The new HFP chat thread – Friday 15th 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/2020/05/15/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-friday-15th-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.

davvero says:

15 May15 May 04:49

Will some of the shops at Heathrow be opening on 1st June? I guess lounges would be a July thing based on the rather vague waffle from our clown in chief
- Josh says:
  
  15 May15 May 05:02
  
  I don’t think you can count on Lounges opening in July tbh… I’d be very very surprised. Social distancing would mean capacity is so constrained that not everyone could be admitted. They’ll just keep them shut for now I think… Maybe give a voucher
  - davvero says:
    
    15 May15 May 05:03
    
    Let’s hope there’s somewhere open to use this voucher.
    Hopefully the antibody test will eventually free us from these hassles.
    - Save East Coast Rewards says:
      
      15 May15 May 06:21
      
      No voucher when I flew late March. Currently only WH Smith and Boots open. I can’t see why Pret can’t open if they want to (although the seating area will likely be closed off and you’d have to eat ‘outside’ (i.e. the seats in the main part of the terminal).
      
      In June when non-essential shops can open I can see a small number opening – it might be a bit like T1 in the last few months of operations and there were hardly any flights so they only had a few shops open.
      
      If lounges do open in July I can see them heavily capacity restricted (which might work if BA doesn’t have many flights) but I’d expect they’d want to have minimum contact so if any food is provided it’d be pre packed (e.g. crisps) and you’d probably be asked to put it in the bin when finished.
      - Andrew says:
        
        15 May15 May 07:22
        
        I would imagine the airlines will use this as an excuse to keep the lounges closed and save money. Restaurants in the high st will be wanting to open at the earliest opportunity in July to start making money, but the airlines will drag it out. Same as how BA are not serving food on board either (just a sandwich and a bottle of water in all cabins)
  - Rob says:
    
    15 May15 May 08:52
    
    You think they’d give you a voucher for a restaurant vs letting you sit in an empty lounge, for safety reasons?
    
    With BA not rolling over status, the lounges will be a lot quieter anyway even on a full schedule.
    - Andrew says:
      
      15 May15 May 09:35
      
      Yes and still no word on anything for Exec members who have tier point year ends after June. At least I’ll have my silver soft landing for the following year. Currently at zero tier points (year begins in Feb) and not looking like I will earn a single one before next Feb.
      - Anthony Edwards says:
        
        15 May15 May 10:21
        
        I’m Silver and at 525 Tier points / 45 BA flights with my year ending in August. I’m going to be pretty annoyed if I go down to Bronze.
      - Nick says:
        
        15 May15 May 10:49
        
        I understand the entire Exec Club team (apart from Niall himself) has been furloughed, so it’s entirely unsurprising there have been zero announcements on this. I’m clinging on to every hope there will be one later, as I will also be falling a tier, with no good soft landing (Silver > Bronze), and will be very miffed as a result. I don’t even requalify using the reduced rates, and as most of my journeys are booked late, I can’t even prove that I would have done. It’s perverse that higher spenders (late bookers) are being penalised but those who book early are winning discretionary awards when they submit lists of cancelled flights they bought at low cost.
Craig says:

15 May15 May 07:02

Has anyone ever had problems with e-Rewards, I have a lot of spare time and seem to be racking up the Avios? The monthly limit has been removed.
- davvero says:
  
  15 May15 May 07:29
  
  Only that I found filling in the surveys after a while very tedious. They also often liked asking loads of questions before deciding you didn’t meet the criteria.
  - Doug M says:
    
    15 May15 May 10:30
    
    Agreed. I stopped because I felt that the I was answering too many questions only to be told you don’t meet the criteria, well it felt like a whole survey to decide that.
    - John says:
      
      15 May15 May 11:23
      
      You need to answer in a way that lets you meet the criteria
      - Doug M says:
        
        15 May15 May 14:47
        
        How do I know what the criteria are?
    - Olly says:
      
      15 May15 May 14:10
      
      e-rewards was good when I started but then, two or three years ago, I got through most survey questions only to be told I didn’t qualify and got nothing after wasting 10 to 15 minutes on each one so sacked it.
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  15 May15 May 08:01
  
  Monthly limit?
  I redeemed 2k a week ago but sure it stated every 30 x days, has this changed as I’ve got enough for another 2k?
  - Craig says:
    
    15 May15 May 08:03
    
    Mine seems to have since they revamped the website. You can also add more than one item to the ‘shopping’ bag, I did 2 x 6500 for 4000 Avios after someone mentioned it on this site.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      15 May15 May 08:06
      
