The HfP chat thread – Friday 13th August

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

• Jason says:

  13 Aug13 August 13:32

  anyone else having issue with Amex site being slow

• r* says:

  13 Aug13 August 13:40

  Does anyone have any suggestions for best use of a free night up to 40k points IHG voucher or for a free night voucher from the credit card?

  Prefer EU rather than UK but ideally looking for somewhere thats either normally an expensive hotel to get max value from the voucher or where I’d likely be given good upgrades as spire-amb (louge or suites?)

  • Ryan says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:46

    The free night does not have any points cap. Only the US card is a points cap of 40k.

    I gifted my free night to my parents, they went to Voco in Cardiff, best room they’ve ever stayed in. Upgraded and overlooking the bay + 2 free drinks – usually a £300 a night room

    • Genghis says:

      13 Aug13 August 14:09

      The AMB offer had a cap of 40k though, didn’t it?

      • r* says:

        13 Aug13 August 14:19

        Yeah, I have two, the amb 40k limited one and the uk card no limit one 🙂

  • Reney says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:06

    I have the US card which is capped and honestly really hard to find outsized value given dynamic pricing of rewards. I managed to book Kimpton St Honore for 40k per night using 2 vouchers that is now 100k ish per night. In case my Paris trip did not go ahead I spent hours looking at IHG hotels, was thinking of spending a couple of days at Wotton House near Surrey which looks nice enough. Also saw a really nice place in Ireland for which I can’t remember the name. My advice is be very flexible and spend a lot of time on the app. I think if somewhere is around 60k per night on a quiet day it may price at 40k per night if lucky. I will watch this thread with interest as I have just received my 40k free night for this year.

  • Colin MacKinnon says:

    13 Aug13 August 15:58

    The UK stay two nights and get a free night up to 40,000 points before November can be used in any IHG hotel with a small supplement – typically £30-50.
    So good for ICs and Kimptons – not just the Holiday Inns that I was expecting!

    • David says:

      13 Aug13 August 16:07

      Somebody said this earlier in the week though I can’t seem to find any rates where this is an.option (using app if that makes a difference, but was still ytjriygh the redeem voucher option?) Any tips?

      • Colin MacKinnon says:

        13 Aug13 August 16:19

        In the app under Rates select Reward Night For You.

        Since it is only for one night, don’t select a two or three night break.

        Under each hotel there will be an orange flash saying Reward Night For You is available.

        Looking at the George Hitel in Edinburgh for tomorrow night, it says £333 or 85,000 points.

        Click on the £333 and it takes you to “choose a room” and then there is one for £45!

        • Reney says:

          13 Aug13 August 16:48

          @Colin, I tried this, yes I see the lower price but when I click through to book it reverts to the points + cash price not the voucher + cash price.

        • Colin MacKinnon says:

          13 Aug13 August 19:57

          Hmmm. I think I might phone them – can’t lose!

• BJ says:

  13 Aug13 August 14:07

  Thinking of having my partner refer my mum for amex green charge but she doesn’t have a big income in her own right. Are amex fussed, would it be better to go with nectar which is the alternative?

  • Reney says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:13

    Worth reading yesterday’s chat, someone got rejected for low income.

    • BJ says:

      13 Aug13 August 14:27

      Thanks, I’ll have a look back.

• Mark says:

  13 Aug13 August 14:09

  Just got my September Tokyo flights cancelled that I booked in the half price Avios sale.
  Its offered me a booking date change and I have found Avios availability on a suitable date next year but when I try to proceed it says seats not available?
  Anyone have any idea?
  Thank you

  • Harry T says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:18

    Are you trying to move the flights beyond ticket validity? Sometimes the online system will let you do that, sometimes it won’t. BA will now let you move your cancelled flights to a year from the original planned departure date, so it’s worth contacting them to move to a new date. You do not need Avios availability to be rebooked to new dates if your flights were involuntarily cancelled.

  • BJ says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:26

    Are you trying to choose a Friday or Saturday? When I moved mine it worked for all other days except those.

  • Lady London says:

    13 Aug13 August 16:26

    you have to phone as you have a right to any aeat thats being offered for cash but the BA system will incorrectly only throw up avios seat availability

  • ChrisC says:

    13 Aug13 August 17:37

    If the flights have only just been cancelled then give it until tomorrowor Sunday beforetrying to change on MMB as the programming re flight changes can have a lag.

• Blair says:

  13 Aug13 August 14:32

  I wouldn’t normally mention other places but it’s worth seeking out the review of BA WTP on that there points lad’s site. It’s an incredibly long and joyless examination, with side plots about vegan butter. Written, perhaps intentionally, throughout with the diaristic tone of some ghastly Lionel Shriver character who decided to hitch up and be surly whatever the weather. The righteous indignation over adherence to the “FEDERAL MASK MANDATE” had us in stitches here.

  • KP says:

    13 Aug13 August 17:25

    I read it yesterday. Ridiculous review.

    Im not sure any leisure travel would willing part with £1500 for a premium economy seat. You can get business for less

• Fred s says:

  13 Aug13 August 14:50

  Flying on BA from LHR to EDI. Are we potentially going to encounter long queues or being domestic such issues don’t exist?

  • TJ says:

    13 Aug13 August 16:46

    No passport control and hence no queues for domestic arrivals

  • Phil W says:

    13 Aug13 August 17:03

    Arrived last Saturday FRAEDI and virtually no queues. We were through immigration in less than five minutes. Coming from LHR it should take you even less time.

