Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 7th September

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

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.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article.  This has long-term benefits as it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page.  If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here.  This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

Category

General

Comments (469)

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

  • Dominic Barrington says:
    7 Sep7 September 04:51

    I flew NCL/LHR/ORD yesterday, and was slightly taken aback that lounges I thought were open/available were not fully open. The Aspire lounge at NCL threw me out at 12 Noon because it was closing – despite being the contract lounge not just for BA but KLM, both of whom have afternoon flights. And the CCR threw me out at 2.30, saying those of us in there could move to the Terrace. Not impressive – either the lounge is open for the relevant flights or it isn’t…..

    • Stu says:
      7 Sep7 September 05:08

      All lounges seem to be in turmoil and service and opening times sketchy at best. They’re happy to take your £s or Avios off you but also quick to give a sub-par service. Terraces had been OK in mid-July but now footfall is ramping up, was a joke last week, 10 mins wait for beverages and 20 mins for food. Lounges in Greece that normally service BA were all closed.

      • The Streets says:
        7 Sep7 September 06:51

        Actually was quite surprised by the good local craft beer they were serving in the Athens lounge last week

      • John says:
        7 Sep7 September 08:14

        I was surprised (pleasantly) that the lounge in Belfast was open on Sunday… and that they let BA passengers to LCY in.

  • R2 says:
    7 Sep7 September 06:09

    Before I attempt myself, does anyone have any recent experiences for Brighton > Bendy Hilton > Bendy NatWest (I have tried google search to no avail):

    1. When paying Brighton with a bendy (A) Hilton or bendy (B) NatWest, are there any fees?
    2. Can I pay Hilton with a bendy NatWest with no fees? or
    3. Can I pay NatWest with a bendy Hilton with no fees?

    Thanks in advance.

    • John says:
      7 Sep7 September 06:11

      2. No

    • VerdantBacon says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:33

      If a Google search and HfP post don’t get you your answer, just call the credit card companies and ask them what fees they charge for MS

      • Harrier25 says:
        7 Sep7 September 09:10

        He’d prefer you to Google it for him or even better still, get stung doing what he proposes, so he doesn’t…..joker!

    • Jonathan says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:36

      If you can’t easily find an answer via Google then why not just try some small amounts (£10-20) just before statement dates & see what happens? That’s the only way to get a truly reliable answer.

      You also need to accept that the situation can change at any time with a direct correlation between the number of times people ask about something & the speed of it’s demise…

    • Paul says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:47

      As others have said, generally not a good idea to post so blatantly, and easy to just try small transactions for yourself. But I think 1) only the Curve fronted fee (‘free’ if you’ve paid for Metal), 2) they won’t accept any bendy payment, 3) no idea.

  • Phil says:
    7 Sep7 September 06:42

    Sorry, but what’s a bendy?

    • Paul says:
      7 Sep7 September 06:50

      I am with you. This bendy, beardy Solihull garbage is a real turn off from HfP. It’s getting as bad as flyer talk truck thread and is a bore!

      • Paul says:
        7 Sep7 September 06:50

        Trick it…. Bloody Apple

        • VerdantBacon says:
          7 Sep7 September 07:38

          I think the code breakers of HfP would struggle greatly on FT Trick It thread

      • Rui N. says:
        7 Sep7 September 07:05

        All these terms get explained almost daily here. If you are so bored from seeing the terms all the time, you should be as bored for the constant explanations.

        • 1ATL says:
          7 Sep7 September 08:15

          With 300+ posts in this thread daily not uncommon, is the expectation that we trudge through all the odds and sods on the off chance we might find the answer to what we’re looking for?

          • Rui N. says:
            7 Sep7 September 08:25

            Apparently some people are happy to trudge through them to find the “mistery” words and complain that they seem them every day. So, next time also pay attention to when someone reveals what they mean.

          • kitten says:
            7 Sep7 September 13:13

            You mean you don’t want to do even that small amount of work? You just want others to feed you?

            Even 2 or 3 weeks worth of checking the daily thread, or a tiny bit of intelligent googling wouldn’t be too much. Instead you ask others to feed you.

        • Oh! Matron! says:
          7 Sep7 September 08:52

          Which leads to a very simple bit of logic:

          Why not just use the correct names in the first place and avoid this “I know these code words and you don’t so I’m smarter than you” tomfoolery. Because that’s exactly what it looks like.

          • Super Secret Stuff says:
            7 Sep7 September 09:01

            Because that is how the general public and the daily mail find out about these things and then plaster it everywhere so it gets shut down…

          • Lady London says:
            7 Sep7 September 13:20

            Oh! Matron! I’ve met you and you are well more than intelligent enough to know that the codes are just to reduce the number of automatic search engine scan hits. They are kept easily work-outable so as to maintain access for readers though. If people struggle to understand them after seeing them 1 -3 times then I doubt they’d be able to work out how to use the sorts of things being referred to safely and effectively anyway.

      • Mike says:
        7 Sep7 September 10:04

        Wow flyer talk had a truck thread – I am there in a heart beat

    • Blenz101 says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:08

      It’s a Curve card. I agree there is no need for the silly code words though.

