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The HfP chat thread – Saturday 10th April

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General

Comments (337)

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

  • YC says:
    10 Apr10 April 13:22

    New amex card arrived within 2 days of application. Is it normal for the tracker to show the welcome bonus as the non-referred rate? Chat agent seems to suggest I did not use the referral link

    • Genghis says:
      10 Apr10 April 13:27

      Yes

      • Fm says:
        10 Apr10 April 13:32

        When does the referral bonus normally post? I was also referred for the Marriott card, have received my 20k but not the referral bonus. Spoke to an agent via chat last night, who said it would be added soon but couldn’t tell me when…

        • Genghis says:
          10 Apr10 April 13:48

          The bonus for being referred posts with the sign up bonus (or should)

      • John says:
        10 Apr10 April 16:20

        So tracker shows incorrect rate??

    • John says:
      10 Apr10 April 16:19

      This happened to me.
      Also told I did not use referral link – passed to back office to deal with as I could show referral points had posted and thus must have used link !

      • YC says:
        10 Apr10 April 17:03

        I suspect their systems are just not communicating. End of the day, I am fairly certain the referred bonus points will post correctly even if i just left it (I tend to trust Amex with these things). But yup they have also raised this to the back office now

    • James says:
      10 Apr10 April 17:32

      Have you actually read the comment under the tracker? It says that any additional bonus points related to a referral will not show but will post if/when target reached.

  • Harry T says:
    10 Apr10 April 13:22

    Any tips for getting decent c@shb@ck offers to appear on a Halifax Rewards account? I’ve just opened one for the first time and I’m most interested in getting a coop offer for a discount on my council tax.

    • Andrew says:
      10 Apr10 April 14:16

      I use my near daily in the staff restaurant, along with milk & bread style top-ups at Sazbo’s or M&S Simply Food.

      Sitting with 37 different offers at the moment.

    • The real John says:
      10 Apr10 April 14:32

      You will have to forego Amex or other points and use the debit card for everything for 1-2 months.

      I only use mine sparingly and have 10 offers, my wife doesn’t use hers and has 2 offers.

    • Harry T says:
      10 Apr10 April 14:40

      Thanks, both. I suspect I can wake the card up a bit with my daily foraging expeditions to the hospital M&S Simply Food for yellow sticker items.

  • Princess says:
    10 Apr10 April 13:50

    ADVICE PLEASE!!! In the last months I saved the most useful comments about rerouting after BA 1 year ticket validity rule, MCOL, EU 261…but I’m still not sure how to move forward.

    I had 4 tickets cancelled in first class, connected to 2 2-4-1 vouchers, bought during 50% avios promotion. BA keep refusing to move them to next April. The outbound date has passed. The return flight has not been cancelled and is scheduled for next week (time has changed -8h)
    -If I want to issue a MCOL do I need to get BA to write that they are refusing to move the tickets? (In a comment about Virgin I remember Anna suggesting to get a formal confirmation that this is their final position)
    -Do I need to buy new tickets before starting MCOL?
    -What should I do with the return part? Even if it was connected with outbound it still shows on my account like a separate flight…

    Sorry for all the questions…I hope someone can help

    • kitten says:
      10 Apr10 April 14:11

      You could start by saying when you bought the tickets and when the outbound flight was? also is BA actually flying the route and selling First Class on the replacement dates you have asked for but been refused.

      It sounds like all your rights and steps to take are in this chat 2 days ago : Jonatha, followed by Lady London, then a little while later by meta.

      • Princess says:
        10 Apr10 April 14:19

        Hi Kitten, thank you I’m going to check immediately . Flight were from London to Beijin. Bought them end of OCtober 2020. BA selling tickets for next year on the date I want. First is even available on avios atm , but of course full avios needed.

    • Jonathan says:
      10 Apr10 April 14:18

      Yes, you need to get them to refuse in writing & acknowledge this is their final decision.

      You then need to send them letter before action stating if they don’t acquiesce within 14 days you will initiate legal proceedings to recoup cost of alternative flights. Best to specify clearly in this letter what you want ie. First Class flights from LHR-SIN on x date as the rescheduling you are entitled to under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as incorporated into U.K. law as The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licencing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.

      If they don’t then play ball start small claims proceedings via. MCOL. For this you will need to claim a set monetary value not a replacement flight so will either need to make your own booking or get a reservation with a travel agent who will allow deferred payment. Personally I’d make a flexible booking myself as I have the liquidity & would want the credit card points (I generated 55k Avios this way on BAPP in 2019 strikes).

      Make sure it’s a flexible booking though so you can refund in worst case scenario of losing case (not that you would).

