The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 6th October

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• Nick says:

  6 Oct6 October 17:30

  Sainsbury’s Christmas nectar bonus now live in the app… needs activating for each account. Should be worth a few Avios. Mine seems to be 800 Nectar but every little helps (errr…)

  • BJ says:

    6 Oct6 October 17:55

    The way I figured it is that when we meet one target it will be replaced with another to encourage further spending.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      6 Oct6 October 18:31

      Yeah looks that way to me. Seems I can “unlock” up to atleast 1800 bonus but all seems unlikely I’ll hit any of it unless “my earn x nectar” targets include the bonus points.

      • Mattb says:

        6 Oct6 October 23:01

        It did last time

    • Super Secret Stuff says:

      6 Oct6 October 22:03

      +1 my total earning opportunity is well over 2000 so could be lucrative. Some of which I will already hit by coincidence!

      Looks like bonuses do count

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:13

    I think I need to update the app to see mine

    • Harley says:

      6 Oct6 October 19:57

      The standard weekly bonus’ on items counts towards your target too

      • Super Secret Stuff says:

        6 Oct6 October 22:03

        Looks that way

  • IanM says:

    6 Oct6 October 20:16

    Any news on a double up offer in wines? That’s about the only thing worth saving them for

    • Jonathan says:

      6 Oct6 October 20:36

      Double up is over according to reports (I think from someone well placed) the other day.

    • Rob says:

      6 Oct6 October 21:16

      It’s not happening this year, apparently.

      • ianM says:

        6 Oct6 October 21:19

        Bummer, that was the best thing about Sainsburys

• MadeUpName says:

  6 Oct6 October 17:34

  Hi all, how much does a departure time need to change by in order to get a fee free refund from BA? Is it 2 hours? As I’ve had 2nd schedule change notification, the first was 1hr45mins and the latest is another 30 minutes (didn’t accept the first change).

  • Sam G says:

    6 Oct6 October 17:44

    4hrs now (up from 2)

    If the flight number has changed then that is a cancellation and you can get a refund regardless of time

• Adam says:

  6 Oct6 October 17:39

  This might be quite a specific/niche problem but here goes…
  Does anyone have any experience with booking Marriott hotels through their corporate/3rd party portal and know how to get them to show up when logging in to their account on the app/website?

  When I book using our 3rd party travel booking software, I’m careful to select a Travelport rate instead of a Booking.com rate but when I try to use the confirmation number I’m provided to add the booking to my account, it never accepts it and I always have to add my member number when checking in at the hotel. Not a huge issue but it does mean the hotel doesn’t see my status and often means I miss out on complimentary room upgrades. Doesn’t seem to be an issue with other chains when I’ve booked in the past, seems to be exclusive to Marriott bookings.

  • Sam G says:

    6 Oct6 October 17:48

    sounds like you are still not seeing the hotel confirmation number but instead one for your booking system & marriott can’t recognise it.

    Worth checking if there is someone in your profile on your software to add the Marriott number or if there is somewhere on the booking or email where the marriott conf is. Otherwise not much you can do other than call the hotel a few days in advance and get it added

    • Adam says:

      6 Oct6 October 17:53

      This is what I thought initially but I’ve double checked – the Marriott confirmation number does get passed through to me (checked it on past bookings and the email I get from our 3rd party software). The problem is that when I go to add the booking to my account using the Marriott confirmation number and my details, it doesn’t seem to accept it 🙁

      • Anuj says:

        6 Oct6 October 17:57

        Can you not ring or email the hotel and have them add it in advance?

        • Adam says:

          6 Oct6 October 17:59

          I’ve tried this a few times but they never seem to be able to do it. Without fail, when I get to the check-in and ask to check if they have my Bonvoy number, they say no and ask me to write it down for them!

        • Simon Schus says:

          6 Oct6 October 18:31

          I have done this with Hilton and Marriott, particularly for stays that have a flexible cancellation policy. Some hotels allow it, some don’t. I’ve not seen a correlation between the third party reference and the hotel reference yet, but doesn’t mean that there isn’t one.

      • JDB says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:00

        Is there some info that is clashing eg exactly how your name appears on your Marriott A/C vs whatever the company system is using or any address check etc?

        • Adam says:

          6 Oct6 October 18:04

          This is my suspicion. On my confirmation email from the 3rd party software, the Guest name is: [first name] [last name] / [company name]

          I’ve actually tried inputting the name details in multiple ways (including my company’s name) to see if I can get a match but it doesn’t seem to work either.

    • Adam says:

      6 Oct6 October 17:57

      Our 3rd party booking software is actually pretty good at passing all the details through. It gives 3 numbers – Travelport reference, supplier reference and 3rd party software reference. The supplier reference is the hotel chain confirmation number and always seems to work with other chains (Hilton, Hyatt etc.) just doesn’t seem to work for Marriott. It’s also definitely the confirmation number because I’ve checked past bookings with Marriott against the supplier reference and always matches.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:34

        It has to be a mismatch in the name or email address or both.

