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The HfP chat thread – Friday 19th February

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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.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article.  This has long-term benefits as it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page.  If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here.  This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

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Comments (290)

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

  • Colin MacKinnon says:
    19 Feb19 February 06:25

    Today’s Times leads with Hope for Holidays Overseas – and a huge photo of Mars!

    A wee trip to the Costas would be fine for me!

    • Geoff says:
      19 Feb19 February 06:46

      The headline is slightly misleading as it seems to only for people vaccinated followed up by “it’s too early too tell”.

      • Rob says:
        19 Feb19 February 09:26

        The comments under that article are interesting though. People saying, for example, that they won’t be allowed tradesmen into their homes if they can’t produce a vaccine certificate. Others saying that the rights of their elderly relatives to be treated by a vaccinated care worker should trump the rights of the care worker to be vaccinated or not. The Government will be forced to do something I think. Frankly it is also a way of effectively forcing people to be vaccinated if they find many jobs, restaurants etc are closed to them.

        • Number9 says:
          19 Feb19 February 10:07

          I had Electrian in my home this week, I was just grateful he could come to do the job and do it properly and not overcharge me, I don’t care if he had vaccine or not I wasn’t getting that close to him!

          • BJ says:
            19 Feb19 February 11:12

            Agree, they really should not let vaccine prejudice go mad. Uptake has been very high and I think it will continue to be so, even amongst the young so I don’t think any regulation is necessary. I had a plumber in last month, very sensible chap, wore a mask, kept his distance, cleaned his hands and touched nothing he didn’t need to. More than good enough for me.

        • Navara says:
          19 Feb19 February 11:31

          Just had mine this morning, they seem to be getting though them quickly in my area.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          19 Feb19 February 12:09

          Because the media has drummed a lot of crap into peoples heads!

          • BJ says:
            19 Feb19 February 12:20

            +1, for the most part the media in the UK has been on a downwards spiral for decades now. Even the BBC is depressingly poor.

        • Yorkieflyer says:
          19 Feb19 February 12:13

          And no bad thing in my view. Badgering people into having it with celebs and politicians all lecturing folk who are sceptical might well be counterproductive in my view. If they see other folk participating in society in ways they can’t then perhaps they may be encouraged to jab and go out of self interest?
          After all I needed to pass a driving test to gain a license to drive, my protests that I had a panic attack in an exam situation got me nowhere 😃

          • Navara says:
            19 Feb19 February 12:26

            @ Yorkieflyer “Getting through what? Electricians?”
            Vaccinations
            We need a forum

        • Geoff says:
          19 Feb19 February 12:27

          It’ll probably be on some sort of app so people will probably be able to check although vaccines aren’t ever going to be mandatory regardless of how much the “no the mandatory vaccines” loons like Piers Corbyn scream

    • Andrew says:
      19 Feb19 February 06:59

      Mars would definitely be on the red list 😂

    • Michael C says:
      19 Feb19 February 07:51

      Or even a trip to Costa!!

      • Anna says:
        19 Feb19 February 09:25

        Never mind Costa, I have so many M & S bank free hot drink vouchers stacked up I don’t think I’ll be paying for coffee for about 6 months once M & S cafes re-open!

  • EwanG says:
    19 Feb19 February 06:52

    Re The Mail. It clearly wasn’t priced incorrectly if they are to honour the deal for those who were invited and took up the offer.

    If affected (and I am not) I would challenge back to them but only if I’d signed up before they added the extra condition to the signup page, which Rob said took place “lunchtime-ish”.

    • EwanG says:
      19 Feb19 February 06:54

      Sorry meant to paste this on this more appropriate article, which I’ve just done!

  • KBuffett says:
    19 Feb19 February 07:28

    There has been recent talk on here about HSBC Jade and NatWest Black.
    I wanted to add that I’ve been with Barclays Premier for many years and have found the service pretty good. I have mobile numbers for UK based relationship managers and they sort out anything I’ve ever needed.
    There perks are pretty much non existent though.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      19 Feb19 February 07:41

      I thought Barclays premier and Natwest Black were equivalent to HSBC premier in the level it’s pitched ie 75-100k earnings and/or a large mortgage / £50-100k investment.

