The HfP chat thread – Monday 9th November

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• Dr C says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:30

  IAG stock up 40% based on “Quarantine for arrivals to UK may be cut after England lockdown ends” in the news

  • Jonathan says:

    9 Nov9 November 12:43

    I’d say vaccine news probably the bigger driver of the bounce.

    I’m allowing myself to feel slightly smug & vindicated at the news having been consistently optimistic about vaccines although slightly annoyed I didn’t envisage such a big bounce in travel stocks.

    • Dr C says:

      9 Nov9 November 13:01

      Yes your right, saw this first

    • The real John says:

      9 Nov9 November 13:58

      Conspiracy theory of the day – this news was held until after the US election

      • OHR says:

        9 Nov9 November 20:49

        Interesting…

    • TGLoyalty says:

      9 Nov9 November 14:41

      Once they publish the finer details you may realise it’s not quite as rosey. However, vaccinating front line nhs + care staff would be a massive boost to saving lives in the most vulnerable settings.

• Boon says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:35

  Has anyone doing a Hilton Points Pooling before? How long does it take to receive the points?

  I set it up between two accounts last night, and submitted the pooling request, but 12 hours later, still no points pooled….

  Also side question, for anyone who has bought Hilton points before on Points.com. How long does it take the points to post to your account?

  • Jane says:

    9 Nov9 November 12:48

    I’ve done a couple this and seem to recall it took 24-48 hours.

    • Jane says:

      9 Nov9 November 12:49

      should have proof read that ! should read a couple of times this year…..

  • Genghis says:

    9 Nov9 November 12:55

    I remember pooling was overnight. Not done it for a while though.
    Points.com posts instantly – log out and back in.

  • Heathrow Flyer says:

    9 Nov9 November 13:58

    Usually takes around a couple of days – did this last in October.

  • Boon says:

    9 Nov9 November 14:04

    Thanks Jane, Genghis, and Heathrow Flyer for the responses!

• G says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:56

  I booked Club outbound, First inbound on avios from LHR to DXB for December using a 2-4-1 during the half price avios sale.
  Received an email from BA saying we have been downgraded to club inbound from DXB. Am i now entitled to a change of date? Will BA ask for additional avios? (as i booked under the sale). We wanted to experience First so booked the return on a non-ideal date, however given now it will be Club on the return, would rather fly back the date we want. Thanks in advance.

  • Rob says:

    9 Nov9 November 13:05

    Have you checked if there are flights with F? You can have a free change if there are, Avios availability not required. Ring You First, don’t waste your time with the main call centre.

    • ChrisC says:

      9 Nov9 November 15:58

      Rob this question is coming up a lot.

      Might be worth doing a post on this and what to do.

      Would prevent people typing the same replies time and time again.

      • Rob says:

        9 Nov9 November 16:53

        This is NOT official BA policy and it is not written down anywhere. It is also very open to abuse (book a ticket on a flight you think will be cancelled, rebook for peak Christmas, Easter etc). Not sure it benefits from wide publicity.

        • ChrisC says:

          9 Nov9 November 18:42

          I was more meaning what happens when people are downgraded from F by BA who then try and deny the 75% reimbursement and only offer the fare differnce

          Looks like I was reading another post but attached it to your comment on this one.

          I certainly agree tryign to manipulate the system shoudn’t be publicised but what your rights are should be.

    • G says:

      9 Nov9 November 16:44

      Thanks, managed to change to a few days earlier in F. The agent checked +/- 5 days and the majority of F was full!

  • AD says:

    9 Nov9 November 14:02

    My avios booking in first, which was made during the half price avios sale, was downgraded to CW last week. I was allowed free date change (+/- 3 days) for both legs, and the difference in avios was refunded immediately, based on the half price avios deal

    • Lady London says:

      9 Nov9 November 15:12

      you’ve missed out on getting 75% of the cost of your First Class seat back then

• alan says:

  9 Nov9 November 13:47

  Any recent success with retention offers for the platinum card?

