The HfP chat thread – Saturday 10th April

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• Gavin says:

  10 Apr10 April 16:26

  I’m being sent in circles by BA over a £35 refund that I’m due. It’s been about 2 months since the refund was requested, and I’ve already had the Avios back. Customer Service seems almost deliberately obtuse misunderstanding the case – they have claimed I cannot be eligible for a refund as I requested a FTV in May last year, however subsequently to this I rebooked new flights for March this year with the FTV, and they were then cancelled, opening up my eligibility for a refund. I can’t seem to dispute the charge with my Amex online, the original charge was 2 years ago. What next? MCOL?

  • ChrisC says:

    10 Apr10 April 16:37

    Write to BA legal and give a very brief factual account and tell them if you don’t get your money in 14 days (though in practice give them a few days longer to allow for the post) you will take them to MCOL

    BA legal hate having to deal with what are essentially customer services failures,

    • The cyclist says:

      10 Apr10 April 21:09

      I say don’t bother, life’s too short to worry about £35.
      Crack open a beer and start planning your hols.

  • Harry T says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:29

    I would have just done a chargeback or let it be. Not worth wasting your time for £35, even if they are in the wrong.

    • kitten says:

      10 Apr10 April 22:59

      Too late though Harry… BA has dragged it out and he’s out of time.

  • Charlieface says:

    11 Apr11 April 00:10

    You could try claim from Amex under section 75, but I’m not entirely sure you have a valid claim, as technically that contract was fulfilled when you used up the credit on a new flight.

    • Lady London says:

      11 Apr11 April 00:20

      someone asked somewhere I saw, and the answer was even if they took a voucher/FTV the first time round, if they’d used it to book a flight that got cancelled then yes they had the right to get a full refund on the second flight.

• Wally1976 says:

  10 Apr10 April 16:59

  Oh, no, thought I’d take advantage of the 12k Gold Amex referral and get my wife to refer me for Nectar card. Been rejected for the first time ever by Amex. Hope they’re not tightening up their criteria!

  • YC says:

    10 Apr10 April 17:10

    Interesting (launch aggressive acquisition deals but tightened up acceptance criteria?) Are you currently a long standing customer?

    • Wally1976 says:

      10 Apr10 April 17:33

      I’ve had Amex cards for a few years now, with some breaks. I’ve currently got BAPP, Gold and ARCC and was trying to add Nectar. It’s my 6th Amex application in 6 months and it’s only 3 months since last cancelled Nectar card. Maybe taking the mick a bit too much!

      • Jay says:

        10 Apr10 April 17:39

        I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. Based on cost to acquire and open an account, card print and distribution costs etc, I think I would give it a break for a while.

• DK says:

  10 Apr10 April 17:13

  Anyone having app issues with paying off Virgin credit card?

  • James says:

    10 Apr10 April 17:29

    Why use the awful app? Just faster payment from bank account.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    10 Apr10 April 17:52

    No paid this morning.

  • Jonathan says:

    10 Apr10 April 18:20

    I paid via debit card in the app a couple of days ago, and today I got a text reminding me to pay, and when I checked my balance the payment appeared to have been received!

• Mike1 says:

  10 Apr10 April 18:07

  3 bonus MR for £1 spent on Amex Gold for Sainsbury’s.

  Assume that applies to gift card? T&C don’t seem to exclude it.

  • Mike1 says:

    10 Apr10 April 18:08

    Would someone take 4% off over 3 bonus MR?

  • Rob says:

    10 Apr10 April 18:10

    Amex won’t know …

  • Harry T says:

    10 Apr10 April 18:24

    Yeah, it’ll work for gift cards. Supermarkets in the UK don’t provide detailed information to credit card companies (I think some do in the states due to the hilarious MS opportunities over there with bonuses on gift cards etc).

• Aston100 says:

  10 Apr10 April 19:08

  Spoke to Amex CS again, on the phone this time.
  They said that all new cards no longer have the ability to refer people right away.
  I asked if this was something new as I didn’t have this problem on previous cards. The agent said this is a new policy.