      HSBC jade is meant to be for a level higher than that at around £500k of investments. But sounds like it doesn’t offer much in the way of tangible benefits

      • KBuffett says:
        19 Feb19 February 08:00

        You are correct, Barclays Wealth is the correct equivalent

      • Brian Stevens says:
        19 Feb19 February 14:44

        The only real benefit of Jada as far as I can see is the refund on the WE M/card of £195, plus £60 if there is a supplementary card.

    • BuildBackBetter says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:00

      Wish one of them could offer a packaged bank account like Amex plat, including priority pass for the family. I’d happily pay for that.

    • Sina says:
      19 Feb19 February 11:54

      I’ve tried Barclays and it was a pretty bad experience, plus non-existent benefits as you’ve mentioned. I can no longer have any account/products from them due to my work though!

  • avstar says:
    19 Feb19 February 07:29

    RE Virgin Status Match

    In terms of fulfilling the flight booking ref requirement, am I correct in think the optimal choice would be a US domestic segment of 7.5k points + $6 ? No cheaper option?

    • Andrew says:
      19 Feb19 February 07:34

      Check that it doesn’t have to be VS metal or at least VS flight code.

    • BLT says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:35

      From my experience it has to be virgin metal. An internal delta flight did not count for status match.

      • avstar says:
        19 Feb19 February 08:53

        domestic US flight booked via virgin website would be virgin booking ref and thus qualify surely (even though you would be flying delta)?

        • Andrew says:
          19 Feb19 February 09:34

          I guess there’s two ways to find out – ask Virgin or book it and see if it’s honoured.

        • BLT says:
          19 Feb19 February 10:50

          Didn’t work for me , even though I had a virgin booking ref.

          • MilesOnPoint says:
            19 Feb19 February 16:17

            TLV-LHR is 9,000 VS miles + £43 in taxes. That’s probably going to be your lowest outlay for an award flight on Virgin Metal (Premium is 16,000 miles + £43 in taxes on same route)

  • Chris Heyes says:
    19 Feb19 February 07:58

    Sorry totally off pesante, but my Niece is a hairdresser who can’t work either from home, shop or visit.
    She would like to know how the mainly all Footballers (but others as well)
    are all managing to get their hair done ?
    i said i’ve no idea but perhaps some one knows ?

    • Wally1976 says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:08

      Are they allowed a hairdresser as part of the team at their club? I’ve no idea really, only guessing. My wife did my hair last weekend but it’s only a buzz cut!

      My wife and daughters were meant to be having theirs cut yesterday by mobile hairdresser but obviously cancelled. I hope your niece can get back to work soon anyway.

      • Phil W says:
        19 Feb19 February 09:17

        Many top clubs will have hired a stylist and brought them inside the sporting bubble.

    • Geoff says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:12

      I’ve been cutting my own with a trimmer for the last 10 months. I’ve paid for worse.

    • Number9 says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:16

      Would have thought that was obvious money talks. Not forgetting one rule for wealthy and a different rule for the rest of us.

      • Anna says:
        19 Feb19 February 09:28

        Hi Number9 – indeed the TV presenters also always look suspiciously well coiffured and highlighted! There are some things you definitely can’t do in the bathroom with a box of L’Oreal 🤣

    • ChrisC says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:24

      Seen a couple of footballers getting themselves and / or their stylists (they don’t have mere barbers!) fined usually because they post about it on the likes of face book.

      Stupid really because people will see they’ve had their hair cut and no one is going to think they did it themselves.

      Bring back the 70s and the Kevin Kegan Perm!

      • Andrew says:
        19 Feb19 February 08:26

        One footballer that was caught with his barber (by posting it on Instagram!) claimed that as he was doing a modelling shoot it was “for work” and therefore allowed – which is true.

        • Anna says:
          19 Feb19 February 09:29

          What about the barber though?! If he can claim it’s for work, all hairdressers can.

