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The HfP chat thread – Sunday 21st March

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Comments (338)

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

  • Ja says:
    21 Mar21 March 09:14

    Two questions

    If you have BA FTVs, can you not use them to book a BA holiday?. Looking last night at flights there was a box to put voucher now. In. However when I looked at holidays there wasn’t.

    Second question

    Are Aer Lingus flights earning tier points/avios yet

    Thanks

    • Anna says:
      21 Mar21 March 11:22

      If the FTV is from a previous BA holiday you should be able to get it credited towards a new holiday but as far as I know you have to email them for this.

      • ChrisC says:
        21 Mar21 March 12:20

        You can use a BA Holiday FTV on the phone if you want. Especially if you want to use it as the deposit rather than book and then use it to pay off the balance.

        I think you can use a BA Flight e-voucher* on a BA holiday but would have to also phone to use this. I remember asking a BA Hols agent but that was a little while ago and you know what BA are like for changing the rules.

        A call to BA Holidays will soon tell you and their agents are super efficient. Have the details of your proosed trip to hand as it’s easier and quicker to feed those to the agent

        Re Aer LIngus – if you mean credit to BA then not generally but if you book via BA and have BA flight numbers then you can earn avios but not tier points as EI aren’t members of One World

        • memesweeper says:
          21 Mar21 March 15:19

          Pretty sure I earned TPs on previous Aer Lingus flights booked on BA flight numbers…

  • Chris says:
    21 Mar21 March 09:18

    Hello.
    I have a £200ish Future Travel Voucher, can I use it towards an AMEX 241 purchase? I know you have to pay with an AMEX but does that still apply here? I’ll be paying the rest of the taxes (about £600) on AMEX.

    • Yorkieflyer says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:13

      I was told yes but only if first booking on the phone, I couldn’t retrospectively add mine when adding the return flight on the phone when I booked outward online

  • Garry says:
    21 Mar21 March 09:30

    Is the 12k for Amex referrals (gold card) a new offer or existing?
    If so, any idea when it was launched and will expire?

    • Harry T says:
      21 Mar21 March 09:44

      It’s a targeted offer for some card members. I have it on my Gold Charge and Gold Credit. No one is sure how long it will last!

  • Mo says:
    21 Mar21 March 09:35

    Hi All,

    I know some of you have booking at the W Abu Dhabi for the F1 there this year that we’re moved from last year’s booking, and the hotel had said there would be no extra charge for this.

    I’m in the same situation, months ago the rooms controller had told me they could move the booking to this year for no extra charge.

    but a while ago welcome officer manager is told me they can’t do this from their end and I had to contact Bonvoy Guest Services. I did this and they told me they couldn’t change it and to go back to the hotel, and again the welcome office manager is saying to reach out to Bonvoy Guest Services quoting somebody from this team on the email who I am sure does not understand the situation as he is talking about peak/off peak dates rather than a category change which is the reason for the increase in points cost.

    What should I do to get it resolved, and for then to charge the 145,000 points instead of 170,000 currently showing?

    • Harry T says:
      21 Mar21 March 09:45

      Have they already moved your stay to the new Grand Prix dates? I paid 120k points last year and my stay has been moved. No one has asked me for any extra points.

      • Harry T says:
        21 Mar21 March 12:00

        Interestingly, I’ve now checked my reservation, which previously showed that I had paid for the stay, and now it says I need to pay 155,000 Bonvoy points. This is presumably the new price. However, the system doesn’t even want the difference between 120,000 and 155,000 points – it wants a new payment. I think either Bonvoy IT or the hotel have screwed up. I may just wait and see what happens!

        • Mo says:
          21 Mar21 March 12:29

          Yup, the same thing has happened. They cancelled the original bookings and made new bookings, and Marriott give you the option of paying with points now or waiting until a few weeks before, so the system hasn’t taken the points, but it is showing as 170,000 for me instead of the 145,000 it should be.

          • Harry T says:
            21 Mar21 March 12:48

            How do you know they cancelled the original bookings? They made this new booking for me in December and it was initially showing as fully paid for, with a redemption certificate. Do you mean they cancelled these new rebookings and then made further ones?

          • Mo says:
            21 Mar21 March 17:03

            No they cancelled the original bookings as I have cancellation emails (I assume they did this so I got the points back and wasn’t charged). They then made placeholder bookings for March or something and then when the 2021 F1 dates were confirmed they made new bookings for then.

            The welcome office manager has said they’d get in touch with the rooms controller and get back to me, but I’m wondering if I should just reach out to the rooms controller myself seeing as he is the one who confirmed there would be no additional cost, or even the hotel GM.