  Given the amount of BS I’ve had from live chat agents, I am not confident.
  Has anyone else had a problem with not being able to refer from a newly received card?
  This is her first Platinum if that helps.

  • Aston100 says:

    10 Apr10 April 19:09

    Gah, this was meant to be a reply to my post on the previous page where I am unable to find a way to refer from a newly activated Platinum and livechat were seemingly talking nonsense… or were they??

  • Jody says:

    10 Apr10 April 19:20

    I really hope that isn’t true. Have just referred my husband for the gold card, then when he gets it the plan is to refer me for the BA premium card.

  • YC says:

    10 Apr10 April 19:43

    Noticed this too (recent plat card). Not sure if plat is being targeted for this policy given the generous referral bonus

  • The cyclist says:

    10 Apr10 April 20:06

    Is this a real or pretend wife? Amex have quite sophisticated systems these days. Back in the day my first “wife” was called Cyril in the real world!

  • Patrick Cold says:

    10 Apr10 April 20:29

    Yes, I was not able to refer yesterday. I have referred many people over the years but only one this year. My card is a couple of months old.

  • Harry T says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:07

    Sounds like bullshit to me.

    • Aston100 says:

      10 Apr10 April 21:37

      Harry T, is it though?
      That is three people on this page alone that are unable to refer from new cards.

      Makes sense to me if they are trying to prevent people gaming the system at a time when the referral bonuses have been enhanced.

      @The Cyclist. LOL, yes my wife is real.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:53

    I’ve literally just registered a new card received today and can refer (the Amex account has another live card)

    • Niall says:

      10 Apr10 April 21:56

      Did you say previously this was a BAPP or did I imagine that? If so, perhaps this is something Amex have done with new platinum cards?

      Has anyone received a new platinum card and can do referrals?

• AnotherUser says:

  10 Apr10 April 19:43

  I’ve got about 6 months before I’m eligible for the sign up bonus for the amex personal platinum again. If I sign up for BAPP amex now, will I still be able to get the sign up bonus for the platinum?

  • Hotelier says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:23

    Yes, Platinum Personal no MR card in last 24 months

  • Rob says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:49

    Yes

    • AnotherUser says:

      11 Apr11 April 00:12

      Thanks Hotelier and Rob 🙂 I’ll sign up for the BAPP while my partner’s referral bonus from platinum is boosted, then

• James says:

  10 Apr10 April 19:43

  If this is true, I wouldn’t be surprised. Why wouldn’t AMEX want to stop people blatantly gaming the system while they have enhanced offers in referrals?

  • Harry T says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:09

    Don’t think Amex would increase the referral bonuses if they didn’t want people to refer…

    • Hotelier says:

      10 Apr10 April 21:24

      They will want to encourage genuine new clients making the offer too good to resist rather than those of us already addicted to it!!

    • meta says:

      10 Apr10 April 21:40

      People were clearly abusing the system. Some reported here before spending £4k or £10k (for Business Amex) immediately, referring people for 90k points, transferring points out then closing the card before even the annual fee hit. Then came here to brag about it.

    • James says:

      11 Apr11 April 01:18

      And using the same logic, Harey, what are your thoughts on why Amex introduced the 2 year rule for bonus eligibility on most cards?

      • James says:

        11 Apr11 April 01:19

        * Harry

• old bob says:

  10 Apr10 April 21:15

  I’m really looking forward to good six pint session with Geoff when the pub opens again on Monday, pity the weather forecast is not great.

  • Hotelier says:

    10 Apr10 April 21:27

    I’m off for the whole week. If I need to be with an umbrella and a coat to sit and have a pint so be it.
    Someone called me at my job asking if we were postponing the opening of the outdoor spaces due to Price Phillip’s passing… I will have my first drink in his honour.

    • old bob says:

      10 Apr10 April 21:32

      Absolutely agree, I will will raising a glass in his memory.

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