          • Andrew says:
            19 Feb19 February 09:32

            I do feel bad for him, but ultimately I didn’t feel safe going and I needed to do what I felt was right for me and it’s the same as all those people who didn’t shop at Debenhams – sad to see it go and all those jobs but ultimately we didn’t want anything they sold.

      • The cyclist says:
        19 Feb19 February 11:33

        OK where did you see them?

        Take a look at the the cyclingGK website, you will see the football clubs goalkeeper administering Buzz cuts to his team mates.

    • Rich says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:38

      I’;ve only had two haircuts since this whole thing started! It slowed down after a while, combined with me stopping caring.

      I suspect a lot of hairdressers are working under the radar. That one who got caught on Instagram seemed mostly annoyed with his client, rather than accepting he’d done anything wrong!

      • Lady London says:
        19 Feb19 February 11:44

        I have thought about it but I don’t think I or my hairdresser would want to put her other customers at risk.

        I look like a shaggy dog but for the sake of a few months I think it’s worth hanging on.

    • Jill (Kinkell) says:
      19 Feb19 February 09:21

      Well, I cut my husband’s hair, not that he’s got much! Perfectly acceptable.
      I took the scissors to my fringe and back of neck hairline, and decided I like the short look. However, I will be delighted to return to the Hair Salon ASAP. Forget non essential retail or fancy foreign travel.

      • Anna says:
        19 Feb19 February 09:30

        Totally agree Jill, I am provisionally booked in for April 1st, just in case!

        • meta says:
          19 Feb19 February 09:48

          Given a beauty salon was secretly open in my area and neither did the council or the police want to do anything about it, I wouldn’t be surprised that some hair salons are also secretly open.

          Some will remember that I posted about the beauty salon near me. I am glad to report that they’ve shut the shop for a few weeks now. Perhaps someone got infected…

    • Vit says:
      19 Feb19 February 10:10

      you all got a haircut? I’ve not had mine since Dec 2019 😐

      • BJ says:
        19 Feb19 February 11:25

        Only thing I have in common with my more dodgy namesake is my current hairstyle.

    • Peggerz says:
      19 Feb19 February 12:37

      Reading about sportsmen and haircuts, can I just mention the Scottish rugby union player Duncan Weir who plays for Worcester Warriors and grew his hair throughout the first lockdown until the new year for charity. Quite a barnet- think Hairbear Bunch, or am I showing my age?
      This raised £16,000+ for a Worcester children’s cancer charity.

  • John says:
    19 Feb19 February 08:07

    Good to know, especially if you work there. Cue Michael O’Leary denouncing communism.

    https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0218/1197962-varadkar-on-aer-lingus/

  • KBuffett says:
    19 Feb19 February 08:09

    I want to do a property development in a SPV (Ltd Co).
    Can anyone recommend which bank will be painless to open a bank account for the Ltd co? Also, will it be easy to get a AmEx Plat for said Ltd co that currently has no trade/activity?

    • Rob says:
      19 Feb19 February 09:22

      18 months ago I know Amex was happy to give Bus Plat to non-trading companies. Whether covid has made them tighten up or not I don’t know.

      They just gave me 5,000 MR points for getting a supp card for my wife which was very generous of them 🙂

    • pointsarb says:
      19 Feb19 February 09:41

      Try Starling…..

    • Jay says:
      19 Feb19 February 10:12

      Try Mettle from NatWest. Was very easy to open, all done via app and opened within a few minutes.

    • Lady London says:
      19 Feb19 February 11:47

      Metro is relatively painless unless you get the newbies that fall over their own lack of knowledge.

      Starling great.
      Ltd a lot easier than self-employed

  • Wally1976 says:
    19 Feb19 February 08:12

    I thought there was going to be an article on Barclays Premier today? Not that it affects me with the earnings requirement but interested to read anyway.

    • Sean says:
      19 Feb19 February 08:32

      see yesterdays post (was redacted) – seems the details were leaked too early and will have to wait a little longer.

      • KP says:
        19 Feb19 February 09:21

        I’m about to open a joint account with the MRs and thinking of Barclays Premier. Any further insights on this please. All I know is that there will be an avios earning opportunity

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