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The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 5th October

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Comments (602)

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

  • Joints&Piles says:
    5 Oct5 October 09:40

    Any suggestions for savings accounts that allow paying in by debit card? I have some cash from an investment that needs to go somewhere for a few months and it occurs to me that I might be my last chance to get some clubcard points before the tesco current accounts get shut down in November. Ta

  • Nick says:
    5 Oct5 October 09:46

    The rules of my Lloyds Mastercard is changing on 15 October no will no longer get any cash back for topping up my revolut (and it may also now incur cash advance fees and immediate interest)

    Does anyone know if I will still be able to use curve with this Lloyds card? (Or will it now incur fees and charges)

    • SteveJ says:
      5 Oct5 October 09:48

      MCC passed through, so can’t imagine Curve would change anything

    • Andrew says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:13

      Yeah, mentioned the other day.

      Reading Borough Council process their parking charges as fines. So they will be processed by Lloyds (and MBNA and Halifax) as Cash Advances too. I suspect there’s going to be a lot of complaints about sloppy MCC’s across local authorities about to hit in the very near future.

    • Harry T says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:29

      I bet Lloyds don’t actually change anything on the IT end though…

    • TGLoyalty says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:38

      Using curve itself for purchases shouldn’t change anything but topping up Rev via Lloyds won’t make a difference to being charged.

  • Jenniekg says:
    5 Oct5 October 09:57

    Totally confused – have lurked on this site for some time and thought I had a grip on my many cancelled re-booked BA flights – but after a call to BA – took 10 minutes to get through – I am not clear of my options:-
    Flights originally Avios 241- booked 19/03/2020 LHR – CPT out 05/02/21 back 20/03/21 ( added in later ) – CW both ways. Cancelled by BA. Rebooked – did not know at the time that I could choose any flights – so then LHR to CPT 25/10/21 WT+ and 20/11/21 JNB to LHR CW. These have now been cancelled by BA. Advice from call was that I could book any flights – good – but that I had to be back in the UK by the 24/10/22 – i.e. a year less a day from the anniversary of the 25/10/21 outbound cancelled flight. Is this correct? If so we cannot get leave to do this – can from 12th October 2022, but the aim was for a 4 week trip. What options remain – not keen to loose the 241.. thanks.

    • Harry T says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:40

      That is indeed the extent of BA’s policy generosity at present – one year from the departure date of your planned but Involuntarily cancelled flight. You can push back and try different agents, but you may have to try the MCOL route. Under EC261, you have a right to a rerouting that suits you but, contrary to the opinion of some spirited individuals on this website, you do have to make a reasonable request of the airline. Otherwise everyone would book flights they knew would be cancelled and then try to rebook for their 20 year wedding anniversary in 12 years time.

      I’m confused about why you rebooked your cancelled CW flights into WT+ and CW, as you would have been legally entitled to rebook into revenue classes, which even BA should allow you to do without much fuss. If an Avios flight is cancelled, you don’t need reward availability for the new dates you are rebooking to.

      • Jenniekg says:
        5 Oct5 October 10:48

        HarryT – thank you – at the time I was not aware that I could insist on the same cabin and route – was told that there had to be Avios availability – hence the change for the return from CPT to JNB. Can I go back and ask that this is re-instated? So from what you are saying – its provided I fly out by the anniversary October cancelled flight thats fine – not have to be back by that date. As flights will not be loaded until November 6th outbound can I wait until then or do I need to get my intention logged now?

        • meta says:
          5 Oct5 October 10:54

          @Jenniekg yes, you can rebook later. I would record all calls with BA or follow up with an email to CS. You need proof. It will be very difficult to insist on reinstatement of CW tickets unless you have proof that BA agent coerced you into taking a downgraded and lied to you. You could try asking for a record of the call, but I doubt BA would give you access.

          • Jenniekg says:
            5 Oct5 October 11:30

            @meta – many thanks – letter before claim it is… I have the date and time of the initial call when the flights were moved to October / November 2021 – just wish I knew then of the full options available to me – but will state that – indeed why would anyone choose a lesser option unless guided there by BA?

