The HfP chat thread – Thursday 20th May

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• Steve says:

  20 May20 May 10:39

  Just opened a BAPP card, and I can see only 1 offer showing (the Urban Decay one). I’m wondering if I can get the “spend £1 get 2 avios up to £2000” offer on my card? I tried contacting chat but getting the usual “it’s targeted” response, any luck?

  • Jonathan says:

    20 May20 May 10:44

    You’ll need to start doing some spending before you’ll start to see good variety of offers appearing for this new card of yours

  • Aston100 says:

    20 May20 May 11:55

    We’ve had good luck getting certain offers added to our cards. Offers that we actually had use for. e.g. the recent Hilton offer, and previously Dell and IHG offers.
    Had to do it over the phone as the live chat agents are pretty useless.

    • SteveJ says:

      20 May20 May 14:10

      Good to know as been tryin live chat and getting nowhere, will try over the phone

  • David D says:

    20 May20 May 13:01

    It took a few weeks before any decent offers started showing up for me

  • TGLoyalty says:

    20 May20 May 13:22

    Unfortunately it is targeted. I did get an email about it so was able to get it added to my card. But unless you get something similar it’s unlikely to just turn up.

• dragonfly says:

  20 May20 May 10:44

  My ba amex plus card annual fee normally debited on 13th May – £195. I called them on that date to cancel it – hoping that they would not charge me the annual fee, then re-credit it. They offered to switch it over to the free fee blue ba amex card – which I accepted. However, the £195 went ahead, and today I looked at my amex account and they re-credited £181.20 back to my account on 14th May. Effectively, they charged me £13.90 for one day annual fee for the ba amex plus card 😩 This seems to be excessive? Should I contact amex and have a discussion with them? I still keep my amex plat card.

  • GavinK says:

    20 May20 May 10:56

    Why don’t you contact Amex and ask them to clarify how they have calculated the charge.

  • John says:

    20 May20 May 11:01

    £13.90 sounds like the fee for 26 days of holding the card. The fee being charged to your account on the 25th day after your card anniversary sounds about right

  • Harry T says:

    20 May20 May 11:51

    It’s £13.90 though. Is it even worth the hassle of discussing with Amex?

  • dragonfly says:

    20 May20 May 12:06

    Thanks all for your comments. I will contact amex and report back on the reason.

  • dragonfly says:

    20 May20 May 12:22

    OK, I phoned Amex and understood how the annual fee was calculated. My card started on 18th April, and the annual fee was billed the next month cycle – 13th May. Hence I was charged from 18th April to 13th May – £13.90. @John was correct. It made sense so I am OK with that.

• John says:

  20 May20 May 11:08

  For whoever was asking about CTA relaxations across Ireland.

  NI – Health Minister says “next week we will see further easing of restrictions with the re-opening of licensed and unlicensed premises indoors, the remainder of tourist accommodation and the further relaxation to the rules over visiting indoors.” (Formal announcement due later, but probably safe to book for next Monday onwards).

  ROI – Micheál Martin told his parliamentary party that there’s a “comprehensive statement” coming next week on travel, aviation, entertainment, sport and mandatory hotel quarantine as part of June/July reopening. (Suspect July’s a better bet, perhaps even August).

• James says:

  20 May20 May 11:18

  Bit of good news on the cancellation front I thought I would share.

  Had both legs of an American trip either cancelled or re-scheduled by Virgin for the end of May/Mid June.

  Rang up this morning expecting to do battle to get my dates of choice in the summer (mid July) as they were booked in the Black Friday Sale. I was armed with legislation for this, yet CS at Virgin could not have been more helpful. After a 25 minute hold it was changed within minutes, to the flights I wanted (same destination) without even a query ref money. Seats were available and are currently going for 4K in Upper per person.

  Perhaps things have changed and they recognise MCOL a little more?

  Knowledge is definitely Power.

  • Cal says:

    20 May20 May 11:50

    Where were you flying to? I have Seattle flights booked for July with VS. I booked in the 50% off points sale so would like to keep the current prices but move them back.

  • Travel Strong says:

    20 May20 May 12:13

    Sounds like a cash sale booking rather than points sale? Hopefully they are just as understanding in future weeks with 50% off points bookings!

