The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 15th September

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• BJ says:

  15 Sep15 September 18:17

  BA also cancelled flights to BKK in December, why can they not wait a bit longer? Getting so tired of this!

  • Rachel Robinson says:

    15 Sep15 September 18:22

    Yes, mine cancelled too. Need to work out what to do with my 241 that expires April 2022.

    • Andrew H says:

      15 Sep15 September 23:00

      If you book something and cancel you’ll get a FTV which has the FTV in it, valid to 30 Sept 2023

  • MIchael C says:

    15 Sep15 September 18:42

    Yikes, sorry to hear that, BJ. Will they re-route on QR if you want?

  • BJ says:

    15 Sep15 September 18:52

    @Rachel FTV I guess unless you can get a CSA to change for something suitable.

    @Michael, we have Japan and Thailand booked for Spring so need to wait until October 22 flights open and see if we can change to then. Failing that it will need to be a FTV as 2-4-1 expires June 22.

  • Andy says:

    15 Sep15 September 18:57

    Cancellation rather than retiming? mine got moved around 10 hours so got a refund a few weeks ago. But with bangkok opening up in theory i’m surprised they’re nixing xmas flights

    • BJ says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:24

      Rescheduled a few weeks agovso I got it changed from exINV to exEDI. Cancelled today.

  • Sam G says:

    15 Sep15 September 19:08

    Restarts 9th December looks like. Probably sensible will take a while for demand to ramp up if Bangkok does open soonish as currently expected

    • HBommie says:

      15 Sep15 September 20:52

      Bangkok opening in Dec?

      Where do I sign, been gagging for a break on the river for months.

      • BJ says:

        15 Sep15 September 21:34

        Noises are becoming increasingly encouraging but if I was betting I would still say next year.

    • BJ says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:32

      Thanks Sam, we were on the 4th. Now I’ll need to have a think as the March trip was fallback if this one was cancelled. Thoughts at the moment is now to pin hopes on March (which is one of tgevchangedb50% off bookings) and try to changed cancelled December flight to 10/22.

  • Lady London says:

    15 Sep15 September 20:59

    Oh dear BJ.
    If Thailand is open by then you might have to fly on another luxurious airline and claim original routing credit.

    • BJ says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:47

      @Lady London, I do not wish to fly any of those airlines that are hosted, financed etc by countries that fall short of my expectations on equality. The relationship between one and another airline we are flying is already bad enough. I would not say I will never fly any of them but they are bottom of the list for me. Sadly the reach of their capital is such that supporting them in one way or another is difficult to avoid.

  • Yorkieflyer says:

    15 Sep15 September 21:44

    Looks like 9December first flight date

    • BJ says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:51

      Yes, Sam posted that. Five days after our flight. Normally we would not go that early but when we booked it this time we allowed an extra two weeks for possible quarantine.

• Tom H says:

  15 Sep15 September 18:18

  Hi all, I m staying at the Kimpton in Paris at the end of the month, other than the roof terrace at the hotel, any other suggestions for nearby restaurants for dinner, not to fussed about the budget.

  • Reney says:

    15 Sep15 September 19:11

    the Bistro down the road was yummy. Apparently there is a M.star restaurant near by too, no idea of the name.

• Cat says:

  15 Sep15 September 18:54

  Reply to my post yesterday (suspected nobody would see if I replied to page 7 of yesterday’s comments section!) – AJA, Nectar Collector, the link worked on my Android phone! Oddly I couldn’t do it via the BA website on my laptop, but when I followed the same link on my phone as AJA suggested, I didn’t get the “Bad request” error message anymore, and the unlink button was there!

  Just for future reference – if anyone gets a new Nectar card number, try going to https://exchange.shopping.ba.com/partner/nectar on your phone, rather than a laptop. No idea why this works! My new Nectar card is linked, and I’ve converted points to Avios.

  Thanks so much for the help! This has been really annoying me!