      Cheers Craig, I’ll go take a look and report back. The double redemption is new as I’m also sure it only allowed me a max of 1 a week back.
      - Craig says:
        
        15 May15 May 08:12
        
        I’ve done 10k Avios since lockdown and Mrs S (cough) has managed £55 of Nectar points!
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        15 May15 May 09:40
        
        Wow, many thanks Craig for the heads up. Just managed to redeem another 2k.
        Do you have Hilton on your rewards? Wonder if that’s unlimited also, I woukd try but do not have smallest amount available.
      - Craig says:
        
        15 May15 May 09:48
        
        Just had a look at the T&C, looks like one account on the ‘panel’ and two per household? Not quite sure what ‘panel’ means but I might back it off for a while.
- RussellH says:
  
  15 May15 May 10:57
  
  My last two transfers to Hilton were very problematic. One last year took about three months. The one I did early this year also ground down in the system, to the extent that they asked me if I would like the e-Rewards points back! I said no thanks; they then did a manual transfer which went though in a day or two. A week later the original transfer turned up too.
  🙂
  
  I have not tried Hilton since, but then I did need 5000 Virgin miles to go with the 5000 from taking out the free credit card. They went to Hilton too, but much more quickly!
  
  If you can transfer your e-Rewards points to Iberia, it is a much better deal than to BA.
Matty says:

15 May15 May 07:36

My other half is expecting. I was hoping to make a few flight bookings for next spring for a mini trip, using points and cash and vouchers, but I’m a little unsure how to do this, given that the two of us will be three. Can I make a booking and just add the new one later etc?
- @mkcol says:
  
  15 May15 May 07:53
  
  Congratulations & yes, just add them when they come along.
  - Genghis says:
    
    15 May15 May 08:50
    
    +1. Remember the BA status extension and free 1k avios for your little ‘un.
    - John says:
      
      15 May15 May 11:26
      
      Do it in the 7 weeks between tier point year end and card expiry date and your status is effectively extended for 2 years.
      
      I haven’t flown BA for 11 months, yet am Gold until end of 2021, and no need to worry about whatever COVID-19 tier extensions they have in the works!
      - Genghis says:
        
        15 May15 May 12:43
        
        V clever. Never thought of that!
      - Genghis says:
        
        15 May15 May 12:43
        
        Now to have another kid… lol.
    - NvT1115 says:
      
      15 May15 May 14:40
      
      I have just requested a Silver extension following the arrival of our twins – waiting to hear back – pointed out we had trips planned and others booked. Even with reduced tier pts not going to reach target but have done the four required flights already on BA metal
- Michael C says:
  
  15 May15 May 10:11
  
  ..and remember to open up their own Avios account later on and add it to your family account!
- Matty says:
  
  16 May16 May 00:10
  
  Thank you all.
EwanG says:

15 May15 May 07:37

re IHG Spire. I noticed that my choice benefit for hitting Spire Elite (currently at the revised, lower threshold) is now available in my account.
- Andrew says:
  
  15 May15 May 07:42
  
  The Spire choice benefit for the free year renewal due to Covid isn’t there yet.
- @mkcol says:
  
  15 May15 May 07:54
  
  Do you see this in the app or just the website?
  I don’t know whereabouts to look.
  - Andrew says:
    
    15 May15 May 07:59
    
    On the website (or the IHG mobile site) but not the app. There’s a section called available rewards, Hertz Gold also there as an option.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      15 May15 May 08:09
      
      I’ve just looked on tablet main site, not app. It’s not there and only the usual Hertz offer.
      To confirm, are you talking about the 2nd 25k bonus for hitting Spire this year we are supposed to get and not the first one?
      I’ve got 1 x 25k when they reduced it to 55k recently, I’m wondering if when I hit 75k as per the original target it might trigger the 2nd-anyone?
      - Andrew says:
        
        15 May15 May 08:22
        
        I talking about the one which all existing Spires were promised when they gave us the year extension to Spire due to Covid – no threshold required for this one.
      - Rob says:
        
        15 May15 May 08:40
        
        Has your extension been processed yet though? Problem with IHG is that you can’t easily see when your card expires either. They did say when this was announced that it would take some time to process it for everyone.
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        15 May15 May 08:35
        
        That Q was at EwanG
      - Andrew says:
        
        15 May15 May 08:55
        
        Yes extension has been processed. The expiry date is clearly visible on the app if you click the “track 2020 status” line above the pie chart of points, but seemingly not on the website or mobile site which is strange. But mine says end of December 21 now and did as soon as it was announced.
      - EwanG says:
        
