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The HfP chat thread – Thursday 18th November

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Comments (431)

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

  • Eppleby Green says:
    18 Nov18 November 06:42

    Don’t fret! There will be another Wednesday 17th. November coming along in 2027!

  • Anna says:
    18 Nov18 November 06:51

    Someone mentioned IHG closing accounts yesterday so I did a bit of digging and there have been cases where accounts have been closed for breaches of Ts and Cs, e.g. https://loyaltylobby.com/2020/04/20/reader-email-ihg-closes-account-with-1-8m-points/. The most concerning thing is the lack of transparency from IHG.
    I am wondering if IHG will use the closure of the Creation accounts as an excuse to rid itself of a whole load of points liability, as it seems they are much less regulated in this than a financial institution like a cc company.
    Can IHG cancel stays which have already been booked on points? I can’t find any cases where this is actually mentioned, only closure of accounts with high points balances.

    • BJ says:
      18 Nov18 November 07:09

      I’d need to take action on that as I got closed for a solitary £400 transaction and the bulk of my current IHG points and stays were purchased.

      • Anna says:
        18 Nov18 November 07:25

        There doesn’t seem to be much action you could take, short of taking IHG to the small claims court. When IHG closes an account, they take everything, regardless of how it was earned.

      • Maciek says:
        18 Nov18 November 09:24

        What was that transaction? Creation and NS&I?

        • Maciek says:
          18 Nov18 November 09:26

          How come IHG would close an account over that? Did you make a fuss about Creation with them?

    • ChrisC says:
      18 Nov18 November 07:19

      Missed those posts so I’ll go and have a look.

      I remember the flyer talk thread that generated that article and it’s more informative as to what the poster did to cause the account to be closed.

      As always there is always a lot left out.

      • Anna says:
        18 Nov18 November 07:23

        Yes – it’s not so much what the breach of Ts and Cs was as the fact that IHG can close accounts and is not regulated by any agency like the FOS so there’s very little scope for challenging the decision, unlike the card closures. Basically if they say there’s been a breach there’s very little the account holder can do about it. Hence considering getting my points out before all the complaints hit the FOS and Creation starts talking to IHG.

        • YC says:
          18 Nov18 November 07:37

          It’s also probably not the wisest to be prodding ihg about missing points or free night cert from creation. This is a creation issue (not ihg) so it’s more likely to backfire than support the case

      • BJ says:
        18 Nov18 November 07:55

        Things might be leftout stories but that doesn’t prevent daft stuff happening. Creation did close my account for a single Curve transaction.

        • Anna says:
          18 Nov18 November 08:55

          But – does anyone know if points bookings can be cancelled (for reasons other than stuff like the hotel being closed) or do they constitute some kind of contract between you and the hotel?

          • JDB says:
            18 Nov18 November 13:57

            If IHG closes a rewards account, it cancels all points, including those ‘blocked’ in future bookings. This and the dangers of chasing IHG was raised by me and others a month ago and again more recently. IHG account closures get Creation off the hook as well. It may be something of a Pyrrhic victory if anyone wins back points/nights to find the IHG account then closed with no practical recourse.

    • Aston100 says:
      18 Nov18 November 10:28

      What is a good use of IHG points, other than IHG hotels?

  • G says:
    18 Nov18 November 06:51

    Trying to decide between BA premium card and on business.

    Can I expense the premium card on my limited company if I only use it for business purposes?

    Personal card has the companion voucher…business card has the bonus avios at .20,40,60k spend…

    • Thom says:
      18 Nov18 November 08:53

      Yes, you can expense the fee. If you used the card for both business and personal then you could still expense part of the fee based on the usage split between business and personal.

    • Rhys says:
      18 Nov18 November 09:16

      It mostly comes down to what you value more – companion voucher or the Avios bonuses (and how many of them you can achieve)

      • G says:
        18 Nov18 November 19:00

        Cheers Rhys! Wish it were an upgrade voucher tbh like the lloyds cards used to be a while back! (the barclays premier account isn’t an option for me unfortunately)

  • Kathryn James says:
    18 Nov18 November 06:56

    BA website for Executive Card members still not up and running. It still says is will be available on 17 November which was yesterday. It was sporadically available yesterday for short periods but now unavailable again. Frustrating if you have been trying to book avios flights in the coming weeks.

