The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 24th August

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• Kai says:

  24 Aug24 August 08:50

  Travel question – before my flight from London to Germany BA asked me to upload proof of vaccination and digital registration form. I’m due to fly back to London tomorrow but can’t find such an option for my inbound BA fight. Is the document check just going to manual at the airport?

  • BH says:

    24 Aug24 August 08:55

    There may be the option of using VeriFLY. Otherwise, it will be manual at the airport.

    • Kai says:

      24 Aug24 August 08:58

      Thanks, tried VeriFLY but the app crashes every time I try to upload my test result…

  • Cats are best says:

    24 Aug24 August 12:45

    Afaik, the BA site upload is only on some routes out of UK.

    For return to UK the check is owned by check-in at the departure airport, some will accept Verifly, others will want to check documents (PDF displayed on phone should be fine).

    From Germany/Amber you’ll need pre-flight test result, PLF and day 2 booking, though coming back from Spain they also wanted to see my vaccination status (maybe to decide on day 2 or day 2/8 being required).

    Personally I’ve given up on Verifly, can be slow to process, can be incorrect on rules, and is not accepted everywhere.

    If you have the documents ready to view on your phone it shouldn’t take more than a minute for the agent to confirm.

• Anna says:

  24 Aug24 August 08:51

  Has anyone seen anything in the press about Expert Medicals? I’ve read a few articles which say that 57 test providers have been removed from the government-approved list but not which ones they were or what you’re supposed to do if you’ve got an unused test from them, or orders which haven’t arrived! (I know it’s unlikely that anyone will check on Day 2 tests, but just in case!)

  • Yorkieflyer says:

    24 Aug24 August 08:59

    Still on the list this morning and I understood it was to be revised yesterday

    • Anna says:

      24 Aug24 August 09:14

      Thanks – though it wouldn’t surprised me if the government hasn’t actually updated the list!
      It’s a shame because our first 3 orders arrived promptly, as did our email results after our holiday. It all seems to have gone downhill since they took the P & P charge off, don’t know if that’s connected?!

      • TGLoyalty says:

        24 Aug24 August 09:36

        You have to consider many more people complain than heap praise on a service

        You have you reference number for a test you ordered. That’s your part of the deal. If it doesn’t turn up they’ll send you a free nhs one (if T&T ever actually contact you)

• FlyingChris says:

  24 Aug24 August 09:02

  Called Japan this morning to add the return to a 241 after getting cut off on hold when USA closed at 1am. On hold for 5 mins, another 5 or so minutes to pass security – but seats were still available at 1:10 and the agent was knowledgable and happy to process – so Japan is still viable for T-355 241 return leg bookings. Mileage may vary based on the agent you get?

  • Cherry says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:30

    What number did you use? I was planning on calling USA tonight but would like to use Japan as backup.

    • FlyingChris says:

      24 Aug24 August 09:55

      +(81) 03-3298-5209. Used the Skype app with paid credit so price was 3.7p/min. After the initial recording, there’s a prompt to select English shortly after. US 800 number is free on Skype however the US call centre will cut you off on the dot of 1am if you are on hold at the time, so would allow more than 10 minutes. Downside of Japan number is that since they open at 1am there’s a risk someone else might beat grab the seats online depending how long you are on hold.

      • Babyg says:

        24 Aug24 August 11:45

        cool, good to know.. where are you booking that far out, i see people are still snapping up the LHR-SYD seats, which i assume to generate a “golden ticket” (eg rebooking at any date) once they are cancelled..

        • FlyingChris says:

          24 Aug24 August 12:44

          That was just a popular route in North America, but since we’re limited to school holidays getting Fri/Sat seats on almost any interesting route in mid-August is always an instant T355 booking for us otherwise they’re typically gone by morning. Likewise with popular Asia destinations etc.

      • Hugh says:

        24 Aug24 August 13:03

        That’s great information. I posted the other day that US refused to book my outbound trip despite ringing 3 times to try and get a different agent so was resigned to booking online for the return, but sounds like calling Japan is a better option!

• Reney says:

  24 Aug24 August 09:06

  Che/ Creation question, I’m looking for some data points re the change in T&C about positive balance. I used to top up and pay off straight away, and from my reading off the T&C if you have a pending transaction they will put the money towards that so it isn’t really positive balance.

