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The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 22nd September

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We have decided to run this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Comments (252)

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

  • Ammar says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:19

    Hi. Quick q, paying Ernie with a bendy and HSBC underlying, just want to check I will still earn points that I can transfer to avoid etc. My plan was to buy in tranches up to my credit limit and immediately transfer money to pay off credit card so can repeat. Is my understanding right?

    • DJ says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:21

      I have been paying Ernie with the World Elite card as the underlying card, and I was still earning points without any fees.

      But I’m not sure how HSBC would react if they can clearly see that you’re recycling credit for points?

      • Jonathan says:
        22 Sep22 September 14:05

        HSBC are comfortably the least tolerant bank when it comes to potential money laundering etc. so I’d proceed with plenty of caution unless you want to lose your relationship with them.

  • James says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:23

    Just received email from Uber offering £10 off next 10 rides

    • Lady London says:
      22 Sep22 September 13:09

      Is that £1 off each of 10 rides?

      I notice in the app that it now says the 2x£5 off can only be used till 5 October.

  • Jimmy Mac says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:29

    What happened to the Club Europe Sale thread from the weekend? Seems to have been deleted?

  • Jim Newton says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:32

    Hello! Long time reader here. I am seeking the collective advice on a question which may be of interest to other readers. I hold some BA eVouchers from previous flights cancelled due to COVID. They expire in April. As the virus in the UK grows again we are increasingly unlikely to be able to travel before April. What’s the best strategy to avoid the eVouchers expiring? Perhaps to use the voucher on a fully flex ticket and then keep flexing the flight out into the future beyond the original eVoucher expiration date? Or do we assume that BA will reissue a new eVoucher with a new expiration period if our new flights also get cancelled?

    • Vit says:
      22 Sep22 September 10:38

      Are you sure it expires in April 2021? I have just got issue eVoucher (as a combination of multiple FTVs). It states in the email “Flights booked using your eVoucher must be completed by 30 April 2022”.

    • AJA says:
      22 Sep22 September 13:08

      Jim, I think you will find that the eVouchers you were issued have been automatically extended to the end of Apr 2022. When they were first issued back in March / April they were initially valid for 12 months from date of original flight but BA widened the policy on 28 April once the impact of Covid-19 became clearer.

      Take a look at this page on the BA website:
      https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/incident/coronavirus/latest-information#faq

      Will travel vouchers that have already been issued be extended automatically for travel up to 30 April 2022?

      Yes. Future travel vouchers that have been issued but not yet redeemed will be automatically extended. Your new trip booked with your voucher must be fully completed by 30 April 2022 (departure and return).

  • Optimus Prime says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:46

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/woman-coronavirus-flight-london-vietnam-a4552516.html

    Are they 100% sure she infected the other people and they weren’t just incubating the virus? You’re asymptomatic during that period, aren’t you?

    • Lady London says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:01

      Asymptomatic=can still infect people, but neither you nor they will know as you are nit showing any signs of it.

      This is why it was so shocking when a reader recently posted ‘if I’ve got symptoms can I still fly if I’ve got a negative test less than 72 hours previous”

      Apparently you can pass it on in the first two days of getting it. So you could have a negstive test, be showing no sign and yet be highly infectious.

      Whether that lady had a negative test or not she was selfish and irresponsible (assuming not actually stupid) even to set foot outside anywhere if she had symptoms of any sort, particularly sore throat or cough.

      • Optimus Prime says:
        22 Sep22 September 11:10

        Yes, agreed with all your points 100%.

        My question was whether the other 14 people could have already been infected prior to taking the flight.

        • Lady London says:
          22 Sep22 September 13:14

          Good point @Optimus Prime.

          You are right yes any of them could have been infected another way.

          Personally if I was on a flight with that lady and got infected I’d want to sue her.
          But the devil is in the proof.
          It will be interesting if courts will once day decide that “on the balance of probabilities, since 100 people got infected on that flight, and that person is the only one that tested positive on the flight, and they were reckless as they had symptoms before travelling, then that person is responsible for paying damages to all those that were infected on that flight whether or not there is a lesser possibility they were already infected or infected by another source”.