      Bear in mind that small claims track limit is £10,000 so if you’re claiming for First Class flights you might want to do separate claims to stay below this. If you go over £10k then you lose the low cost stipulations such as no legal representation. It’s still doable but gets messier.

      • Princess says:
        10 Apr10 April 14:25

        Hi Jonathan, thank you so much for your detailed reply! Stupid question do I send a physical letter or an email?

        • Rob says:
          10 Apr10 April 15:01

          Email is fine.

          • meta says:
            10 Apr10 April 16:24

            For letter before action (MCOL), if it goes to hearing, you won’t be able to prove that email actually arrived. BA can play dumb and say they never received it. So after you received their final response by email, send a letter before action by recorded delivery to BA.

    • Anna says:
      10 Apr10 April 14:21

      An email from BA confirming that this is their final position and referring you to the mediation scheme is sufficient to move on to MCOL/CEDR. However, you might now have been recorded as a no-show for your outbound flights which might affect proceedings – people have referred to it on here but I haven’t seen anything definitive.

      • Princess says:
        10 Apr10 April 14:27

        Hi Anna, thanks to reply. The outbound was cancelled and I called BA few days before the flight date to check I could decide when to move it after the original flight date and they said was fine…were they wrong? Inbound would be in 10 days

        • Lady London says:
          10 Apr10 April 14:36

          If it comes up be sure to ensure it’s clear you are being reasonable. Just have your reason ready why you can only replace the travel at the time of year you want eg leave restrictions at work or key part of trip was cherry blossom etc.

          • Princess says:
            10 Apr10 April 14:40

            Thanks Lady London. I would have been happy to go in October, but atm there are only rumours of China maybe reopening in October, the only other time I can take 3 weeks would at Easter time…

  • Gary Colclough says:
    10 Apr10 April 13:54

    On a BA 777 in First, what would be your preference between row 1 and row 4? (centre seats)

    Thanks

  • Aston100 says:
    10 Apr10 April 15:08

    Contacted Amex regarding no ability to refer from a newly activated Platinum card:
    Reply from Amex CS live chat:
    “you have opened the account recently. Account is automatically reviewed. Please keep account in good standing and make payment in full each month. And once system recognize eligible for offer then you will get the option to refer someone as well.”

    • TGLoyalty says:
      10 Apr10 April 15:10

      That’s odd. Activated a BAPP this morning and can refer already.

    • Jay says:
      10 Apr10 April 15:23

      That sounds about the quality of Amex CS Chat at the moment… they are appalling IME.

    • Harry T says:
      10 Apr10 April 15:27

      Chat aren’t good for this sort of thing sometimes. Best to ring Brighton.

  • Jay says:
    10 Apr10 April 15:25

    Any recommendations for Company Registered Office address service companies ?

  • bafan says:
    10 Apr10 April 16:03

    So when will be allowed to travel to Scotland? I’ve reached the old age of 28 and I’ve never been to the north of Manchester and maybe it’s time :).

    • Anna says:
      10 Apr10 April 16:11

      I would definitely recommend Scotland over the north of Manchester (unless you particularly want to visit Strangeways prison). We’ll possibly be allowed across the border from April 26th, but still waiting on a formal announcement. Hotel prices for May seem to be rising accordingly though!

      • bafan says:
        10 Apr10 April 16:18

        Damn autocorrect – meant to write north of Manchester*! Thanks – I’ll keep an eye out for the 26th – the Highlands look very relaxing – I can only visit Kensington Gardens so many times without it feeling like Groundhog Day…

        • Anna says:
          10 Apr10 April 17:35

          Scotland has indeed got some stunning landscapes. I always feel as though I’m in another country there (as indeed I would have been until 1708 or whenever), everything is different, the geography, the legal system, currency, language. It makes sense when you realise that millions of years ago Scotland was attached to Canada and England was where the Bahamas are today (we really got legged over on that one).

      • CH says:
        10 Apr10 April 16:18

        lol. HMP Manchester is Grade II listed and somewhat imposing (and offputting) though!

        • Anna says:
          10 Apr10 April 17:30

          Despite the imposing architecture apparently traditional visiting has now been replaced by delivering letters and gifts by drone directly into the prison yard.

    • BrianFGO says:
      11 Apr11 April 01:21

      Provisionally 26th April

  • David says:
    10 Apr10 April 16:23

    two results today – added 6 months to my ambassador AWD voucher
    and
    swapped my virgin LAX (£1000 value) for a future travel voucher (valid till Apr 2023) and two return upgrade vouchers – so I can now book a prem ecom (nearly always sub 1000) and upgrade when there is availability.

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