The new HFP chat thread – Tuesday 12th 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/2020/05/12/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-tuesday-12th-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.

Don says:

12 May12 May 12:11

Toby Young’s Lockdown Sceptics site is a great read. Especially the analysis of Prof Ferguson’s lovely model. It seems to suffer from a slight issue of total cr@p.

It’s common knowledge Mr Johnson didn’t want to go this far but was pushed to do by the Commies around him.
- Josh says:
  
  12 May12 May 12:23
  
  Quite a few read HfP too judging by the comments. Must be Luxury Commies 😂
  - Lady London says:
    
    12 May12 May 12:39
    
    Champagne Socialist was the old word for that
    - Anna says:
      
      12 May12 May 13:15
      
      My grandparents were the original Champagne Socialists, long before Blair and his ilk. Guardian-reading university lecturers who enjoyed private health care and sent their kids to selective schools. Tony and Cherie were light years behind!
      - J says:
        
        12 May12 May 13:26
        
        Not sure how Blair can be a socialist, champagne or not, given that he was avowedly centrist.
      - Harry T says:
        
        12 May12 May 13:52
        
        @J agreed, Blair was not a socialist.
        
        @Don we would probably be better off trusting an actual eminent scientist rather than a journalist with a PPE degree. Careful what you read on the internet or you’ll be burning the 5g mobile towers next! 😉
        
        The cabinet would probably benefit from a few more STEM graduates, especially as the Home Secretary struggles to pronounce numbers correctly…
      - Anna says:
        
        12 May12 May 14:36
        
        “Champagne Socialists” were never actually socialists, that was the whole point!
      - Rob says:
        
        12 May12 May 17:26
        
        Fundamentally anyone who believes that being poor is a noble cause, rather than just being really sh*t, has never been poor.
      - Cat says:
        
        12 May12 May 15:15
        
        +1 @Harry T
        I watched the video of Angela Merkel explaining the effect of the R rate on the ITU beds in Germany in a press conference and once again contemplated trying to get German citizenship..
      - bazza says:
        
        12 May12 May 18:12
        
        I think these 2 are so young they think Blair & Brown were the “good ole days”.
      - J says:
        
        12 May12 May 18:27
        
        Well they were compared to now. By any measure the UK’s international standing – i.e. soft power and influence has taken quite the tumble since.
      - Bazza says:
        
        13 May13 May 08:14
        
        Hilarious! Brown and Blair held up as good examples. The blundering duo!
Aston100 says:

12 May12 May 12:20

I’ve recently cancelled my BAPP.
I may be due a refund of several K from Qatar in a couple of months for flights paid with that card. This would take my net spend to under £10k on that BAPP.
If that refund goes ahead can I presume my companion voucher is safe, and also Amex won’t/can’t do anything about the avios that I earned with that transaction? i.e. they can’t come after me for anything?

Thanks.
- AJA says:
  
  12 May12 May 12:42
  
  Once you’ve got the 2-4-1 in your BAEC account its safe. You only have to remember to pay the TFCs with any Amex card when you come to redeem it.
- Rob says:
  
  12 May12 May 13:44
  
  Correct.
Crafty says:

12 May12 May 12:46

OT: Letter from Amex refusing my Ryanair chargeback following investigation, because a voucher had been issued! And I should contact the airline if I want cash instead. Absolutely unbelievable.

When I ring back, should I just ask for section 75 instead of chargeback?

I’m fuming as they know perfectly well what Ryanair is up to.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  12 May12 May 12:52
  
  If you’ve paid on a credit card then yes claim under s.75
  - Crafty says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:34
    
    Called and she was bewildered by the letter they’d written me. Reopened the dispute and said to me “this should really be a straightforward case”. I suspect this is a “Brighton service meets computer-says-no” situation!
Ian M says:

12 May12 May 12:59

Gave Amex a call today to see if I could bag 20k MR points for my Platinum card. I said I was calling to see if there was any help on offer with the annual fee considering the lack of access to most of the card benefits currently, and that I had seen in Germany Platinum card holders were being given around 40k MR points.

I was told by the man that he didn’t believe there was any help on offer at the current time, but put on hold for about 5min while he double checked. He came back to say the only thing they can offer would be to downgrade to the gold card.

Anyone else had any luck today?