          Morally I’d want to sue the a$$ off her, or take some other action.
          But legally, we have a ways to go before this could ever be proved.
          I guess this is what lynching mobs are for. If it was something like ebola, I’d expect society to break down and this to happen.

          @Novice have you got into the American movement called “prepping” yet ? If not and you want to know more I can dig out a most useful newsletter.

          • John says:
            22 Sep22 September 18:06

            I don’t think it’s possible to “prep” in London in the full sense of the word.

    • Nick_C says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:22

      Much more detailed reports available. This one for instance.

      https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/09/studies-trace-covid-19-spread-international-flights

      So no, in the case of the Vietnam flight, they are not certain but they are very confident.

      There is also a report of a couple flying from Boston to Hong Kong on Mar 9 who infected to FAs. In this case, genome sequencing added to the evidence.

      • Rhys says:
        22 Sep22 September 11:30

        It’s also worth noting that the Vietnam Airlines flight was before people had to wear masks on flights (apparently)

        • Anna says:
          22 Sep22 September 14:33

          I do wear a mask whenever it’s required but can’t honestly see that it makes much difference, especially on a plane. Surely as soon as you take it off to eat you would be exhaling whatever viruses you were harbouring all round the cabin?

          • Rhys says:
            22 Sep22 September 15:40

            I don’t think it’s that simple. Reducing the viral load in the air reduces people’s exposure. You won’t get Covid from just one viral particle – doesn’t susceptibility increases with increasing exposure?

          • John says:
            22 Sep22 September 18:12

            Same thing as the 10pm pub closures. People say “the virus doesn’t stop spreading after 10pm” but the idea is that the pub is only crowded for 3 hours instead of 6 hours then it halves the chance of virus spreading.

            And yes drunk / tipsy people less likely to take precautions too

          • Optimus Prime says:
            22 Sep22 September 18:19

            You also have people taking the piss. The rule says wear the mask during flight unless you’re eating/drinking. Did you read about they guy who kept an open pack of Pringles during a 4-hour flight?

    • Nick_C says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:31

      On the issue of social distancing on aircraft, my husband flew back from FAO to LTN last Friday night. FAO airport was deserted. The EZY flight was lightly loaded. He was allocated a window seat next to a couple. He didn’t take the seat and asked to be moved to one of the empty rows, and the FA was initially reluctant to move him, saying more people were boarding. (Boarding was almost complete.) They did move him to an empty row, but their initial reluctance and completely unnecessary allocation of a seat next to strangers is worrying.

      Airlines should behave responsibly, and socially distance passengers where it is possible.

      EZY also didn’t attempt to disembark by row number. Disembarkation was a scrum. It was the last flight of the day, they parked on a remote stand, and bussed passengers to the terminal.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        22 Sep22 September 12:06

        I believe seating on planes is more complicated when there are light loads, especially when cargo is involved.

        • Craig says:
          22 Sep22 September 12:29

          Correct, much more complicated. Think of it as a big seesaw, the weight and balance is considered when calculating the take-off performance. Get it wrong and the consequences could be quite significant.

        • Nick_C says:
          22 Sep22 September 12:32

          But aren’t they trying to distribute the weight evenly on a lightly loaded flight? Spreading passengers through the cabin should assist with that.

          I remember a flight years ago from GLA to somewhere in Spain via LTN. We boarded in GLA. The flight from GLA to LTN was half full. Passengers were seated in alternate rows to distribute the weigh evenly.

          I suppose if EZY are carrying lots of freight from Faro to Luton (!?) and it is all loaded at the back, then they may need passengers to sit at the front to balance the weight. Although I would have thought they would balance any cargo first, and then spread the passengers evenly.

          The simplest explanation is usually the more likely. EZY simply don’t care.

          • TGLoyalty says:
            22 Sep22 September 13:59

            I believe spreading them out doesn’t achieve that.

            If you have a large/heavy cargo and it only fits in a certain part of the cargo hold then people need to be seated to balance that out.

            I don’t pretend to know the details I just know it’s not that simple and spreading everyone out evenly doesn’t achieve that.

