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The HfP chat thread – Thursday 28th January

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

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions.  With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind.  At this tricky time, and given that many of you are at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

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General

Comments (321)

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

  • prune says:
    28 Jan28 January 15:34

    Not too sure whether to give up on this one or not. I made a purchase from Goldsmiths but due to the lockdown they had to take payment over the phone. They still ran this through the shop but on the card statement it is watches of switzerland rather than goldsmiths although the receipt is from goldsmiths. I had registered the card on the ba store for the 10 ba points per pound but it still hasn’t tracked 1 month later. I have contacted the ba store twice but have not had a response yet. There doesn’t seem to be an exclusion for the watch i bought on the ba store but that brand is excluded on the other cash back sites. I suppose the question is, am I going to get anywhere with the ba store knowing how terrible their customer service is? Has anyone else had a similar experience and did you get the points?

    • Anna says:
      28 Jan28 January 15:39

      Is this an e -store purchase, I’m not sure what you mean by registering your card?

    • MinR says:
      28 Jan28 January 15:46

      The ‘Register your card’ is for in-store purchases.

      If you purchase online via the BA shopping portal, I’m not sure your transaction would track if it was processed over the phone.

    • AJA says:
      28 Jan28 January 16:47

      Do you have a screen shot of the tracking of your linking to the Goldsmiths website when you placed your order? I suspect you will be out of luck getting the Avios as the BA shopping portal is online only. Taking payment over the phone usually invalidates the online purchase as you did not complete online.
      From the T&Cs on the BA shopping wesbite:
      4.Avios will only be awarded on transactions completed online.
      and
      6. BA will not be held responsible for incomplete transactions due to failure of their or the individual retailers websites

  • A says:
    28 Jan28 January 15:35

    Random Amex platinum survey just received… they appear to be considering ditching the signature strip entirely.
    All sorts of questions on how a mock up design without it looks.
    Answer: not much different.

    • AJA says:
      28 Jan28 January 16:52

      Interesting. I can’t remember the last time anyone actually checked the signature on the back of any of my credit cards. For that matter I can’t remember when I last had to sign any purchase. Most transactions are either chip and pin or contactless these days or via applepay or googlepay.

      • lumma says:
        28 Jan28 January 16:54

        I always find it strange in the USA when they don’t have chip and pin everywhere that they don’t care about the signature at all

        • Colin says:
          28 Jan28 January 17:44

          Yeah – having had several US trips over the years, that always amazed me too. Must be a stack of fraud opportunities there?

        • Chrisasaurus says:
          28 Jan28 January 19:20

          I remember first time I used chip and…. nothing!

          Assumed it was being rejected at first but card in, wait, card out, done – and it was a three figure transaction

          • AJA says:
            28 Jan28 January 20:56

            In Madrid in July 2019 I paid over €400 by contact less payment on my Amex. Was really surprised it went through. No verification required. Not sure if there is a limit which means you have to be really careful not to misplace cards.

          • tom1 says:
            28 Jan28 January 21:34

            If it was just with an Amex card, it shouldn’t have worked. The EU limits the amount payable by contactless payment methods. I think the limit is 45 euros – maybe increased since covid.

            If via applepay/google pay – then the payment is considered just like a chip+pin transaction, with the fact you have unlocked your device deemed equivalent to entering you pin. In that case, I think the limit is imposed by Apple/Google and the retailer -and you can pay several hundred easily.

            Lastly, not wanting to miss the opportunity to bring another conversation to Brexit … https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9105695/Limit-contactless-payments-raised-45-100.html

      • mark2 says:
        28 Jan28 January 17:02

        I signed today at B&Q using a One4All gift card which requires signature but has no signature strip for a sample.

    • mark2 says:
      28 Jan28 January 17:01

      I have just taken out an ARCC card. I am not sure, but it looks as if the signature strip has disappeared (unless your signature is tiny).

    • Andrew says:
      28 Jan28 January 17:39

      Reminds me – I really should sign the back of all my cards as I never bother when they arrive.

      • Alex D says:
        28 Jan28 January 19:59

        We had a “training” session on this and as a company we weren’t liable for stolen card purchases as long as the signatures match – if a card didn’t have a signature you’re meant to decline the sale. We were told to just walk away and come back – then they can sign it, pay again and match the signature. Doesn’t matter to us whether it’s actually their card. It was such a stupid rule

  • FM says:
    28 Jan28 January 16:06

    Bit of advice please – I had flights booked with Turkish for June last year to Mauritius which were cancelled. Have been told I have until Dec this year to travel, though whether that is possible is anyone’s guess. I do have the option to refund, but did get a good deal so hoping to rebook if at all possible.
    I had paid on my HSBC WE card, which I’m looking to cancel in the next few weeks. Does anyone have any experience with Turkish issuing refunds? I don’t want to cancel the card and not be able to request S75 protection (can you do this for a cancelled card?) if Turkish don’t play ball later in the year. Or should I just bite the bullet and request the refund from Turkish now so I can get HSBC involved if required?

    • Anna says:
      28 Jan28 January 16:14

      Where does your journey start and finish – are you definitely excluded from EU261 protection?
      People on here have mentioned submitting S75 claims or chargebacks on cancelled cards, it may just be that as long as you used the card to pay initially, you are still entitled to the protection.

