The HfP chat thread – Monday 7th June

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Joints&Piles says:

7 Jun7 June 13:55

Heathrow Rewards continues to be out of service. At least 6 weeks now. Any info on what’s happening / whether it will return?
stevenhp1987 says:

7 Jun7 June 14:00

Can anyone get through to BA Holidays? Just keeps kicking me out saying “We’re sorry we can’t take your call right now…”

Got a flight out next weekend and need to sort out the return cancelled flight!
- Anna says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 15:53
  
  Twitter? My first reply has disappeared into the ether but may have used a non-approved word?
- Ryan B says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:08
  
  I managed to get through earlier on the 4th attempt. I then had to hold for an hour to speak to someone. Would be better if they didn’t make you listen to 2 mins of recorded messages before finding out if they’ll actually take the call.
- Zoe P says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 17:36
  
  I managed to sort similar out via live chat a month ago!
Rh says:

7 Jun7 June 14:19

My friend has just gone though Faro airport in the last hour or so – no queues at all, he did have all his tests completed and paperwork ready before he got there though!
- Babyg says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 14:41
  
  thanks for this, good to know.. wonder what the queues will be like on the later flights, last BA flight is a 777… apparently there a 1000 extra seats have been added with more flights/larger planes…
  - Rh says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 14:44
    
    He was flying Faro to Bmth with Ryanair, but said it was all good!
  - Rich says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 15:01
    
    I’d love to know the economics of swapping out for a 777. It’s not like there’s any demand for outbound travel, so you’d be looking for the extra seats you can sell to cover the (considerable) extra cost of changing equipment, crews etc.
    - Super Secret Stuff says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 15:10
      
      Probably massively works out in BAs favour as EasyJet et al. don’t have significantly larger planes so you have a large group of people looking for the last few planes out willing to pay whatever on the assumption there travel insurance or original airline will cover it.
      
      If I was BA, I would be sending multiple 777s. They are all currently sold out, the fastest connecting flights you can do is £300+ one way per person on AF
      - Rich says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 15:19
        
        If you connect in Paris (or anywhere) you’ll be amber.
        
        The flights I’m seeing on BA are ‘only’ £350. (Far less than the £750 I was seeing last week) Maybe that’s enough to cover costs
      - Super Secret Stuff says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 15:32
        
        That will more than cover costs, since the plane is currently sat there on the group they only need to cover variable costs. Anything above that is offsetting current losses but also BA are thinking about all the refunds or re-routing they could be liable for if they don’t offer more capacity. Best for them to put the effort in
      - egold says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 16:29
        
        if you connect in an Amber country, you’re better off enjoying your holiday till the end. you’ll anyway need to quarantine
- Phil says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:06
  
  Random data point. I used to be a Revenue Analyst for BMI. An Embraer 145 NWIABZ back in had Fixed Costs of c.£1400 one-way. The average variable cost per pax was c.£12 per sector. So to breakeven a return journey required revenue of (2 x £1,400) + £12 x P), where P was the number of Pax. It wasn’t quite as simple as that as there may have been some ancillary revenue from the airports, retrospective volume discounts on the fuel and the parking fees for having the plane grounded.
  
  This was 2002/2003 so I’m sure there will have been some considerable inflation and a 777 will be several multiples of this in terms of Fixed Costs and Variable costs but I thought it might be interesting to my fellow geeks.
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 16:40
    
    That is indeed interesting. Assuming inflation of 10x BA for both variable costs (primarily due to fuel price) and 10x for fixed costs (between bigger aircraft and inflation), I’m sure BA are making a fair bit of money off the flights although would probably prefer the route was open!
Rh says:

7 Jun7 June 14:23

He sent me a load of photos today – said it is a bit different to the media reports!
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 14:42
  
  Isn’t everything this past year …
H says:

7 Jun7 June 14:32

Does anyone have an Igloo referral code they’d like to share?
- 747_Brat says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 14:34
  
  https://refer.igloo.energy/neerajg3609
  - H says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 14:50
    
    Thanks. Have signed up.
Tracy says:

7 Jun7 June 14:38

Anyone complain about room temperature overnight? Currently on day 3 of a 5 night stay in a hotel with no air con. Window open all day & night and a room fan on 24hrs. This is a UK stay….temp in the room overnight was
Night 1 24 degrees
Night 2 23 degrees
Night 3 26 degrees
Complained at reception this am and was told we could move have more fans…
- Harry T says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 14:56
  
  Yes, I had this issue in York and they didn’t have any fans. After a very sweaty night, we checkout early and we’re refunded for the second night we didn’t stay for. My only regret is that I didn’t walk on the first night, but it was late and we were tired.
  - Tracy says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 15:58
    
    We are here for 5 nights. Put up with 23 & 24 on first 2 nights but 26 last night was unbearable….
    - KBuffett says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 16:36
      
      It would depend of the type of place you have booked. I have found Hilton service recovery to be excellent.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 18:25
      
      Where is “here” and did they advertise air con?
      - Tracy says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 21:47
        
        Hilton Templepatrick and no aircon advertised. Have been here before but in winter so knew there was no aircon….hence why I put up with the first 2 nights but really struggling with 26 overnight
- IanM says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 15:35
  
  Really? Did you check the weather forecast and find it was too hot to go on a staycation?
  If the hotel didn’t advertise ac then how can you expect it.
  - Harry T says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 15:46
    
    My hotel did say it had air con, which is why I was a bit cross!
    - IanM says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 17:20
      
      Understandable. I have had the same experience in a Premier in near Bath, but they didn’t have any AC so not much to complain about except my own stupidity
- Blenz101 says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 19:34
  
  So you have already complained and been offered a solution. If they had a/c and it was broken or advertised as having it and didn’t you would have cause for complaint.
  
  Does your own home have A/C?
  - Tracy says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 21:48
    
    Yes but at least at home my windows open more than 3cm…….
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      7 Jun7 June 21:57
      
      I guess you could ask them to let you leave early for no penalty ?
      - Tracy says:
        
        7 Jun7 June 22:34
        
        Yes we probably should but sitting with 2 fans running just now…..location is just too good to pass up, only a couple of minutes from my dads care home, the main reason for the visit. Apparently they have signed off on full renovations to the hotel so hopefully aircon next time I stay 🤞
Lee says:

7 Jun7 June 14:49

Got email about flight change what options do I have?
I have two avios bookings to Maldives for Oct half term,
1st booking is London – Male then Doha – London on BA as there was no availability for Male to London
2nd booking Male to Doha on Qatar
Now Male to Doha flight has been moved for 10 hours later which I will have no time to connect in Doha. As that’s two separate booking I guess I will have no other options to put with BA. But any suggestion will help, thanks!
- Rob says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 14:58
  
  Qatar was advertising the other day that it has just lunched a 4th daily flight to Male – seems odd if there is now a 10 hour gap. I wouldn’t be stressing at the moment given all the other moving pieces though.
  
  High chance BA adds additional direct flights which you may be able to jump on if you’re quick enough when seats are released.
  - Lee says:
    
    7 Jun7 June 15:29
    
    Thanks Rob, seems that Qatar cancelled early morning flight. Called BA and managed moving flight to a better time. Although still a slim chance we could go by then.
Michael O'Donnell says:

7 Jun7 June 15:22

QUESTION

I hold a business amex gold,and a personal premium ba black amex

My friend wants an amex preferred amex gold personal… how do i /can i refer or invite him so that we both get bonus points?

Thanks
- Rob says:
  
  7 Jun7 June 16:03
  
  Works off either card. Send a link for the card you have (see which has the biggest bonus) and the recipient can choose to not get that card and pick any card they want.