The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 21st September

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• Curve Police says:

  21 Sep21 September 07:21

  Email received from Curve:

  Specifically, we have observed a number of transactions at NS&I that indicate that cash recycling may be occuring, (e.g. revolving borrowed or own funds between financial institutions for financial gain). We value your custom and want to keep your account open and active, however, we must remind you that such activity is against our Terms of Service, our Fair Use Policy, NS&I’s terms and conditions and potentially also your card issuer’s terms and conditions.

  If we continue to observe this kind of account activity, Curve will unfortunately have to suspend your account until we have been able to confirm that the activity is not cash-recycling and has a legitimate purpose.

  Anyone else?

  • BJ says:

    21 Sep21 September 07:40

    How can it be for financial gain if points and miles generally have no value, and generally remain the property of the scheme issuing them? Couldn’t we more correctly argue that it is a financial loss due to implications of interest rates?

    • BJ says:

      21 Sep21 September 07:44

      More seriously it refers explicitly to NS&I which Rob has indicated is driving the crackdown.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        21 Sep21 September 09:07

        Not really I had a variation of that email 2 years ago.

        • Rui N. says:

          21 Sep21 September 11:30

          Yeah, they’ve always mentioned Ernie (and CC payments, before fronted) when denying me annual limit increases, so nothing new being explicit about it.
          Then they gave me £100k/£300k in less than 2 months, and then annual limits were removed for everyone.

  • Jen T says:

    21 Sep21 September 07:43

    Nothing received here. I don’t recycle – I just buy – so perhaps as I am at less than £50k then I haven’t triggered that email?

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:

    21 Sep21 September 07:47

    Surely to confirm with the unwritten comment thread rules your username should be ‘bendy pigs’

    • Si says:

      21 Sep21 September 07:53

      “Bow” Street Runners

      • CarpalTravel says:

        21 Sep21 September 08:51

        Brilliant!!!

  • Si says:

    21 Sep21 September 07:49

    Yep. Submitted my requested docs last week and then yesterday afternoon got the same/similar personalized response to you.

    Basically got a slapped wrist and not to be a naughty boy, but other than that [currently] no further action.

    Guess Curve is trying to look proactive on select activities so other financial institutions don’t jump ship in same way as Creation

    • Memesweeper says:

      21 Sep21 September 09:14

      If so, good. I’d really appreciate the ability to keep giving money to Ernie and friends, if the hardcore MSers could step lightly that would be just fine with me 🙂 similarly it’s handy to pay card A off with card B sometimes… but I don’t try and send balances round in circles. Could we be kind to our less than straight wallet companion?

  • Paul says:

    21 Sep21 September 09:22

    Let me think.. What would Steve Belkin do here..

    • DI says:

      21 Sep21 September 10:30

      He would get a lot of students to apply for cards, gave each of them some candy for exchange for account details, then would send £10k round in circles between the hundred students. A while later he would have gotten a strongly worded letter from HMRC and then he would go to jail unfortunately.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      21 Sep21 September 11:30

      The mileage runner not the billionaire.

• Anna says:

  21 Sep21 September 07:28

  Data point – we used the Amex Platinum offer on Saturday evening, the £200 has credited this morning, very efficient!

• Lou says:

  21 Sep21 September 07:30

  I’m currently in Galleries North and going on my first flight since March 2020!! I can’t believe I can’t wait to get on a plane

  • BJ says:

    21 Sep21 September 07:52

    My partner is the opposite, he’s enjoyed every minute not flying and avoiding airports . Apart from visiting his family I’m having a real struggle persuading him even to book now. Only exception being USA as he’s never been and wants to go.

    Enjoy your flight…

    • Lou says:

      21 Sep21 September 08:24

      Thank you!

  • Jody says:

    21 Sep21 September 08:34

    Enjoy!

    We have our first flight on Thursday since the world shut down and we returned from Santiago in march 2020!

    • Anna says:

      21 Sep21 September 09:02

      Enjoy, both of you! It really feels like a curse has been broken as the wheels leave the tarmac 🤣

  • The Lord says:

    21 Sep21 September 10:40

    How is it in there this morning?

    • Lou says:

      21 Sep21 September 22:25

      Seemed a bit quieter than a usual Tuesday morning pre covid

  • Susan says:

    21 Sep21 September 10:55

    My last was Q Suite from Oz in Feb 2020 – next week is my first since then, Ryanair. Still so excited 😉

    • Polly says:

      21 Sep21 September 21:51

      Ours was q suite from Phuket, seems like years ago…

• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  21 Sep21 September 08:09

  So I spent (with the help of some on here) coming up with a plan to make my US trip happen in November. But now it might not be needed. For business reasons I need (maybe need is too strong, but highly advantageous) to be in Miami w/c the 6th Nov and then a couple of weeks as holiday.

