The HfP chat thread – Saturday 27th February

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General

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Allan says:

27 Feb27 February 13:23

What options are there for MS through HSBC WE?
- babyg says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 13:50
  
  pay your drug dealer huge sums via HSBC WE and ask for cash in return?
  - gareth says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 13:59
    
    +1
  - Peter K says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 14:35
    
    Don’t wash the cash gained this way to remove any traces of drugs though, as that would be money laundering!
- Doug M says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 15:43
  
  Been said many times in comments HSBC are not for messing with, easier to look elsewhere.
  - Allan says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 19:42
    
    Thanks
Sam says:

27 Feb27 February 13:36

Just wanted to confirm thanks. I have BA flights in April Manchester to Miami where the final leg LHR to MAN has been moved only 50 mins, but this leg’s flight number has changed from BA1390 to BA1394. Does this allow me to request a full refund now. Cheers
- Anna says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 13:59
  
  I think the received wisdom on here is that a change of flight number equals a cancellation so you should be entitled to a full refund for all the flights on that PNR. So you have the option of requesting this online – if so it suggests that BA considers it to be a cancellation?
  - Sam says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 16:05
    
    Thanks Anna. Online says my original flight has been cancelled and i’ve been put on next available flight. Only link/ option online is to confirm that I accept the change. Otherwise I have to phone for any other unspecified options
    - kitten says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 20:50
      
      phone eu261 has been incorporated into UK law flight number change is a canx and you have full EU261 rights including a full refund of entire booking – your choice not theirs.
      
      Call 0830am or 7.00pm onwards on a weekday have been times reported as success in various ways
    - Lady London says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 20:57
      
      erm….some people would say BA is making you call and not putting a refund button alongside the other buttons on the website to deliberately make it harder to get a refund.
      “Perish the thought”.
      
      If they start in about only 50mins remind them it’s a different flight and your booked one was cancelled – btw evidenced by different flight number so you want a refund for the whole thing. Do not take a voucher if you want a refund
  - kitten says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 20:45
    
    it’s specifically in a line in EU261 that a change of flight number is a cancellation.
- Doug M says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 15:45
  
  I’d expect BA to push back in this. 50 mins is not going to be significant as they see it.
  - Anna says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 16:08
    
    Not if it was the same flight number, but Sam says he has a new one – I think this is what counts.
    - Doug M says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 16:34
      
      Agree that’s accepted wisdom from passengers, not sure it’s real or not.
    - Reeferman says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 16:35
      
      I had a flight cancelled by BA this week. They had rebooked me on one just 55 mins later (albeit LHR instead of LCY) but allowed a full cash refund when I phoned.
      I too believe the new flight number is the driving factor
      - Doug M says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 16:44
        
        Yeah my LCY-MUN was rebooked this week from Heathrow instead, just accepted as its for EURO2020 game which I still have hope of being at.
      - Lady London says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 20:58
        
        law.
        not driving – deciding factor
    - ChrisC says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 18:47
      
      Change of flight number counts as a cancellation.
      
      It’s not just ‘accepted wisdom from passengers’ but what the law says.
      
      I have never had a problem with BA refunding in this curcumstance.
      
      The rebooking onto another flight is to protect your booking. You’re not forced to accept it if you don’t want to.
Jamie says:

27 Feb27 February 13:36

Hello.

I have booked a 241 first class redemption oneway and I want to book the return in but in business at midnight when it is released next week, can I call YOUFIRST to do that or will they not deal with it as it is Business? Thanks in advance
- Darren says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 13:47
  
  I can’t see a problem with calling You First, I’m sure they’ll help with this.
- babyg says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 13:52
  
  ive never used youfirst for the midnight phone call for adding return on my reward bookings, be interested to hear how well youfirst vs normal number work out for these midnight calls, keep us posted.
  - Jamie says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 13:56
    
    Yeah I will. Obviously I’ve never done it before as will be our first time flying first, but I can’t imagine it would be an issue.
    
