The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 24th November

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• Jamie Collins says:

  24 Nov24 November 12:18

  Any recommendations for how to get the required Covid test within 72 hours of travelling to Canaries? We are due to go 18th December (booked in January!) I’ve looked at a few online companies but they can’t guarantee getting results back within their claimed 2 days. We are based in Southampton and flying BA from LHR if that makes a difference! Thanks 👍

  • Rob says:

    24 Nov24 November 12:21

    The Government is publishing its list of accredited labs soon. You might be forced to use one of those anyway because countries may start to insist you use an approved one. I think there is a huge amount of forgery going on at the moment with many tests not actually sent to a lab at all.

    • xcalx says:

      24 Nov24 November 12:25

      Not sure that would be classed as forgery

      • xcalx says:

        24 Nov24 November 12:31

        I mean for the purchaser

      • Rob says:

        24 Nov24 November 14:17

        Surely faking a test certificate is forgery?!

        • Charlieface says:

          24 Nov24 November 15:04

          He assumed, as I did, that you meant the lab is forging the confirmation.

          I have heard instances of people getting positive or negative from NHS when they never took the test.

        • Rob says:

          24 Nov24 November 16:40

          There is no lab in most cases, I’m sure. If you remember the old maxim “follow the money” it is obvious that there is corruption going on here.

          For £6.95 I can buy a swab kit – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Testing-Sample-Medical-Sterile-Infection/dp/B088QL8RWH/ref=sr_1_1

          I stick up a website and charge £150 for a test. You give me £150, I post you a £7 swab kit, you post it back, I sent you a pretty certificate I made on my computer.

  • Michael C says:

    24 Nov24 November 15:27

    Jamie, do remember for Spain you need a test that has your passport info etc. on it, so not just any old one will do!

• xcalx says:

  24 Nov24 November 12:22

  IB winter 2021 timetable.
  Anyone know when the November 2021 Iberia long haul flights are available to book. Nothing showing as yet.

• xcalx says:

  24 Nov24 November 12:40

  “Upon qualification for Spire Elite, Members may choose to either receive a 25,000 annual point bonus or to gift Platinum Elite to a family member or friend.”

  Do I call in for this or wait to be contacted. Thanks

  • r* says:

    24 Nov24 November 12:45

    You should be able to select it by logging into your acct.

    • xcalx says:

      24 Nov24 November 12:53

      Thanks. Done. That was easier than I expected.

  • Rob says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:16

    It shows on your account. However some Flyertalk reports that it is taking weeks if not longer to appear. It used to appear the same day you hit 75,000 points.

• Steve says:

  24 Nov24 November 12:51

  Anyone have any issues with their IHG points posting from the Creation card this month? My mid Nov statement points have still not posted. CC customer services just saying they should be posted “soon”.

  • Ash Raj says:

    24 Nov24 November 12:58

    Just checked my account – no CC spend points since end of September !

  • Vit says:

    24 Nov24 November 12:58

    Mine seems okay. Points posted today of the month (+/- 1 day) as per usual.

    • Ash Raj says:

      24 Nov24 November 13:25

      I spoke to CS and they said its a known issue but they are dealing with it. I was recently charged the annual fee however have not yet received my free night voucher. Any idea how long that takes?

      • David says:

        24 Nov24 November 21:37

        I have been waiting for my free night voucher since March, creation have confirmed that I have qualified but they seem unable to get IHG to apply it. I’ve been right through the complaints process and they will not commit to any time they can provide it and have pretty much told me to take them to the financial services ombudsman or wait for an indefinite period of time, which has already been 8 months and counting.

  • Aston100 says:

    24 Nov24 November 13:24

    Mine have posted fine.
    On a related note, I have achieved Spire.
    Is there any reason NOT to accept the Hertz benefit?

    • Doug M says:

      24 Nov24 November 13:51

      Hertz are a mess, nothing happens in my experience.

  • Crafty says:

    24 Nov24 November 13:59

    Mine posted today for both Black and White cards.

    Hilton Barclaycard is late again, though.

    • Anna says:

      24 Nov24 November 14:23

      I haven’t got either!

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:22

    Mine posted today

  • Ja says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:28

    My statement was there first thing this morning and the points landed in IHG around lunchtime

  • Steve says:

    24 Nov24 November 15:03

    Sounds like a complete mixed bag. mine are over 10 days late

• Hotelier says:

  24 Nov24 November 12:58

  Has anyone been recently offered any retention bonus on the BAPP card for not cancelling once reached the companion voucher? Still 5 months till the new calendar year and can’t really justify paying the fee. Thanks in advance.

