The HfP chat thread – Sunday 6th September

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• Tom King says:

  6 Sep6 September 06:16

  Rob when is the “Forum is Phase 2” going to start ?

  • Rob says:

    6 Sep6 September 10:27

    When our ‘to do’ list for tweaking the rest of the site is all done.

• KD says:

  6 Sep6 September 07:45

  Morning People.
  I just want to check my credit card strategy. I have BA Premium , AMEX Gold Charge and IHG Premium. I have achieved my 2 for 1 BA and my free hotel night with about 5 months to go on each card till they annualise. My assumption is now the best thing to do is chase the gold card 10k points for spending 15k in the next 6 months? Or is there a better use of 15k spend in the next 5 month?
  Thanks for any tips

  • Genghis says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:09

    HSBC Prem WE (if eligible)?

  • Dan says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:32

    If you don’t qualify for the HSBC WE, perhaps you could take out the Virgin Rewards+ ?

  • BJ says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:37

    Downgrade BAPP to Blue, save some fees. Put a few quid on it a month until anniversary then spend £8-9k on it before upgrading to BAPP again.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      6 Sep6 September 10:47

      Why? Just cancel and reapply in 5-6 months.

      • Lady London says:

        6 Sep6 September 10:52

        I wouldnt cancel any card now even if intending to reapply as cardco’s seem to be reducing to whom they offer credit and trying to reduce overall credit lines. However if theres a monthly fee yes I would do @BJ’s strategy with Amex.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 11:55

          If you have other open amex accounts I think the risk of being declined for a new one is low, especially if you have good payment history with Amex.

      • BJ says:

        6 Sep6 September 13:02

        Because the offers can sometimes be worth having. Also, to add to what @Lady London said, there seems to be a fee reports of amex refusals and £700 credit limits even for longstanding customers.

        • Chris says:

          6 Sep6 September 14:45

          My partner used to get double figure credit limits from Amex but the most recent card has only been given £1000! No change in circumstances or missed payments etc. Amex are definitely tightening up

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 14:55

          I seem to unaffected then. Reapplied for Bonvoy two weeks ago and received £15k limit.

          Remember it’s possible to transfer credit limits before you close cards and when you reopen them.

        • Rob says:

          6 Sep6 September 17:17

          They are. Apparently, so I was told a couple of years ago, we have the highest acceptance rate of anyone they work with.

        • BJ says:

          6 Sep6 September 18:08

          Probably the highest rate of applications and card turnover too 🙂

• Mark says:

  6 Sep6 September 08:32

  I’m in similar situation with those cards as well except 12k to spend on my gold by January. I use my points for Hilton mostly and usually wait for transfer bonus and at 0.33 per point I am getting £3.33 per 1000 points. Due to the market I’m tempted to clear my balance with the £6.75 per 1000 points cash statement credit and transfer the rest to Hilton and reset the 2 year clock. The £6.75 is marginally better than the 0.33p redemptions I’m getting on Hilton.

  • eligold says:

    6 Sep6 September 12:13

    Hilton transfer bonus? Haven’t seen one for years! now

    I think I remember Rob saying that we won’t be seeing those bonuses in the UK any longer

    • Rob says:

      6 Sep6 September 12:24

      More likely with hotels as Amex pays them less than the airlines.

      The psychological ‘1 mile for 1 point’ barrier means Amex ends up spending more on airline redemptions than it would like.

  • Peter K says:

    6 Sep6 September 12:29

    Surely it’s £6.66 for transferring to Hilton as you get 2 Hilton points per MR point?

    • Genghis says:

      6 Sep6 September 13:10

      OP didn’t say it wasn’t. Just that the cash out option was slightly better.

• Heath says:

  6 Sep6 September 08:39

  Go on then, what’s the best value you’ve had from a flight or hotel redemption in the last 2 years?
  I got great value out of Hilton by booking a basic room for 5 nights at the Conrad Dubai and getting upgraded to a top floor suite (diamond member) with lounge access and free breakfast.
  I felt like I had robbed the place when I paid the bill in points.
  Total cost =116k Hilton points.

  • Louise K says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:26

    A few years back I redeemed my Barclaycard Hilton Honors certificate starts the Park Lane Hilton and was upgraded to the Park Lane suite. Very nice it was too.

    • Heath says:

      6 Sep6 September 09:58

      Sounds fab , always wanted to stay at the Park lane 🙂

      • Rob says:

        6 Sep6 September 10:20

        Not the most modern hotel but the park view rooms are impressive and they do tend to upgrade liberally.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 10:54

          I wonder what happened to the plans to refurbish which were approved years ago.

