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The HfP chat thread – Saturday 28th August

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We are running this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions.  With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind.  At this tricky time, and given that many of you are at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

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Category

General

Comments (369)

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

  • Lady London says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:03

    Can I UUA from PY to F? Do I get avios/TP’s from booked class or upgraded class in thus case?

    • AJA says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:14

      I don’t think so. It’s only next class up so Premium Economy to Club or Club to First. But you can pay cash at airport to upgrade from premium Economy to First.

    • Paul Pogba says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:24

      You can only upgrade one class: Econ->Prem Econ, Prem Econ->Bus, Bus->First. Avios and tier points are awarded on booked class.

      https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/04/08/how-to-upgrade-british-airways-flights-with-avios-2/

      I was once told mistakes are sometimes made and BAs malfunctioning IT may award on the upgraded class but it’s never happened to me.

      • Sam G says:
        28 Aug28 August 10:58

        Used to be quite common but they fixed that a long time ago now (sadly!)

        • AJA says:
          28 Aug28 August 12:50

          It happened to me on a trip to Rio in 2017. I bought a WTP ticket and upgraded to Club both ways using Avios at time of booking. I got 240TP for the return trip. I also got lucky as there was a 1/2 price offer on booking club, didn’t think it applied to my WTP booking, but somehow it did so the trip cost under £600.

    • ChrisC says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:25

      You can only UUA a max of one cabin class so you goiuld get club but not F

      You’d earn the TPs and avios from your original cabin

  • SteveJ says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:09

    Highly recommended you read the following articles on this site:

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/04/06/how-do-you-book-flights-using-avios-points/

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/06/08/how-do-british-airways-2-4-1-american-express-companion-vouchers-work/

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/06/01/british-airways-premium-plus-american-express-250-annual-fee/

  • SteveJ says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:21

    Adding an Avios booking when availability opens up:

    I’m due to book the return leg for a planned Avios trip when tickets open up next week. Reward Flight Saver, so “taxes” are already equalised.

    My initial thought was to call up and get the original booking amended, will this incur an additional fee for calling, or waived as it’s not something that can be done online?

    The reason for doing the above is so that should I need to cancel only one cancellation fee would be charged (presuming FTVs won’t be a thing next summer).

    Or is their benefit to leaving the bookings separate? Or better still can I book the return online and then merge bookings later, will they do that?

    • Chrisasaurus says:
      28 Aug28 August 11:28

      It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other – lower cancellation fee as one booking, but more flexibility to change if separate bookings.

      Also consider that if one flight changes on a return then you can consider the whole thing cancellable without penalty if so moved

      • SteveJ says:
        28 Aug28 August 12:22

        Thanks Chris, do you know if I can merge without fees after booking the outbound and return separately, or do I need to call to add the outbound at time of booking?

        • Nick says:
          28 Aug28 August 13:07

          Can’t merge later, needs to be done upfront. Bookings can never actually be merged. They can be ‘linked’ in Amadeus, but that still keeps them with two PNRs.

  • Kevin says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:23

    Too late last night to reply with thanks to everyone who responded to my thread of 25k IHG bonus yesterday.

    @Verdanbacon or anyone I supposed to pay off platinum via curve with underlying of IHG?

    @TGLoyalty or anyone could you please refresh the rule of £700/week

    TIA

    • Kevin says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:52

      It is further questions resulting from people replied to my chat thread yesterday shown in page 8.
      They are mostly related to pay off platinum CC via IHG and the rule of £700 rule in paying use of curve

    • VerdantBacon says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:58

      There are limits to paying off Amex with Curve. These limits are £300 per day, £500 per 3 days and £700 per 7 days.
      So you can pay off
      Day 1 – £300
      Day 2 – £200
      Day 3 – £0
      Day 4 – £200
      Day 5 – £0
      Day 6 – £0
      Day 7 – £0
      Day 8 – £300
      Etc

      • Kevin says:
        28 Aug28 August 11:39

        Thanks really helpful

      • Kevin says:
        28 Aug28 August 11:54

        Just tried to make a small payment to BAPP but declined. Is the £700/ week rule apply only to metal curve but not blue curve?

