The HfP chat thread – Thursday 7th October

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• Mark Peterborough says:

  7 Oct7 October 07:30

  Data point – IHG Creation free night.
  My free night that shows book between March 2021 and March 2022, was previously and incorrectly not showing any availability for stays after March 2022 , this was a recently spotted error that IHG were going to fix . Mine is now fixed and stays beyond March 2022 are showing as available,

  • Toddy says:

    7 Oct7 October 07:41

    Cheers Mark.
    Just cancelled a 89,000 point redemption and used the free night voucher.

  • Jek says:

    7 Oct7 October 10:42

    Thanks – worked for me too.

• Ash says:

  7 Oct7 October 07:36

  If I land at Abu Dhabi and want to go to RAK, its not worth me taking the XNB (Etihad coach service) to Dubai route, right? It seems a very long way from AUH to RAK with a taxi. Has anyone done it before? What’s the cost like. We are a family of 4.

  • Rob says:

    7 Oct7 October 09:10

    It is probably 90-120 minutes.

  • John says:

    7 Oct7 October 10:19

    Dubai is halfway to RAK so if the coach is already paid for why not just take it?

  • fivebobbill says:

    7 Oct7 October 11:30

    You’re looking at between 500 – 600 Dirhams, and I’d up to 2½ hours. Taxis will meter you, but you may be able to strike a deal. I was able to negotiate with one of the Conrad Dubai Hotel drivers last month, and got a Lexus from Dubai – RAK for 270, and that’s just short of half way from AUH

• Ali M says:

  7 Oct7 October 07:47

  booked 2 seats using the 2 for 1 amex voucher.My flights have been changed and I get the options of refund and or voucher.
  I understand cancellation will lead to avois credited and money refunded.what happens to the original voucher – does the expiry extend?
  If I request for a voucher … how would it work.I have spent 120k avios and 900 pounds for 2 x business class seats.what do I get in the voucher? value of 900 pounds to choose in a future booking and avios credited back?
  All confused 😥

  • BJ says:

    7 Oct7 October 08:12

    If you request a cash refund money will be refunded to your payment card usually within 48h in my experience but can take longer. Avios and voucher refunded to account almost immediately. Expiration date of voucher remains same. If you accept Future Travel Voucher then money, avios and voucher are all held within the FTV. You have to call to redeem. While FTV extends 241 for travel to be completed by September 2023 you can only use it for those named on original booking. What most if us would do is 1. Request cash refund. 2. Use the returned voucher to book a one way domestic flight with with low fees then cancel that online for a FTV thereby extending voucher until September 23 but with a much smaller number of avios and money tied up in the FTV.

    • BJ says:

      7 Oct7 October 08:21

      I should add that you may have a third option to rebook/reroute under EU261 depending on nature of changes or cancellation involved. If you want advice on this you need to let us know the nature of tge change and if your original flight was cancelled. We would need to know length of any delays, whether flight numbers changed or if point of origin and/or destination changed? I recommend you do not do anything before getting full feedback and ensuring you understand it fully.

    • Michael C says:

      7 Oct7 October 10:02

      So if I cancel myself, and my voucher has already expired (241 ticket already extended by a year), I can only really accepted FTV with Avios / cash tied in?

      • BJ says:

        7 Oct7 October 11:08

        Yes, I believe so, unless I’ve missed something down the lihe.

        • Michael C says:

          7 Oct7 October 11:34

          Cheers, BJ!

  • Anna says:

    7 Oct7 October 08:22

    There is so much information about this on this site! Need to know first whether it’s a change or cancellation.

  • Ali M says:

    7 Oct7 October 11:54

    cheers BJ.Very detailed response 🥰🥰🥰 changing destination would be dependent on if any avios seats available or if business class seats showing on intended flight,they would do it?

    • BJ says:

      7 Oct7 October 15:54

      Your options depend on whether they changed any of your sectors and the extent of these changes, or whether they cancelled any one of your sectors. Without sharing these details with readers it is difficult for them to offer more specific and correct advice. Generally, the current policy being enforced seems to be changes within one year of original ticket issue but a few still reporting the odd success within one year of outbound travel date. They will move to airports within 300 miles of origin and/or destination, and to any seat or to reward seat only depending on specific circumstances of your flight changes which we do not know.

      • Ali M says:

        7 Oct7 October 18:36

        sorry again.was LGW to ISB.now LHR to ISB.Can see refund and cancellation and voucher options

        • BJ says:

          7 Oct7 October 21:06

          You will have full rights under EU261 but BA plays hardball on delivering those rights. I suggest you search for the HfP article on Future Travel Vouchers, and aldo for reports by @LadyLondon and others in previous chat threads to better understand your options before deciding what is right for you.

• Waylon says:

  7 Oct7 October 08:04

  I have just taken out the Amex Gold credit card and I only have an online tracker for the annual 10,000 point bonus and not the sign up bonus. Is that normal now or should I contact Amex?
  In the past when I have had the Gold card (2+ years ago) there was always the sign up bonus tracker but no annual bonus tracker.

• Phil says:

  7 Oct7 October 08:23

  I read about this on a different site yesterday https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_4944

  Airlines commit to timely reimbursement after flight cancellations

  I’m still waiting for a refund from TAP Portugal since last November. I messaged them again yesterday quoting the above. Although I’m not sure how or who you can complain to if they still don’t refund me. I also found this but it’s not clear to me https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/consumer-rights-and-complaints/enforcement-consumer-protection/consumer-protection-cooperation-network_en

  Anyone else still waiting for flight refunds due to the pandemic? Particularly TAP Portugal?

  • meta says:

    7 Oct7 October 09:38

    Have you paid on a credit card? I would have started S75 dispute in December last year!

    • Phil says:

      7 Oct7 October 09:54

      Yes Amex refunded it. Then TAP Portugal got Amex to add it again!! The *****!!!!

      • Phil W says:

        7 Oct7 October 10:00

        I had this with a couple of airlines last year. I complained to Amex, submitted some documentation (one piece being a copy of the legislation), and Amex reinstated the refund. The Amex system is quite automated and if a Merchant challenges any S75 dispute (even by submitting random, non-relevant docs), it’ll automatically reverse it.

        • meta says:

          7 Oct7 October 10:23

          Oh wow! I’d keep at it with Amex. I’d put Amex on a MCOL claim as they are jointly liable.
          Send first Amex a letter by post with all the documents and point out to them if they are not willing to agree to a refund than you’ll have to put them on the MCOL claim.

          TAP is in the middle of restructuring, probably also on verge of bankruptcy despite government takeover…

• Fred s says:

  7 Oct7 October 08:24

  Re the changes to LBG Inc MBNA on 15/10. Obviously cash like transactions from that date onwards are a NO. However what about those made before 15/10? Do we need to pay them off in full (even if statement due date is ages away) before 15/10 to avoid interest?

• Dave says:

  7 Oct7 October 08:35

  Do you still get a couple of free lounge visits with Amex gold or has that now stopped? Took out a card a couple of weeks ago but received nothing lounge wise just yet

  • Rui N. says:

    7 Oct7 October 08:35

    You do. You’ll receive a priority pass card.

  • Dominic says:

    7 Oct7 October 09:07

    Indeed – good luck finding a lounge that is open, and at the right airport, and in the right terminal for your flight 🙂

• BJ says:

  7 Oct7 October 08:42

  Got emaim ebookers. Platinum renewed with lounge passes etc for 0 stays in the last 12 months.

  • H says:

    7 Oct7 October 08:50

    +1

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