The HfP chat thread – Saturday 28th August

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• JSemity says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:10

  For those who have been hit with Virgin cash advance charges in the past. Does the cash advance charge immediately hit the card along with the transaction? And therefore reflected in the ‘available’ amount?

  I’m trying to work out if I do a small amount to pay off Creation before paying off a much larger chunk, then can I reliably determine whether cash advance fees will be charged?

  I.e. if I make a £10 payment to Creation, if my ‘available’ balance is now reduced by exactly £10.00, then I can conclude no cash advance fees are charged.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:14

    There’s no fee right now when you make the transaction

    Wait and see when my statement turns up early next month. But I think it’ll be fine.

    • JSemity says:

      28 Aug28 August 09:31

      yep all good at the moment, I was just wondering if transactions that do charge cash advance (e.g. withdrawing cash from ATM), show on the available balance right away. I’ve already put through nearly £10k this month so hopefully it doesn’t turn up at statement time!!

      • Stephen says:

        28 Aug28 August 11:26

        I can’t remember if they show when the transaction is pending, but definitely once the transaction has posted (you’ll see another line with the charges)

        • JSemity says:

          28 Aug28 August 17:45

          Great, thanks Stephen

        • Guernsey Globetrotter says:

          28 Aug28 August 18:49

          Subtle guys, really subtle…

• Patrycja says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:16

  Travel advice for Jamaica changed this morning despite the country remaining on Amber list

  ‘The FCDO advise against all but essential travel to the whole country.’

  • TGLoyalty says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:21

    The traffic light lists and FCDO advice aren’t connected.

    • Jonathan says:

      28 Aug28 August 09:27

      No, but it’s a good point to raise as will have big impact on travel insurance.

    • Patrycja says:

      28 Aug28 August 09:33

      I appreciate they are not connected but there might be travellers who will have flights cancelled last minute or will have to get specialist insurance. Thought it was worth sharing

      • TGLoyalty says:

        28 Aug28 August 10:59

        Ofcourse

        It’s the “ despite the country remaining on Amber list” part that made it seem like you were implying a connection.

  • Anna says:

    28 Aug28 August 12:10

    What’s is based on, the Covid situation or other issues?

    • Patrycja says:

      28 Aug28 August 12:26

      Looks like Covid situation. Hospitals are moving to emergency treatments only

• Dominic says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:21

  Has anyone made a trip to Sharjah or Ajman recently?

  Trying to work out whether I can enter from Dubai (or, indeed, Abu Dhabi)?

• Harry T says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:21

  Does anyone know which cash machines in Spain don’t charge you for withdrawing cash using a UK card? Had to withdraw cash the other night because the terminal wouldn’t accept UK cards (lol) but got hit with a two euro fee by Caixa when withdrawing cash on the curve card.

  • Jonathan says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:29

    Almost all charge in my experience. We’re very lucky in the U.K. that we get such widespread access to free ATM withdrawals. US & most of Europe charge even domestic customers unless using their own banks.

    Italian banks charge you a fee to deposit a cheque in your own current account!

  • Yorkieflyer says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:38

    Deutshe bank plus possibly Popular and Ibercaja is reported not to charge

    • Lyn says:

      28 Aug28 August 15:17

      Someone posted a list of Deutsche Bank ATMs in Spain recently, presumably from their web-site.

  • Sam G says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:49

    If you have a Santander account they don’t charge for using their machines which are plentiful IME

  • Cats are best says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:55

    There’s a list here, probably not up to date…
    https://www.triptipedia.com/tip/qNefdhY/atm-withdrawal-in-spain-without-fees
    …but there’s a forum link where people report recent charges.

    The Santander Select debit card is fee-free at Santander ATMs in Spain (and a few other countries).

  • ready to fly says:

    28 Aug28 August 10:09

    I use Banca March which is a Palma , Balearic based bank with a smaller presence in Madrid, barcelona and Andalucia. I never get charged additional fees

  • Anna says:

    28 Aug28 August 12:11

    I posted similar recently, I think someone said Caixa Bank doesn’t charge.

  • Dean says:

    28 Aug28 August 15:05

    I was out earlier this month and a lot have started fees now. Most tell you before and allow you to cancel but some don’t and just add it on.