        • Rob says:

          6 Sep6 September 11:21

          Still trundling along, some issues over permission to add extra floors. It will be a small hotel with a lot of flats in the end, a bit like the Waldorf Astoria in New York when it reopens.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 11:57

          Think it drops to about 350-400 so still a decent size but likely to reduce upgrade chances.

  • BJ says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:40

    We usually do this sort of chat over Xmas and NY.

    • Heath says:

      6 Sep6 September 10:02

      Just trying to get the juices flowing again BJ, also it’s nice to see what other people have done with their points and what they regard as value, it sure beats all the normal Curve + voucher questions anyway Lol

      • BJ says:

        6 Sep6 September 13:10

        Fair enough, I have not done any stays but locked in two redemptions offering good value. 544 Hilton stay at DT KGX Angel next spring for 150k so 30k/night on rates ranging from £156-£192. HI Osaka Namba for 17.5k/night next summer. Neither would be close to my first choice but good placeholder for the moment.

  • Waddle says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:56

    120k Avios to upgrade 4 people to CW on a YVR-LHR flight. I hadn’t paid for the flights but I helped book them and put my points towards the upgrade. Calculated it at the time to have got around 3p per Avios.

    • Heath says:

      6 Sep6 September 09:59

      Very nice indeed. 🙂

    • Jonathan says:

      6 Sep6 September 11:29

      Surely another £400-600 in fees as well? In the absence of a 241 it can be good value to upgrade PE to CW but if you can get a decent sale fare then I normally find it better to pay cash these days.

  • Mo says:

    6 Sep6 September 11:39

    I used 2 Hilton Be My Guest certs (all brand) for a 2 night stay at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.

    Got upgraded from the basic room to a 1 Bedroom Suite (at least I think it was that).

    Also got the points as if it were a cash stay (which is why I tried to redeem at the most expensive rate possible 😂)

    • Heath says:

      6 Sep6 September 13:59

      awesome 🙂

  • TGLoyalty says:

    6 Sep6 September 12:08

    Redeemed 360k Bonvoy for 120k Avios and 7 nights used at Al Bustan Palace (I upgraded to a deluxe ocean view room for about £60 a night as I was Golds at the time and they get nothing here)

    Great hotel which is usually £400/night minimum it’ll be on my list to return one day.

  • eligold says:

    6 Sep6 September 12:15

    sounds really awesome and I’ve got my eyes set on a Dubai break in the near future.
    how did you get to Diamond?

    • Heath says:

      6 Sep6 September 14:02

      I did a status match a year ago through my IHG plat elite card…Hilton were doing a really good offer, I think it was 9 nights needed to get diamond within 60 days once I had been matched.
      I timed it with a 14 day holiday and booked into Hiltons and got the diamond match.

      • Anna says:

        6 Sep6 September 17:05

        I’ve got 2 redemptions booked for GCM next Easter – 5 nights at the Westin and 5 at the Kimpton Seafire. Both usually around £700 pn at that time of year. Not at all confident that I will be staying at either of them!

• Michael C says:

  6 Sep6 September 08:44

  I know it’s been asked to death, but…if I book 3 Avios singles for December, then want to cancel (my choice), it’s simply a case of losing the 3 x GBP35, right? No option of a voucher, without losing the fees?

  • Andrew says:

    6 Sep6 September 08:54

    Yes you have the option of a voucher and then no £35 lost. All flights are covered by booking with confidence.

    • Michael C says:

      6 Sep6 September 09:20

      Cheers!

      • BJ says:

        6 Sep6 September 09:43

        Heading to Thailand again? We’re booked but not feeling very optimistic.

        • Michael C says:

          6 Sep6 September 10:08

          I wish! Talked to pals in BKK yesterday: maybe Aug., on a longer trip.
          Avios= a (v.) hopeful Finland for Dec.!
          Hope you make it and have a goodie – do report back!

        • BJ says:

          6 Sep6 September 13:15

          Likewise, don’t forget to leave your wishlist with Santa.

• Jane says:

  6 Sep6 September 08:48

  For Gatwick reward flights (with 2-4-1) that are now cancelled and re-booked from Heathrow (to Tenerife if it makes a difference). I haven’t accepted the switch and now want to cancel, do I have to call to not get charged the £35 fee of can I do it online ?

  • Andrew says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:10

    Yes you need to call

    • ChrisBCN says:

      6 Sep6 September 09:25

      And do not pay anything!

