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The HfP chat thread – Monday 20th September

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General

Comments (508)

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

  • YH says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:04

    I want to fly from Amman to Cairo for a day trip. I doubt I’ll be able to get a PCR done in Egypt in the morning ready for my evening flight. Would I be able to use a PCR test done in Amman to get back into Amman from Cairo?

  • roberto says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:11

    I have the spend £5000 for 10k Avios like many on my BAPP card and triggered it over the weekend. However and what might be useful for some is that whilst the spend was over £5000 the net spend (including refunds) was well under.

    The largish refunds were against hotel purchases that were in the same billing cycle (after the promo started) so prehaps the trigger is based on turnover rather than spend if you get my drift…… nudge is as good as a wink….

    • DI says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:15

      Hmmm I suppose it is still possible Amex would take back the avios at a later stage?

    • AJA says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:21

      Interesting. So have the 10k bonus Avios appeared in your Amex account waiting to be transferred to BAEC?

    • Chris says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:34

      Is there any way of tracking the spend against this offer?

    • roberto says:
      20 Sep20 September 10:32

      and yes the avios have appeared into my account…

      • TGLoyalty says:
        20 Sep20 September 14:20

        I’d be surprised if you don’t get a -10k balance unless you’re closing the card.

    • DJ says:
      20 Sep20 September 10:43

      Just out of curiosity, the spending “£5k for 10k avios”, was it an offer appeared on the Offers tab? I didn’t get it on mine, so was wondering if I could phone them and have it manually added.

      • BJ says:
        20 Sep20 September 10:52

        I thought the offer was on all BAPP, a 2000 offer on all blue. Unless somebody confirms otherwise then certainly give them a call. There is also a BAPP retention offer of 10k avios for £3k spend for some. My partner has all three on his BAPPA so just over 30k avios for £5300 nonBA spend.

  • Andy says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:15

    I’m with Ovo for energy and have a positive balance of around £300. Given the talk about firms going bust should I be trying to get that money paid out to me or if Ovo go bust will it be protected?

    • Rich says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:20

      It will be protected, though the wait to get it back may be a while.

      What’s meant to happen is that any credit balance will be taken to whichever new supplier takes on customers. In reality, they depth of the crisis may mean that things change, but I wouldn’t expect the money to be at risk, just a potential PITA.

    • Rich says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:23

      Top tip (for anyone, with any supplier, right now) – make sure you have downloaded a recent statement, given a meter reading (and kept a note of it), and know whether you’re in debit or credit at the moment.

      • Toby says:
        20 Sep20 September 09:31

        Agree with all Rich has said. Your money is protected but download your bills and keep regular meter readings. Also remember switches can take weeks, so moving now might not help you much.

        But, I wouldn’t be loading up balances with energy companies unless you can afford it to be tide up for weeks as mergers/collapses occur.

        My guess is that the government will green light rapid mergers of the weaker players in the coming days and give loans to the bigger survivors. I wouldn’t be too worried if you’re with Ovo or Octopus. Bulb does not look in good shape though….

        • Rich says:
          20 Sep20 September 09:36

          One thing to remember is that finding other suppliers to take on customers is not going to be easy. Not when taking on those customers means losing money hand over fist.

          The thought did occur to me to top up my account via CC, in the expectation of getting a big cheque from the administrator in 6 weeks time.

          I thought the better of that though!

          • David says:
            20 Sep20 September 09:57

            From my experience of GNE going under and being taken on by EDF, the balance just gets transferred to the new supplier, you don’t have to do anything other than register a new account with them, or worry about refunds. Any pos balance is completely safe.

          • Toby says:
            20 Sep20 September 10:01

            Good point. I wonder how they’ll handle that. Perhaps the government will bring forward the price cap increases? Or sweeten the deal for companies that take on the customers?

    • Thom says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:29

      It will be protected:

      “If you are in credit on your account, your money is protected and you’ll be paid back. If you were in debt to the old supplier, you’ll still have to pay the money back.”

      I wouldn’t worry too much as that sounds like a ‘normal’ level of post-summer credit rather than a silly amount , but I would make sure you have copies of your recent bills + payments to make sure it doesn’t ‘get lost’!

      That said, if it’s easy to get some money refunded now too reduce the credit no harm in that …

    • Rich says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:57

      Well I should’ve listened to my own advice. Checked my Bulb account last night, all OK.

      Just been on the app to download a statement, and ‘you have no statements yet’.