    • James says:

      20 May20 May 16:14

      Cash booking at the £990 price and it was a Seattle Return yes

• PK says:

  20 May20 May 11:27

  Does Hong Kong charge interest or cash advance charges on topping-up Che with Bendy?

  • BS says:

    20 May20 May 11:29

    Yes. No point in using Bendy. Passes the MCC across. Topping up Che with any mastercard incurs a fee

    • Guernsey Globetrotter says:

      20 May20 May 12:46

      The Solihull mastercards don’t incur any fee other than interest when used to top up Che…

  • PK says:

    20 May20 May 13:07

    Thanks both.
    Does the Metal makes a difference or is the MCC passed on while using the Metal too?

    • TGLoyalty says:

      20 May20 May 13:23

      No difference.

• blenz101 says:

  20 May20 May 11:27

  Rob – as you are the original “Raffles” I thought you may be interested to see Raffles is coming to Dubai. I’m sure you know the property, can’t miss it when you get to the top of the Palm.

  https://whatson.ae/2021/05/raffles-the-palm-dubai/

  • BP says:

    20 May20 May 11:59

    Raffles are already in Dubai, just not on the Palm.

    • Rob says:

      20 May20 May 12:10

      Interesting. Be very afraid of any hotel promising a ‘beach club’ however. This means a) they sell beach access to anyone who wants it and b) there will be a DJ pumping out music 12 hours per day which will be heard in the rooms.

      • Aston100 says:

        20 May20 May 12:56

        You say that like it is a bad thing.

        • Rob says:

          20 May20 May 13:14

          People who pay £500+ per night generally see that as a bad thing. Look at recent reviews of the Four Seasons – whilst it didn’t open a beach club, the spot of beach next to it suddenly gained one. Park Hyatt Dubai has just turned over its man-made beach on the creek to a beach club operator.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          20 May20 May 13:24

          Some people 😉

      • Blenz101 says:

        20 May20 May 13:34

        White Beach at the Atlantis do just fine and disturb nobody. I can’t think of a single hotel in Dubai that doesn’t sell pool and beach access aimed at the expat community.

        Anyway, looks like I’ll have somewhere to burn some more Accor points and use my suite night upgrades. Pointless using them at the Sofitel Palm as always been give a beach suite when booking the lowest room type.

        • Rob says:

          20 May20 May 14:01

          Correct, but there is a difference between selling beach access and running a ‘Beach Club’ day(night)club.

    • Blenz101 says:

      20 May20 May 13:31

      Sorry, first Raffles resort. I’ve no idea why anybody would choose the other one. I had to go to the attached mall to collect my Saudi visa once.

      Awful part of town and one of the most neglected malls for sure.

• Sina says:

  20 May20 May 11:37

  Rob or anyone that knows – Just got an email from BA Amex Business card with a promo of 50K Avios, what are the requirements for this card? I canceled all my Amex cards in Feb, would I qualify for this promo?

  • Rob says:

    20 May20 May 12:15

    No requirements, oddly, apart from the requirements on having some sort of business. You get the bonus irrespective of what other Amex cards you hold.

    Can you email it across? rob@headforpoints.com. Makes it easier to answer other reader questions.

    • Sina says:

      20 May20 May 12:19

      Great, Thanks Rob! I’ve forwarded the email to you!

      • meta says:

        20 May20 May 13:03

        I just got the same email. Spend £3k in first three months get 50k bonus Avios plus the usual 2200 OnBusiness points. Apply by 10 June. Bonus Avios will deposited by 8 October.

    • Memesweeper says:

      20 May20 May 14:35

      I’d sign up had I received the email… which I haven’t — are you previous card holders?

      • Rob says:

        20 May20 May 14:48

        I spoke to Amex about this when they did a similar offer last month. They have used an algorithm to find BA Amex cardholders who look like they have a small business. It failed to spot me and did spot my mate who doesn’t have a business ….

        • kitten says:

          20 May20 May 15:37

          There’s a joke in there somewhere about why don’t they just email all of Boris’s and Matt’s contacts and there soon will be a business

        • Memesweeper says:

          20 May20 May 18:21

          Ah. I don’t have a BA card at the moment.

• Youllnever says:

  20 May20 May 11:37

  Looks like Costa will keep accepting Amex: https://twitter.com/askamexuk/status/1393161789911838722

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