The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 30th December

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• BS says:

  30 Dec30 December 11:39

  Virgin Cancellation: My £990 LHR – JNB flight booked in the upper class sale has just been cancelled due to the covid restrictions. Can I:

  1) Choose a date in the future to move this to for free (currently the fares are >£350 more than what I paid, so they would not be free to change if I did this voluntarily)? Do I have to decide a date now, or can this wait?
  2) Get a full refund?

  I assume I can do 2) given EC261, but it is whether I would want to try and keep the very cheap ticket for later in the year!

  • memesweeper says:

    30 Dec30 December 12:33

    Re. (1), yes, you’ll need to call up with details of the new flight dates/times you’d like to be rebooked on.

  • AndyGWP says:

    30 Dec30 December 17:03

    Have they sent you an email yet? When they cancelled my flights, I got an email that explained what I could do – this was from a December cancellation:

    We understand how much you would have been looking forward to your trip, so we’ve updated our rebooking policies to ensure you have the flexibility you need. To make things as easy as possible and provide you with immediate peace of mind, we will automatically keep your ticket open as credit for you to use for travel any time up to 31st December 2022, with no fee to change your booking.

    If you choose to travel on the same route before 9th December 2020 or between 11th January 2021 – 31st March 2021, or within 21 days of your original booking date, we’ll also waive any potential difference in fare. If you need to alter your travel plans, or would like someone else to benefit from your booking you can change the passenger names too.

  • WaynedP says:

    30 Dec30 December 17:29

    What date for your cancelled flight, please.

    I have an identical booking for 18 Jan which isn’t cancelled yet, but which I expect to be cancelled imminently.

• Adam says:

  30 Dec30 December 11:48

  I earned 2-4-1 BAPP voucher. If I get a refund which will bring me below £10k spend target, will Amex cancel my 2-4-1 BA voucher please?

  • Grant says:

    30 Dec30 December 11:51

    No. Once it’s in your BAEC account it won’t be clawed back.

    • Adam says:

      30 Dec30 December 11:59

      Thank you very much and Happy New Year!

  • AJA says:

    30 Dec30 December 14:17

    How close are you to your anniversary date? You might find that next year’s target is increased by the amount of the refund. It used not to be the case but several people have reported this happening on FT.

• Annoyed says:

  30 Dec30 December 12:18

  Why is a BA ticket only valid for a year from the date of issue? is there some legal reason? How easy is it for BA to extend this by 4 weeks if they wanted to.
  I was offered a rebooking for November (when BA resume flights to Sydney) then told that I could not have it as it will be 4 weeks later than the ticket expiry date ! 6th October is latest anniversary date, the ticket was bought in the 50% sale with a 241 so I don’t want a refund or voucher , as BA cancelled the flight booked for May 2021 they have “closed out” 10 months of the ticket validity by this action .
  I really want to fight for this as there is little chance of ever getting another seat to Sydney (in First).

  • Rob says:

    30 Dec30 December 13:13

    It is physically impossible to extend an airline ticket beyond a year of issuance. It is how Amadeus etc are set up. It means that no-one ever gets a ticket for the correct day but the wrong year.

    • Ray says:

      30 Dec30 December 14:01

      Thank you Rob ! Perhaps there is a very slim chance things will normalise sufficiently before October .

    • TGLoyalty says:

      30 Dec30 December 14:11

      But it’s just an excuse for BA. They can issue you a new ticket with a change past 365 after you booked. There’s no legal restriction on when your flight can be rebooked for after cancellation.

      • Charlieface says:

        30 Dec30 December 14:47

        +1
        If easyjet was the only available flight, they would have to pay cash out of their pocket, with no interline distress rate. Their own tickets are no different

      • memesweeper says:

        30 Dec30 December 15:02

        …. and not even an excuse — sometimes they just do it, without argument. I think the skill/experience of the call centre agent you speak to may play a part.

    • Aliks says:

      30 Dec30 December 15:02

      Rob,
      Among the many, many comments on the “1-year-from-ticket-being-issued” rule, someone suggested that the agent could get permission from the BA back office to issue a new ticket for any date. I believe some people have succeeded in doing this.

      Can you confirm?

      • memesweeper says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:00

        I can confirm it’s possible, I have a ticket a departure date > 365 days from original booking date.

    • DB2020 says:

      30 Dec30 December 16:23

      The 365-day validity rule is an IATA rule and all airlines and booking systems have this limitation.

      However, one hears of airlines making exceptions now and then, which often requires back office intervention.

  • Matty says:

    30 Dec30 December 14:55

    I booked a ticket in January of this year for flights at the end of May 2020. Flights were cancelled sometime in April. I called at the beginning of May to rebook but I could only book and travel within a year of January 2020. I was quoted a figure for a refund. I said I’d consult the OH. The refund was more than I’d paid but less than the cost of new tickets on the dates I wanted to travel.

    When I called back, I was quoted the correct amount for the refund (what I’d paid). I explained what I actually wanted – flights for late April / early May 2021. Agent said no problem and rebooked me.

• BrianW says:

  30 Dec30 December 13:00

  Re DragonPass passes courtesy of January’s Dufry opportunity. I have two left, expiring 6th Jan 21. I’m sure someone said they were being extended but mine still show as expiring soon. Anyone had theirs extended? Do you need to request an extension? Any help appreciated.

  • Grant says:

    30 Dec30 December 13:22

    I emailed them to ask for an extension but the reply confirmed that membership, and any unused visits, would roll over FOC automatically.

    • BrianW says:

      30 Dec30 December 13:35

      Thanks @Grant 👍🏻

    • Aston100 says:

      30 Dec30 December 15:37

      I have two emails from Dragonpass (sent months apart) confirming the passes will still be valid in 2021.

