The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 11th May

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Jonathan says:

11 May11 May 12:51

Who else had an email from curve looking for investors? They appear to be targeting individuals and not corporate firms
- Steve says:
  
  11 May11 May 12:57
  
  See page 2 of this thread
egold says:

11 May11 May 13:08

Got a Europcar reward on Curve. a measly 5% but just in time for a rental next week
- Aston100 says:
  
  11 May11 May 14:00
  
  Did you find car hire prices have gone through the roof, or is it just me?
  - Anna says:
    
    11 May11 May 17:57
    
    They have – I managed to get a 7 seater American monster truck for August for around £450 for 2 weeks with BA/Budget and hoping they will let us swap it for something smaller if the trip goes ahead. Normal cars were at least £200 more. At least if we have to use the monster truck it won’t look out of place in Florida 🤣
    - Jonathan says:
      
      11 May11 May 18:32
      
      More like Texas !
  - egold says:
    
    12 May12 May 13:03
    
    looking for a 2 day rental the end of may. prices are insane
James says:

11 May11 May 13:27

Portugal->Spain land border now open with no passport checks.

Spain->France land border opens on 19th May. Unless you fancy hiking.
James. says:

11 May11 May 13:27

An update for IC o2. As they are a quarantine hotel they are not opening to the pubic. So those who have been able to book between May and June just note nothing is open. No bars, restaurant or SPA I have been told
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  11 May11 May 13:52
  
  There was need for a quarantine hotel near city to airport and they chose the IC!
  - James. says:
    
    11 May11 May 14:07
    
    I think they have chosen the IC and HIX in Greenwich both can not book
  - Tariq says:
    
    11 May11 May 17:24
    
    Probably tendered centrally by Arora Group – Renaissance LHR is a quarantine hotel and theirs too.
DT says:

11 May11 May 13:34

Looking to book a QR flight in J and wanting to earn TP. Is it possible to earn TP by booking on the QR website and entering BAEC number? Or should I book through BA website? Currently QR’s prices are a bit lower than BA’s for the same flights. Also if I book through BA onto a QR flight, who’s book with confidence policy am I under? I assume BAs
- J says:
  
  11 May11 May 13:57
  
  Book on QR’s site and add your BAEC number, either during booking or you can do it later (you can usually manage the booking via any OneWorld website or app once you have the booking reference – Finnair used to be the go-to one for adding exec club number though I believe the need to jump through that hoop may have now passed).
  
  You *can* book the same flights via the BA site if you want to, but I’ve almost always found it more expensive to book a codeshare (which is what I think you’d be doing) than to go direct to the operating airline.
  
  To your question about the book with confidence policy, that I don’t know – but another good reason for booking direct with the operating carrier (unless you have a good reason not to, e.g booking a holiday package via a travel agent etc) is that if it all goes wrong and flights get cancelled or delayed etc, you will likely have a much easier time of sorting it out than if you’ve booked via an intermediary or partner. Not to say you won’t still have a nightmare but it may be marginally less horrendous. I believe any potential Section 75 claim on your credit card will be a lot simpler if there’s no third party involved also – others may be able to advise better on that.
  - DT says:
    
    11 May11 May 14:22
    
    Thank you for the comprehensive answer J, very helpful and I think I will go ahead and book via QR, cheaper and your point with book with confidence policy is a good one!
    - AJA says:
      
      11 May11 May 14:32
      
      Perhaps too late and you’ve already booked but if you booked via BA the flights would have BA flight prefixes and count towards the 4 eligible required to gain or retain Silver or Gold status. Also you would earn more Avios as it would be per the BA earning table and earn bonus if Bronze or higher. That probably explains why the fares are more expensive.
Andrew says:

11 May11 May 13:46

Buy yourself a £300 Gift Card?

Costa does the rounds. I’ve got it on Virgin and MBNA at the moment too.
- DK says:
  
  11 May11 May 14:55
  
  POW has permanent 10% off Costa giftcards
Andrew says:

11 May11 May 13:55

Interesting to see how the use of offers changes future offers.

I bought a new pair of glasses in David Clulow two weeks ago using the Virgin Card. 10% offer was triggered on the £316 purchase. Future card offers on that stream have been slashed to 2%. I’m guessing there’s Card Clash, but the PAW in-store offer hasn’t triggered a second layer.