      • Jane says:

        6 Sep6 September 11:27

        and if I take a FTV then I can use that up till 2022 and there doesn’t need to be reward availability ???

        • Andrew says:

          6 Sep6 September 11:55

          There does need to be reward availability. That’s only if BA cancel a flight and you call to change to a new date now, then that new date doesn’t need to have reward availability. But taking a travel voucher you take your chances with availability.

        • Jane says:

          6 Sep6 September 12:04

          that makes sense, I have another few weeks so can have a think about where we might want to go next summer. many thanks.

        • Jonathan says:

          6 Sep6 September 12:05

          No, the FTV doesn’t give you the ability to force availability, for this you need to keep the existing booking unchanged & call up to request your new flights. You may have to push & can only make 1 change (unless further cancellations) so wait until you’re certain of dates.

        • Rob says:

          6 Sep6 September 12:27

          Does need Avios seats.

          The only time you don’t need Avios seats is if a) BA cancels on you and b) you do not take a voucher and ring to rebook and c) you rebook for a date within 355 days of the day you paid the taxes for the original flight.

        • Jane says:

          6 Sep6 September 12:38

          Thanks, that’s my plan scuppered then as it wouldn’t be within the 355 days if I want it for next summer. great advice as always – many thanks.

        • Lady London says:

          6 Sep6 September 12:40

          Yes taking an FTV will extend your voucher – it’s a good reason for taking an FTV (there arent many good reasons but this is a key one)

• xcalx says:

  6 Sep6 September 09:20

  Curve or Creation.
  I made a £19.87 contactless payment to asda using Curve with IHG as the underlaying card. I see one transaction on the Curve App but 2 transactions on the IHG statement. Who do I contact, never had this happen before. Thanks

  • Blenz101 says:

    6 Sep6 September 10:01

    First port of call would be Curve as they have double charged. Are you sure this has actually settled like this and isn’t just “pending” where it could later drop off?

    • xcalx says:

      6 Sep6 September 10:47

      Not pending, settled last Tuesday then again on Wednesday

      • TGLoyalty says:

        6 Sep6 September 11:10

        They normally fix it a week or so later (imagine they do some automatic transaction matching)

        But no harm in contacting curve to get it looked at quicker.

        • xcalx says:

          6 Sep6 September 17:30

          Thanks, I will leave it a while and see if it self corrects. Don’t want to be hanging on a phone if I can help it.

  • mark2 says:

    6 Sep6 September 10:15

    I have the same problem but with £422.24.
    I have raised a dispute with each of them.

    • Tom H says:

      6 Sep6 September 10:31

      I had a similar issue with some flights booked. Went from pending to actual transactions, contacted both and Curve sorted it

    • Genghis says:

      6 Sep6 September 11:49

      I had the same problem. Contacted Curve and they sorted out the same day, refund posted back to IHG the next day.

• Aliks says:

  6 Sep6 September 09:23

  I asked this late last night so apologies for duplicating.

  I booked a BA flight LHR-PSA (Pisa) on 18th Sep with a return BA flight on 27th Sep from Genoa GOA-LHR. BA have cancelled all September flights to Genoa, so I will have to call them up to arrange alternative flights.
  Its a good 3 hour train ride to get to Malpensa or back to Pisa airport, so thats not such a good option. There are indirect flights with KLM and Alitalia but the only direct flight is Ryanair to Stansted.
  I read online that BA have a policy to only offer flights with selected airlines, and I guess Ryanair is not one of them. Before I call BA, does anyone have recent experience? What are they likely to offer?

  • meta says:

    6 Sep6 September 09:59

    Funnily enough BA replied this morning to my claim for reroute. Denied, but I am not surprised. I am going to reply quoting them full articles from EC261 and pursue them to MCOL if they continue denying. It was for a cancelled flight from Porto.

    • Lady London says:

      6 Sep6 September 10:36

      I cannot believe BA is being so cheap. please add all extra charges you can justify and ensure your claim includes statutory interest 8%pa pro rata till paid.

      Costs of lawyers etc cant normally be claimed at the MCOL level, but it’s annoying that there is no extra cost put by EU261 on BA for such a vexatious denial. I believe you could look at requesting a preparation time order? think it’s called that.

      I think BA should have the brains to settle (make sure they do so in full since they’re putting you to this trouble) and not let your MCOL go near an actual court hearing.

      Good luck and please keep us apprised

  • Lady London says:

    6 Sep6 September 10:47

    Nice, France is not a million miles from Genoa and a reasonably pretty journey.

