The HfP chat thread – Sunday 27th June

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• Ben says:

  27 Jun27 June 14:57

  Hi
  Was reading this article about the change of 241. It doesn’t specifically mention First but can I please check that new vouchers gained on the paid card allow redemptions against this class?
  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/06/02/british-airways-american-express-changes/
  Cheers!

  • Rob says:

    27 Jun27 June 14:58

    Yes, they will. However, there is no First Class Avios availability at the moment as BA is unwilling to offer it when it has no real idea what aircraft will be flying where – it doesn’t want to be on the hook for downgrade compensation.

    • Grimz says:

      27 Jun27 June 20:51

      I have first class seats booked for September to Phoenix. If BA cancel do I have the rights to ask BA to rebook me on a first class flight within the next year?

• illuminatus says:

  27 Jun27 June 15:00

  My cut-off for earning an Amex BA voucher is June 30. I have literally £12 left to spend but have been holding off as long as I can to extend the life of the voucher once earned as have many more outstanding.

  Is is safe triggering the spend on June 29, or is it pushing luck and I’d better do it today?

  • roberto says:

    27 Jun27 June 15:09

    Spend.
    3 days at the other end is neither here nor there.
    Safe not sorry.

• TheInsiderFly says:

  27 Jun27 June 15:45

  Please can someone remind of the best option in this scenario?
  BA just cancelled my flight to OPO on 29JUL and offered 28JUL departure instead. I still want to travel on 29JUL so is the only option to take the cash refund and rebook elsewhere? Or is there some way of getting BA to rebook me on TAP, for example? TIA

  • meta says:

    27 Jun27 June 15:50

    Same issue last year. They will offer you to go at your own expense to Lisbon and take flight from there. I’d suggest booking yourself on TAP or stay two extra days in Porto at Ba’s expense, but you’ll need in both scenarios take them to small claims (MCOL). Read up on how to do this in daily chats as this is the most common question.

  • Sam G says:

    27 Jun27 June 15:52

    BA won’t put you on TAP. You can call and ask and when they say no ask them to note on your booking that you don’t accept. Then you can book TAP and ask BA for the difference in fare under your EC 261 rights. Might end up going to CEDR or MCOL to get it.

    Don’t take a refund from BA, once you’ve done that you don’t have any further rights

    • TheInsiderFly says:

      27 Jun27 June 16:23

      Would I need to get the return OPO-LON on TAP too then since if I no-show for the outbound alternative they have offered my return flight would auto-cancel?

      • Sam G says:

        27 Jun27 June 17:42

        They can delete the unconfirmed LHR-OPO segment from the booking but I’m not sure if you can use the underlying ticket in the “wrong” order. Is there much of a fare difference? If it’s a few quid I’d just take it on the chin I think, save the hassle.

        • Memesweeper says:

          27 Jun27 June 19:50

          +1

          I’ve fought successfully but it’s a fight, in my case 5* long haul in business. Price difference in booking elsewhere was massive. If you value your time take the refund and shop around.

• Ed says:

  27 Jun27 June 16:15

  Can someone please remind me what the rules are regarding 241 Avios bookings which have been converted to a FTV, can you still cancel these for £35pp? If so can that be done directly, or do you need to do a dummy booking and then cancel? Thanks

  • Sam G says:

    27 Jun27 June 17:43

    You can get them refunded for £35pp directly, don’t need to make a booking

    • Anna says:

      27 Jun27 June 18:33

      How do you do that then? Ring BA?

      • Sam G says:

        27 Jun27 June 18:34

        Yep

    • Ed says:

      27 Jun27 June 19:53

      Thanks

• Chrism20 says:

  27 Jun27 June 16:17

  As it’s review Sunday I’m just back from five nights at the Mercure London Bridge which was a stay booked by work – they originally tried to book Kensington but after comments on here about that one I managed to push back.

  I must say I was quite impressed. My experience of Mercure properties is quite limited (Mainly the ex-Jarvis properties so anyone who has stayed at any of them will understand) so my expectations were quite low.

  I was upgraded to a room with a small balcony which faced towards the Hilton Bankside. Room was a decent size with an excellent shower. AC worked really well, nespresso machine & fridge etc and the shower was excellent.

  Breakfast on weekdays was served at the table with coffee self service. You could order the night before if you wanted. On Saturday morning it was a served buffet which the staff seemed to get themselves it a little muddle, I think they would have been better sticking with the one service rather than chop and change. The quality of the food at breakfast was good although they only had streaky bacon.