I’m a heavy spender on the Platinum card, don’t know if that counts for or against me!
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  12 May12 May 13:23
  
  Just try again tomorrow if you can, offers seem to be changing daily.
- Alex M says:
  
  12 May12 May 13:37
  
  Do HUACA. I called 3 times – 1st time offered 15000, 2nd time – 0, 3rd time – 15000 which I have accepted (light spender).
- Alan says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:40
  
  UK Plat offered 15k, pushed for 20k given comments on the main article a few days ago.
  ICC Dollar offered zilch, denied they were even doing it 🙄 – going to call back this evening/tomorrow as seems quite a few have been offered 15k on that.
  - Alan says:
    
    12 May12 May 18:44
    
    OK HUACA worked on ICC Plat – 15k (consistent with other offers mentioned on it). At first getting nowhere with this agent to but then mentioned retention/cancellation – they seem to be the key words!
    - Lady London says:
      
      13 May13 May 15:59
      
      Why are Germans getting 40k then and the Americans even more? seems UK customers are being fobbed off with less again.
- Cat says:
  
  12 May12 May 15:18
  
  I got 20,000 this morning. I’m surprised it varies so much.
  - Polly says:
    
    13 May13 May 23:40
    
    Mine haven’t come in yet after my call day before you. Are yours in the account Cat?
    - Cat says:
      
      14 May14 May 09:02
      
      Yes, they arrived pretty quickly, X
- Nic says:
  
  13 May13 May 12:08
  
  Seems to depend on which number you call. First time around I called the Plat line on the back of the card, US based call centre, nothing offered. Second time I called the “from abroad” number on the UK website, UK based call centre, man on the line immediately offered 15k with a speed and knowledge that suggested ha had been fielding these calls all morning.
  
  He even volunteered that he had heard that some German cardholders were being offered higher options – but between the UK having double value on points at the moment and different spending patterns triggering different incentives, 15k was my targeted offer. I took it.
ian_h says:

12 May12 May 13:15

Does anyone have any experience of a cash withdrawal using curve with an underlying capital on tap card?

Just wondering if CoT recognise it as a cash advance or purchase transaction (within curve limits obviously).
- Lady London says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:34
  
  Got a feeling people were saying CoT was not working with Curve very recently,
- Chrisasaurus says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:35
  
  Cash I’m afraid
  - ian_h says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:54
    
    I’m glad I checked – thanks for your confirmation.
    My Natwest Business Debit has started rejecting on Curve with “Transaction not permitted” and I’m in the middle of the Curve v NatWest blame game so was looking for an alternative!
  - FloriGuy says:
    
    12 May12 May 16:56
    
    What about with Ernie? Does that go through as Cash?
    - Connor says:
      
      12 May12 May 20:10
      
      Nope, goes as a purchase.
- Connor says:
  
  12 May12 May 20:10
  
  Capital on Tap rejects pretty much any cash transaction so no paying of credit cards with it or withdrawing cash unfortunately. Government transactions still work though
Anna says:

12 May12 May 13:19

In America a lot of those people have the double whammy of losing their health insurance as well as their jobs. There is a lot to be grateful for living in the UK, even if we don’t always acknowledge it.
- Lady London says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:14
  
  And our great hospitals apparently dont turn anyone who’s not actually entitled,away and apparently they’re not very good at actually recovering the money from foreigners who are not entitled but whom they have treated.
  
  I’ve also lost count of how many people resident in the UK that have commented in my hearing in my lifetime that they’ve got the rest of their (non-resident non-qualifying) family from their origin country registered in the NHS.
  - Anna says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:41
    
    BUT, LL, whatever the rights and wrongs of the system, I would rather be in a country where I am guaranteed to get medical treatment along with everyone else, than in one where that treatment depended on me retaining my employment.
  - Cat says:
    
    12 May12 May 15:30
    
    Yes, and in a situation like this especially @Anna.
    I remember my GCSE Economics teacher explaining to a rather indignant class, why we have to pay so much money in taxes. He was right – I don’t want Joe, living down the other end of the road to be a festering mass of contagion, because he can’t afford to get medical treatment (nor do I want him to be a festering mass of contagion because he doesn’t have a legal right to be here and is worried that he’ll be deported if he goes to the hospital).
    “Healthcare that’s linked to employment status during a pandemic” is replacing “chocolate fireguard” in my lexicon.
  - bazza says:
    
    12 May12 May 18:20
    
    “where I am guaranteed to get medical treatment” You can also guarantee that your treatment in hospital will be delayed by the ” foreigners who are not entitled but whom they have treated” & those who bring their extended family and friends – and use each others details.
  - J says:
    
    12 May12 May 19:22
    
    If it wasn’t for “foreigners” working in the NHS bazza you wouldn’t be getting any treatment at all (which would suit me just fine tbh).
  - Bazza says:
    
    13 May13 May 08:18
    
    Really? I work in the NHS and I’m. English! And so are the majority of my colleagues!
    
    What’s the logic in providing free health care to the entire world if they ask for it just because some people who were not born here work in it?
    
    That’s a the stupidest post I have ever seen on this site.
- J says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:14
  
  Indeed I’m very glad I don’t live in the US (or Russia, or China for that matter).
- Don says:
  
  12 May12 May 20:16
  
  It’s Commie nonsense to say without foreigners the NHS would be in the bin- though if that outcome was on the cards, I’d vote for it!
  
