The HfP chat thread – Saturday 15th May

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• Tazzy says:

  15 May15 May 09:39

  I live in Northern Ireland and have booked a week in Porto and Duoro valley in late June departing dublin (rubbish flight choice from Belfast). I am struggling to find what my testing requirements are from dublin. We are both fully vaccinated and I thought I read that if fully vaccinated then no testing required in return, but can’t find link again!

  • TGLoyalty says:

    15 May15 May 09:55

    The advice is changing often. What’s valid this week might not be on June 1st when EU hopes to open up travel more widely with their “green pass” fully vaccinated with EU approved vaccines+14 says, recently recovered from Covid 11 days to 6 months or had a negative test.

    I’d wait until closer to your flight to worry about any testing.

  • Colin says:

    15 May15 May 09:59

    Tazzy. As at present (might change by late June obviously) not quite so simple – PCR tests needed for entry to Portugal and PCR test needed for arrival back in Dublin from everywhere, even CTA regardless of vaccination status. And just to add to the difficulties, although you`ll only have to complete part of the passenger locator form as (presumably) you are heading straight back to NI, check the anomaly confirmed by our beloved Executive this week – as per BBC article today https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57119439

• AndyS says:

  15 May15 May 09:56

  A while back there was an offer on cheap rooms at Park Plaza hotels fully refundable. I booked one and now can’t go, but logging into the website trying to cancel it says “this reservation can’t be cancelled”. Yet just above on rate and cancellation details it says full cancelable up to the date of stay. What’s going on?

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    15 May15 May 10:15

    I had this issue just yesterday. Radisson IT is a bit ropey – in quite a lot of ways – and this is one of them. Phone call to hotel will resolve in moments once you are connected.

  • Harry T says:

    15 May15 May 10:23

    This happened to me before. I just emailed the hotel directly to cancel. Obviously screenshot the T&Cs.

    • AndyS says:

      15 May15 May 10:33

      thanks both

• Mung the merciless says:

  15 May15 May 09:57

  Morning all. My VIrgin card is due for renewal next month and they have written confirming they won’t be issuing a new card and will close my account due to reassessment of lending criteria.

  I’ve been hitting max spend (£25k) each month due to MS.

  Anyone any experience of this? Appeals? Reapplication after a fallow period?

  • Memesweeper says:

    15 May15 May 11:46

    Sad news. Thanks for the warning to others. Appeals to financial institutions on matters like this have, in my experience, always been a waste of time. Virgin Money might be different I suppose.

  • Genghis says:

    15 May15 May 12:24

    I bailed after they just wouldn’t pass my KYC. Others have complained and got traction. Worth a try I guess. I’ve not applied since.

  • Jay says:

    15 May15 May 12:39

    VM are a mess at the moment. Personally I wouldn’t kick up a fuss as it will probably be a long drawn out process and at the end of the day they are at liberty to open and close accounts as they see fit.

  • BP says:

    15 May15 May 19:50

    I’d submit a Data Subject Access Request asking for a copy of all internal correspondence relating to your account. May give more info on the actual reason.

• KS says:

  15 May15 May 10:18

  Off topic curve question here: I made a one off large fx transaction of 3k on Curve blue which had a fx fee. Now I have had partial refund on that transaction but not a partial refund of fee. Should I expect that or that’s too much to ask?

  • KS says:

    15 May15 May 10:21

    I cannot locate the T&Cs as well. If someone can point me to those that would be very helpful!
    TIA

    • KS says:

      15 May15 May 10:36

      Ignore that, I found the T&Cs. It seems silent on refund of fx fee though.

• PK says:

  15 May15 May 10:30

  Recently got an ARCC which I added to my Amex online account. When I try to add a supp card on ARCC, the system doesn’t show the ARCC rather it shows my other cards where I am the primary cardholder.

  Chatted with Amex to see if they can resolve the issue. They suggested to use a different browser and to use the app. I have done all that but no luck in adding a supp to my ARCC.

  Has anyone faced this issue in the past? If yes, please can you guide me on how to get it resolved.
  Thanks.