  I had dinner twice. Once in the bar and once in the Marcos restaurant. Same menu and pricing across both and the appear to be offering the full menu rather than a scaled back one. The food was decent enough both nights although the crispy calamari could possibly have been a bit crispier if I have to picky.

  Staff were very friendly checked each morning if housekeeping and/or supplies were needed for the room. Quite a few trainees on reception but they seemed to know the basics and who to ask if it was something they couldn’t help with.

  All in all it was far better than I expected it to be, if only all Mercure properties were of this standard it would actually be a decent brand.

• James says:

  27 Jun27 June 17:02

  Just ordered some wine from BA Wine Flyer to take advantage of an offer on my BA Amex – it’s pending on my card as Laithwaites and haven’t received an email like normal confirming the offer. Has this tracked OK for anyone else?

  • Phil W says:

    27 Jun27 June 17:54

    I’ve had the same. Hopefully someone on here will confirm whether deal tracks.

  • Joe says:

    27 Jun27 June 18:06

    I ordered from Laithwaites (not via Wine Flyer) – didn’t get the email, but it tracked 4/5 days later and the credit has been applied.

• Gtellez says:

  27 Jun27 June 17:09

  Following with hotel reviews. I checked out this morning from Trump Turnberry after 3 amazing nights there.
  We booked it with 2 night certificates (titanium gift) plus 35k points, so really good £ value per point, considering cash rates of £400+. We applied suite night certificates to be upgraded to the Ocean View Suite (that cost over £1000 a night) – awesome suite! The living room is huge, never been in a larger suite before. A big basket of fruit and two big bottles of water were left everyday complimentary. The first day we had some macaroons in the room plus a hand written letter from GM.
  Overall the stay could not be better, the service is superb, food really really good (and not as expensive as I thought, no more than average central London restaurants). We tried all the restaurants and everything was especially good, my favorite was a lobster and prawn spaghetti (probably best seafood pasta I’ve try before). Afternoon tea quite good too, we had it one day at our room (quite expensive room service fee at £10 IMO).
  Breakfast for free for platinum/titanium and really good, my favorite the Eggs Benedict. It is continental plus one a la cart dish.
  Nice spa too, although only one hour per night allowed due to Covid and has to be booked in advance (we did it by email one week before arriving).
  The hotel was fully booked, so unfortunately they didn’t give us late check-out, however we stayed for another hour at the spa after check out.

  • Harry T says:

    27 Jun27 June 17:38

    Thanks, I am also Titanium and I am weighing up a stay in July. I’m heartened to hear the service remains excellent.

    Breakfast benefit sounds good – I had heard in the past that they only offered continental breakfast for elites.

    I think they refurbished the rooms this year – did you notice this?

    • Gtellez says:

      27 Jun27 June 17:59

      Yes, everything looks very fresh. It is very classy but at the same time modern.

  • Aso40 says:

    27 Jun27 June 19:02

    We stayed for 2 nights last week, and had a very similar experience. Really liked the suite and the food, though it is probably a bit skewed by the very cheap points and certificate and SNA usage.

    We also enjoyed using the pitch and putt course at the front of the hotel. They don’t seem to mention this anywhere, but it is free to use and the porters will provide clubs and balls.

    • Doommonger says:

      27 Jun27 June 20:24

      There’s a good reason why the R&A won’t put Turnberry back on the Open schedule.
      Doomey.

• PK says:

  27 Jun27 June 17:10

  Please can someone remind me of the trick to pay at Morrison’s fuel station using gift cards.
  Thanks.

  • Harry T says:

    27 Jun27 June 17:40

    I’ve never had to use a trick. I just ask to pay with a gift card at the counter in the petrol station.

  • EwanG says:

    27 Jun27 June 17:40

    No trick. Just tell the person at the kiosk that you want to pay using a gift card, they select that on their screen, scan your card and make the payment!

  • Phil W says:

    27 Jun27 June 17:57

    Never an issue for me. Just handed the gift cards over.

    • EwanG says:

      27 Jun27 June 18:45

      Occasionally they think it’s a Morrisons (staff?) discount card and say it can’t be used but are fine when realise it’s a gift card.

  • Lord Doncaster says:

    27 Jun27 June 18:44

    The cashier needs to press “gift card” on the payment screen before scanning your giftcard for payment.

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