    It took us longer to find where they’d moved the taxi rank!

• Keely says:

  13 Aug13 August 14:56

  OT related question re MCOL, please bear with the long message…
  Currently in dispute with a company regarding a product (originally purchased on a cc in 2019 but I cannot recall which one ) . They are giving me the runaround basically expecting me to do lots of checks which I believe are unreasonable as they involve tools a normal household wouldn’t have lying around (it’s a boiling water tap) . I want to go back to them to advise they either send an engineer to repair or replace it and if they disagree then I want to do MCOL but I recall that Lady London etc advised others recently to make sure that the company states that ‘this is the final answer.’ Does this mean I state what I want from them , and when they respond (as I expect ) with a No , then I have to make sure I ask if this is the final answer? Better to do in writing or ok to do on the phone? Thanks for any advice .

  • Keely says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:57

    Should also state that product is guaranteed for 2 years so still in that timeframe

  • Genghis says:

    13 Aug13 August 15:13

    Have a read of this on Sad Fart: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange/
    Any letter before action should be in writing laying out your claim.

    • Keely says:

      13 Aug13 August 15:25

      Thanks I’ll take a look

  • Richie says:

    13 Aug13 August 15:13

    You do a letter before action giving them 14 calendar days or you start MCOL. You need to demonstrate reasonableness on your part.

    • Keely says:

      13 Aug13 August 15:33

      I think I’ve been very reasonable – they have emailed twice setting out loads of checks they want me to do. I’ve done as many as I can but they also want me to do things such as check the water pressure using a pressure gauge (I don’t have one … ) and partly dismantle the filter system to check things. I really don’t think this is reasonable ? I just genuinely want what I paid for ….I’m not looking for any extra. Presumably I can also claim for the costs of an engineer to replace? They are quite complicated systems and it would need a qualified plumber to do.

      • Richie says:

        13 Aug13 August 15:53

        google for examples of a letter before action small claims court.

      • Lady London says:

        13 Aug13 August 16:40

        they’re either short of resources or trying to wear you down. pressure gauge thing not acceptable as you are a consumer.

        Either go through your statements pronto to identify which card and claim s75 to rectify incl part(s) and labour, which you should do within a time limit of realising the oroblem not from when you bought it, or .. .

        Write them say you are a retail consumer unacceptable to ask you to use tools you naturally don’t have to perform operations you are incapable of. Mention please either arrange someone to fix or replace it as you don’t want to be in the position of having to incur further costs then claiming.

        I”m mindful that behind this there may be a family or a firm that’s struggling to keep their head above water so personally I’d really, really encourage you to do the work to find out which card you used and go through the s75 (or Amex) route as least painful for all – it will cover labour etc needed to replace ir repair not just the original item I should think.

        • Keely says:

          13 Aug13 August 20:23

          Thank you LL …ok this is a bit more complicated….I haven’t chased the retailer … this was the manufacturer who are a huge company ….does it have to be the retailer even though the guarantee comes from the manufacturer…?

          Re cc I have a feeling it might have been the Lloyds card but I can’t access the statements anymore …I’ll give them a call on Monday . I presume I can still do chargeback on a closed card…? Thank you

• GRIMZ says:

  13 Aug13 August 15:24

  I have had my 1st class flights to PHX cancelled for 10th September 2021 and would like to move these to Nov 2021. The 241 voucher that was used in this booking expires 7th Nov 21. 1st class is not available on this route in November either. I am rebooking for November in the hope that they again cancel and I can then move the flights to Nov 22 without Avios availability.
  What are my best options in this scenario and what is easiest way to contact BA to sort this out?

  • Harry T says:

    13 Aug13 August 15:32

    Don’t rebook yourself. You have a right to be rebooked up to a year from your original planned departure date, under current BA policy and your EC261 rights. Avios availability and the expiry of your voucher are irrelevant – you must be rebooked in the cabin you booked, even if that means putting you into revenue seats. If you haven’t shot yourself in the foot already by taking a refund, contact BA and ask to be rebooked to the new dates. I’ve just rebooked cancelled August BOS flights to May next year with BA.

    • GRIMZ says:

      13 Aug13 August 15:47

      I haven’t done anything yet but the problem is that there are no 1st class flights going to PHX in Nov 21 so what can I do?

      • Richie says:

        13 Aug13 August 15:54

        What date does 1st class availability to PHX appear?

      • Colin MacKinnon says:

        13 Aug13 August 16:04

        No rush, your flight isn’t until September!
        There are few BA first operating – they scrapped the 747s and have grounded the A380s.
        And if BA rebook you into First next year and there are no aircraft with F available to use in that route (Phoenix and my one, Denver) are in that situation, I think, then they would have to give you 75% of the date in downgrade compensation!
        You do have the right to go in F, say to DFW or Chicago and then in F on American to Phoenix. But personally I would rather direct even if only in CW.

        • Jonathan says:

          13 Aug13 August 19:59

          It’s not correct to say you can demand a reroute via a different hub to maintain original ticket class.

          Airlines have the right to downgrade you whenever they wish. Your only remedy under EU261 is to claim downgrade compensation after the flight.

          Everything else (date/destination/routing changes or refunds) is a customer service gesture that the airline may or may not choose to offer.

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.