  Also, thanks so much to Lady London, Polly, Meta, Anna, Chas and Peter K for the lovely messages. That was really very sweet!

  Meta – I’ve been distracting myself all summer with Cornish beaches instead (hiking the SW Coast Path, I’ve now done 400 miles of it), and I’m daydreaming of Indonesian beaches, as that’s my plan for next summer (🤞) – via Cathay Pacific and JAL in first!

  Polly – how was France? Were things generally open and normal? Half term will be swimming in lakes and under waterfalls in the Lake District (don’t worry – I’ll wear a wetsuit! 6 weeks swimming off Cornish beaches has made me pretty cold hardened, but I have my limits!).

  Chas – I’m coping alright with it so far. I decided immediately not to change my behaviour (except keeping my phone in my bag while walking down the street, or in alleyways), and have taken the same route to and from school since. It has meant that there’s nothing I’ve been avoiding doing to build up and stress over in my head.

  Thanks all, I feel like I’ve been thoroughly welcomed back!

  X

  • Nectar Collector says:

    15 Sep15 September 19:26

    So glad you were able to sort this without another protracted phone call, and as you say a good lesson for others who might need to cancel a nectar card that’s already linked to BAEC

    • Cat says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:46

      Yes, one eye-gougingly tedious phone call was more than enough, trust me!

      Thanks so much to you and AJA!

      Trying to find the time when I have a long enough stretch with no lessons / after school classes / meetings, to phone Nectar or BA, sit on hold, then try to explain the problem and find someone who can help, without the next class turning up, expecting to be taught by a teacher who’s not on the phone (necessitating hanging up) can be somewhat problematic!

      So pleased this is all sorted!

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    15 Sep15 September 21:09

    “(hiking the SW Coast Path, I’ve now done 400 miles of it)”

    Sounds fantastic!

    • Cat says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:53

      I haven’t, actually! It’s referenced a fair bit in the Salt Path, which I’ve been reading (at the insistence of lots of people). I’ll have to look it up over half term!

      One thing I will say (for any hiking fans that are still looking for backup staycations) – the SWCP is just *stunning*. Every time I think “that’s it, I’ve hiked the best bit, with the most stunning views”, I’m proved wrong yet again within 48 hours. It’s a glorious hike.

      Except for the bit through Plymouth – that bit’s sh!te.

      How have you been Savage Squirrel? Are you braving travel again?

  • BJ says:

    15 Sep15 September 21:59

    Seems like I missed something bad but trust you are well @Cat.

    Regards the Nectar links, I found it usually works best if you have the relevant BA page open and logged in within browser while using the Nectar app.

    • Cat says:

      15 Sep15 September 22:12

      Hey BJ!

      TLDR: I got mugged, and had all sorts of new Nectar card number / old BA account number problems unlinking old Nectar and linking my new one (plus no longer walking down the street reading / commenting on HfP on my phone has really cut down on my ability to keep up with the ever-expanding chat thread!)

      I’m genuinely fine, it was last June, and was a complete PIA, but I’ve lived in London for 2 decades now, and TBH I’m amazed that it’s taken this long for that particular London experience to occur. I’m now the cautionary tale at school – why you don’t walk down the road engrossed in your phone.

      How have you been? Are you back to travelling yet? Any new bothy recommendations?

      • Cat says:

        15 Sep15 September 23:15

        I’ve just read the comments above, so sorry your Thailand plans are going pear-shaped. Its rubbish after being stuck here for so long.

        If you’d rather avoid partner airlines (BTW, I may be being daft here, but is JAL a problem too?) could you change destination? I know it sucks, but are there any other possible destinations that could work? What airlines would you be happy flying?

  • meta says:

    15 Sep15 September 23:49

    @Cat Wow! Need to do Cornwall soon and Indonesia sounds glorious. 🤞

    • Cat says:

      16 Sep16 September 06:12

      How have you been getting on with starting travelling again, Meta?