  • DodgyDCF says:

    24 Nov24 November 13:24

    Just cancel it…BAPP probably the worst card for retention offers

  • Aston100 says:

    24 Nov24 November 13:24

    Last month, we were offered one additional Avios per pound spent for the next 3 months.

  • Lev441 says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:14

    I got one additional Avios per £1 spent for three months. Was loaded on my account yesterday

  • John says:

    24 Nov24 November 15:01

    Same here. 1 additional point for 3 months

  • Emjay says:

    24 Nov24 November 23:56

    Cancelled card yesterday, rep only offered/recommended to downgrade me to free card as if I had a companion voucher I would need to pay taxes etc as companion voucher T&C state you needed to pay them with BA Amex card. Declined downgrading to free card and cancelled there and then, luckily day before renewal fee was due to be taken from card.

• Mo says:

  24 Nov24 November 12:59

  Does anybody know if Virgins flexible change policy applies to their redemption bookings? And then if you booked under this sale, will you have to stump up the extra Virgin points?

  Specifically I’m hoping if I do a test and it takes longer than expected for whatever reason, I can maybe move the flight back a day.

  • Travel Strong says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:00

    I would put your question to virgin in writing via whatsapp, then if they give you good news you have a record to use in the future.

    However I do not think they are bound to do it, given that the words of the flexible change policy are all about changes (which are allowed on redeption fare rules anyway) and changes in cash prices (not changes in points prices).

    The redemption fare rules are quite clear that you can make changes, but I would expect an issue when your change requires more miles than you needed during the sale (unless the change is due to them cancelling the flight).

• Vit says:

  24 Nov24 November 13:03

  Anyone managed to transfer Avios from IB Plus to BAEC. My IB plus is well over 3 months old and managed to get to Combine my Avios option but keep getting the message below:

  Combine my Avios was unsuccessful
  Combine my Avios is not available at the moment. Please try again later.

  Cheers,
  Vit

  • Lady London says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:00

    Generally ‘pull’ out of IB works better than ‘push’. Lots of people have to do it in two stages via Aer Lingus or, IIRC, Avios program.

  • Genghis says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:00

    Are you in a BAEC HHA? Login to AerClub / Vueling and pull from IB and then push to BAEC

  • Vit says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:35

    Thank you both. Yes, I am BAEC HHA. Been looking at Aerclub method but have not tried yet — will give it a go. 🙂

  • Vit says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:49

    Just did the transfer as suggested above. Works like a treat! 🙂

• Rim says:

  24 Nov24 November 13:20

  I had a Ryanair flight which was 4 hours delayed in August 2020 due plane maintenance issue. I have started the claim, EU261, 400 euros compensation. Ryanair send me the papers to claim through my own insurance. I filed MCOL, which has returned with Ryanair disclaiming any responsibility as unbeknown to me it was a Buzz Flight operating for Ryanair. Where do I go from here? Thanks for any info/ideas.

  • Lady London says:

    24 Nov24 November 14:08

    ask the court? if where contract lies matters for EU261 or if its just operating airline.

    I’d be that annoyed, if the court says Ryanair might get away with thus, to re-lodge the claim naming both Ryanair and this other airline as defendants and let the court sort it out.

    If you’re on a flight operated by another airline, am pretty sure the airline you bought from has to tell you it’s operated by another airline and which airline it is, at the time you purchase. Look at your confirmation, you may find Ryanair is in breach in which case ask the court if you need to file the claim again naming both, or not. I dont think Ryanair’s defence will hold up if they didnt inform you in a clear and obvious way.

    Please let us know how it turns out.

    • John says:

      24 Nov24 November 14:39

      Buzz is fully owned by Ryanair.

      • Charlieface says:

        24 Nov24 November 15:02

        Doesn’t help you. You need to list Buzz as the defendant.

        Their official name is Ryanair Sun. Their address in Poland is:
        Ryanair Sun S.A.
        ul. Cybernetyki
        2102-677
        Warszawa

        I have no idea if you can claim against them in England, you may have to issue a claim in Poland

        • marcw says:

          24 Nov24 November 15:40

          Don’t you have to claim in the country of departure?

    • Bill says:

      24 Nov24 November 18:13

      When Stobart operated flybe flights, flybe would forward all claims to Stobart to deal with (which they did to be fair)

  • the_real_a says:

    24 Nov24 November 15:58

    Or just use Bott and Co. Sometimes its just not worth the effort Vs the claim fee.

    They have got me compensation now 3 times when i`d reached the limit of my legal knowledge on tricky cases.

    • Rim says:

      24 Nov24 November 19:40

      Thanks everyone. Will use Bott and co..

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