  Successive governments, both fake left and fake right have sought to import staff because it’s far cheaper than training them domestically. That’s purely an economic choice. Far better for the taxpayers of Poland, Romania, Bulgaria etc to train the Docs then fly them to the UK. I guess none of you have ever had a straight A friend who didn’t get into medicinal school as it’s a cost-controlled lottery?
  
  The same can be said about carers. If I was paid £25 an hour to wipe old people’s backsides I would do it.
  
  I would love to see an old-German style Zivildienst brought in for young people to do just that. Get some experience dealing with the elderly might give them some understanding and compassion to object that kicking 14,000 sick and vulnerable from hospital to death-homes by order of Shagger Fergie’s model was a POS.
  - J says:
    
    12 May12 May 21:14
    
    You’re not making sense Don – but I’m sure the foreign born staff in the care home will take good care of you.
  - Lady London says:
    
    13 May13 May 04:46
    
    +100,000 even if some of the acronyms towards the end are confusing.
    This is really what Cat’s saying too.
  - Bazza says:
    
    13 May13 May 09:55
    
    That’s the fact but you Left ignore what is clearly in from of their eyes. The worst examples recently have been the DELIBERATE DECEPTION of highlighting how many foreign born NHS workers there are when trying to justify membership to the EU.
    
    Clinical EU NHS workers is approx. 2.5% or less……
davvero says:

12 May12 May 13:41

Have you noticed Boris fans are the biggest snowflake cult around. No criticism of him is allowed and anyone who doesn’t support him is either a commie or part of the leftwaffe.

Total nonsense as Boris kicked a lot of remain supporting Tories out of the party and some quit under May to form Tinge PLC. So there’s a lot on the right that can’t stand his politics.

Please Boris supporters remember politics is not a football team, you don’t have to support your party regardless of actions criticism is allowed and should be encouraged.
- davvero says:
  
  12 May12 May 13:46
  
  As are lots of the electorate. That’s why we have spaffer Johnson and the US has ‘America Johnson’ 😫
- mark2 says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:09
  
  The Traitor Tories were kicked out because they voted with the Opposition.
  - davvero says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:15
    
    Tribalism. Leave v remain isn’t a case of left v right. Cameron was pro remain and was Thatcher. May was Remain during the referendum but switched when leader to respect the badly thought out referendum.
    A lot of socialists wanted to leave too so it didn’t fit over normal party lines.
    - Rhys says:
      
      12 May12 May 14:20
      
      I think it’s probably time to put an end to the tribalism for today. Time to talk about something else.
      - Chris Heyes says:
        
        12 May12 May 19:54
        
        Rhys @ Glad to Whats Rob doing with his miles ? lol
    - Spaghetti Town says:
      
      12 May12 May 15:20
      
      Thatcher was a remainer of the 80’s, but she wouldn’t of been a 2016 remainer.
      - Rob says:
        
        12 May12 May 17:17
        
        Thatcher is buried about 90 seconds from my front door – oddly I’ve never actually had a walk around to see which headstone is hers.
- J says:
  
  12 May12 May 15:15
  
  As a West Ham fan, I didn’t realise I was allowed to do anything other than criticise my team!
  - Lady London says:
    
    12 May12 May 19:55
    
    🙂
- bazza says:
  
  12 May12 May 18:04
  
  And what % are you in?
Anna says:

12 May12 May 13:50

Anyone considering booking a trip to France? I’m toying with the idea of grabbing some RFS seats while they’re still available but also wondering if the summer will be like a colossal school exchange trip as every Brit with annual leave booked decamps across the Channel!
- Harry T says:
  
  12 May12 May 13:56
  
  RFS tickets from Manchester, Anna? Good idea!
- GeorgeJ says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:02
  
  Still have to deal with the FCO advice against non essential overseas travel. Joint declaration is potentially worthless as long as that is in place.
  Dont pay for anything you cant recover as cash!
- Anna says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:08
  
  Yes plenty of RFS from MAN to NCE at the moment in CE. Of course it all depends on FCO advice changing, and the general mood, wouldn’t go anywhere the locals really didn’t want us. Just had our travel insurance renewal through work and only restriction is FCO advice in place at the time of travel. I’m retiring in 2 weeks so can travel any time but OH has late July/early August off, and that’s going to be it till Easter 2021 so he could really do with some sort of break. I have a 2 4 1 which even with the extension expires in Feb so this would probably be our only chance to use it.
  - Anna says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:10
    
    And of course BA may well pull all the CityFlyer services.
  - Harry T says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:13
    
    I hope you find a way to travel safely and use that 241. Enjoy your retirement!
    