  So my originally booked BA flights departed on the 4th Nov

  Does anyone know yet how early the borders open from UK/Schengen? Some sources said ‘November’ (implying either the whole month or sometime during the month) or ‘early November’ (which could be taken as sometime during the first half of the month).

  I don’t want to cancel my new plan B unless I know for certain my plan A is now possible.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    21 Sep21 September 08:23

    No one knows.

    Probably become clear over the next few weeks.

    • ChrisC says:

      21 Sep21 September 15:18

      Still lots of things to be announced – such as will they allow people with the AZ vacination in as it’s not currently FDA approved.

      Though I’ve just seen on BBC news website that Dr Fauci said they should be OK but the final decision is with the CDC.

      I saw on another blog someone said 1st November but everywhere else it’s ‘early’ or ‘in’ November. Until a form date is announced I would be holding back on either booking or changing existing bookings

• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  21 Sep21 September 08:16

  Yesterday someone said you don’t earn points on F&B purchases (bar or shop) at Hampton properties. That USED to be the case but hasn’t been true for a few years. It’s been one of those brand inconsistencies that has been ironed out over time

  • TGLoyalty says:

    21 Sep21 September 08:24

    I Recall both Rob and I mentioning it over the past few days.

    Tbh it did seem extremely strange not to incentivise people to use the F&B on the property.

    • Save East Coast Rewards says:

      21 Sep21 September 09:50

      I noticed the points post a few years ago when I was working in Bournemouth as I had to stay in the Hampton one week as the Hilton was full. I noticed my F&B purchases had posted, then I checked and the Hampton was no longer listed as not offering points. Subsequent stays in Newcastle and Exeter has also posted correctly.

• Michael C says:

  21 Sep21 September 08:32

  @HarryT and any other Manchester experts (Anna?!).
  Harry – I remember you mentioning recently you’d booked parking at MAN:
  -was it on any special page or just the standard one? (Through quirks of fate, we’ll be flying home from there for Xmas!).
  -Is Terminal 3 parking literally 5 mins’ walk from Terminal 1? At first sight, it’s far cheaper to park there.

  Thanks!

  • MinR says:

    21 Sep21 September 08:40

    The Drop N Go which I believe is in Terminal 3 is about a 5/7 min walk from Terminal 1.

  • Ian_H says:

    21 Sep21 September 08:50

    Terminal 3 is literally 5 mins walk from T1, MAG are running aggressive parking Promos at the moment with at least 20% off the usual rate by using code CPFT092021 (you get free cancellation also). T3 is currently closed as flights are consolidated in T1 & T2 so they are probably offering better rates to try and fill the T3 car parks.

    • Michael C says:

      21 Sep21 September 08:56

      Brilliant, Ian – cheers!

  • Anna says:

    21 Sep21 September 09:08

    Hi Michael, where are you flying to? Concur that all terminals are a pretty short walk from each other. The Hilton and Marriott do park and fly packages if you need a hotel the night before – the Hilton is a 5 – 10 minute walk depending on how much luggage you have. These have got quite pricey recently so for our Xmas market trip in December I’ve booked a room for 30k HH points and used Holiday Extras for the parking, they show various options/prices.
    Handy to know – if you do a dummy booking with HE and input your email, a short time later they email you offering up to 20% off prices. This genuinely works – I was quoted £51 for parking in the multi-storey but when I looked again the same package was £40.

    • Jody says:

      21 Sep21 September 10:10

      Anna, do you have a blue light card? I’ve done a lot of bookings through the link on there for Holiday Extras, gets a good discount.

      • Anna says:

        21 Sep21 September 10:56

        Hi Jody, yes we do! It’s the first time in ages I’ve booked separate parking so didn’t think to check, thanks for reminding me. Hopefully will need it a few times in 2022 … 🤞

    • Michael C says:

      21 Sep21 September 10:43

      IOM, Anna! (both LHR and LCY schedules now removed…)
      Thanks, had toyed with Hilton idea, but price not worth it: will check points!

      • Anna says:

        21 Sep21 September 10:59

        If you book a standard room for 30k points then contact them they will give you a family room (or at least 2 doubles), they have always been great with us as gold. Breakfast is good and they are pretty generous with water and cookies! Service in the restaurant was dire when we were there in July but hopefully that was a temporary glitch.

  • davef says:

    21 Sep21 September 10:15

    Yes it is 5 mins. Be aware the signage is pants and when I went through in July is was a pretty lonely walk back to a very eerie T3 multi story. It’s a ‘partly’ covered route so be aware you may get wet. There are also a few kerbs and steps to get up and down so if you have difficulty lifting cases you may not like the walk.