  My che transaction usually goes into pending right away and posts after 2 days (Mon transaction will post a on Wed).

  However after someone got I think closed down because of being in positive balance too many times, I decided not to risk it and changed to paying off when the transaction posts. Just got my monthly statement and the interest change is larger than I would like. Tempted to go back to pending straight after or the next day (say Mon top up, Tues payment and Wed both payment and top up will post so net zero). I wanted to know what others are doing and are they hearing from Creation about it?

  Basically should I live with the cost?

  • SteveJ says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:11

    In terms of what others are doing : I am letting it post and living with the cost.

    They don’t make it easy to pay when there is only a pending balance, which to me suggests to me they don’t really count that pending transaction when checking if you’re in credit or not. But who knows.

    • Reney says:

      24 Aug24 August 09:13

      On a desktop if you saved the payment link you can pay off pending amounts. Thanks for sharing.

      • Sprout says:

        24 Aug24 August 09:42

        Sorry, could you expand on “if you saved the payment link” please? I just go to the payments page on the desktop, is there an alternative way?
        Many thanks

        • Reney says:

          24 Aug24 August 10:11

          Next time you make a payment on your desktop, save it in your favourites.

  • Harry T says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:19

    Just don’t bother with Che! Other options have less fees and palaver.

    • SteveJ says:

      24 Aug24 August 13:41

      Ooooh Harry peaked my interest, any hints?

  • Harrier25 says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:36

    This month I topped up with just under £2,500 one day and paid off the next day. The credit credited to my account about 36 hours after the top-up showed and resulted in an interest charge of £3.16. As the credit took slightly longer to show, I am now going to top-up immediately followed with the payment to see if that works and cancels out the interest charge.

    • Anna says:

      24 Aug24 August 09:49

      It’s not really on that you can’t pay off a transaction before it accrues interest, but obviously I won’t be having that (or any) conversation with them!

      • Reney says:

        24 Aug24 August 10:25

        Oh no what happened?

        • Anna says:

          24 Aug24 August 10:55

          Nothing – which is how I want it to stay!

      • Jonathan says:

        24 Aug24 August 10:42

        I think it’s fair enough. Considering they don’t charge a cash advance fee they’re behaving pretty reasonably. Putting your account in credit clearly generates unwanted scrutiny so I’d view the example above as buying 5000 points (£20 value) for £3.16. Most of us would speculatively buy at that price (0.06pence/point).

        • Reney says:

          24 Aug24 August 10:56

          isn’t it 2500 points for £3.16. Which is 0.12p per points. I think Rob values IHG points at 0.4 p per point.

        • Harrier25 says:

          24 Aug24 August 11:03

          No Reney, if you’re using the black Solihull card then £1 = 2 points.

    • Reney says:

      24 Aug24 August 10:15

      For me, credits posts the next day but payments with Che takes 2 days.

      Are you suggesting you will make a payment I.e into credit then do the top up which nets out? Would it risk the positive balance rules?

      • Harrier25 says:

        24 Aug24 August 10:27

        It may but then I’ll just revert back to what I did this month if I do fall into credit, but hopefully both transactions will cancel each other out on the same day. It’s trial and error until you find the best way.

        • Reney says:

          24 Aug24 August 10:35

          My concern is how much chances creation gives us to test. From previous comments they just reach out of the blue to shut down no warnings.

        • Jonathan says:

          24 Aug24 August 10:44

          Hoping you don’t go into credit is not a way to stay in the game in the medium-long term based on recent reports. I’d be wary of losing one of the very few cards still available that allows points generation at very low cost.

        • Harrier25 says:

          24 Aug24 August 11:08

          Jonathan makes excellent points and as he mentions, I certainly wasn’t upset about paying £3.16 in interest for nearly 5,000 points, so will continue sending payment the day after top-up as that should keep me under the radar!

      • Mikeact says:

        24 Aug24 August 11:29

        Amazing comments for all to see…if not careful another route will be blocked.

        • avstar says:

          25 Aug25 August 20:45

          Unbelievable Jeff!

• Gavin says:

  24 Aug24 August 09:11

  Anyone got any views on the Voco Reading?

  • Andrew says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:17

    Is it near where you want to be when you visit Reading? It’s out at the Madejski.