  • S says:

    9 Nov9 November 16:22

    50,000 MR points + added the £100 John Lewis/Waitrose offer manually

    • Harry T says:

      9 Nov9 November 17:56

      50,000 is the most I’ve heard of! Did you not already have the £100 offer?

      • Sina says:

        9 Nov9 November 18:55

        I didn’t have the 2nd £100 offer and was manually added to my card today! They told me it’s not targeted.

• JohnT says:

  9 Nov9 November 14:20

  Just seen in December the Marriott Autograph Bankside (London) is doing a 2year anniversary offer from £125 B&B (normal rates nearly 200). – should be able to add a “free” dinner due to Amex spend offer of £75 off £200.

  • Harry T says:

    9 Nov9 November 14:50

    Thanks, have booked it. Sadly I’ve used all eight of my Marriott amex offers.

  • Rob says:

    9 Nov9 November 16:56

    I was there last week, it is surprisingly nice although I found the bare concrete ceilings in the rooms a bit odd.

    • Harry T says:

      9 Nov9 November 17:56

      @Rob how’s the elite treatment? Did you get a decent upgrade?

      • memesweeper says:

        9 Nov9 November 21:01

        I’m platinum with bonvoy and got a decent upgrade. And yes concrete ceilings in otherwise plush rooms is weird.

      • Rob says:

        9 Nov9 November 22:00

        Honestly not sure but I did get one. Certainly wasn’t a suite or junior. Did like it though.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    9 Nov9 November 18:43

    St Ermin’s has a £125 rate too.

• 747_Brat says:

  9 Nov9 November 14:36

  A shot in the dark:
  Does anyone have a 25% off birthday code from Nike, they don’t need?
  Thanks.

  • Sina says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:36

    Try this: MEMBER25

    • 747_Brat says:

      9 Nov9 November 16:14

      Thanks Sina. Unfortunately, this code is not working! 🙁

      • Sina says:

        9 Nov9 November 18:38

        Sorry it works for me?! Try this one:
        UNID09BQJ187356951

        Although it’s 10% only.

        • 747_Brat says:

          9 Nov9 November 19:54

          Thank you very much 🙂

• Charlieface says:

  9 Nov9 November 14:38

  OK, so what’s people’s vote on a nice hotel in northern England for my anniversary?

  Got tons of Hiton, IHG and Marriott points which I’d be happy to use. HH Gold, IHG Gold and Marriott Silver, so I’m prepared to gamble on an upgrade if the hotel had nice suites. Was hoping to use Mr & Mrs Smith but couldn’t find any of them worth looking at.

  Would like an in-room jacuzzi, but I’ve only really got a budget up to £120 for the night, so not sure that’s going to happen. And I can’t think of any chain hotels in the UK that have one. I’d prefer somewhere out in the countryside or maybe a small town, but not essential.

  Any ideas?

  • Aston100 says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:31

    When we looking at?

  • Anna says:

    9 Nov9 November 16:03

    If you don’t mind being in a city, the Kimpton Clocktower in Manchester is very nice with a fabulous restaurant. Social “hour” with unlimited wine and beer started at 5 pm and hadn’t ended by 7 when we went off to eat! Got £20 raid the bar credit for being Spire. Rooms can be under £100 per night sometimes. Emyr gets the STARS rate there which includes $100 room credit which would pretty much pay for your dinner. Alternatively, points rates can be as low as 22k.

    • Charlieface says:

      9 Nov9 November 17:11

      I’m in Manchester already! I want to go out of town.
      Forest Side in Keswick (M&MS) looks nice, but can’t find any dates with reward availability.

      My anniversary is in two weeks but we could push it off what with the lockdown. We’re not wedded (!) to the date.

      • Harry T says:

        9 Nov9 November 18:05

        York Indigo? I’m struggling to think of any really good hotels in the North of England, tbh. How about Edinburgh? The Sheraton is a decent hotel with a big swimming pool and hydro pool area. I stayed recently and enjoyed it. If you have access to Healthcare ID, it’s only £82 a night on the Marriott HJH rate.