          • Lady London says:
            5 Oct5 October 14:35

            They are supposed to provide you the recording of any call upon your request due to your GDPR rights. They can make a very nominal charge but reports are they haven’t been.

            I would ask sooner than later even if you’re not sure you’ll need it/them.

            As one of the spirited people on this blog Harry T mentions, in the law which overrides British Airways’s attempts to deny you your rights, factually there is no time limit for the rerouting(rebooking) date you choose. It’s definitely not just 12 months and people have reported winning on this at CEDR and MCOL (postal court). However for the sake of all of us, because airlines would live to get rid of this legislation, make sure your reasons for rebooking beyond 12 months are reasonable.

            Such as annual leave availability sufficient for a long haul, event (private or public) date that was the purpose of your trip, other travel intervening, dependencies of availability of persons meeting/facilities/tours/weather phenomena (eg predicted dates of Northern Lights in a following year).

      • meta says:
        5 Oct5 October 10:50

        @Harry T it’s a bit extreme to say that anyone here is suggesting rebooking 12 years later, but if in year 1 you could travel in October and in year 2 you can only travel during Christmas period that is perfectly reasonable request. Not everyone can get holidays/time off work at the same time every year.

        @Jenniekg I’m afraid BA has played you around. I am concerned that you accepted this downgrade initially. I would absolutely mention this in my letter before claim to BA in addition to your re-routing rights as neither MCOL nor CEDR will look favourably at this! This will make your case stronger. I’d actually not engage with BA’s customer service as they are useless and go straight to BA’s legal department.

        • Harry T says:
          5 Oct5 October 11:50

          @meta I was being a tad hyperbolic 😅

          @Jenniekg it’s totally normal to not understand the ins and outs of the relevant laws and policies of rebooking etc. Unfortunately, I think it will be very hard to have your original cabin classes reinstated now, as meta says. But it’s definitely worth having a go if you’re going down the legal route on this.

          FWIW I don’t think your request to move the flights a bit further into October is unreasonable at all, and I wish BA were a bit more flexible without being forced into acting.

          • Jenniekg says:
            5 Oct5 October 12:05

            Thank you

          • Memesweeper says:
            5 Oct5 October 12:11

            Request a copy of the call recording now. You can do so under a data subject access request. Quicker the better as these things are routinely deleted (assuming any recording was made).

            Make a reasonable request for booking on dates that work for you (allowing for leave, etc). Make it clear that you do not want WTP and your original request was mishandled. You agreed to the new booking on the basis of a misrepresentation by BA of your rights and their obligations.

            Be prepared to MCOL, or at the very least threaten it. This is a tiresome process and if you don’t have ample stocks of time and energy don’t start. If it gets that far the courts will expect you to have been reasonable, and have minimised your losses, so avoid booking super-expensive alternative travel, and ideally book with BA, as it is undoubtedly like-for-like. Refundable fares that are not fully flex (select) are available through travel agents, including Amex.

            Good luck.

          • Jonathan says:
            5 Oct5 October 12:14

            I think reasonable is fairly clear to an outside observer.

            If you booked a Tuesday outbound Thursday return to Orlando for beginning of November 2019 in the 50% sale in October 2019 then it’s clear you were chancing it if you then say you want a reroute for Summer holidays 2022.

            If you booked what was obviously a legitimate holiday eg. Weekend to weekend in school holidays then BA should clearly allow you to a reroute in any other school holiday period in the next 18-24 months.

            The price paid is irrelevant, BA knew they had a high chance of cancellation on the sale fares but still took your money as an interest free loan when their cash flow was shot. The quid pro quo is that they have to honour the deal when things pick up again.

          • Lady London says:
            5 Oct5 October 14:40

            Just to be very clear, if BA cancels your flight it’s specifically written into EU261 (now in UK law) that airline is *not* allowed to insist on an avios/points/miles seat being available for you to rebook into. Any seat that’s being sold (eg comes up on the website searching as though for a cash booking) is yours by right.

  • Olly says:
    5 Oct5 October 10:09

    It may just be that i can’t see the answer but regarding the card offer on my Amex personal Platinum offer of “Spend £1 collect 50 MR points” can anyone clarify if this is a one of off 50 points or 50 points for each pound in one transaction, so spend a grand in one transaction and get 50k MR points? I’ve looked at the terms and they’re no clearer. i.e. no maximum threshold.