        • 747_Brat says:
          28 Aug28 August 13:10

          With the Blue Curve, you will need to turn the “fronting” on, but there are charges applied on such transactions by Curve for Blue customers.

      • illuminatus says:
        28 Aug28 August 13:26

        Just get Metal for that, sooo worth it

  • Sarah says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:39

    Does anyone have any recommendations for hotels in Mexico. I’m flying to Mexico City in April (hopefully)but happy to travel once there.
    Does anyone have any experience of Intercontinental Cancun compared to Cozumel?

    • Clive says:
      28 Aug28 August 11:12

      If this is the Presidente then I have stayed there. Rooms are quite small and location is at the top end of the zone but the beach is superb. The hotel next door has a great restaurant on the beach.

      I would suggest getting a sea view room as noise from the road can be annoying.

  • Ryan says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:42

    Has anyone had any luck getting a retention bonus from Amex via the chat function? I have a business platinum and last had a retention back in January/ February.

    • Nick Booker says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:51

      Tried yesterday on BAPP card, no was my answer

    • HBommie says:
      28 Aug28 August 10:51

      It was mentioned yesterday that Chat worked for Platinum retention, not sure if it was business or personal?

    • VerdantBacon says:
      28 Aug28 August 11:17

      I don’t believe the retention team works on chat on the weekends. Last time I tried it was on a weekend (can’t remember if it was Sat or Sun, maybe they just aren’t on chat on Sun?) but I ended up having to call to discuss.

      This was for plat personal back in March and I got 50k

      • Stephen says:
        28 Aug28 August 11:18

        Yep only Monday to Friday (normal office hours) on AMEX Live Chat

      • Ryan says:
        28 Aug28 August 11:23

        Yes they have just told me to call as not available on chat over the weekend. Hopefully will be able to get 50k as well then

        • Tom says:
          28 Aug28 August 15:21

          I was offered (and accepted) 35k via chat yesterday.

          • Ryan says:
            28 Aug28 August 15:29

            That sounds good to me. I have no intention of cancelling but a few thousand free points is always nice to receive!

    • A says:
      28 Aug28 August 16:07

      Not via chat but I have just (5 minutes ago) come off the phone to Amex. Despite a pre-recorded message suggesting I call back tomorrow the whole call – including passing security, waiting on hold and speaking to the agent – took 4 minutes.

      She wanted me to be *very* clear that the “main intention of my call” was to cancel my Platinum card, which obviously it was.

      50K MR to be added to my account within 48 hours.

      • Mikeact says:
        28 Aug28 August 17:48

        I guess the millions of Avios Amex bought last year is for many situations like this.

  • Sarah says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:55

    Hi I’m looking to pay £4K into my LISA with Nutmeg. The options to pay say card payment or Apple Pay. Will I be able to use AMEX direct or as underlying card on Apple Pay without any charges?

    • Sarah says:
      28 Aug28 August 11:11

      Got the answer so no need to respond. Only accepts debit cards.

      • Sarah says:
        28 Aug28 August 11:16

        But would I be able to use apply pay with curve card with ihg as underlying card without any charges?

        • VerdantBacon says:
          28 Aug28 August 11:19

          Not sure if IHG behind Curve through ApplePay will work, but if you have a Revolut card you can just top that up with IHG and use that

          • Stephen says:
            28 Aug28 August 11:23

            I did use a CC behind Curve a year or so ago, it worked fine, but a few months down the line they asked for proof of funds. They just gave a warning to not use a credit card to top up again

  • Louie says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:57

    Poor old sister just spend an hour waiting for BA to answer her, only to be told that the Avios booking on which she is a passenger could not be changed without her husband’s consent (other passenger). He’d given up waiting and gone to work. I booked the ticket as the head of household. No status. What’s the best number to call to make Avios ticket changes? I did save a page with a good list of numbers the other day, or so I thought but it turned out to be the wrong page!

    • Simon says:
      28 Aug28 August 11:18

      If she logs in to her husband’s BA account, she can nominate herself as a third party nominee on his account. Then she can change/amend etc on his behalf. Go to “manage my account” on left hand side, and “add nominee”…..

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