    • Michael C says:

      21 Sep21 September 10:43

      Duly noted, Dave: we’ll def have a stash of brollies, going to IOM!

      • davefl says:

        21 Sep21 September 10:55

        Interestingly I have Man-Lhr flights booked for Dec and the ticket and app indicates T3 departure, as opposed to my one in Oct which is departing from T1.
        So MAN may be re-opening T3 and havent yet annouced it but I doubt it.

        • Nick says:

          21 Sep21 September 11:03

          MAN T1 and T3 are not just close, they’re actually physically connected! There used to be an interior corridor connecting them as well until some bright spark at MAG decided it would be far better to make everyone get wet walking outside instead.

• Ali says:

  21 Sep21 September 08:33

  Question about the VeriFLY app…

  I’m off on my first flight in years next week, to Dubai. Just an economy cash ticket with BA Holidays.

  Got some PCR tests booked at £80 each (they have to be in person and I’m in the middle of nowhere so it’s been a real faff to organise) 70 hours before going. Fingers crossed they all work out.

  BA mentions VeriFLY briefly on their site and lots of people on here have mentioned that sometimes you can’t check in online.

  Does that mean the VeriFLY app is mandatory? Does it link with BA and so if I use it will BA online check in work?

  Is it a case of putting the results on the app and then all is good?

  And if either of us fail a test, can you get a FTV from BA or is it just down to insurance?

  Thanks

  • Tracey says:

    21 Sep21 September 08:50

    VeriFLY isn’t mandatory, MMB may allow you to load all the documents and check in, if not you can check in in person.

    When I used VeriFLY it allowed me to OLCI that wasn’t working before I’d VeriFLY’d.

    You can cancel for FTV if you test positive, or for any other reason. That will give you a voucher to be used for the same people.

    • Nick says:

      21 Sep21 September 11:06

      I thought BA Holidays didn’t allow last-minute FTV, and this was only available for flight only bookings? If not then most insurance policies cover cancellation due to a positive test.

  • Laura says:

    21 Sep21 September 10:42

    Hi Ali. We’re currently in Dubai, flying home tonight. On the way out we also had our in person PCR tests taken about 70 hours before departure, no issues. We used VeriFLY for both outbound and return and found it straightforward. We have been able to check in online before each flight after completing it. You just upload the relevant docs/test results in a checklist. We used Chronomics Antigen test for return but couldn’t download the results in a pdf format on our phones (believe you need a computer) but took a screenshot of the result which VeriFLY accepted ok. Have a great time.

    • Anna says:

      21 Sep21 September 11:27

      Hi Laura – I found the Chronomics PDF in my iphone, there was no indication that it had downloaded which made me also think that it couldn’t be done. I can’t remember which icon I had to open!

      • Laura says:

        21 Sep21 September 21:08

        Thanks Anna, no sign of it hidden anywhere I’m afraid but it wasn’t a problem in the end.

• KS says:

  21 Sep21 September 08:38

  Looking for some advice here. I have a long haul booked with BA for my parents. It was PE for outgoing and CW while coming back. Now both the legs have been cancelled and because of the changes in new flight timings they are looking to fly out in CW and return in PE. Any suggestions on how we could do that? If it helps, original booking had return leg upgraded using avios. I could also go for an upgrade on both the legs while rebooking if swapping the legs is going to be too much of a bother.

  • Sam G says:

    21 Sep21 September 09:54

    you’ll need the appropriate award availability to swap like that. If it’s available then FTV and use it to rebook. If you just want to upgrade the remaining PE leg then no issue, accept the changes and then upgrade

    • KS says:

      21 Sep21 September 13:15

      I would rather not rebook because that costs more. I’ll try out Neil’s suggestion.

  • Neil says:

    21 Sep21 September 11:34

    If BA have cancelled then you have more options so would suggest looking back at previous advice in the comments over the last few days about what you can do.
    You’ll have to ring them so you could try and ask the agent about switching the upgrade around. As I understand it as BA have cancelled then you don’t need reward availability anyway so you may find a helpful agent willing to do this.

    • ChrisC says:

      21 Sep21 September 15:23

      You don’t need reward availability on the like for like replacement flights if BA cancels

      If you ask to change then there do need to be reward seats.

      Strictly speaking swapping an avios upgrade from inboud to outbound is a voluntary change.

      I would ask the agent if it is possible and not demand or expect it to be allowed.

      It could get very complicated on the background of cancelling the upgrade on the inbound and refundign then rebooking the upgrade – assuming availability – for the outbound

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