    • stevenhp1987 says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:12

      Spend £1 or more. Collect 50 bonus points.

      You get 50 bonus points total on a transaction value of £1 or more once.

      Might as well add it, but not worth fussing about!

      • Olly says:
        5 Oct5 October 10:18

        Thanks Steven, it didn’t seem that great a deal but thought I was missing something being apparently only 50 points.

    • Peter K says:
      5 Oct5 October 11:50

      It is for one purchase only.

  • The Savage Squirrel says:
    5 Oct5 October 10:24

    For anyone who transferred Amex MR to Radisson and had the points converted 1:1 rather than 1:3 due to the known IT error. Just noticed the missing extra points have finally arrived this week after a 2 month wait.

  • Bob says:
    5 Oct5 October 10:27

    Anyone received their Virgin Atlantic + Card for the enhanced 30k sign-up offer? Application approved on 22/09, but no card yet…

    • Matt B says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:47

      nope still waiting, almost 2 weeks which is a very poor show & also reduces the window available to hit the bonus spend!

      • Andrew H says:
        5 Oct5 October 10:58

        Took almost 3 weeks to get my card back in April. They are rubbish at sending out cards

    • BuildBackBetter says:
      5 Oct5 October 11:35

      Almost 2 weeks for delivery. How does one cancel within 2 week period if documents reach late?

    • Jonathan says:
      5 Oct5 October 13:11

      They take time to get their cards out to you, I was told it takes 7-10 working days, and came on about day 11 !

      Other card issuers take no time at all, anyone know how long Amex take to get their metal cards out ?

    • Tariq says:
      5 Oct5 October 21:54

      My supp has received their PIN letter but not me and no sign of cards yet!

  • Hugh says:
    5 Oct5 October 10:33

    i have just made an economy Avios booking through BA with Air Alaska for next August. Does anyone know if there is a way to reserve seats, Air Alaksa web site suggests bookings made direct can reserve seats for free but Air Alaska does not recognise my booking if I try to do this. Also, looks like it is a hand baggage only fare, can I add luggage?

    • Richie says:
      5 Oct5 October 10:41

      Can you MMB through Air Alaska’s website?

      • Hugh says:
        5 Oct5 October 10:45

        No, MMB on Air Alaska site does not recognise my booking, although interestingly I tried through Finnair as I recall that used to be a good way in. That does recognise my booking but wont let me allocate a seat. I am hoping Air Alaska and BA’s IT systems might just need a bit of time to synchronise as I only made the booking just now.

    • Harry T says:
      5 Oct5 October 11:51

      Do you need the booking reference for Alaska? On partner redemptions, there’s usually a BA booking reference and then another reference for the partner airline.

    • Graham Walsh says:
      5 Oct5 October 12:06

      Try Finnair site with your booking?

    • Louise K says:
      5 Oct5 October 12:07

      Contact them via DM on Twitter. They moved seats for me.

    • Lyn says:
      5 Oct5 October 14:52

      Alaska uses a completely different system to BA for booking references. You’ll have to find out what Alaska’s own booking reference is for your flights and choose seats on their web-site.

      You may, or may not, be able to see this separate Alaska reference in your e-ticket from BA or through their MMB. Otherwise you will probably to call BA to ask.

  • ConfusedofGlos says:
    5 Oct5 October 10:36

    Need to travel to Milan in late October. Opodo and other travel agent sites are offering fares with Alitalia even though Alitalia are supposed to stop flying on 15th October (and stated on their own website – where you can’t book beyond that date)

    Do they know something everyone else doesn’t or simply have dodgy systems? If I book and it turns out the flights aren’t operating will they need to book me onto BA or simply give me a refund?

    • Yorkie Aid says:
      5 Oct5 October 11:44

      My gut feeling is that you’d probably be setting yourself up for a lot of unnecessary hassle. Just my opinion though.

    • ChrisC says:
      5 Oct5 October 12:16

      I just did a dummy booking and google flight states this

      “Plane and crew by Italia Trasporto Aereo Spa”

      ITA is the new state owned Airline which replaces Alitalia on the 15th October.

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