      • Andrew says:
        7 Sep7 September 07:30

        It’s exclusionary behaviour to make people feel like they are part of a secret club.

      • VerdantBacon says:
        7 Sep7 September 07:30

        Probably more out of habit for people than actual usefulness, the card issuers are all well aware of the MS that goes through them.

        • ChrisC says:
          7 Sep7 September 08:29

          Indeed they do know because they see the transactions! They’ll soon shut down anything they don’t like (or change fees or interest for it) just as they can close accounts.

          I bet Curve and Revolute etc have a member of staff read HFP threads as well.

          • BuildBackBetter says:
            7 Sep7 September 09:24

            @ChrisC, if they know and you know, why do you even post about it or argue about it?

          • ankomonkey says:
            7 Sep7 September 09:24

            But the Curve/Rev staff won’t recognise their own products because of the codes! 😉

    • Harry T says:
      7 Sep7 September 08:10

      The real issue is that people can’t be bothered to do their own research or use their own brains, so we experience the same selfish questions every day… the code words are an attempt to stop the ignorant from killing off all the avenues for the people who have put the effort in.

      • Oh! Matron! says:
        7 Sep7 September 08:57

        I don’t think using the word “ignorant” is called for.

        And if the code words never change, then they cease to be code words any more. And if you want people to do their own research, then don’t post about them at all. It’s just exclusionary. And a bit pitiful.

        • Harry T says:
          7 Sep7 September 09:24

          Ignorant can be a descriptive term, not a pejorative one. I think being exclusionary is a great idea, as we have plenty of people on this site who consider it sensible to call their credit card provider about issues with their MS.

          People arguing that the card providers know what is going on miss a vital point – they may well know but will tolerate a certain amount of naughtiness. The moment this goes mainstream, it enough people call CC providers to complain about difficulties violating the T&Cs effectively, then it will reach a tipping point and then the game will be over.

        • Mike says:
          7 Sep7 September 10:05

          I agree – code words should be changed on the 1st day of each month to increase the security of the discussion

          • Super Secret Stuff says:
            7 Sep7 September 11:25

            I’ll get my quantum computer for ultimate security….

            I joke, it is about tolerance, the longer it stays off MSE and Daily Mail the longer it stays open. We don’t need unbreakable codes. The companies know what is going on without us discussing it but because of the amount of effort to shut it down Vs other bigger problems means it is not worth it

    • Reney says:
      7 Sep7 September 08:17

      There is no winning solution here, post with codes I get told off by one group who think they are silly. Helping people with code words I get told off by another group for answering. And then there is a group who tells you off for even mentioning it.

      Sometimes I just want some help without being told off. I agree small trial is often the answer but not always.

      • Aston100 says:
        7 Sep7 September 09:17

        The funniest ones are those who seem to think it is perfectly normal for new people to know how to search this site using work arounds. Instead of wishing this site had a working proper search facility or forums with FAQs.

        • Reney says:
          7 Sep7 September 09:58

          🤞that a lot of this goes away when forum is up and running. Rob is that coming soon?

      • Harry T says:
        7 Sep7 September 09:25

        Small trial is usually the best idea, as you can’t assume that your experience will be the same as others (or that other posters are operating on a good faith basis).

        • Reney says:
          7 Sep7 September 09:57

          @HarryT I agree re small transaction most of the time. But for example, someone reported last week that their creation – Che transaction was taking forever to post. I wanted to know has it been posted yet and how long i took them? Am in a similar situation and it has been close to a week. Doing another small transaction doesn’t help here.

          • Aston100 says:
            7 Sep7 September 10:02

            FWIW, my Solihull payments to Mr Guevara appear instantaneously on the Che side, but take 2 or 3 days to fully resolve on the Solihull side.

          • Reney says:
            7 Sep7 September 10:40

            @Aston100 that is the case for me if the transaction goes through additional verification i.e OTP. But in one scenario where it did not, it has not appeared anywhere.

          • Guernsey Globetrotter says:
            7 Sep7 September 11:49

            I am seeing different behaviour on different Solihull cards and it seems to be connected to their cack-handed recent implementation of extra security. Mrs T has a recently issued card where the 2FA/OTP process has always worked as intended. On this card it is possible to cycle 10k plus per week and the Che debits appear fairly prompty (T+2 days max). My legacy and white cards however have both not worked with the 2FA process since it was introduced and at the same time seem to have had a cap placed on the weekly Che amounts (1.8k). Now (in the last week) the 2FA IS working on my old cards but the payment caps still remain and the transactions are taking even longer to appear on the card side (e.g. paid Che on Sept 3rd and still not showing today, although shadow ‘available’ balance factors it in). It is something I am testing but in summary YMMV.
            It is also only fair to say that I am not necessarily complaining about Solihull IT as it is probably their shortcomings in this department that can make this route profitable for some of us – I certainly won’t be ringing them up about it!

          • Reney says:
            7 Sep7 September 13:30

            @GG thanks for the very extensive response.

