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The HfP chat thread – Thursday 25th March

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Comments (269)

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

  • Patty says:
    25 Mar25 March 09:02

    I’d like to flag my experience with the Virgin Current Account, which has been a disaster. After having signed up via the 15k points link and meeting the requirements, I got an email with the Virgin Wine voucher. Confused, I talked to the online chat agent, who told me “don’t worry, you are qualified for both and the points will be posted”. Lo and behold, Virgin is not “prepared to honour” the points two weeks later. So the staff with the Switching team will open a complaint for me, as the final solution.

    • BJ says:
      25 Mar25 March 09:11

      Based on previous experience of me, Bee and others the switching team will deactivate the wine code and then call you by phone to give you code for the points. It takes a few days to a week for them to do this. Whatever you do, do not use the wine code.

      • Chris Heyes says:
        25 Mar25 March 09:26

        BJ Yes your assessment of the situation is correct
        But as Patty says she was online to a Chat Agent who told her she would get both ?
        I presume she received a chat transcript stating what was said
        Whatever Virgin or the Wine company says the chat agent is employed by one or the other and if there is a transcript showing the “AGENT” said both she is entitled to both
        I have had a similar experience (not with Virgin) and (must admit long kerfuffle)
        but received the two offers
        was it worth it ? it was to me

        • BJ says:
          25 Mar25 March 10:11

          If she has the transcript confirming both I would get points in the bag first and then go for the wine if I felt strongly about it. Except, I wouldn’t because I was happy just to get the mess sorted and receive my points as expected.

      • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:
        25 Mar25 March 10:11

        If you’ve got it in writing that you can get both the wine and the points then I’d drink up. They wouldn’t win that complaint.

    • Garry says:
      25 Mar25 March 09:29

      Did you select wine or points offer during sign up?

      • Patty says:
        25 Mar25 March 09:46

        I just signed up via the Virgin Red link, which just says 15k points not Virgin Wine. Like Chris said, I have to keep fighting the fight, though not hopeful. I haven’t even received the log of the complaint.

        • BJ says:
          25 Mar25 March 10:13

          I am sure you will get the points. If they don’t call you within a week with code just call them again.

        • Garry says:
          25 Mar25 March 10:29

          It says 30 days until they post it, providing you have two direct debits. Has it been over 30 days yet?

    • Doug M says:
      25 Mar25 March 10:54

      Hard to know whether the experience here is widespread, I’d guess it is. But my experience of interaction with VM over these 15K points means I’m off asap, and won’t touch VM again. What good can come of this offer when it’s been so poorly implemented, and they have such poor customer service that once you contact them you wish you’d never started the whole process.

    • Karl says:
      25 Mar25 March 11:10

      I haven’t even got that far. Applied on 2 March and was told they’d be in touch within 48 hours. I’ve phone 4 times and been promised a call back each time which has never happened. Call 3 said it may have something to do with address history. Presumably unlikely to ever see the 15000 points now the account has been pulled.

    • Andre says:
      25 Mar25 March 12:11

      There is no rule here as I had no problems at all. Applied through the app on the 6th of March, received the points on the 16th. Easy.

      • Peter K says:
        25 Mar25 March 12:52

        My account opened, no issues.
        Mrs K got the wine voucher rather than the points. So far customer services have been okay…but depends on whether the issue gets sorted or not.

    • Benilyn says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:40

      Not helpful to you guys not haven’t got the points, but for those of us who have not applied yet, what steps would you recommend to have the cleanest/best chance of getting the 15k?

      • 747_Brat says:
        25 Mar25 March 15:16

        The best chance of getting the points bonus is to take screenshots every step of the way. They can’t refute that piece of evidence.

  • Garry says:
    25 Mar25 March 09:29

    If I bank switch from a Monzo-personal. What happens to my ‘separate’ Monzo-joint account?.
    Can I still keep the joint monzo or does it have to go?

    • Rhys says:
      25 Mar25 March 09:55

      Aren’t account switches made based on sort code and account number? Presumably the joint account has different details and therefore wouldn’t be switched…

    • Sandgrounder says:
      25 Mar25 March 10:54

      You can only apply for a Monzo joint if both parties also have a personal, I’d ask the question on the Monzo support forum before I pushed the button if I was still operating the joint.

