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The HfP chat thread – Sunday 19th September

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

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Comments (390)

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

  • Stephen says:
    19 Sep19 September 16:09

    Booked 3 x Return flights with Virgin miles (ANA to Tokyo) for December 2021 from London & Frankfurt

    ANA have updated their flight schedule (no longer offer a flight on Tuesday and Sunday).

    One of our bookings has automatically had flights from the following days added into the PNR (by ANA).

    The other two no longer have any flights allocated against the PNR.

    Has anyone had any luck getting Virgin/ANA to rebook them (without needing to find very limited Virgin reward seats with ANA)?

    • Jonathan says:
      19 Sep19 September 17:06

      If you don’t hold residence rights to live and work in Japan, you’re taking a bit of a gamble by making a booking to a country that’s had their borders shut mainly since coronavirus was heard of

      • Stephen says:
        19 Sep19 September 19:22

        They are booked using Virgin miles, and Virgin are offering free change of dates

        But wanted to see if anyone had experience of the EU261 process of re-routing on reward tickets with Virgin (ANA)?

    • Mike says:
      19 Sep19 September 21:22

      Stephen- I wouldn’t bother as you will not be using those flights – no way you are getting in to Japan in Dec 21

  • Peter K says:
    19 Sep19 September 16:34

    BAPP wrong fee update & Morrisons credit update:

    For those charged £250 rather than £195. Spoke to Amex today and there is a note on the system that a work around for this is being sorted by the backroom staff. My agent raised a ticket anyway, but sounds like Amex are getting it sorted finally.

    Also, for those waiting for Amex Morrisons credit, I was told my purchase from 1st finally triggered on 16th Sept so should be in my account next week so hopefully others will too. My purchase on 13th hadn’t triggered so a ticket was raised.

    • Babyg says:
      19 Sep19 September 20:20

      good to know (amex 250 fee vs 195), im currently in the queue for the refund too..

  • Super Secret Stuff says:
    19 Sep19 September 17:01

    Not sure if I’ve forgotten or it’s new, but just got an email from IHG:

    “Your mystery offer: up to 100% more points​Buy IHG® Rewards points and reveal a mystery bonus of up to 100% more! Plus, you can purchase up to 150,000 bonus points to plan for future travel – now through 8 October.”

    • Peter K says:
      19 Sep19 September 17:12

      I got that email as well. But basically it’s another opportunity for IHG to nark off all those who want to buy but don’t get the 100% bonus, but not fuss all those not currently planning to buy and are underwhelmed by the constant 80-100% bonuses.

      • Super Secret Stuff says:
        19 Sep19 September 17:35

        I don’t understand why they say upto 100%, knowing full well majority of people won’t buy as they only get 80 or 90%…

    • Andrew says:
      19 Sep19 September 18:03

      100% bonus here on 11,000 points upwards.

  • John Caribbean says:
    19 Sep19 September 17:28

    What’s the cheapest day 2 “I don’t actually care if this turns up” test these days?

    • Tracey says:
      19 Sep19 September 17:59

      Eurofins £20, expert medical £28.

    • Blenz101 says:
      19 Sep19 September 18:16

      If you really don’t care or even intend to take book an in person test that offers a cancellation policy you can avail of once in the country. Collinson are good.

      Now this is going away I am sure it will be spoken about more widely. Much like the PDF editing of results to change names and dates, reusing of PLF codes and bypassing red list via the CTA etc.

      • Yuff says:
        19 Sep19 September 18:26

        And this is what makes the whole situation a farce.
        No one checked any documentation, apart from my LFT at the gate, in Palma this week.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          19 Sep19 September 18:58

          Lots of this is theatre to make people feel better about travel etc

          However your airline should have checked all the docs before letting you on the plane

          • Blenz101 says:
            19 Sep19 September 19:38

            For the expensive PCR day 2 (and day 8) tests all that can be checked is that you have in theory booked and paid for a test and entered the code on the PFL. You then have upto 2 (/8) days to take the tests.

            Collinson allow you to request a full refund upto 3 hours before a booked test.

            So anybody landing tomorrow at 9am and books a test Tuesday at noon has a full 24 hours after landing, passing the border and into the UK where they can login and cancel the tests.

            Yes not morally right etc. but shows what a complete sieve the system was given nothing was ever checked. Its upcoming removal is a good thing for border security in general.

          • TGLoyalty says:
            19 Sep19 September 19:50

            Blenz101 we can argue about how silly it is til the cows come home

            However there reality is the vast majority of people just stick to the rules like all laws

            Why the U.K. isn’t the Wild West and there isn’t a murder on every corner on a daily basis.

          • Blenz101 says:
            19 Sep19 September 21:26

            I don’t disagree with you TGLoyalty.

            And it’s likely more than likely those who could least afford it have paid full price at Boots for their whole family to comply whilst frequent fliers have been booking £20 tests for the PLF code and never showing up, reusing codes, editing PDFs etc.

            My issue is with the way the system was implemented. Prices should have been capped as many many other counties have done and results linked to the PLF details. Not taking the test(s) should have been picked up by T&T.

            If the Bank of England provided PDFs of £50 notes and you just needed so show the serial number on your phone in order to spend them with no checks ever that they were valid then the county would soon find itself with a serious counterfeit problem even if the law said you can’t use the same note twice.

  • r* says:
    19 Sep19 September 17:35

    The hilton voucher instead of breakfast is spreading! Canadian niagara hilton said they have swapped to the US voucher system and gave a 12 canadian dollar voucher per person.