  • No name says:
    7 Sep7 September 07:03

    Bendy = Curve, obviously.

  • No name says:
    7 Sep7 September 07:16

    Anyone else received notifications of new alert setup on reward flight finder overnight, & now can’t log in? Reset password link also not working. Hacked?

  • Paul says:
    7 Sep7 September 07:20

    Has anyone been to Germany recently? A family member has been denied boarding by BA at EDI this morning as they didn’t have a recent covid test. I was under the impression that if you are fully vaccinated more than 14 days previously as they are and you have your NHS pass that was fine for entry to Germany.

    • K says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:29

      We just got back. Flew out 10 days ago and there was no need for test, if fully jabbed.

    • Paul says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:35

      Double jabbed and have completed the pre departure digital registration.

      From .gov web site

      Entry to Germany
      The UK is designated as a ‘high-incidence area’. You may enter Germany from the UK for any travel purpose if you are fully vaccinated.

      Unvaccinated children under 12 years of age are allowed to enter Germany without a negative test as long as they travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent. These children are not obliged to provide any kind of evidence (no COVID test, etc.), but have to quarantine on arrival. For them, quarantine ends automatically 5 days after entry.

      Those individuals who are not fully vaccinated may only enter Germany from the UK if they are a German citizen; the spouse/partner/child under 18 of a German citizen; a resident of Germany; the spouse/partner/child under 18 of a resident of Germany; serve in an important role; or have an urgent need to travel. Further information about possible exceptions for non-residents is on the Federal Interior Ministry website, under “What constitutes an urgent need for travel”. The decision on whether to allow entry in such circumstances is at the discretion of border guards.

      Travellers who are not fully vaccinated and do not meet one of the exemptions outlined above may not currently enter Germany from the UK.

      All travellers entering Germany from the UK are required to complete pre-departure digital registration, regardless of vaccination status.

      For those individuals eligible to enter Germany who are not fully vaccinated, travel from the UK is generally subject to 10-day quarantine with test and release available after 5 days. Both individuals who can prove recovery from the virus and the fully vaccinated are exempt from quarantine requirements. (See ‘Quarantine after travel from high-incidence areas’ and (See ‘Demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status’)

      Germany uses a two-tier system of risk categories (virus variant areas and high-incidence areas), with distinct rules on entry and quarantine for each tier. See the complete list of designated areas.

      • Andrew says:
        7 Sep7 September 08:47

        It goes on to say:- “Germany will accept the UK’s proof of COVID-19 recovery and vaccination record.”

        It doesn’t say anything about them accepting a Scottish Goverment vaccination record.

    • Kwisstan says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:58

      The UK is designated as a High Risk area. According to the Robert Koch institute, BA were wrong to deny boarding if the travellers were fully vaccinated:

      “When entering Germany, all travellers aged 12 or over must present a negative test result or proof of vaccination or recovery. Special rules apply to commuters.”

      • Pete M says:
        7 Sep7 September 12:30

        They were incorrectly denied boarding – I fly to Germany regularly and there’s no need for a test if double jabbed.

        • Lady London says:
          7 Sep7 September 13:29

          Looks like incorrect denied boarding. If at remote end BA would have had to put you up in a hotel, pay transport to and from and all meals till they stopped incorrectly denying the passenger boarding and provided them a flight.

          Obvs not generally needed at first outward but I could imagine circumstances where those duty of care things could be needed on an outward too if BA denied boarding incorrectly.

    • Paul says:
      7 Sep7 September 19:49

      Just as an update. He had to go and get an express test done at the airport for £100 and then they charged him a change fee to move him to a later flight. He’s not a happy bunny but needed to travel, the staff wouldn’t back down and told him to complaim if he thinks they are wrong. He even showed them the FCO website but they wouldn’t budge.

  • TC says:
    7 Sep7 September 07:34

    I received two emails from Reward Flight Finder this morning, one saying I had set up an account and the other confirming I had created an alert – I didn’t do either. I just wanted to check if this has happened to anyone else recently or since they’ve logged into their Seat Spy account. Thanks

    • Dan says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:37

      I got these too – probably just going through their marketing list and spamming everyone. They’re not having a good few weeks!

    • Jo says:
      7 Sep7 September 07:39

      I had one email saying I’d set up an alert, which I hadn’t. When I tried to login to the site they didn’t recognise my login details and the ‘forgot password’ option brought an error message. Weird!

  • Keely says:
    7 Sep7 September 07:38

    I’ve had one this morning too…

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

New to Head for Points?

Welcome!  We’re the UK’s most-read source of business travel, Avios, frequent flyer and hotel loyalty news. Let us improve how you travel. Learn more on our About page.

VAA

Latest comments

Latest Forum Posts

Get 30,000 points bonus with American Express Platinum

Amex Gold

Check reward flight availability instantly for free!

See a whole year of reward seat availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Booking a luxury hotel?

Our luxury hotel booking service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct. Works with Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz Carlton, St Regis and more. We've booked £1.3 million of rooms to date. Click for details.

Get 20,000 bonus points and your first year free with American Express Gold

Amex Gold