    • F says:
      25 Mar25 March 11:40

      You have to manually close the Monzo joint account. You need a personal account to have a joint account unfortunately.
      If you switch without doing so, the switch will be rejected by Monzo and they will tell you to close the joint account. (My experience anywho)

    • Buxton says:
      25 Mar25 March 12:27

      My understanding is the joint monzo would indeed go, unless they’ve changed policy recently.

      • Garry says:
        25 Mar25 March 13:14

        Yep, the monzo personal and joint have to remain together. Switched my Halifax instead as it wasnt being used alot. Any recommendations for Starling? Easy to set up for a burner?

        • Joseph Heenan says:
          25 Mar25 March 13:34

          Easy to setup, but beware with many of the newer fintech style banks (like Starling & Monzo) if you switch away from them with CASS then they are unlikely to let you open another account in the foreseeable future. I.e. using them as a burner costs them money and they will not welcome you back.

  • Mike says:
    25 Mar25 March 09:46

    Has anyone managed to get IHG to extend the Ambassador free night cert? Mine was extended and now expires at the end of May, so I’m unlikely to be going anywhere before then. I’ll even renew my membership if they were to agree.

    Also, the yearly Spire Elite 25k points or platinum status gift is now showing in my account.

    • Cal says:
      25 Mar25 March 09:54

      No, I tried to get them to extend by email and they wouldn’t offer anything apart from the one of two month extension. Mine is due to expire at the start of April. Very poor from IHG.

      • Sandra says:
        25 Mar25 March 12:32

        There is nothing in Ambassador T & C’s about extending vouchers. As mentioned several times on here before the T & C’s say you can request a once in a lifetime 2 or 6 month extension of Ambassador membership (depends how long you have been a member) which should then extend the voucher with it to the new membership year end. But, the T & C’s also state that it is at their discretion. My voucher and membership both lapsed in December when the extension they gave everyone last year ended and with travel as uncertain as it is I couldn’t be bothered with the effort of trying to persuade them to extend the voucher as that is unlikely without paying for an Ambassador membership that can’t be used for the time being.

    • Andrew says:
      25 Mar25 March 10:00

      My 25k Spire bonus is showing on my account today, but wasn’t yesterday – so they must be adding in batches (as I hoped), so check again if it wasn’t there yesterday.

      • Anna says:
        25 Mar25 March 10:17

        Still nothing for either of us! I’ll keep checking. Did we decide that this in in addition to Spire status earned this year? I should hit mine via Creation MC next month.

      • Secret Squirrel says:
        25 Mar25 March 10:53

        @Andrew: will this be the 2nd spire 25k point reward this year you have redeemed?

        • Lula says:
          25 Mar25 March 11:13

          So I requalified for spire last year and this year. And have only had the choice benefits for requalification, not for extension. Does anyone know what the position is? I’ve contacted IHG, but got the typical confusing responses and conflicting accounts from different agents.

          • Rob says:
            25 Mar25 March 11:31

            If you requalified, then you weren’t extended, surely? I mean … you had the status for 2021 through your own efforts.

          • Lee says:
            25 Mar25 March 11:42

            Agree with Rob, though a bit unfair for people who made effort to requalify Spire last year (include myself). OH’s account got 25k yesterday without any activities last year.

          • Lula says:
            25 Mar25 March 11:59

            Sort of, yes, but the extension was announced before I requalified, so I received the extension, but not the choice benefit. Then requalified. Then requalified again in 2021. Yet received the same number of choice benefits as someone who didn’t qualify last year, but then does requalify at some later point this year. So as Lee says, slightly unfair on those who did requalify.

          • Peter K says:
            25 Mar25 March 12:56

            @Lula 11:59
            Is it unfair on those that requalified? They surely got what they were due, the 25k bonus points. Isn’t it rather just a kindness to those that didn’t requalify?

    • Dubious says:
      25 Mar25 March 11:58

      Similar problem here – voucher expires at the end of April and yet there is only one hotel in the country that seems to be accepting bookings – yet they only have a few random dates available that simply aren’t workable.

      • Anna says:
        25 Mar25 March 13:28

        ? there are loads of hotels accepting free night vouchers as long as you’re travelling for a permitted purpose. I booked one a few days ago for my sister who needs to meet clients and will now be able to stay in a much nicer hotel than her company would pay for!

