The HfP chat thread – Monday 17th May

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• Chris says:

  17 May17 May 10:52

  Tried a search and couldn’t find an answer; if you book business class Qatar tickets on avios do you get lounge access? (Am BA GGL if it makes a difference)

  • Alex says:

    17 May17 May 13:13

    Yes you do – it’s only the cheapest fare bucket which don’t I believe

    • Chris says:

      17 May17 May 17:39

      Thanks 🙂

• Jim says:

  17 May17 May 10:53

  Since Lloyds avios is closing down soon, would you get VA+/HK Premier for Ernie/ equivalent? Which one is more flexible?

  • Rhys says:

    17 May17 May 10:54

    Depends on which points are more useful to you.

    • Imran says:

      17 May17 May 11:09

      HK will shut you down if they see too many Ernie transaction on your account! They blocked my card account briefly last year pending a review. I somehow came out of that review, but wouldn’t risk it again.

      • Sam G says:

        17 May17 May 11:24

        Yep – I’ve had a review of legit loads to revolut for currency exchange, they don’t like it at all . The person I spoke to was certainly fully aware of / not a fan of Curve as he mentioned those transactions (all legit, small amounts)

        • Jim says:

          17 May17 May 11:35

          Hmm – that doesn’t sound too promising! Might have to rethink strategy

        • Andrew M says:

          17 May17 May 12:00

          Does anyone have any experience of general Curve spend on the WE card raising a flag with HSBC?

    • Imran says:

      17 May17 May 12:08

      Yes, I was questioned about why I use Curve for all the transactions when my WE card was under the review last year. I just came up with a cock and bull story to say that it is convenient to just carry and use one card (Curve) for all my needs, rather than carry multiple cards.

      Not sure if they bought the story, but I was given a slap on the wrist to say that I should desist from paying off financial institutions from the WE card.

      • AD says:

        17 May17 May 12:32

        Hi Imran, how long did it took before you were questioned about curve transactions, if you don’t mind me asking please. I’ve been paying off beardy using this avenue lately, many thanks

      • Toppcat says:

        17 May17 May 14:46

        I have used HK with Curve for years for legitimate transactions, and no issues at all. I have never used it for MS though.

      • Nigel W says:

        17 May17 May 14:47

        I started to use my Premier WE card for some MS activities but stopped that for now seeing several comments of people having their accounts reviewed.

        • LST says:

          17 May17 May 18:29

          I have put through £50k HMRC SA in Jan, £50k ERNIE in Feb (which will be left on deposit for the foreseeable future) and have paying my Amex bills (£2-5k a month) via Curve since December without having anything flag – yet!

• Frankie says:

  17 May17 May 11:13

  I too can confirm booze is back in the lounge. South lounge open this morning for CW (though half of it cordoned off) and CW check in/bag drop very quiet at 10am this morning.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    17 May17 May 13:11

    No surprise.

    It only disappeared because that was the law.

• Christina says:

  17 May17 May 11:17

  Are there any tips for paying sainsos bank with bendy metal? I can’t get any permutation to work.

  • mark2 says:

    17 May17 May 12:47

    I have paid them with bendy metal and Lloyds Avios.

    • Tariq says:

      17 May17 May 18:03

      Interesting, last time I tried was a couple months ago with Bendy HK and it didn’t work. Will give it another go tonight.

• TJ says:

  17 May17 May 11:30

  Booking.com offering a 10% travel credit off future bookings…need to activate offer via app. Offer is additional to any existing discount you already get with them (for being Genius level).

• Si says:

  17 May17 May 12:07

  Was it tonight the first person had their Sheraton stay booked?

  Let us know how it goes and what service receive – especially if it was the person who received the downgrade email [Ed?]

  I’m there in couple weeks and haven’t received an email or anything – so hoping it’s still promising for the whole caboodle

  • Memesweeper says:

    17 May17 May 12:32

    The reported email stated a technical fault IIRC. This might be as innocent as it sounds — something might be broken.

    No other reports of upgrade/downgrade emails.

    The room is not for sale on the days I’ve booked, but it is on other days that week. I’m not expecting any issues at check-in.

  • APB says:

    17 May17 May 13:01

    I thought it was tonight but on checking availability at the Sheraton the Grand Suite is available tonight.
    Doesn’t look as if anyone else has had the email – certainly haven’t seen any reports on here.

  • APB says:

    17 May17 May 13:02

    And IIRC the chap with the downgrade email was 22nd May

• AndyH says:

  17 May17 May 12:12

  Connecting different bookings, and upgrades:
  This may be obvious but I have a question about connecting together different IHG bookings and whether the date order of the bookings makes a difference. Am looking at signing up for Ambassador and booking the IC Edinburgh with a paid night to trigger the related bonus points and Ambassador upgrade, but then combining this with a credit card free night and potentially also a points night. I assume that booking the paid night first would be the most likely way to keep an upgraded room across the other, follow-up nights, or does the order that the nights are booked in not matter? The first night on the potential dates I am looking at is the most expensive and the last night the cheapest so cheapest approach would be (1) credit card night followed by (2) paid Ambassador night, and this would mean I assume that we would get to keep the Ambassador upgrade and late check-out on the last day (if we make it three nights then doing CC/points/Ambassador in that order would be even better) but I’m not sure if doing it this way around would make it much less likely of an upgrade being provided across the whole joined booking? Not done this before, so any thoughts appreciated.

  • Sandra says:

    17 May17 May 12:37

    The first night of the Ambassador booking has to be paid with the second night the free one (if you mean using the Ambassador w/e voucher?). You can normally only book a standard room with points/CC and will probably have to discuss with the hotel if you can upgrade those nights to the same as the Ambassador if those are booked first. It depends on the generosity of the hotel really, I have had mixed results, some let you keep the Ambassador room if you also have points/free nights booked with it, some have charged extra to keep the room and benefits but I normally book Ambassador night first followed by anything else averaging the cost out over the 3 nights (or whatever).

    • Sandra says:

      17 May17 May 12:42

      To add to that you will also have to do them as separate bookings, Ambassador weekend, CC and points and ask to the hotel to then link up the bookings, you can’t make them all on one booking unfortunately!

• Gary says:

  17 May17 May 12:14

  Virgin cancelled one way reward booking TLV – LHR for 18 May. Is this covered by EC261 in terms of re routing as Originating fr Israel despite being a British carrier? Thinking of paying for ticket & MCOL if Vs refuses re routing on El Al who is still operating.

  • Rhys says:

    17 May17 May 12:16

    Yes, EU261 has been subsumed into UK law so you are covered under the same regulations.

  • ChrisC says:

    17 May17 May 13:30

    There is also an Israeli version of EU/UK 261 which in some reelects is better than out version.

    Check the ElAl board on flyer talk as they have some threads on it.

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