        • Blair says:

          6 Oct6 October 18:45

          I have a stock “please link reservation XYZ to loyalty account 123” email I deploy once I book and the hotels have never failed to sort it.

        • Adam says:

          6 Oct6 October 19:12

          Just seems weird that my details are the same on all bookings and it works for other hotel chains, Marriott is the only exception. I’ll probably have to call customer support to pinpoint the issue. As far as I can tell, details seem to match from the booking to my account.

• Yuff says:

  6 Oct6 October 17:46

  Is it possible to merge/transfer virgin Atlantic points?

  • BJ says:

    6 Oct6 October 17:59

    No but the CSA will pool them from multiple accounts to make a booking provided that there is enough to cover one sector in each account.

    • Yuff says:

      6 Oct6 October 18:56

      Thanks BJ

• Josu says:

  6 Oct6 October 17:59

  Sister has realised that her NHS vaccine alone isn’t sufficient to enter a Portugal without a Covid test. She’s flying tomorrow so will need a valid test that can be submitted before noon tomorrow.

  Is there any solution out there?

  Thanks

  • TGLoyalty says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:02

    Yes plenty. Antigen tests takes 1 hour and will be available at the airport (look for an appointment now)

    Randox, expresstest, collinson all do in person testing across various airports/ports etc.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      6 Oct6 October 18:07

      For example I can go to expresstest Birmingham airport between 6:30-7:30pm today or 8-11am tomorrow and have it done for £35.

      Oxford westgate – £39 etc etc

    • Josu says:

      6 Oct6 October 18:09

      Thanks. She now thinks she doesn’t need a negative test but I’m reading she does. Any chance anyone has been recently that can comment? Flight is with BA

      • AL says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:16

        At this late stage, it’s risky £35ish or don’t go at all. BA website has all the details you need in MMB, as does gov.uk.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:35

        Unless she has a proper EU covid pass (NHS App doesn’t count) she needs a test.

      • Anuj says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:36

        Check on timatic, that’s what the check in staff will follow

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Oct6 October 18:38

          It’s on page 7. See replies to Stairali

          You need a test if you have a U.K. vaccine cert. Being vaccinated in U.K. essentially means nothing in Portugal when it comes to border control.

        • AL says:

          6 Oct6 October 19:28

          Unless you’re an IATA agent or otherwise pay for it, Timatic is useless to people flying from the U.K. as it limits the demo to ten countries – none of which are the UK

        • Jonathan says:

          6 Oct6 October 20:40

          To Al, Google Timatic, United & you can access full version through United Airlines website.

      • Elizabeth Wright says:

        6 Oct6 October 20:35

        Flew to Portugal on Friday from LHR on irish passport. Agent at Porto asked for test certificate.

      • Dave says:

        6 Oct6 October 21:29

        My daughter flew to Portugal on Sunday. She took a test beforehand because the requirements were unclear but she wanted to be safe rather than sorry

        • TGLoyalty says:

          6 Oct6 October 23:32

          It very clearly says Travellers from outside the EU/a small defined list of third countries (U.K. isn’t included yet) all need a test, your vaccine status makes no diff.

• Super Secret Stuff says:

  6 Oct6 October 18:04

  Anyone not had any sainsbury offers post with a transaction? The actual transaction is there but no bonus points. Missing over 200

  • Toby says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:06

    When was this? Bonus points take a good few hours to post now.

  • Youllnever says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:07

    Bonus points seems to get delayed a day or so the past few weeks now – did you just make the transaction today?

    • Super Secret Stuff says:

      6 Oct6 October 18:14

      Just made the transaction, base points are pending but no bonus points

      • Youllnever says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:16

        Yup, then this is expected – check back tomorrow or so and it should appear.

        • Super Secret Stuff says:

          6 Oct6 October 19:13

          Thanks, just came through now!

• Toby says:

  6 Oct6 October 18:04

  Someone asked the other day about this — Shell on Bath Road had both diesel and petrol this PM. No queues. They didn’t have premium unleaded though.

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:15

    Who needs premium unleaded when you’re returning a hire car 🤣

    • AL says:

      6 Oct6 October 18:18

      Red diesel in my returns!

      • Super Secret Stuff says:

        6 Oct6 October 19:13

        Lol

• Nicky says:

  6 Oct6 October 18:38

  😂😂😂 Blindman, 26 days in total but being a female have had to cut down by one suitcase just for shoes. Damn Logan Air and it’s luggage policy.

  • Blair says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:47

    Nicky, honestly, forget Loganair. It’s not fit for your travel purposes so it’s a false economy to travel with them

  • Blair says:

    6 Oct6 October 18:49

    Also thanks for confirming this is a female Nicky as most of us would have assumed it was Little Nicky packing lots of sports shoes for another zany “three classes on one cruise ship” video

  • BJ says:

    6 Oct6 October 19:12

    @Nicky, LoganAir don’t need a generous baggage allowance as we all wear kilts and not much else up here.

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