    • Andrew says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:15

      I didn’t requalify for Spire in 2020 and have zero earnings in 2021 so far, so it seems this 25k is for anyone who got the automatic extension. This is what the original comms said last year when they announced the extension for everyone, but then backtracked on it and we never saw the 25K, but now they seem to have added it.

      • Billyk says:
        25 Mar25 March 16:14

        Mines posted as zero

        • Sandra says:
          25 Mar25 March 17:51

          It posts as 0 in your account activity, you have to log into your membership and then choose your benefit, 25000 points or an upgrade gift to someone else. Once you make your choice the points then post to your account. I always have to go via desktop to do it, never seems to work in app.

          • Danny says:
            25 Mar25 March 21:53

            Thanks Sandra. That worked for me! The point benefit didn’t appear on to the app, even though the O activity line was showing; have to log in via the website for the benefits to show.

          • Billyk says:
            26 Mar26 March 07:44

            Thanks Sandra for the advice would never have thought of the website as I just use the app for everything these days.

  • Harry T says:
    25 Mar25 March 09:59

    Be careful using the Virgin Atlantic app to book reward flights. I just attempted to book a KLM flight with points and it threw an error when I tried to pay – however the points have been deducted without my card being charged. No sign of an actual booking either. Not impressive.

    • idrive says:
      25 Mar25 March 10:06

      it may be the case that the flight is going to be ticketed soon and they still have not charged your card. it was the case for me many times when booking on the phone

      • Harry T says:
        25 Mar25 March 10:16

        I see what you mean but there’s no evidence the booking completed – there’s no booking reference or confirmation email. No booking showing in my account either.

        • Garry says:
          25 Mar25 March 10:28

          Call them to find out whats happened? What happened at checkout?

          • Harry T says:
            25 Mar25 March 12:05

            Called them and they redebited the points and made a new booking. Looks like it failed at the point of payment for some reason. Apparently this is a current issue with KLM bookings.

    • memesweeper says:
      25 Mar25 March 12:08

      thanks for the heads-up @Harry T

    • Mr. AC says:
      25 Mar25 March 18:55

      Hah. Had the exact opposite this Sunday. Tried to book an Air France award flight on Virgin Atlantic website, card charged, points not taken, phone support saying it’s showing phantom availability and you can’t book it. Charge fell of the card yesterday.

  • 747_Brat says:
    25 Mar25 March 10:37

    @Reney
    Saw your comment on previous page. Please could you confirm where do you see the pending points on Virgin Red purchase made using the 500 bonus point promo? I made the purchase at Argos on 17 March and I can’t see anything under the ‘Activity’ section.

    Is it safe to assume now that the purchase hasn’t tracked or am I looking at the wrong section for the missing points?

    • PJJ says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:36

      Made a purchase on the 16th Feb. This has tracked and shows as pending, to be paid after 45 days, however it doesn’t show on the Virgin Atlantic shopping site. The bonus 500 points do not show on the either. Still a couple before the 45 days hit so will take it from there

    • PJJ says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:37

      Sorry, meant to say shows on the Virgin Red app

      • 747_Brat says:
        25 Mar25 March 14:00

        Thank for your reply but sorry I am confused. Are you saying that the transaction doesn’t show on Virgin Atlantic shopping site, but shows up on the Virgin Red app?

        • Bee says:
          25 Mar25 March 14:18

          Yes me it is showing in pending on the virgin red app. Customer service says the 500 bonus will show after 45 days

        • Ed says:
          25 Mar25 March 14:38

          I bought something from Currys on 13th March. I emailed them a couple of days ago and they replied saying they could see the tracking and I should expect the credit after 45 days. This was my first too, so I was chasing the promo code for the 500 points as well. Reply said that would follow…..we’ll see.

          • 747_Brat says:
            25 Mar25 March 15:18

            @Ed & Bee
            How long was it before your respective transactions tracked on the Virgin Red app?
            Thanks.

          • Ed says:
            25 Mar25 March 18:20

            I haven’t seen it on the Virgin Red app, but CS said they could see the tracking !?

          • Bee says:
            25 Mar25 March 21:17

            I think It was within a day or two and it is sat as pending.