          • ChrisC says:
            22 Sep22 September 17:52

            Happens on all airlines with a light passenger load but heavy cargo so for take off passengers need to be grouped together for trim but once in the air most airlines will then allow passengers to spread out.

            For landing it then depends on the weight of the flight so in some cases people may be left where they are or told to move together again for trim

            Also on such flights they will be stricter on the order people deplane to prevent the plane tipping backwards!

      • John says:
        22 Sep22 September 18:10

        2 weeks ago a BA FA actively suggested that I move seats – I picked an empty row as silver but for some reason two random people were assigned to my row

    • Yan says:
      22 Sep22 September 22:02

      This is clearly a super-spreading event (which accounts for the majority of the COVID transmissions), less so the general high risk of transmission on the plane (independent of social distancing and mask-wearing, remains a risk factor predisposing one to infection seeded by asymptomatic super-spreaders)

  • Jon says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:53

    Anyone finding BA are taking an age to issue tickets? Changed and rebooked some reward flights almost 2 weeks ago and still no ticket and nothing showing up on my BAEC profile. Last time I called they were still “in the system”.

    • Sarah says:
      22 Sep22 September 12:32

      Yes – I had to call them three times to finally find someone who could issue eTickets. Persistence paid off and I do now have them all.

  • Lee says:
    22 Sep22 September 10:58

    It’s been a week since hit £10k for BAPP but yet companion voucher in BA account. Should I be worried to get it before 30th Sep for 6 months extension?

    • Anna says:
      22 Sep22 September 12:58

      Firstly, are you sure it’s not there? I don’t think you can see it in the app, for example, you have to go onto BA.com. If it’s definitely not there, I would chase it up at this point, though I wouldn’t worry about the 30/9 cut off date if your BAPP account shows you’ve met the spend threshold and earned the voucher.

      • Lee says:
        22 Sep22 September 13:03

        Thanks Anna, checked both app and BA.com no sign of voucher. I will give them a call.

    • AJA says:
      22 Sep22 September 13:54

      What does it say under “Your Companion Voucher Status” on the earned Avios Transactions page in your BAPP account? There is an orange panel to the right. It usually says:
      “Earn a reward flight for your companion* by spending** £10,000.00 on your Card by xx/xx/xxxx ***.
      So far, you have £x,xxx.xx of qualifying spend, so spend just £x,xxx.xx to receive your voucher.”
      But when you hit the threshold it changes to something like “Congratulations you have earned your voucher, continue spending to earn more Avios”

      • Lee says:
        22 Sep22 September 14:40

        Thanks AJA, it says CONGRATULATIONS, you have qualified for your Companion Voucher! since last Wednesday.

        • AJA says:
          22 Sep22 September 14:48

          That’s good to hear. It takes a few days for the voucher to appear on your BAEC account. I would wait 10 days from last Wednesday to chase unless you are desperate to spend the voucher.

    • AJA says:
      22 Sep22 September 13:59

      The other possibility is that you may actually have to spend more than £10k because you had refunds from cancelled flights. These refunds will increase the spend counter towards your voucher.

  • Manny_D says:
    22 Sep22 September 11:05

    Hi, just wanted to know if it is possible to hold both the Virgin Money Credit Card and the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card at the same time. I feel I previously read that this was not possible, but would just like to confirm (if anyone knows).

    • Mart says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:09

      I have both but got the fee free one first

    • Connor says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:27

      Typically no, but it depends on how Virgin’s IT is feeling that day.

    • Jonathan says:
      22 Sep22 September 11:58

      I was on the phone to Virgin Money this morning, calling to tell them I wanted to upgrade my free card to the premium card, and you have one of their cards and want to change to the other, you first have to cancel, then apply for the other card afterwards. If you do so within 6 six months, you’ll get rejected as you’ve recently held one of their cards, but this can be overturned by appealing the rejection, I was essentially told to do this by the agent I spoke. Based on this information, I think Virgin Money are trying to make sure that no one holds two of their cards at the same time (you’re not the primary card holder on two separate credit card accounts of theirs, being the main cardholder on one card and a supplementary cardholder on another card is a different kettle of fish that I’ve got no information or insight on, in that instance, I don’t think there’d be too much of a problem if at all

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