    Will report back if successful-
    - Anna says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 14:01
      
      I have done this but only where there wasn’t an F cabin on my return leg. They were fine about it, but I don’t know what they would have said if there had been F available!
      - Number9 says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 19:46
        
        It will be fine to call YouFirst. But call a couple of minutes before to clear security questions.
Bill says:

27 Feb27 February 13:45

I need to buy some Avios. Does anyone have any ideas on when BA will be likely to offer a bonus?
- Pablo says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 14:04
  
  Iberia is running a 50% bonus until Monday. They can be transferred to BAEC. https://onemileatatime.com/buy-iberia-avios-promotion/
- BJ says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 14:07
  
  Isn’t there a 50% bonus on IB+ at the moment?
- Peter K says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 14:27
  
  I’ve read that there’s 50% bonus at Iberia at the moment.
- memesweeper says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 14:30
  
  If you have an Amex you can buy MRs — there’s an annual limit, and I don’t know the rate they charge at the moment, but it might be worthing checking.
  - BJ says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 14:32
    
    1.5ppa, 10kpa/MR account.
  - meta says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 14:34
    
    £15 per 1k. You can buy maximum of 10k MR points per anniversary year. The rate hasn’t change at all for years.
    - meta says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 14:36
      
      Just a note, it’s not instant. It may take up to week for the points to post. Money may or may not be taken much later. I had money taken six months later on one occasion even though points posted within a day or two.
      - Dan says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 15:27
        
        Curious to know…was there a specific reason you bought the MR points? If you were intending to top up your miles would it not have been have cheaper to go through the airline direct?
      - BJ says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 15:35
        
        Once they forgot to charge me 🙂
      - BJ says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 15:38
        
        @Dan, I only ever bought them as I was in a rush to get Marriott TP before they changed. Generally too expensive but useful if you neec a small amount quickly.
      - meta says:
        
        27 Feb27 February 16:53
        
        @Dan I used the to top up for an award with Singapore Airlines. You can’t buy miles directly unless you are making a booking and that is at a very unattractive rate. Plus you can transform those 10k into much more by transferring to ICC.
Andy says:

27 Feb27 February 14:39

How far in advance should / can I book? Looking to book a reward flight (with companion voucher) business class (2 people). Preferred dates are Feb 2022 (outward) and April 2022 (return). As only dates less than 355 days in advance are shown on the BA reward flight finder, must I wait until May 2021 to book both outward and return flights, or can I book both flights when an outward flight becomes available?
- Anna says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 16:11
  
  Award seats are only released at T-355 so you have to wait for the return flight to become available. It’s a very common problem here!
  - Anna says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 16:12
    
    But you can book the outward leg then add the return when it’s released. There are lots of articles on this site about the best ways to do this.
Secret Squirrel says:

27 Feb27 February 15:13

Just noticed that you no longer can you book a hotel outside of the dates of your ihg free credit card night voucher?
It used to be aslong as you had booked something before they expired not the hotel reservation had to have been used by?
- Doug M says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 15:40
  
  Is this last years extended. My 31st Dec 20 one was extended via a new one for 31st Aug 21, original was in play too for a couple of weeks. The 31st Aug 21 voucher is a stay by rather than a book by.
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 15:54
    
    That must be it, yes it was a 2020 issued certificate that has been extended to Jan 22
Secret Squirrel says:

27 Feb27 February 15:14

Does it still work if you call up CS & get them to apply the voucher in the booking?
- Benilyn says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 21:16
  
  No
BJ says:

27 Feb27 February 15:32

Might sound weird to the newbies but there is a precedent for discussing Gillette razor blades on HfP… just under half price on a range of razor and blade bundles for both men and women at Superdrug (today only I think). Just ordered a bunch and put it through Virgin to hopefully trigger 500 bonus on my partners account.
- The uncivil servant says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 16:03
  
  I got 20 Nectar points on a cucumber!
  - BJ says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 16:52
    
    70 NP for a 30p can of chopped tomatoes (control yourself @Genghis … the first can only!)
    - Jane says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 18:05
      
      Unfortunately after a few weeks of having the same offer and buying the 30p tomatoes my offer is now 10 points for the Sainsburys 30p tomatoes – not so much fun anymore.
    - Genghis says:
      
      27 Feb27 February 18:45
      
      🙂 I’ve had that a few times now. 28p IIRC for the toms.
- Jody says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 16:15
  
  Lol, I ordered some this morning too.
  - whiskerxx says:
    
    27 Feb27 February 17:50
    
    Thanks BJ – just bought a stash
- Harry T says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 18:43
  
  I’m too furry for this offer!
- Delbert says:
  
  27 Feb27 February 19:08
  
  I’ve purchased multiple packs of Gillette Mach3 Turbo from Boots at LHR in the past on international ticket when they have sales promotion and what with the VAT discount has worked out very well. I fly the blades out of the UK and I fly them back in again.