      • FM says:
        28 Jan28 January 17:12

        Starting and finishing in the UK – so EU261 would cover as well I suppose. Would EU261 cover me in terms of flight cancellation? I was under the impression it was largely for delay compensation…

        • kitten says:
          28 Jan28 January 17:45

          yes eu261 means you get to choose refund, or reroute to a date convenient to *you* at no extra charge than you paid (even if your original booking was discounted) and no change fees.q

          • kitten says:
            28 Jan28 January 17:48

            no compo at present as airlines can claim covid qualifies as exceptional circs that exempt them from paying compo but they have to give you right to change to your preferred later date as above or your – not their – right to choise refund

          • FM says:
            28 Jan28 January 18:12

            Thanks all – that’s useful to know, I will sit tight for now – would like to go at some point!

    • Charlieface says:
      28 Jan28 January 16:33

      Yes S75 is possible for a cancelled card.
      Technically the card company is jointly and severally liable, so if you can’t be bothered calling Turkish you could in theory go to HSBC first. But they won’t like it, and will try send you to Turkish first. Obvs that changes if Turskish dig in heels

      • FM says:
        28 Jan28 January 17:13

        Great, that’s useful to know – I’m planning to still hold the ‘basic’ card so will still be banking with HSBC so should have a route in if required.

  • Harry T says:
    28 Jan28 January 16:51

    Datapoint:
    Just called to cancel my Amex Platinum card. I previously received 40,000 membership Rewards in September as a retention offer – they said they could not offer me anything else today due to this. I was offered a year of free Gold charge card, which I accepted. They mentioned that more offers like the free £175 would likely arrive in the future but couldn’t say when.

    My decision to cancel was genuine as I don’t see any ongoing value in the card benefits, given the lack of travel opportunities available in the future. Also, there are no real benefits to even FHR, as I can access healthcare rates with Hyatt and Marriott (I am also Marriott Titanium so get brekkie and 4pm checkout anyway) – plus Emyr is a reliable partner for luxury bookings.

    • Allan says:
      28 Jan28 January 17:52

      Hoping that Marriott extend the HJH rate

    • tom1 says:
      28 Jan28 January 21:38

      have you redeemed the most recent £175 then Harry?
      just waiting for my credit before I cancel – I didn;t want to risk cancelling the card and the credit not coming through.

      When I called a few weeks ago they said I would have to apply online for a gold credit, not charge, and they couldn’t downgrade me. I was tempted to self-refer!

      • Harry T says:
        28 Jan28 January 22:18

        Yes, I went to Little Waitrose round the corner and bought a £170 John Lewis gift card and a few groceries I needed (I don’t want anything from Selfridges currently and I have plenty of Harvey Nichols gift cards). Credit hit a day or two after the charge did.

        I called to ask about retention offers in December too and was offered a free year of Gold charge then. So you have a good chance of getting that if you call again. I’d rather have points and keep the Platinum but it’s another couple of free lounge passes and access to amex offers for a year, so gold charge seemed a reasonable option.

  • Sandra says:
    28 Jan28 January 17:29

    UAE, Burundi & Rwanda go on Red list from 1300 tomorrow

  • Iris says:
    28 Jan28 January 17:42

    What documents are airlines requiring to be able to travel from London? A friend needs to travel to sort out an urgent property matter. It’s also urgent as her elderly parents are there from another country and its a time sensitive matter. She’s been meaning to go for a while but each time tiers and lockdowns have made her stay back. She’s not going for a holiday so I’d appreciate no personal opinions.

    • kitten says:
      28 Jan28 January 17:51

      probably nothing but anything she can print and carry evidencing the nature of why she has to go right now would be useful just in case.

  • Jack says:
    28 Jan28 January 17:43

    The UAE has just been added to the red list, meaning arrivals from Dubai will soon have to quarantine in hotels for 10 days.

  • Doommonger says:
    28 Jan28 January 19:32

    In an article appearing in the Daily Express tomorrow the Home Secretary has indicated that there will be an extension to the Red List that has already been published by the government. In an address to conservative party members in Maldon, the Home secretary reiterated, Let me be clear, iIm expanding the red List to include not only countries but individuals as well, starting with the reds; Chris Evans, Neil Kinnock, Chuck Norris, Sharon Osborne, Trump, Fergie, Prince Harry, Geri Halliwell, Red Adair, the red red Robin, Erik the red, red Dwarf, and that bloke out of 70’s TV series Happy Days, errrr that’s it.

    • Ed says:
      28 Jan28 January 20:38

      Don’t give up the day job 😉

    • AJA says:
      28 Jan28 January 20:44

      You’ve left off Mick Hucknall and his band Simply Red! 😀

      • The uncivil servant says:
        28 Jan28 January 21:13

        Add to that Red Herrings…….Me thinks that our home secretary is positioning herself as the Tory rights candidate in the event that Boris walks/is pushed/or persuaded to step down in the next 12 months. Steady stream of stories over the last 6 weeks, highlighting her hang them, whip them flog them credentials so beloved of the ageing conservative membership.
        Her immediate problem though, ( apart from no current vacancy) is most of her fellow MP’s are not fans, but it didn’t stop the Etonian Chancer.

        • memesweeper says:
          28 Jan28 January 21:58

          ”in the event” … ?

          absolutely going to happen

          • kitten says:
            28 Jan28 January 22:54

            the problem is have they really got someone else to replace him that’s up to the job.

            To tell the truth Boris has actually grown on me a bit. Think how much worse it could be if certain other people got in.

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