!😉
    - Harry T says:
      
      7 May7 May 19:40
      
      @SS better than them getting confused by the metric system and standing too close together!
    - Andrew says:
      
      7 May7 May 20:39
      
      @SS & Harry T
      
      How old are we talking?
      
      My parents hit 80 next year and were taught the (concept) of the metric system. My mother was a nurse, and dad an engineer so they used metric in their day to day lives for much of their careers.
      
      Indeed, my dad has always given his weight in Newtons.
      
      As for the hand santiser, My hands are so hacked with frequent washing and santising they are now bleeding constantly.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      7 May7 May 21:28
      
      Ah yes the old I have 2ft arms fully extended, plus a 3ft trolley in front of me but I’m going to leave an extra 2-3m just in case brigade.
- Fenny says:
  
  7 May7 May 20:09
  
  I’ve seen 2 in the last week. Perhaps there’s an advantage to living in the town that time forgot.
  - Peter K says:
    
    7 May7 May 21:34
    
    @Andrew
    Giving weight in Newtons! Love it. He’s right, they should ask for his mass 😂😂
Harry T says:

7 May7 May 15:40

So Virgin Money have told me that I will be charged next year’s annual fee for my VA Rewards + credit card in June. Is anybody with an imminent renewal fee keeping their card and, if so, why?
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  7 May7 May 15:44
  
  People hoping that VS won’t go under so the same value still potentially holds as before with keeping the paid card. I have upgraded but “Boost” in their terms state its a pro rata refund if you close the account so using this route you can’t lose.
  I’m sure the same terms do not apply to taking out the Rewards Plus card directly.
  - Harry T says:
    
    7 May7 May 16:21
    
    Interesting T&CS. There’s nothing in the Rewards + T&Cs that allows that, so I guess I’d be screwed if I cancelled later.
  - Genghis says:
    
    7 May7 May 16:21
    
    Even if VS stays in business, personally I wouldn’t renew. I’d do “his n hers” for a new sign up.
    - Harry T says:
      
      7 May7 May 16:24
      
      @Genghis
      Unfortunately, my girlfriend was rejected before, perhaps because she is a student (though they initially rejected me, so who knows?)
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        7 May7 May 16:54
        
        Harry: why not downgrade to free card so you can still earn some miles but no annual fee.
      - Harry T says:
        
        7 May7 May 17:01
        
        Do they let you downgrade?
      - Genghis says:
        
        7 May7 May 18:51
        
        Not in the Amex sense. You’ll be rejected but can then contact them to get the card.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      7 May7 May 20:23
      
      Depends how much your pushing through on the Rewards Plus card per month.
- J says:
  
  7 May7 May 15:46
  
  I cancelled mine ages ago to focus my efforts on Marriott and keeping an old free Hilton card as a non Amex backup. But, anyway if you think VS will survive the earning rate is excellent for VS miles or even ok converting to HH… And advantage of it not being an Amex with acceptance etc.
  - Harry T says:
    
    7 May7 May 16:23
    
    My problem is I don’t really have a decent alternative Visa or Mastercard (only free IHG mastercard). So if the Virgin card gets pulled, or I cancel it, then I have no good options when I can’t use Amex.
    - J says:
      
      7 May7 May 16:32
      
      Free virgin card another option? 🙂
    - Rob says:
      
      7 May7 May 16:34
      
      The Virgin card changes due on Monday have been pulled, by the way.
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        7 May7 May 16:55
        
        What were those Rob?
      - Harry T says:
        
        7 May7 May 17:02
        
        @Rob
        Thanks, that’s helpful.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      7 May7 May 19:26
      
      Call them up and ask to downgrade to the free card. Otherwise cancel & reapply in 6x months if the card is still around.
      - Harry T says:
        
        7 May7 May 19:41
        
        They told me I can cancel and apply for the free card (and receive a sign up bonus on the free card, which I’m not sure I believe). But their applications teams isn’t taking calls right now, so it sounds like quite a faff.
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        7 May7 May 20:25
        
        @Harry T:
        Was that the news Rob was going to publish in the next few days in connection with VM – you can cancel and reapply for free card and get the bonus?
      - Rob says:
        
        7 May7 May 21:50
        
        The VM announcement has now been cancelled.
Brasov says:

7 May7 May 16:03

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/07/i-might-have-died-if-hadnt-rescued-me-hotels-for-homeless

“At lunchtime at an InterContinental hotel (which the Guardian has been asked not to name), the reception area looks much as it would do during more normal times.”

A very kind gesture from IHG. Hopefully no-one will be put off from staying there in the future (in the unlikely event they are able to identify it from the article).
- Harry T says:
  
  7 May7 May 17:04
  
  I assume they are getting paid by the government but I still think it is kind of them to open their doors. Interestingly, some five star Marriott hotels in LA have been refusing to help home the homeless.
- BrightonReader says:
  
  7 May7 May 18:39
  
  I know that Brightin & Hove Coty council has allocated money for ‘forensic cleans’ (as per the paper going to the committee meeting) in it’s covid budget for hotels being used once they are no longer required.
  - Brasov says:
    
    7 May7 May 19:29
    
    If I was a hotel cleaner and I was told to do a forensic clean, I would certainly promise that to my boss, but in the actual rooms, if it looks clean who’s gonna know how well it was actually cleaned?
Frank says:

7 May7 May 16:28

A week or so ago, I poked the BeAr about status extensions, pointing out that aviation is basically shut down and their competitors are already rolling people’s status over by 12 months. I pointed out some specifics of my situation that I won’t share.

Here’s the totally missing-the-point reply I eventually got:

—————
Thank you for coming back to us and for providing the information we requested. Please accept our sincere apologies for the time it has taken us to reply to you – we’re currently experiencing an incredibly high demand for our help, from members all around the world. We know that this is not the service you would usually expect from us.

As your current Tier Point collection year ends on [xxxxx] 2021, it’s a little too early for us to make any decision about renewing your Silver membership.

However, if you contact us again, about a week before your Tier Point collection year ends, we will be happy to review your membership status.

I hope this is helpful and please feel free to let us know if we can help you with anything else.
Kind regards
[xxxxx]
British Airways Executive Club
—————

A week before my membership ends in early 2021 is going to be a little bit too late if travel restrictions mean that business flying is only just getting going again towards the end of this year. Amazing – but not in a good way.
Alberto says:

7 May7 May 19:03

The NHS Covid-19 app is actually available for anyone to download. When you install and open the app it asks for the first half of your postcode and it seems to accept any UK postcode (I am in E14 at the moment and it accepted that).

So if you’re curious give it a go: http://covid19.nhs.uk/

As it’s unlikely anyone near you will be using it yet (unless you’re in the IoW where the trial is being held) you can at least see how the app works on your phone and hopefully it can ease concerns.

It does NOT ask you to enable location tracking, it uses bluetooth to detect when you’re near other users but it doesn’t record the location of the interaction.