    • Super Secret Stuff says:
      19 Sep19 September 17:37

      Lodge a complaint with corporate Hilton and see what they do about it. Might comp you something as you have “been caught out” and “”not how I expected my loyalty to be rewarded” etc.

      • Super Secret Stuff says:
        19 Sep19 September 17:51

        Anyone know the best email address to get them on in general? I need to chase up my status match before my stay this weekend

      • Blenz101 says:
        19 Sep19 September 18:07

        If C$12 covered a continental breakfast, pastry and a coffee (?) then the hotel has met its obligations.

        It has been lovely getting away with a full hot breakfast for all these years at the majority of hotels but unsurprising belts in hospitality are being tightened. Hilton has been very generous during CV19 but it is hotel operators that are having to honour the benefits.

        • Babyg says:
          19 Sep19 September 20:23

          geez Blenz do you work for hilton marketing? hilton have billions in revenue, due to things like a great loyalty programmes etc, if they want to part of a rapid recovery now is not the time to cut back… quite the opposite..

          • Blenz101 says:
            19 Sep19 September 21:45

            Just being pragmatic. I think Hilton have been overly generous with the extensions and reduced targets. Whilst the U.K. may have had an extended lockdown much of the world didn’t.

            Business travel, particularly international, will take years to recover and given the adoption of WfH and video calling may never get back to pre-pandemic levels. Hilton status benefits won’t change a single corporate travel policy.

            Spending the next two years giving away millions of free breakfasts when stays are going to be down and loyalty just rolled over is a tough sell to the operators. Some ancillary income (that many can expense) topping up a breakfast $ voucher seems a small price to pay to keep the benefit if the alternative is operators leave and Hilton move to pull the benefit altogether.

    • Babyg says:
      19 Sep19 September 18:03

      guess that’s why Hilton were so happy/eager to extent status, given how quickly they are taking value from having status…

      • Harrier25 says:
        19 Sep19 September 18:59

        Not ideal if this spreads into Europe and the UK, but on the face of it, still better than anything you’d get from IHG.

        • Babyg says:
          19 Sep19 September 19:26

          that’s why i haven’t bothered with IHG to be honest… I now avoid Hilton bookings in the US (not that I’ve been to the US since covid), not booking Hilton will extend to wherever
          the Hilton penny pinching policy is applied. Unless people vote with their feet Hilton will deem this to be acceptable..

      • BJ says:
        19 Sep19 September 20:03

        Simply too many Diamonds now. Hopefully perks will be sustained into the long term for Lifetime or a new level will be introduced but not really expecting it.

  • Phil says:
    19 Sep19 September 17:44

    On the St Lucia route, BA have “de-classified” the old First cabin to Business class in the 777s that haven’t been refitted.

    Interestingly, they won’t let you select a seat in the First cabin (much) in advance – the seat map shows it blocked out if you try to change your seat. I got moved into the cabin at online checking on the way out and have just been able to move my seat into the cabin around 30 hours before the flight.

    Given the blocking out, I suspect that they may be using it as a “soft upgrade”(I’m Gold).

    It’s quite an interesting experience having the First seat/cabin with Business service. For me, the seat and cabin is probably 80% of the value.

    Anyone with a similar flight might want to check seating options from 48 hours or so before the flight.

    • AJA says:
      19 Sep19 September 17:52

      This is called Flub (First seat Club). They are using a 4 class plane for a 3 class offering. Nice when it happens!

    • ChrisC says:
      19 Sep19 September 19:07

      They only open the cabin if they need to i.e. Club is overbooked or PE is and they need to roll pax forward.

      If they don’t need to open up F then they won’t as it also requires an extra member of crew to be on board.

      And they have revoked FLUB if they actually don’t need the cabin sending pax back to likely worse seats in club than they had before.

  • Mart says:
    19 Sep19 September 18:11

    Hoping to harness the collective knowledge. Me and OH looking for a week away next May, ideally all inclusive (fairly luxurious/etc), sitting on a load of avios points/241 vouchers (happy to use these or pay cash) but not much else. Any tips or advice much appreciated! Not too fussy about location!

    Thanks In advance.

    • Blenz101 says:
      19 Sep19 September 18:22

      Are you looking longhaul? Caribbean and Mexico would be the go to for most people.

      Middle East has more limited options and will be getting very warm depending when in May you are thinking. Luxury will be higher and fewer Americans gorgeing.

      Asia isn’t really known for its all inclusive and who knows where it will be in terms of covid.

      Europe has plenty of all-inclusives in all the places you would expect at almost every budget point.

      • Mart says:
        19 Sep19 September 18:42

        Very open to short or long haul – no real preference. Thanks for your advice!

        • BJ says:
          19 Sep19 September 20:08

          There were comments a month or two back about Hiltons in Turkey that were all inclusive IIRC. Would avios to Nectar Hotels work; I don’t know, perhaps worth exploring?

    • HBommie says:
      19 Sep19 September 19:06

      Fly first if you can, much better experience.

      Pick up a luxury cruise which includes everything. Seabourn can be good.

      • Babyg says:
        19 Sep19 September 19:30

        Agreed, first out to use T5 CCR etc (so much better than the pretty awful galleries lounges), and club back is the best bang for buck IMHO…. seatspy is your friend… but finding “2for1” bookings with the old vouchers for may 2022 isnt that easy if i am honest.

  • Mattb says:
    19 Sep19 September 18:19

    Stolen from hot deal site – Monese discounted gift vouchers are back, 2 options £100 for £80 and £50 for £40 using codes shop100 and shop50. Just bought both.

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