    • Reney says:
      25 Mar25 March 23:54

      Virgin red app, click activity (bottom bar to the right ). My boots transaction says pending. I have 2 transaction pending, 25th Feb and 18 March. But nothing on the 500 points.

  • Chrisasaurus says:
    25 Mar25 March 10:49

    Has anyone seen Airtime track for Morissons this last week? It appeared in wife’s account at the weekend and then this morning it’s vanished again. Only shopped once in Monday but nothing showing yet at all,

    • 747_Brat says:
      25 Mar25 March 10:52

      Yes, I have had my Morrison’s purchase tracked, and I just checked it is still there. I made a purchase at Morrisons last Friday and it tracked on Airtime on Monday.

      • Hotelier says:
        25 Mar25 March 11:04

        Nothing. Been almost 2 weeks now. First time I use Airtime Rewards and may be last. I even waited two days after receiving the message confirming the card had been successfully registered.

      • Chrisasaurus says:
        25 Mar25 March 11:05

        Ty, will cross fingers but perhaps shouldn’t have seen it there at all

    • Pierre says:
      25 Mar25 March 11:15

      Yes – Morrisons shop on the 19th tracked on Airtime has just tracked fine.

    • Daniel says:
      25 Mar25 March 12:52

      I made a transaction on Saturday 13th – and it has yet to track on Airtime.

    • Alekun says:
      25 Mar25 March 12:53

      Yes – I am waiting for the track to show up under transactions and nothing yet – Shopped on Monday couldn’t find any amazon vouchers and just about found 1 morrisons card that i loaded an good amount.

      will be annoyed if nothing is tracked.

    • Will says:
      25 Mar25 March 23:32

      Nothing for me from Sunday 21st yet.

      Loaded £7.5k!

  • 747_Brat says:
    25 Mar25 March 11:22

    Just received a generic email from Virgin about my switch offer (15k Virgin Red points), and the steps I need to take in order to qualify for the switch incentive.

    Did anyone who received the wine code receive this generic email? I am taking this email as a sign that it will bode well in the end.

    • M says:
      25 Mar25 March 15:38

      Yeah should be good, I never received any confirmation regarding points, got wine voucher instead, then lots of phone calls to get the points 😉

    • Anon says:
      25 Mar25 March 16:26

      How many days after you created the account did you get the email?

      • 747_Brat says:
        25 Mar25 March 16:44

        9 days.
        Btw I have an update to my comment above. My switch completed yesterday and I have just received the code for 15k points, which I redeemed successfully without any issues.

  • Steve says:
    25 Mar25 March 11:32

    Panama on Avios? I have 241, 2 adults 3 Kids and 200k Avios. Economy is fine, but am interested in lowest tax/fees. Anyone know a good routing for least amount of cash?

    • Rhys says:
      25 Mar25 March 12:23

      Probably Iberia, which flies to more south and central American destinations anyway. Can’t use 2-4-1 though. If you want BA then starting in Inverness might save you some taxes.

    • mzb says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:26

      241 to MIA (or potentially DFW) on BA, and then connect (separate ticket though) on AA to PTY.
      Or ignore the 241 and fly on AA on a single ticket (with lower taxes than BA more than likely)

    • @mkcol says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:27

      I’d expect heading to MIA on BA metal would make most sense, then separately on AA to PTY.

    • Anna says:
      25 Mar25 March 13:41

      Using a 241/avios doesn’t make a huge amount of sense in economy because of the taxes/fees you’ll have to pay on BA bookings. Iberia from MAD would probably be the lowest tax option but I don’t know if they ever release 5 seats in any cabin. Otherwise I don’t know how good AA availability is to Panama on avios but I’ve seen 7 award seats on other routes before now and taxes/fees are tiny!

    • yorkieflyer says:
      25 Mar25 March 17:01

      if you’d rather avoid Uncle Joe and whatever restrictions on top of the US arrivals “welcome” might apply, then try BA to Mexico City and onward on COPA

    • memesweeper says:
      25 Mar25 March 18:16

      BA to Costa Rica. Bus or plane to panama. In fact, you can walk the disused railway bridge from CR to Panama at Sixoala — unforgettable way to cross a border.

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

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