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The HfP chat thread – Friday 20th August

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Comments (447)

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

  • Phil says:
    20 Aug20 August 17:19

    Afternoon – Quick question, I am in the process of cancelling two Avios bookings. I no longer have the BAPP card the reservations were made with (canc Oct-20). What will happen with the refunded amount? Do I need to ask them to return it to my bank account or another Amex?

    TIA

    • VerdantBacon says:
      20 Aug20 August 17:24

      They can only return it to the original card number, Amex will issue you with a paper statement when the refund hits your old card.

      This can take a while as the statement wont be issued until after your statement period has ended, they wont send you the statement as soon as the refund appears.

      But you can usually make a generous guess as to when the refund should’ve hit, add a couple days to that and then give Amex a call, they’ll see the amount on the cancelled card and offer you a refund to your bank account or transfer to another Amex.

  • Super Secret Stuff says:
    20 Aug20 August 17:24

    Made it to IHG platinum! Not a lot I know but somehow done it by accident, lol. Checking into the Hotel Indigo in Manchest Voctroia tonight, I wonder if I’ll get an upgrade 🤔

    Time to status match to Hilton, lol

    • VerdantBacon says:
      20 Aug20 August 17:26

      I’m surprised a regular comments poster isn’t Spire, I guess not everyone is driving as much MS through IHG’s credit card as I thought!

      • Super Secret Stuff says:
        20 Aug20 August 17:45

        I am waiting for the Premier card to come back and am saving for a house so can’t risk the impact of MS

      • ChrisC says:
        20 Aug20 August 19:25

        Not everyone has branded credit cards

        I made Spire through qualifying spend by actually staying in the hotels!

        • Aston100 says:
          20 Aug20 August 20:21

          What ChrisC said, though it helped when they lowered the amount of points needed last year, along with a few Seagulls bills paid via Che topped up with Solihull.

    • Harry T says:
      20 Aug20 August 17:28

      Do people get upgraded with IHG status? I thought the only perks were to earn an extra Kit Kat and more points

      • Andrew says:
        20 Aug20 August 17:33

        9 out of 10 times I stay as Spire I get upgraded – and usually lounge access as CP.

        • Harry T says:
          20 Aug20 August 17:40

          Upgraded to what though? And at a hotel that isn’t mid tier?

          • Andrew says:
            20 Aug20 August 17:46

            Upgraded to a superior room – isn’t that the usual approach for hotel loyalty programmes?

          • Aston100 says:
            20 Aug20 August 17:50

            I seemed to have received an upgrade at pretty much every IHG hotel I’ve stayed at since I hit Platinum with the exception of HIX as their rooms are pretty much the same. Granted some of the upgrades were barely noticeable, but given many of the bookings were doing with points, I’m happy enough.

            The Voco in Cardiff is allegedly 5 star. I paid a standby upgrade fee for a Junior Suite. Upon arrival, when they saw my Spire status, they waived the fee. I had booked using points.

            Yeah IHG upgrades may not be comparable to other brands but the points are (IMO) far easier to earn (and I don’t even actively MS – though my definition of it is open for interpretation) and very easy to spend. The changes to dynamic points pricing this year has been painful but I can always find opportunities for outsized redemptions.

            I don’t hate IHG, but I wish they were *different*.

        • Harry T says:
          20 Aug20 August 17:59

          Higher tier in Bonvoy or Hyatt will get you more. Spire is just a way to earn more points and soft upgrades, it seems like to me. Each loyalty programme has its strengths and weaknesses.

      • Super Secret Stuff says:
        20 Aug20 August 17:46

        Its not guaranteed, I’ll report back! Although I’m on a travel zoo voucher brought earlier in the year so not sure on my chances…

      • Aston100 says:
        20 Aug20 August 17:57

        I don’t know where this IHG Kit Kat story originated.
        I’ve never been offered one.
        I have however had my selection of Club biscuits at a small number of properties.

        • Harrier25 says:
          20 Aug20 August 19:48

          You will find a free Kit Kat in the fridge of every Holiday Inn Executive Room.

        • Andrew M says:
          21 Aug21 August 10:40

          If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit join IHG Rewards Club.

      • Phil says:
        20 Aug20 August 17:59

        As a Spire I’ve been upgraded in CPs usually to a Club Room with Lounge Access. Before I had Ambassador, I also achieved some decent IC upgrades as Spire.