          • babgy says:
            21 Mar21 March 20:13

            I too am in the 120k for 5nights 2019 booking bucket. My booking has been successfully moved to 2021 (just checked again) retaining the 120k price point. Note it did take some time (a few weeks to confirm after the new GP dates were confirmed) – as i suspect they were sorting out the issues in the background. I also managed to book some BA reward first class flights to align with the GP, shame BA doesnt fly to AUH anymore.

          • Mo says:
            21 Mar21 March 22:08

            @babgy oh then it’s strange that mine and Harry T’s are showing as increased rates.

            I’ll see what the hotel say, but am just going to chase this until it gets fixed haha, don’t want to be paying 25,000 points more when they’ve said I don’t need to!

    • N says:
      21 Mar21 March 18:46

      I’ve asked before, but if any of you guys have contact with the hotel, do you mind asking if they will release more points rooms? Am checking daily at the moment!

      • babgy says:
        21 Mar21 March 20:14

        i would doubt any will be released, i think most people who booked on points would have just moved their bookings.

  • fivebobbill says:
    21 Mar21 March 09:35

    Can somebody just clarify a quick question please, it’s been so long since I done this I cant remember!
    Wife just got her new BAPP card yesterday after 2 years, how long before she can add me as a supplementary to ensure she gets the additional avios, and how many is it again!? We obviously didn’t do it at activation stage…

  • Tubbs says:
    21 Mar21 March 09:59

    241 query – Could I book a LHR-LAS-LAX-LHR redemption online using a 241. I know the AA LAS-LAX leg is not eligible for the 241 but is the system able to apply the 241 to the TATL legs and charge full Avios for the internal US leg?

    If not online, can they handle this by ‘phone? Thanks.

    • Lee says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:03

      Open jaw only bookable by phone I think

    • Matt says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:17

      No, the LAS-LAX leg would have to be on a separate booking.

      • Dan says:
        21 Mar21 March 11:20

        TBH..grab a car and drive LAS to LAX, you will need a car in L A anyway…

        • Chas says:
          22 Mar22 March 09:20

          I would say you definitely don’t need a car – just use Uber / Lyft, as it’s much more convenient and probably cheaper too. When we were there in 2019, even an hour’s journey out to Santa Monica only cost c$20-25, and then I could have a few beers with my lunch too.

          • Chas says:
            22 Mar22 March 09:21

            That was meant to say that you don’t need a car in LA. I wouldn’t advise relying on Uber / Lyft for LAS to LAX…!

      • Travel Strong says:
        21 Mar21 March 11:32

        +1. There is no one way fee for LAS-LAX, and it’s a lovely drive. Can usually get bargain prices on cars you never see over here too
        – Camaro/Challenger/Mustang etc

    • Yorkieflyer says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:21

      You need to book the domestic sector as a separate ticket Avios or cash. You can book the open jaw ticket on the phone or book outward on line and call in to add return if booking outward st 355 days before. Do not book return online separately and then call in to add the 241 as you pay huge ex US surcharging

  • Matt says:
    21 Mar21 March 10:14

    I’m planning to book a multi-partner redemption, but have a question about the process:

    I’m looking to book two CX flights, then 3 weeks later two JL flights. Availability seems good when the flights are released, but if I wait till they’re all available then the outbound CX flights might have gone. Can I book the CX flights as a standard redemption, then change it to a multi-partner redemption when the JL flights are released?
    And are change fees currently waived under book with confidence for things like this?

    Thanks

  • Craig says:
    21 Mar21 March 10:15

    Does anyone have any recent experience of flights back from the Far East at T-355? I have flights out to Singapore booked using a 241 and am looking at adding a return from Bangkok. I have enough Avios to book and call in the morning to have the 241 added, planning to book just after midnight. Options are BKK, KUL or SIN.

    • Yorkieflyer says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:26

      If peak times, Very tough on availability given the reduced schedule, axed destinations and peeps looking to travel next winter who were stuck here this winter.
      We finally secured flights over Christmas and new year after being online and on phone and repeatedly popped at the post after several disappointing late nights

    • Yorkieflyer says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:30

      KUL cancelled route by the way and BKK suspended till next winter season. I would have my doubts when SIngapore will open for leisure travel, even connecting on separate PNR’s could be impossible

    • Yorkieflyer says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:31

      If you hadn’t guessed we’re gambling on BKK 😀

    • Craig says:
      21 Mar21 March 10:38

      Thanks, I think I’ll go for the staying up three nights in a row option.

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