        15 May15 May 09:04
        
        @Secrect Squirrel. This is my first one for 2020. I’ll pass above the 75k threshold at the end of this month and will be good if we do get a further choice benefit to arise because of that, but I’m not expecting it to.
        @Rob Yes we need someone who was Spire, has not get reached 55k points for 2020 but can see from AwardWallet when their status expiration date is extended to end 2021!
      - Andrew says:
        
        15 May15 May 09:11
        
        EwanG – I am that person. And can confirm status is showing as December 2021 (had earned aspire in 2019 for end of December 2020 expiry) and no choice benefit applied yet. You can check your status expiry date on the IHG app.
      - EwanG says:
        
        15 May15 May 09:27
        
        @Andrew, thanks, I expected that someone here would be!! On a different note, did you notice on the Perks site they now have a MC option which gives points. Tried various routes for cashing out via intermediary card (the ones we usually mention on here) but all blocked. Suspect PP might work but I don’t fancy the consequences!
      - meta says:
        
        15 May15 May 12:00
        
        As Andrew, I can see my Spire status has been renewed to end of Dec 21, but I haven’t received any choice benefit. I haven’t got to 55k either.
      - Liz says:
        
        15 May15 May 20:01
        
        I earned Spire in 2019 but I am still showing to 2020 – not yet extended. Sitting at just over 20k qualifying pts so far this year.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  15 May15 May 12:04
  
  Seems to be alot of confusion in this thread
  
  IHG announced they were going to give you an extension to 31/12/21 and a free spire choice benefit – I have had my expiry moved but no free choice (as you say you can see that in the app)
  
  If you reach 55k points this year then you are owed a choice benefit anyway but I suspect you won’t get the free one above.
  
  There is NO 2nd choice when you get 75k points as people have already reached that.
  - Andrew says:
    
    15 May15 May 12:26
    
    Yes that’s my understanding and I’m in that situation too.
@mkcol says:

15 May15 May 07:49

What’s the current merchant fees charged to retailers by the various card networks?
- Peter K says:
  
  15 May15 May 08:44
  
  Surely that would on various factors such as the amount going through etc
- Rob says:
  
  15 May15 May 08:45
  
  The networks set their own charges and they vary hugely. The underlying intererchange fee is 0.2% for personal debit cards and 0.3% for personal credit cards. Business credit cards will be around 2%.
- RussellH says:
  
  15 May15 May 11:12
  
  When you say ‘network’ are you referring to Visa/MCard/Amex etc or to the Merchant Acquirer (WorldPay / Barclays PDQ / Lloyds CardNet / many others) the business (if on the smaller side) actually deals with?
  Each merchant acquirer will have its own policy on charging, whether there is a flat rate or a percentage for debit cards, business areas considered too risky to take on and so on.
  On the other hand, about 10 yeras ago, Amex wrote to me to say they had decided to charge all their businesses on exactly the same basis. I spent the last few years I was trading trying to persuade people to pay with Amex rather than anyt other credit card, as they were cheaper than Visa/MCard.
  And, a point of interest to those on here, travel is generally regarded as a highly risky field of business. Many merchant acquirers will simply not have travel businesses on their books.
  What they certainly do not look at is your business model, and how much risk that puts them at.
Stanley says:

15 May15 May 07:55

Got the 20k Amex Plat bonus – promised in 48 hours. That was 3 days ago – anyone actually had these hit their account yet??
- Andrew says:
  
  15 May15 May 07:57
  
  Yes they hit my account by the time the call with the agent had ended.
  - Stanley says:
    
    15 May15 May 08:08
    
    Oof. show off !
    - Polly says:
      
      15 May15 May 08:47
      
      Took mine 3 days to land.
- Josh says:
  
  15 May15 May 13:53
  
  The next day for me, for 15k
  - Alan S says:
    
    15 May15 May 21:52
    
    Apparently they downed the offer to 15k for everyone 4/5 days after it ‘launched’. That’s according to an Amex manager who I was in touch with, but who knows if that’s actually true.
John says:

15 May15 May 07:57

Has anyone heard whether Avis have announced extensions to their Preferred status tiers? Most other rental companies have announced this, but I haven’t seen or heard anything from Avis as yet.
- Save East Coast Rewards says:
  
  15 May15 May 08:06
  
  I don’t think anything official but I asked and was given it.I was about 70% there when I requested it
Kat says:

15 May15 May 08:31

Morning, does anyone have the email address to contact dragonpass for refund on the lounge passes? Not likely to use them up this year before they expire 🙁