• Matty says:

  30 Dec30 December 13:15

  I’m trying to obtain an Etihad credit online. It won’t accept my 13 digit ticket number starting with 607. Anyone else having issues?

• r* says:

  30 Dec30 December 13:29

  Does anyone know what limitations are on etihad free changes now? It looks like its changed since last week as the page below says ‘We’re allowing unlimited changes on all new bookings’ and ‘book today and change your flight for free if you need to’ – but is this still subject to only being able to move the flights to before oct 31 or can you move bookings to any date in the future?

  https://www.etihad.com/en-gb/book/special-offers/promotion/flexible-travel

• Boi says:

  30 Dec30 December 13:34

  which platform do people use to invest in shares

  • Boi says:

    30 Dec30 December 13:37

    and which card to use

    • Genghis says:

      30 Dec30 December 14:01

      Simple question without a simple answer I’m afraid.

      It depends what you mean by “shares”. Individual company shares (too risky in my book asi have no edge) or funds (OEICs / unit trusts) or exchange traded (ETFs / Investment Trusts)? What you want to invest in often drives the broker as the pricing structures differ. For something no frills, have a look at iWeb (open v soon though as account opening fee going up to £100 from £25 soon).

      However, IIRC you’re now Canada based? A UK based broker may not be willing to accept you.

      Interactive brokers may be willing to accept you for a general trading account but DYOR. If you’re wanting to come back to the UK, don’t invest in anything US situs (30% withholding tax between US and UK and £60k limit for estate taxes if you die).

      On the other hand, if there’s Canadian tax advantaged accounts you’d like to use, you’ll likely have to use a local Canadian broker (remember you’re not eligible for new ISA contributions if not UK tax resident).

      Here’s a link to a specialist Canada investing website (linked to from the Bogleheads forum). https://www.finiki.org/wiki/Main_Page

      • Boi says:

        30 Dec30 December 14:31

        Thanks G.
        will look at Canadian link.

        • kitten says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:42

          I keep hearing Charles Schwab mentioned for North America. Am guessing the sort of places you might be looking for would also do 401K’s for Americans.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    30 Dec30 December 14:15

    I currently use HL but higher transaction fee vs IWeb

    Thanks for the heads up Genghis have been meaning to sign up and didn’t appreciate the fee was going from £25 to £100 next week.

  • Ste Cox says:

    30 Dec30 December 15:32

    I use trading212 for all of mine. (got an ISA with them) no buying fees, just stamp duty, they are introducing a charge for using a card to credit your account though after the first £2000 but bank transfers are free.

    if you want a referral we would both get a free share upto $100 (although I always seem to get really cheap ones my mum lucked out with one worth about £50)

    http://www.trading212.com/invite/4KCL7AN

    • Genghis says:

      30 Dec30 December 16:10

      With these new entrants into the market, I’ve a feeling it’ll be bait and switch. They need to make money somehow: according to the FT yesterday it’s on their CFD business but how long will that last? At least with the established brokers I know where I am.

      • Sam says:

        30 Dec30 December 18:16

        How does Vanguard compare with iWeb? I use the former but still learning and reading on all this.

        • Genghis says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:23

          Have a look at the Monevator broker table.

          Vanguard charges 0.15% all in platform fee. This includes all trading. You can only trade in Vsnguard funds, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
          It’s easy to construct a global portfolio which is easy to do for around 0.30% fees all in, 0.15% platform + fund OCF + fund transaction costs.

          With iWeb, it’s a no frills broker. You pay £25, soon to be £100 to open the account then £5 to trade. It’s good for buy and hold long term investors as there isn’t that ad galore charge. The HSBC C series tracking FTSE All World at 0.13% OCF + a few bips transaction fees should be just the ticket.

        • Genghis says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:25

          Ad valorem. How dare my iPhone not recognise Latin!

        • Sam says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:34

          Thanks Genghis!

        • Genghis says:

          30 Dec30 December 18:50

          I’d like to add, as with most things, apply the Pareto principle. You’ll prob get 80% of the knowledge from two books: Reset by David Sawyer and Investing Demystified by Lars Kroijer. Apply Lars’s portfolio. Knowing some of the WHY is important. The HOW and WHAT are relatively straight forward.

    • KBuffett says:

      30 Dec30 December 21:08

      It may also be worth considering IG.com
      Their platform etc is very fast

      • Sam says:

        30 Dec30 December 21:42

        Hi @Genghis, I purchased those books on your previous recommendation in April of this year! Currently reading Sawyers book and it’s got me questioning a bit of the why! Lol. I opened a Vanguard ISA and drip feed the money every now and then but realised no one can call the market (if that is the right phrase!).

        • Genghis says:

          30 Dec30 December 22:22

          Good! Keep learning: Andrew Craig’s books are good on the why (though I disagree with the portfolio and fees), read Monevator, read Bogleheads and Lemon Fool forums etc. Investing is really simple but not necessarily easy. Stay the course!

• John says:

  30 Dec30 December 13:42

  Is RV DDOSing Rob for annihilating their failed U.K. venture? HfP is achingly slow today, and I’ve had the CloudFlare page a few times.

  • BS says:

    30 Dec30 December 13:45

    RV?

  • John says:

    30 Dec30 December 14:16

    Insta-block sounds very James Woods, ie XRW!

  • Charlieface says:

    30 Dec30 December 14:48

    @Rob if you’d like me to have a quick look at your server I could see if there is anything of note

    • Rhys says:

      30 Dec30 December 14:56

      Neil is already on the case 🙂

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