    I take it no one’s flying out of Torino ? closer than Malpensa.

    If you are not having to drop a rental car I’d consider Nice whivh BA and others are defo still doing.

    Yes you do have the right under EU261 to another aurline if they can carry you ‘with reasonable despatch’ ie reasonably close to original departure time same day. BA’s admin barriers that they put up eg no systems to write Ryanair tickets – have they not heard of the internet??!! are irrelevant.

    Worst case youll have to buy and reclaim but BA shoukd not be putting you through this.

    You can also get BA to carry you the next day they do have a flight and have them responsible for needed hotel and 3 meals a day at any reasonable local cost until that flight.

    If you were going in another direction I would suggest Rome.

    • Lady London says:

      6 Sep6 September 10:57

      PS you also have the right to cost of transport to/from any different airport you have to use. get that in writing from BA – it’s a right you have but if you dont get it upfront it means no other way BA will give it to you without MCOL. So make sure they.know you require this and give them a chance to confirm (writing/email or timed screenshot of chat or recorded call(your recording)

    • Aliks says:

      6 Sep6 September 11:10

      I just got off the phone to BA, and the news is all bad.
      The agent could only offer these options:
      1. a complete refund of the outbound and inbound flights
      2. a partial refund of the return flight from Genoa – but the amount would only be determined after the outbound flight was taken – and likely not a lot of money
      3. a return flight from Pisa, but we would have to pay for the 3 hour train ride back to Pisa
      She could not offer to rebook on KLM via Amsterdam or direct on Ryanair as they are “not BA partner airlines”

      I think my best option is to book one way tickets with KLM via AMS into LCY for £163 each, and try to claim it back from BA. This gets us back on the same day as our cancelled flight, and LCY is better than STN for us.
      Best alternative is to take the train back to Pisa. As the PSA-LHR flight is mid day, we would need a very early train, so its more convenient to fly the next day. Could we claim for the rail fares and a hotel in Pisa?

      Lady London – thanks for the advice, and Nice is nice, but its in France so we would probably face 14 days isolation when we got back.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        6 Sep6 September 11:13

        Transferring in AMS will make you subject to a 14 day quarantine!

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 11:15

          If the most convenient is the next day then yes you can claim a PISA hotel.

          You have plans in Genoa that morning so you can’t possibly leave so early as to make the only flight from PISA that day.

      • Anna says:

        6 Sep6 September 11:27

        Nonsense, BA should be reported to the CAA and banned from using the phrases “not BA partner airlines” and “we don’t have an agreement”. Blatant attempts to deny people their legal rights.

        • Lady London says:

          6 Sep6 September 11:55

          BA are lying cheating b*st*rds if they are also treating much more innocent passengers like this.

        • meta says:

          6 Sep6 September 12:41

          Absolutely! I intend to report them to CAA as well if they continue to deny it after I quote them articles.

        • Anna says:

          6 Sep6 September 17:11

          They say it to anyone! One of their ground crew said this to the entire queue I was in at MAN last year when our connection to LHR was cancelled. In the hearing of that queue I told him he was talking rubbish, and why. After that they suddenly decided to pay for taxis to get everyone to LHR (at £300 a time).

        • Lady London says:

          6 Sep6 September 21:27

          I bet you are now BA’s favourite customer @Anna! I laughed out loud at that.

      • Michael C says:

        6 Sep6 September 13:08

        If’ it’s any use, Bologna is just over 3 hours by train, but has an evening flight.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      6 Sep6 September 11:12

      @LL Nice isn’t very far at all but cross that border with Italy and you’ll need to quarantine for 14 days!

      • Lady London says:

        6 Sep6 September 12:44

        Oops you are right :-). lets hope Italy does not land back on the quarantine list anyway though

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 15:01

          I’m hoping the threshold increases and places like Malta and the Spanish islands return to the exemption list. I’m working from home for the foreseeable so would very happily do that somewhere warmer I can enjoy my evenings/morning.

          But I’m taking the chance to visit Edinburgh and Turnberry at the start of October instead now. Hopefully it’s not too cold.

      • Charlieface says:

        6 Sep6 September 20:03

        No need to quarantine if just transiting

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Sep6 September 22:39

          Wasn’t true the last time I checked this for France for example

          “You will still need to self-isolate if you make a transit stop in France

          A transit stop is a stop where passengers can get on or off a coach, ferry, train or plane. Your ticket should say if a stop is a transit stop.

          The only exception to this is if you stop, but no new passengers get on, and no existing passengers mix with people outside.”

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