    • Super Secret Stuff says:
      20 Aug20 August 21:07

      No upgrade and no free drink as its a travelzoo booking. Hopefully I still get points though…

  • r* says:
    20 Aug20 August 17:24

    If you cancel a flight booked using the part pay with avios offer thats running this weekend, does the cash and avios get returned into an ftv?

    • Andrew says:
      20 Aug20 August 17:34

      Seems so, so basically you can sell BA 5000 avios for £100 to use towards a future flight. According to BA website FAQs:

      If you used Avios points to pay for part of your booking, will you be able to get a voucher?

      Yes. You will receive a voucher which will equate to the full value of the original booking (cash & Avios combined) and can be redeemed against future bookings. Please note you will not be refunded any Avios points related to the original booking.

      • Rob says:
        20 Aug20 August 19:44

        Not an FTV, an e-voucher.

        Which can be used online without any bovver from ringing BA.

        • C says:
          20 Aug20 August 21:19

          I’m surprised the IT can handle a part pay with avios booking as an e-voucher

        • BJ says:
          20 Aug20 August 21:56

          Thanks had been wondering exactly this since the promo was first posted this morning 🙂

  • Aston100 says:
    20 Aug20 August 17:54

    I thought this video entitled “What happened to BA?” is interesting viewing.
    From a vlogger who seems to be reasonably impartial (but with too much emphasis on veganism in other videos).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpkGPklOV4w

  • Ed says:
    20 Aug20 August 17:58

    I see seatspy has just launched some big changes to their website, including a new display on available flights and limiting non-subscribers to viewing economy class flights only

    • tom1 says:
      20 Aug20 August 19:19

      I don’t think that’s right – I think you have to login, but you don’t have to be a paying subscriber to view non-economy flights.

      • Ed says:
        20 Aug20 August 19:47

        My mistake, you’re correct. Though the bar graphs at the top are new?

        • Tom1 says:
          21 Aug21 August 16:01

          Yes, looks like it. Wonder if they will become a premium feature in future when they are out of beta

  • Gin and Tonic Please says:
    20 Aug20 August 18:26

    Quick question for the HFP hive mind. I’ve got an Ambassador Reward Night voucher (the extra one worth up to 40k points from the promo earlier this year). Is the voucher returned if I cancel the booking?

  • Totally confused says:
    20 Aug20 August 18:41

    Ok, going to look really stupid here but humour me.
    I always book flights for just me. Recently acquired a boyfriend so am now looking to book something possibly with him. If just priced up a three night break for me CE in RAK and seen I’ll get 4272 avios. Lovely. If I add another adult, (him), it still says only 4272. But he will get exactly the same amount in his account right? He’s in my household. They don’t just give 4272 for the booking itself?

    • Rob says:
      20 Aug20 August 19:42

      He’ll get them for his flight, but as you are booking it is probably just showing what YOU will get.

  • StillintheSun says:
    20 Aug20 August 19:02

    Received a text from EE informing me they are helpfully moving me to a more expensive tariff without free EC roaming. If anyone else is in the same boat O2 seem to have decent tariffs with free EC tariffs. Been with Orange since I got my first phone two decades ago so I guess it was time for a change.

    • ChrisC says:
      20 Aug20 August 19:18

      I’m with O2 and been really happy with them

      Don’t forget the priority app for all sorts of offers including free coffee at Nero and 2 offers at Greggs and discount access to Disney+.

      I’m just about to set up a new contract as current one expires next week,

      There is an 80GB at £20 for 12 months which includes EU roaming + 6 months Disner +

      If you want USA and others outside Europe there is a £ 24 month for 12 months for 150GB + 5 months Disney. Daily US roaming is £5 a day otherwise.

      As always do the maths on which tariff works best for you.

      • BJ says:
        20 Aug20 August 22:01

        6 months free Disney at the moment if not expired already. There is also one Odeon ticket per month too. Recently changed from Vodafone, no regrets so far.

      • AJA says:
        20 Aug20 August 22:23

        Another vote for O2 from me. Moved from 3 in June 2020. The call quality is so much better, had blackout spots with the signal from 3 despite living in West London. And data connection was intermittent. No such problems with O2. I also get much more data for far less than I was paying 3 on my old contract.

        • StillintheSun says:
          21 Aug21 August 07:16

          Thanks guys for the positive reinforcement, breaking up finally with orange/EE was the right thing to do!

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

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