    I may take a punt on a trip to Nice too (hope we don’t clash) given the low cancellation fees – wish it was still £1 though! And I’ll have to brave MAN for the first time…
    - Anna says:
      
      12 May12 May 14:59
      
      Thanks! There’s plenty to go round unless everyone has the same idea, and don’t forget BA also flies from Manchester to Mykonos in the summer (Greece is apparently re-opening, and I don’t know if UK quarantine would be an issue for you). If MAN is very quiet you won’t really get the full benefit of what it can be like!! I imagine the security staff are loving being extra officious though.
      - Harry T says:
        
        12 May12 May 15:18
        
        Ha perhaps not worth paying for Fast Track security at MAN then 😉
        
        Good point about Mykonos, I would love a trip.
      - Anna says:
        
        12 May12 May 15:25
        
        They really hate people in the Fast Track queue. They are always visibly gutted when you show them your boarding pass and they can’t kick you to the back of the normal queue.
      - Lady London says:
        
        13 May13 May 15:45
        
        Do they say “It’s her again” when they try and fail to turn you away from Fast Track in MAN Anna? 🙂
  - Lockdown Larry says:
    
    12 May12 May 14:24
    
    Based on Hancock’s comments I can’t see the FCO advice being lifted any time soon:
    
    “The conclusion from that is it is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer.”
    
    Admittedly “lavish” could be interpreted in many ways.
    - Anna says:
      
      12 May12 May 14:53
      
      I think Hancock was referring to the many bookings people will have made to places like the USA, Caribbean, Spain and Italy – these will likely end up being cancelled due to restrictions at both ends. “Lavish” was a very bad and patronising choice of terminology as a lot of people scrimp and save for months or even years to have one decent (not lavish) holiday.
      - Optimus Prime says:
        
        12 May12 May 15:26
        
        Exactly. Would love to know what adjective he’d use for MP’s holidays!
  - Lady London says:
    
    12 May12 May 20:01
    
    Erm…..as regards NCE I think the French still have the same restrictions in place as got that party that tried to land in their private jet in Nice told to turn around and go home…..
    
    Personally can I recommend the Sawday’s series of guides to find somewhere secluded in the UK?They really are excellent if you look very carefully at what the info on each property is really saying.You’d be dealing direct with an owner as well.
    
    Once things start to move I’d expect anything in Sawday’s guides (there are several for the UK/Scotland and they’re all excellent andreliable) to fill up quickly… but right now everyone’s holding back a bit but won’t be that much longer.
    
    That way you’d at least have no chance of being denied entry to another country for your holiday!
    - Anna says:
      
      12 May12 May 21:29
      
      Never heard of them, I’ll have a look! Don’t worry, though, I’m not going anywhere unless travel restrictions are lifted.
      - Lady London says:
        
        13 May13 May 04:29
        
        Yes you did hear of them, they had a villa in Nice booked for the weekend and…ahem were not married to each other….DYRC we commented at the time.
- Lockdown Larry says:
  
  12 May12 May 14:27
  
  ” wondering if the summer will be like a colossal school exchange trip as every Brit with annual leave booked decamps across the Channel!”
  
  I can’t see that happening, given that 27% of the workforce has been furloughed and many of those will be at risk of being made redundant over the next few months.
  
  (I’m not saying that no-one will be going on holiday this summer or that some people aren’t actually financially better off rather than worse off right now)
  - Peter K says:
    
    12 May12 May 15:01
    
    You say that, but it’s not unheard of for people losing their jobs to have one large big splash out while they feel they can afford it (eg. one last expensive xmas). It doesn’t necessarily make sense, but people don’t always make sensible choices.
    
    Others will have their money back from cancelled holidays burning a hole in their pocket.
    
    Yet more will not spending anywhere near as much since lockdown and despite a reduced income will be holding their own.
  - Anna says:
    
    12 May12 May 15:11
    
    I can actually envisage this scenario. People who are still employed will be willing to travel, as will some retired people and some people who don’t work for whatever reason and haven’t been financially impacted by the current situation in the short term. If ferries continue to run, especially, I can see this being quite a popular option. Even people who are furloughed until the autumn might decide this is a good time to jump in the car and have a reasonably priced break in the sun, given how sacrosanct the British summer holiday is. (Macron might be having a rethink at this point!)
    - Anna says:
      
      12 May12 May 15:53
      
      DM reporting now that there has been a “surge” of bookings to France 😂😂😂
      - Anna says:
        
        12 May12 May 16:36
        
        True, Larry, it was probably a few extra clicks on the Eurocamp website.
    - Anna says:
      
      12 May12 May 16:34
      
      Not pointless, the point was that there are RFS flights to be had which can be cancelled up to T-24. Obviously I’m not going to blow my holiday budget on, e.g. a non-refundable villa until there’s a lot more clarity.
  - Chris Heyes says:
    
    12 May12 May 20:05
    
    Lockdown Larry @ I have to admit to being “A Lot” better off due to this Corona-Virus although not wishing long may it continue though