The HfP chat thread – Sunday 31st October

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• mart says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:00

  All –
  I was booked to SYD in the 50% avios sale using a 241 which expires in March 2022. Cancelled, obviously (a number of times actually on different dates), and BA have now rearranged for me to fly in Sept 2022 (and have told me the 241 voucher still applies etc etc).
  My concern now is that if, say in August, BA cancel the flights, what will happen to my 241 voucher? Will I lose it?

  • Grimz says:

    31 Oct31 October 10:03

    No you will have a right to rebook again

  • John says:

    31 Oct31 October 10:14

    I think you have a 90%+ chance of going in September

  • Gary says:

    31 Oct31 October 11:08

    If BA cancels the flight, voucher expiry shouldn’t matter. You may find responses to Backpacker yesterday helpful.
    https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/10/30/the-hfp-chat-thread-saturday-30th-october/comment-page-6/#comments

• Bill says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:03

  I checked out of a Meliá property yesterday and forgot to ask how long it takes for points to post. Does anyone have any idea ? It was the Hotel Porta Maris Spa in Alicante if that’s relevant

  • David D says:

    31 Oct31 October 12:22

    Usually around 7 days after the stay.

    • Bill says:

      31 Oct31 October 12:45

      Thanks David D

• Clive says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:21

  Will be away for over a month at Christmas and usually book meet and great at LHR however prices are coming in at an eye watering £170+

  Any suggestion for an alternative? Seems Long Stay isn’t available either

  • H says:

    31 Oct31 October 11:04

    YourParkingSpace app – download it from the App store.

    I park at the thistle Heathrow hotel – £5 a day and a quick Uber less than 5 mins to T5 or a bus right outside. £5 a day through YPS v £12 a day if paying the hotel.

  • Greg says:

    31 Oct31 October 13:09

    Park on the road just outside Osterley tube station and take a short trip on the Picadiilly line. I’ve been doing this for over 30 years to get into London and a few times when flying from LHR. Completely free. Only risk is parking on a busy road although the spaces are well off the road.

    • Gruntfuttock says:

      31 Oct31 October 14:26

      Snap! I used to do this in the 70s and my Dad did it in the 60s. Also good then to hop off the 704/705 Green Line (eastbound) just outside and nip onto the tube into the big smoke to beat the traffic. Ahh, the nostalgia, must have a lie down now 💤

    • Lady London says:

      31 Oct31 October 16:49

      My car was broken into when I parked it there for commuting and the police there said the area was targeted by the ungodly for that. YMMV.

      • Gruntfuttock says:

        31 Oct31 October 17:29

        LL – Good point. Used to park my Ford Cortina Mk.1 in Osterley Avenue round the corner when it wasn’t resident parking (as now) and petrol was 33p a gallon. Oh, and you wore a shirt and tie with sensible shoes when flying.

• Aaron C says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:28

  Any suggestions for a short break over Christmas? Leaving on the evening of the 24th for 3 nights. Either U.K. or short haul given the short time. 2 adults.

  • Paulh says:

    31 Oct31 October 11:06

    I would stay in the uk… too stressful taking flights for a few days.
    We did Ludlow the other year… beautiful lodge on an estate (air bnb).
    Lots of great pubs and reastaurants for xmas dinner, and they have a tug of war between 2 adjacent pubs on boxing day and all the town are out – great atmosphere. And the weather was perfect.. cold but blue sky and bright sunshine.

    • AnotherUser says:

      31 Oct31 October 14:22

      I enjoyed Marrakech in pre-covid times. Better weather and plenty to see and do for a few days. Prices rise around Xmas, but were a lot more reasonable than the UK. Far less Christmassy stuff than in the UK, which suited me but may not suit you.

      Who knows if they’ll be letting brits in by then…

• Katie says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:32

  Do Hilton cardholders get the barclaycard offer? https://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal/apple?WT.ac=A00D03&ref=hero-banner-p1-acq

  • David says:

    31 Oct31 October 10:34

    It’s for new card applications – see the FAQs, so this is a non starter.

    • David says:

      31 Oct31 October 10:36

      Apologies, actual T&Cs contradict this and says for current customers too 🤦

      • Katie says:

        31 Oct31 October 10:50

        Can anyone confirm they got the email? I didnt but then again get few emails from barclaycard..

  • Louise K says:

    31 Oct31 October 12:14

    We got the offer.

    Been barclaycard holders for years and never use the card.

• Chris says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:38

  I’ve seen reference to a lot of people that have both HSBC Premier and Barclays because the Barclays isn’t up to scratch. Can anyone offer any insight into why the Barclays account is considered sub par?

  I need to change my bank account and they seem like most likely options but I don’t currently have any relationship with HSBC so would need to create some form of investment in advance and trying to figure out if that’s worth the hassle or if Barclays is sufficient

  • C says:

    31 Oct31 October 10:49

    You don’t need the investment in advance – as long as you satisfy the salary requirement you can just apply for the premier account, then open an investment product with e.g. £100 once open. Worked fine for me and others have reported here too

  • Mick S says:

    31 Oct31 October 10:51

    what do you mean by “isn’t up to scratch”. It’s a current account which gives you monthly avios, and an annual upgrade voucher. Both accounts (which i have) seem fine, not had issues with either….yet !!