  • The Urbanite says:

    9 Nov9 November 19:55

    The Hilton in Cardiff has one in the Presidential Suite. Is using points + cash to keep the cash element down an option?

  • Peter K says:

    9 Nov9 November 20:19

    Not Northern England but the Lake Country House Hotel and Spa at Llangammarch Wells has rooms with Jacuzzis in. Ignore the headline price on their website. Ring and ask if they can do a deal. They have also been in secret escapes in the past.

    In North Wales the Lake Vrynwy hotel has lovely views but the rooms are cosy with no jacuzzi. The Welsh breakfast (or other breakfast option) is made to order even before Covid as a plus.

    • Charlieface says:

      9 Nov9 November 23:50

      I think Cardiff and Llangammarch Wells might be too far for an overnight.
      Lake Vyrnwy might be doable.
      I just wish there were some quality hotels in the UK at normal prices.

      Thanks all.

• Mco says:

  9 Nov9 November 14:51

  Quick question. In regards to BA cancellations when they rebook you and there is no Avios availability does the date have to be off peak as per the original booking.

  • Lady London says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:06

    no. not if it’s their cancellation.

    provided by ec261 statute which as a statute, overrides any terms BA would like to impose.

    HUACA.

    If your cancellation you would have to pay the difference : if their cancellation you don’t

    • Lady London says:

      9 Nov9 November 15:09

      plus if it’s their cancellation there does not have to bevany avios seat available on the flight you choose to rebook to. If there’s even 1 seat at any cash price in Y/PE/J/F- whichever you were originally booked to – you have a right to choose it.

      • Mco says:

        9 Nov9 November 16:19

        Thank you

      • Mco says:

        9 Nov9 November 16:35

        Ok so what they told me was if its their cancellation I need to book 3 days before or 14 days later if there are no Avios seats for them to grab a commercial seat.

        I didn’t care to question this as 3 days before suited me which didn’t have Avios availability.

        • Lady London says:

          9 Nov9 November 16:42

          that’s rubbish. That’s their own terms which BA would like to impose. EC261 overrides that – which is the better options I mentioned – as EC261 is a statute meaning it overrides contractual level which is what BA’s terms/rules are.

          If you get this from BA then HUACA.

        • babyg says:

          9 Nov9 November 19:46

          @Lady London, it sounds like they are tightening down on people speculatively booking AVIOS bookings for NOW with the hope they can rebook them in the future when the flight gets cancelled. EC261 doesnt allow you to book at any point in the future, so 3 days before or 14 days after seems more generous than EC261 rerouting (under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity)?

        • Lady London says:

          9 Nov9 November 20:20

          @BabyG it’s in EC261 under duty of care and it’s called rerouting. Easily readable text, very clear.

          BA can try to ‘tighten down’ as much as they like : EC261 full rights of the passenger may choose to reroute (ie rebook) to a later date at the *passenger”s* *passenger’s* *passenger’s* convenience not BA’s. Google the text of EC261 if you dont believe me as that’s what applies.

          And if a few passengers are perhaps getting better flights? BA has, so far as keen observers can tell, been appearing to continue to promote and sell tickets for thousands of.flights it was pretty clear to us would be cancelled after that by BA. Meanwhile BA is not refunding the money for these cancelled flights apparently using it as working capital for their business taking in many cases months and months requiring chasing…legally they should refund in no more than 14 days. In the circumstances in most of us would think up to 30 reasonable but reports are far longer.

          Additionally we are also hearing from passengers BA has simply abandoned at destinations when BA has cancelled their return flight. BA is refusing to provide tickets they are supposed to provide on other airlines who do have flights.

          So am I bovvered BA might have to give the odd seat away on a few more sought-after flights after they cancelled people’s originally booked flights? I can’t say that I am….soz

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