Next batch of contact lenses from John Lewis Opticians I think…
- KBuffett says:
  
  11 May11 May 19:55
  
  I buy my lenses online as they are significantly cheaper
Aston100 says:

11 May11 May 13:58

What is the risk of not giving new card details to an IHG hotel where you’ve cancelled a booking that was made with a card that is now cancelled?
The rate would normally lead to your first night deposit being forfeited.

They’ve said they will impose a penalty. But they don’t have any valid card details.
Obviously I should consider myself blacklisted by the specific property, but I wonder if there is to be any action from IHG later on?
- Aston100 says:
  
  11 May11 May 14:00
  
  I told them a month in advance that their own prices are now noticeably cheaper than what I was meant to have paid, and nearby Hilton properties are considerably cheaper, but they don’t want to negotiate.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    11 May11 May 16:11
    
    But why should they? You booked at a price and you were happy with the terms.
    
    Are you just trying to get out of going or want to stay somewhere cheaper?
    
    “You win some, you lose some”
    - Aston100 says:
      
      11 May11 May 16:27
      
      A little from column A, and a little from column B.
- JDB says:
  
  11 May11 May 14:05
  
  It sounds like an attempted fraud and your post provides the ‘intent’!
  - meta says:
    
    11 May11 May 14:30
    
    This is not a definition of fraud. It is something else which is not fulfilling contractual obligation. Basically, if the hotel wishes they can send you an invoice and letter before action and then take you to MCOL if you don’t pay.
    
    There is a risk a) being blacklisted by the property b) being banned from IHG Rewards and all points forfeited.
    
    However, reality might be different and hotel might chose it’s not worth their time pursuing this.
  - Aston100 says:
    
    11 May11 May 15:52
    
    No fraud.
    I’ve given them a month’s notice that I will be cancelling.
    No payment has been made/taken, and no stay has taken place (still a few weeks to go).
    They don’t have my current card details.
    I’m sure they’ll be able to re-allocate my rooms.
    
    Just checking if IHG might do something.
    I’m sure they’ve got bigger fish to fry, but looking for precedent if any.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      11 May11 May 16:12
      
      You seem sure but lots of hotels are choosing not to open until later in June/July. Demand can’t be that high!
      - Aston100 says:
        
        11 May11 May 16:25
        
        Half Term.
        AFAIK, this will be the first time families with school aged children will be allowed to go around the GB mainland and stay in hotels for leisure purposes.
        I’m fairly certain this popular location will have high occupancy at the time.
      - Aston100 says:
        
        11 May11 May 16:26
        
        First time this year I mean.
    - Anna says:
      
      11 May11 May 18:06
      
      Definitely not fraud, you’re not deceiving them about anything. At most you’re breaching a contract and failing to pay a bill. They could chase you through the courts but would they for that amount of money?
      Have you tried cancelling the booking? I have done this with a couple of supposedly non-refundable bookings and it worked; there was never any pushback from IHG. I did speak to someone at a CP who said they are being a lot more flexible with the Ts and Cs because of the pandemic – don’t know how long this will last though!
      - Aston100 says:
        
        11 May11 May 18:15
        
        I’ve cancelled the booking.
        Lets see if IHG send the heavies round (though I could offer them some complimentary breakfast if they come round in the morning – that should confuse the hell out of them).
      - James says:
        
        11 May11 May 18:41
        
        If you had a gym membership & just cancelled your card, the gym would still bill you and the cancelled card co would accept the charge (same as if you got a credit from a cancelled flight, on a cancelled card).
        
        No fraud here – just a liability to pay.
      - Anna says:
        
        11 May11 May 18:56
        
        They didn’t charge me for either cancelled booking – I don’t think that’s right about charging a cancelled card, I have had numerous notifications from Netflix and the like when I’ve cancelled an Amex and they can’t take the payment – it’s easier to wait for them to contact me than actively change all my payment methods every time I get a new card.
      - Aston100 says:
        
        11 May11 May 20:44
        
        I’ve definitely had Microsoft and Netflix contact me when I’ve cancelled a credit card that was setup for monthly billing.
- Genghis says:
  
  11 May11 May 14:44
  
  If you’re not happy with the price at the time of booking, why book a semi non-refundable rate?
- Steve-B says:
  
  11 May11 May 21:33
  
  I booked a non refundable room at HI Bristol Airport a couple of years back. Card on file was an expired Amex. Didn’t stay… didn’t get charged… didn’t loose any sleep over it 🙂 Left it a while before updating it on the IHG site though.
  - Aston100 says:
    
    12 May12 May 02:01
    
    Thanks Steve.
    Useful to know.