    • Gavin says:

      24 Aug24 August 09:39

      Yes location is fine, I don’t need to be central and was looking for a room and breakfast. I am driving so ideal tor the M4. Pool is a nice bonus. Reading doesn’t really have any spectacular options and this one lets me use a hotels.com voucher which is expiring

      • Andrew says:

        24 Aug24 August 10:03

        Then, if you are travelling at the weekends, just be mindful of planned M4 road closures.

      • Chrisasaurus says:

        24 Aug24 August 20:12

        Hilton is nice too if that area is acceptable

  • Karl says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:29

    Depends on whether the location is convenient for what you’re doing. Close to the motorway but a 10-15 minute drive into town. Lots of free parking. Not much within walking distance.
    The rooms are what you’d expect from a newish 3-4 star hotel. Health club is attached with pool. Can’t remember the breakfast being exceptionally good or bad.
    Overall a solid rather than spectacular choice if the location suits.

• miles brown says:

  24 Aug24 August 09:17

  Creation , have taken my credit limit down with no notification , i am always using my card to pay for my merchants bills racking up the points , but they hardly ever earn fees and charges from me, so i take it im not the sort of client they want . Just so Glad i wasnt away and was just about to pay my hotel bill to find out that i didnt have the funds to pay for my stay ….

  • Paul Pogba says:

    24 Aug24 August 10:27

    How big was the reduction?

    • miles brown says:

      24 Aug24 August 16:29

      £1000 today , £1000 this time last year

  • BP says:

    24 Aug24 August 10:48

    How did they notify you?

    • miles brown says:

      24 Aug24 August 16:30

      they didnt , just woke up and bam it was gone

  • Travel Strong says:

    24 Aug24 August 12:20

    Sure there’s not a bill being processed but not showing in the pending list yet, causing available limit to show lower?? My limit often shows 4500 lower for days after ERNIE, for example.

    • miles brown says:

      24 Aug24 August 16:33

      no the available is less 1k

• Ammar says:

  24 Aug24 August 09:20

  Quick Q – looking to book heathrow parking at Terminal 5 in the short stay and using some heathrow reward points, but wondering if i need to cancel the booking will the heathrow reward points be refunded, presume the cash portion of the booking will come back to my credit card – Is my understanding correct? TIA, could not find anything on their website.

• N says:

  24 Aug24 August 09:33

  Anyone else found Dell Business to be an absolute mess?

  Ordered 2 items in May, Item 1 turned up, Item 2 didn’t. Card not charged by mid-June so I cancelled Item 2 to make sure I was charged in H1 to get the Amex Bus Plat credit. Card not charged at all.

  Ordered Item 3 in July. I missed the delivery and it went back to the sender. No news from Dell until I called them 3 weeks later. “Soz m8” was the answer. Requested refund. 2 weeks later no refund, so I chased “A credit note was raised rather than a refund”. In fairness, refund turned up 2 days later.

  Then just yesterday Item 2 from the first order turns up. No idea how they expect to be paid – the card on file has been cancelled.

  • Benilyn says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:34

    Did you check delivery date on item 2? Some of them have lead times of months later.

  • Benilyn says:

    24 Aug24 August 09:38

    I did it in H1, got everything across 2 orders (4 items) – I ordered things immediately available for delivery but they came at random times (all within a week or two though). Little bit messy but I wasn’t paying attention as I bought useless items.

    • Tony Soprano says:

      24 Aug24 August 11:44

      Some items have very long delivery estimates, others are available for immediate dispatch and I have received items within a day or two after ordering.
      Important to note that I’ve had orders with multiple products invoiced (and therefore billed) separately – this may affect you as the up-to £50 credit will only apply to one card charge.

      • Benilyn says:

        24 Aug24 August 15:56

        I got billed diff times, all paid out.

        • Tony Soprano says:

          24 Aug24 August 23:20

          That’s interesting, thanks! I was under the impression that the credit only applied to one transaction per half.

  • KBuffett says:

    24 Aug24 August 17:10

    It’s important to note that the stock availability and delivery times shown on Dell’s website’s are not up to date/accurate.
    Internally, Dell have a different system and if you speak to your sales rep, they will be able to tell you what’s in stock and lead times.

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