  • Aston100 says:

    15 May15 May 10:38

    This happened to me recently. Kept defaulting to the Platinum card.
    Amex eventually manually added the ARCC supplementary card and the MR along with a small boost for the trouble.
    Phone the number on the back of your card.

  • Travel Strong says:

    15 May15 May 10:38

    Create new account and add supp to the new account. For some reason need to do that a lot more at the moment for new cards and supps, compared to the past.

    • Reney says:

      15 May15 May 10:58

      We had this same discussion last week? It seems waiting a few days will help. I think I waited about 3 days and managed to add a card into an existing account. I am currently doing the wait for another account. It is a pain but I don’t want to have loads of login.

      One time customer service did put in an IT case for me, I don’t know if it was the IT or the waiting that allowed me to add the account.

      • Aston100 says:

        15 May15 May 18:26

        Not the same issue Reney.
        This is something else.

• Lou says:

  15 May15 May 10:33

  Random question… given that you can get Hilton Diamond status for 15 stays this year, and it would last until Mar 2023, is it worth chasing? There are some relatively inexpensive hotels about in reasonably interesting/reasonable commutes to reasonably interesting places.

  • Doug M says:

    15 May15 May 10:37

    Diamond is quite well regarded in comments here I’d say. But the answer to your question is entirely personal. How much will you spend getting the 15 nights, mattress runs or just moving stays to Hilton. Then what value will you get from Diamond, how many Hilton’s will you visit between achieving status and March 23. It’s really only one you can answer.

    • Lou says:

      15 May15 May 10:47

      The ‘runs’ would certainly form part of a trip/weekend away. Having been a bit rubbish with visiting UK cities in favour of European ones, 2021 does seem to be the year where the stars have aligned and to put that right.

      I would not see any aim to renew Diamond – 60 nights/30 stays doesn’t really work with my travel normally, so it would be the case of using up the perks for the 15-18 months once achieved.

  • Harry T says:

    15 May15 May 11:34

    Diamond are treated better than Gold, which everyone has. I think it’s worth chasing if you can make good use of the status until March 2023. Also depends where you would stay – for example, Diamond is no better than Gold at a Hampton but may score you an upgrade at a WA.

  • Peggerz says:

    15 May15 May 14:10

    Hi Lou.

    Depending on how low your status is in Hilton, you could gain Diamond after 9 days/nights.

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/01/16/hilton-diamond-status-match/

• Dan says:

  15 May15 May 10:40

  Anyone with British Gas and know how two pay the bill with an Amex? They changed from Paypoint to Payzone last year which cut off the Co-op route.

  The bill says its possible to pay at the post office (which normally does take Amex) but went there today and they said they don’t take credit card at all?

  • Nick says:

    15 May15 May 12:45

    Post Office only takes Amex for their services, not for bill paying. Not sure there’s a way unless you find a payzone shop that takes it.

    • Dan says:

      15 May15 May 12:47

      Thanks, looks like I’ll have to use my HSBC

  • Eugene says:

    15 May15 May 18:25

    I looked into this at some length yesterday. Amex via PO via Payzone may and only may work if you have a prepayment meter and are buying credit. If you have a Gas,electric or dual fuel normal meter then it’s a big fat nah. I paid using my Virgin+ card and changed from DD to card payment in future. Hope that helps.

• kpk1981 says:

  15 May15 May 10:43

  Looking to cancel AMEX Gold Credit Card as first year fee is due next month. Has anyone done it recently and been offered a MR bonus to stay?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    15 May15 May 10:53

    Yes 20k.

    • kpk1981 says:

      15 May15 May 11:25

      Were. there any conditions on this?

      • TGLoyalty says:

        15 May15 May 11:44

        Nope no conditions. I’ve kept it for now as I have offers I want to use plus I’ll use the £10 Deliveroo every month (since I use it anyway it’s genuinely free month) which offsets the monthly fee.

  • Jonathan says:

    15 May15 May 11:15

    Is the bonus you’d (assuming you’re given the offer) be worth the fee ?

    • kpk1981 says:

      15 May15 May 11:24

      Hoping to get a nice bonus offer and then leave soon after (have an ARCC to keep MR alive).

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