    • Chris says:

      31 Oct31 October 11:29

      Well there are numerous people who talk about transferring through Barclays into HSBC so either there are double benefits that make it worth the hassle or Barclays isn’t up to scratch and people want to ultimately use the HSBC as the main account

      I’m trying to ascertain why that is

      • Mick S says:

        31 Oct31 October 12:26

        depends on what you want – if you want the annual upgrade voucher then Barclays is your only choice (approx £150 per year fees). You will also get 1500 avios each month.

        if you dont want to pay the fees and not bothered about the voucher then go HSBC. (although the WE Elite card isnt free).

        The upgrade voucher is what you should help you drive the decision.

  • Andrew says:

    31 Oct31 October 11:12

    What’s the “Up to Scratch” issue?

    The number one thing for me is the app. In which case HSBC is poor and Barclays is mediocre.

    • BP says:

      31 Oct31 October 11:50

      HSBC have a new app launching in the next few weeks.

      • Genghis says:

        31 Oct31 October 12:29

        I’ve got it. Don’t like it.

      • HH says:

        31 Oct31 October 12:43

        I’ve been testing it for them. It’s honestly worse in every regard.

        • Youllnever says:

          31 Oct31 October 13:21

          Biggest issue with the new app is that I can no longer see the number of points I currently have on my WE – I’m now forced to go into my most recent statement in order to find that out!

        • Rob says:

          31 Oct31 October 14:28

          You’re right, hadn’t spotted that. Idiots.

        • BP says:

          31 Oct31 October 16:24

          Be hard to get any worse. Santander have the best non-fintech banking app.

      • Thom says:

        31 Oct31 October 13:35

        TBH I didn’t’t notice much change with it other than it’s now red …

  • HH says:

    31 Oct31 October 12:46

    As someone with both, I think Barclays is the better of the two. The only reason I keep HSBC open is the free travel insurance. Barclays give you a named relationship manager who is actually useful, the Avios offering, higher ATM limits, higher in-app cheque limits, slightly better preferential rates than HSBC etc.

    • DJ says:

      31 Oct31 October 14:02

      I have a named relationship manager with HSBC Premier and she has been very helpful for the past six years. Therefore it must be a regional thing…

• Grimz says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:38

  Can you refer someone off your gold card for a business card and get the referral bonus

  • Benilyn says:

    31 Oct31 October 12:28

    Yes

• JonnyFly says:

  31 Oct31 October 10:44

  PCR T-48 for Singapore – advice please…

  I’m booked on 18:50 BA (VTL) flight to SIN in a few weeks. Pre-departure PCR test has to be within 48h of scheduled departure – which is quite tight.

  My options are:
  A) St Pancras Collinson – just before they close at 7pm two days prior – but they say results within 48h (which could be too late)

  B) ExpressTest Drive-Through Brent Cross – “results by 10pm next day” – closes 8pm

  C) Drive to LHR for 3hr results test (most inconvenient/expensive)

  Is A) really slower than B)? Anyone with real-world experience of these? Is there an unspoken ‘cut-off’ e.g. test taken after 4pm don’t get picked up until the next day etc. etc.

  Thanks

  • Sam G says:

    31 Oct31 October 11:49

    There are other 4hr options that are open late enough in London e.g. Doctap. I’d want to go for the fastest option possible to allow time for retest if something goes wrong.

    • JonnyFly says:

      31 Oct31 October 13:32

      Thanks all for the various D) suggestions. It looks like most 4h options in central/north London are daytime only – whereas my 48h window starts in the evening.

      £114 DocTap at 58 Roman Way London N7 8XF seems doable in the evening – although it looks like a disused shop on StreetView!

      Has anyone had direct experience of DocTap and that location in particular?

      • Rob says:

        31 Oct31 October 14:26

        I’ve used DocTap in Chelsea (St Luke’s Church). They DO deliver in the promised 4 hours although you pay for the privilege.

  • Bob says:

    31 Oct31 October 12:37

    Option D) Randox do a same day PCR near Heathrow which is £65.

    Definitely avoid A and B I think. I have had a bad experience with A but that was in late August where they delayed the result for over 48 hours.

    • Bob says:

      31 Oct31 October 12:38

      For Option D they also offer the same day option at their Waterloo site.

      • memesweeper says:

        31 Oct31 October 13:27

        Collinson have 3h service at more than just Heathrow as well.

      • JonnyFly says:

        31 Oct31 October 13:36

        Bob – thanks – but not in the evening unfortunately.

        • Polly says:

          31 Oct31 October 22:47

          In the same boat here so booked the 3 hr one at lhr. Reason being gives us time to cancel everything if one of us tests positive. Flying 18th BA11, what date are you going?

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