      Managed to get a statement online, where it tells me I have no DD set up – perhaps they’ve stopped taking DDs. Clearly some preparatory work going on for handover.

      • Toby says:
        20 Sep20 September 10:02

        Oh dear. That is not a good sign. Maybe there is a rule they can’t take DDs if they know they’re insolvent? Or close to it?

      • Thom says:
        20 Sep20 September 10:15

        Likewise – no DD details anymore in my bulb account (though for reference they did take my September payment 3 days ago)! No problem with accessing my statements although I have noticed the website sometimes fails to load them.

    • Tracey says:
      20 Sep20 September 10:29

      I have a positive balance with ovo as they are paying me 5% interest on it. No intention of moving it anywhere.

      • Harrier25 says:
        20 Sep20 September 10:50

        Same here and did a top-up this morning. Although I don’t think OVO will go under being one of the largest suppliers, I do fear that the in-credit interest may be pulled for a time until the wholesale prices reduce.

        • BJ says:
          20 Sep20 September 11:23

          OVO and SSE are merging I think so together they should likely move higher up in the big 6.

  • Peter Taysum says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:34

    Looking for some advice!

    A friend has asked me which (if any) lounge to use at Gatwick North. I’ve read the HfP reviews #obvs but with Covid restrictions what would people suggest. It’s a good friend so would like them to have a good experience.

    They’re travelling in Feb. I’m flying BA to meet them skiing.

    Thanks for any help,
    Peter

  • Tazzy says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:38

    On an easyJet flight to Malaga. Over 2 hours delayed on runway and now having to move to a different plane. Likely to be > 3 hours delayed. Are we entitled to any compensation?

    • Super Secret Stuff says:
      20 Sep20 September 09:40

      If it is technical and completely unrelated to Covid, I believe yes. Try to get some proof, maybe record an announcement? Or a picture of any leaflets they give you?

    • AJA says:
      20 Sep20 September 10:03

      I’d say so. Moving to a different plane indicates a technical problem. Not sure how they’d say it was covid related. Might try wiggling out using extraordinary circumstances but I’d push back against that.

    • Tom says:
      20 Sep20 September 12:10

      If you were on the BFS departure it looks as though your arrival (defined by the first aircraft door opening) will be well under 3hrs late. Thus, no EU261 entitlement.

      Ditto to the late running MAN – AGP service.

  • Rich says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:42

    No miles angle, but NYT subscription available for £26/ year (billed at £2 per 4 weeks), increasing to £8 after a year.

    I had the same on a 2 year deal,. Just messaged to cancel, and was offered an even better option: $1 per 4 weeks for a year.

    • BuildBackBetter says:
      20 Sep20 September 10:17

      I set up a new account using a different email I’d, if the prices go up.
      I’d still pay for it even if they remove promo pricing as the quality of journalism is very good.

    • ChrisC says:
      20 Sep20 September 10:39

      Washington post available for €20 for the first year. $30 for ad free version.

      Don’t know why it’s priced in euros though.

      • Rui N. says:
        20 Sep20 September 11:01

        For the WaPost I was once a subscriber with a £20/year rate. Since that expired, I keep getting offers for 12 weeks for £1 (I’m on the third of such offers). So the initial £20 were a very good investment.
        (The WaPost is one of those that you can still basically read everything for free if you go incognito in your browser.)

    • BuildBackBetter says:
      20 Sep20 September 11:29

      FT digital sub is available for £154 per year.

      • Rich says:
        20 Sep20 September 11:46

        Once in a while I see an FT article I’d like to read. There’s no way I’d pay what they’re asking though for what little I read.

        They also seem to have done away with free access if you arrive via Google.

  • Chris says:
    20 Sep20 September 09:44

    I might have asked this before, but forgot when and so can’t find any possible responses on the daily chat thread.

    Anyway – if I apply for a supplementary plat card on my Amex Plat, do I get any bonus MRs?

    And do I need to apply for Priority Pass or does it come automatically? I’ve had my plat card for 3 weeks now.

  • PMG says:
    20 Sep20 September 10:09

    Question regarding Double Tier Points on BA Holiday booking – had a trip in July that qualified for this, however nothing had posted a month after.

    Reached out to BA holidays on chat and they confirmed it, also got a text confirming they had passed it to the Executive club to post the TPs. It has been another month and still nothing has posted, reached out to BA via chat and they said I needed to call instead.

    Is there anyway I can avoid calling and waiting hours to get hold of them?
    Believe I read that others have used an online form to get them posted?

    Thanks for any help 🙂

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