    The only one I found that didn’t charge was ING but they don’t have many ATMs. I travelled to Murcia and there is an ING ATM at the carrefour Murcia and also carrefour Cartagena (espacio mediteraneo) so maybe other carrefours will have them.

    No charge on ING when using starling, Revolut or wise.

• Oh! Matron says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:24

  Off to Inverness on BA in Sept. Have paid to book my seat in Econ on the way, but can’t book in Business on the way back. It allows me, but all seats have an X…. Ideas?

  • Sam G says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:50

    Could be full except Row 1 which is held for Golds. Will be released around 72hrs before IIRC. Or they might add another row on the back if it’s busy

    • Rob says:

      28 Aug28 August 09:53

      This happened to us when we booked our flights for tomorrow. Within 24 hours BA had extended Club by another row.

  • AJA says:

    28 Aug28 August 09:54

    That’s weird. It suggests a fully booked cabin and all seats pre-allocated or pre-reserved by status pax. I’d be prepared for a downgrade plus last row of CE unless BA push the curtain back.

    • AJA says:

      28 Aug28 August 09:55

      Ah beaten to it by Sam & Rob.

  • Oh! Matron says:

    29 Aug29 August 09:43

    Thanks all!

• YC says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:45

  Mini review of kimpton paris so far – service has been the best I’ve had in a city hotel. Called by name throughout and even before giving id. Everyone is attentive and genuinely care. Location is fantastic. Upgraded (spire) to a premier room and hard product/bathroom is good (much better than kimpton Barcelona, I would say closer to Marriott luxury collection standard than kimpton). But street noise leaks into the room, chromecast issues and f&b is very toppy (24e/cocktail). Will return and if at 70k/night will be good value when prices return to normal. Those with 40k nights are in for a treat.

  • Gormlesstraveller says:

    28 Aug28 August 10:08

    Thanks for posting. What about noise from corridors / creaking / rooms above?

    • YC says:

      28 Aug28 August 10:20

      Nope didn’t hear any of that but currently low occupancy. Although restaurant and rooftop was busy last night

  • Tom H says:

    28 Aug28 August 10:39

    Thanks for the review, have a stay in a few weeks. Are you having to use a COVID passport to go into the bars? Did you have to reserve the rooftop bar?

    • YC says:

      28 Aug28 August 11:22

      Yup uk code works and is diligently checked everywhere. Reservations recommended for the rooftop. concierge is available via WhatsApp and works well

  • Gavin says:

    28 Aug28 August 11:01

    Chromecasts rarely seem to work for me on hotel wifi

    • the_real_a says:

      28 Aug28 August 14:01

      You need to create a personal wifi hotspot via your laptop or phone and connect the chromecast to that rather than the hotel wifi. Then you can throw youtube / netflix from any device that is connected to your personal hotspot. Use it all the time in hotels.

      • Mikeact says:

        28 Aug28 August 17:55

        Or take your Firestick with a VPN..

        • Mike says:

          28 Aug28 August 19:39

          I second the firestick, I travel a reasonable amount and the firestick has been great, no issue with WiFi portals etc. It’s a shame some hotels make it difficult to plug in HDMI devices, at one hotel I had to attach the HDMI to a knife to get it to the HDMI ports on the wall attached tv.

  • Dave says:

    28 Aug28 August 12:33

    Are you able to compare it to a newly-refurbished room at Le Grand?

    We have 2 x credit card vouchers coming up at Le Grand, presumably not worth moving?

• AJA says:

  28 Aug28 August 09:50

  This was an answer to Rash on page 1.

• AJA says:

  28 Aug28 August 10:02

  The BA scheme only allows you to use 2-4-1 vouchers on reward flights meaning you pay for the flights using Avios that you’ve earned. You need at least 100k Avios for a long haul return flight for 2 using a companion voucher.

  Reward availability is restricted, its not just buying a cash ticket and applying the voucher, there needs to be Reward seats in the cabin although with the changes to the Amex voucher scheme starting 1 Sep there may be more seats.

  Read here on HfP for Robs beginners guide:

  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/the-beginners-guide-to-collecting-avios-points/

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