• Duncan Stevenson-Price says:

  15 Sep15 September 18:59

  Another weird hotel question… Intercontinental Vienna… any thoughts? It’s listed in FHR, but I’ve also got Ambassador. Do those benefits stack?

  • Anna says:

    15 Sep15 September 19:12

    We were supposed to stay there earlier this year but of course it was cancelled! I don’t think it the best-kept property from what I’ve heard, however they did upgrade us (Spire/Ambassador) to a 1 bed suite with lounge access just after we booked!

    • Duncan Stevenson-Price says:

      15 Sep15 September 19:16

      Nice upgrade! What room did you book for that upgrade? The guaranteed upgrades are really tough to work out when there’s no official list of all room grades.

      Shame you couldn’t go though. We’re looking at November and I’m keeping everything crossed that we can make it!

      • Anna says:

        15 Sep15 September 20:01

        It’s come back to me now – I booked the cheapest junior suite for 3 of us (which didn’t come with lounge access); I contacted them in advance and they told me to book that one and they would upgrade me to the 1 bed with lounge access. I was gutted that we had to cancel – easyJet has now pulled the route entirely as well. Limited direct options from the north.

      • Anna says:

        15 Sep15 September 20:03

        If you can go late November the Xmas markets are fabulous.

  • Phil W says:

    15 Sep15 September 19:57

    My experience is that Ambassador, Spire, and FHR can stack. I’ve received double upgrades (AMB + FHR), AMB F&B credit, FHR F&B credit, Spire Free drinks voucher and breakfast at a few ICs. Though I’ve never been to the Vienna property.

    • Duncan says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:46

      Good to know, thanks!

  • Rob says:

    15 Sep15 September 20:57

    Ugly building, convenient for airport train, short walk into old town. Bit bland.

    • Duncan says:

      15 Sep15 September 21:48

      That’s unfortunate. The location appealed to me, as did the idea of using the Ambassador benefits (purchased for a different trip). I suppose the benefit of staying at the Intercontinental is none of the views from the hotel will have the hotel in them.

  • Blair says:

    15 Sep15 September 21:31

    I recently told a Vienna native I had IC Vienna booked and they visibly grimaced and advised me to cancel. Having said that, they are also a snob.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      16 Sep16 September 00:22

      It’s pretty ugly.

      Some good Marriott properties in Vienna inc the Imperial (must be fully refurbished by now) and Bristol all pretty good value on points.

    • Rob says:

      16 Sep16 September 09:03

      It’s just …. like any other big IC in the world. Totally fine but lacking in flair.

• Degsy says:

  15 Sep15 September 19:19

  Anyone else still using WeSwap (don’t really see much talk about it on here, so assume I’m in a minority)
  It has just semi re-invented (well refreshed) itself as WeSwap2.0…. Not that much difference as far as I can tell, although the forex rates it now uses seem less competitive than before, with no option for a longer swap date in return for a more favourable rate

  • PM says:

    15 Sep15 September 19:30

    WeSwap is dead, time to get Currensea Degsy.

    • Degsy says:

      15 Sep15 September 20:46

      I think it may well be. I’ve just seen there’s a new fee structure….

• Clive says:

  15 Sep15 September 19:23

  Would some point me to the details on how to exchange Q Miles for Accor Points please

  • Rob says:

    15 Sep15 September 20:55

    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2016/12/09/convert-qatar-miles-into-accor-hotels/

    • Clive says:

      15 Sep15 September 22:39

      Thanks Rob

• James says:

  15 Sep15 September 20:12

  Rumour doing the rounds that there will be no travel list announcement this week. If true, Grant Shapps should pack up his desk and refuse his new term as Transport Secretary.

• Ben says:

  15 Sep15 September 20:19

  Just flew from Ljubljana expecting no lounge but it seems to be back on. Despite the lounge not even noting BA outside on the sign.

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