  • Matt says:
    18 Nov18 November 06:57

    Looking for a bit of help please. I need to pay 400 dollars by paypal. Is this possible without fees? Would curve (metal) do this if I change the underlying cc currency to USD? Many thanks for any advice.

    • Froggee says:
      18 Nov18 November 07:41

      Yes you can use Curve (assuming you are still happy to). You don’t need to do anything at the Curve end but in PayPal ensure you are being billed in USD. PayPal is now very keen to bill you in GBP for your USD charge at an atrocious rate and make it quite counterintuitive to switch it back to USD. It’s basically the RyanAir tactic!

      • Matt says:
        18 Nov18 November 08:09

        Thanks Froggee. I’m not very wise in the way of PayPal so this is very helpful.

  • BJ says:
    18 Nov18 November 07:05

    Bon voyage @Polly…

    • Polly says:
      18 Nov18 November 07:23

      BJ,
      Very kind Tnx for the wishes, we may need them! we can’t get verified online., No BA online yet…It’s a challenge getting to Singapore. We finally got the last paper done yesterday.. just hope it’s worth it, when we sink into that pool! Still feels like a dream to be actually going somewhere! Plus a negative PCR on arrival, that is! The final hurdle…
      Just can’t give up those F 241 seats!
      Have you finally got all your USA bookings sorted yet? Different planning for you too, big change from your usual Asia trip… fingers crossed please…

      • Anna says:
        18 Nov18 November 07:32

        I hope you have a wonderful time, @Polly! Definitely sinking into the pool for the first time (outdoors! In the sunshine!) was a sublime moment when we finally made it abroad in the summer.

      • BJ says:
        18 Nov18 November 08:17

        Polly as I recall your have faced and overcome travel challenges before and they’ve clearly not held you back 🙂 Hope you overcome these latest, and I’m sure that the vacation will feel all the sweeter , having to do so. Good luck. USA an old friend for me, spent my student summers there and subsequently worked and vacationers there. This one for the benefit of my husband who has never been. A month long trip taking in Miami, NYC, DC, SF, Vegas and LA. In addition to the cities it’ll provide a quick look see Everglades, Yosemite, natiinal parks ‘near’ Vegas and the California coast. So he should know after that lot if he wants to go back. Cancelled the BAH and used 241 to get business all the way. Domestics on Alaska and AA. Opted for suite hotels throughout to get our own kitchen, even in NYC where took Homewood . Not until next summer so hopefully things easier still by then. I saw your question some days after you posted so didn’t answer then, but here you are.

        • Polly says:
          18 Nov18 November 19:27

          Wonderful trip B J

          • Polly says:
            18 Nov18 November 19:37

            BJ, wish ld known you were hitting NYC, we stayed in the most amazing Airbnb in hells kitchen, called “your heaven in hells kitchen” corny, l know, but they had a garden! Unreal, it was heavenly, literally.

      • Michael C says:
        18 Nov18 November 08:53

        Polly, so pleased for you!
        Please give us a comment on the hotels you pass through, when you have a moment!
        I’ve just booked Shangri-La Singapore for July….multiple fingers crossed, as per…

        • Polly says:
          18 Nov18 November 17:25

          Tnx BJ, Anna,Michael C, it’s fun…Well, and it’s hello from the Concorde Lounge, first glasses of champers downed, even tho it’s totally wasted on my OH, but guess what it’s been drunk..can’t believe we are on the move again. Feels quite unreal, and yes will comment when we can…slight mo of panic when asked where were our visas. Just updated her on Singapore visa policy for Uk and Irish passports. .anyway, all good.

          Wonder if any other HFPters in here atm? Can’t wait to sink into that seat…cheers!

        • Polly says:
          18 Nov18 November 19:27

          Will go for tea and report back!

  • Michael C says:
    18 Nov18 November 07:09

    For any future Boston visitors (I believe there are a few of us!): the Seaport hotel has just started an excellent Black Friday offer (30% off the double-double room I was looking at, + $15 food spend).

  • Zana says:
    18 Nov18 November 07:38

    Sainsbury’s CC: I got an email with 6,000 bonus Nectar points for £650 spend at Sainsbury’s and Argos. Wonder whether GCs at Sainsbury’s will count towards that – Sainsbury’s e-Gift Cards were listed in the exclusions but I was going to buy other branded cards in stores. I got a different “spend anywhere” offer last Xmas, so hoping recent new card owners can confirm buying GCs are fine. Thanks!

    • Connor says:
      18 Nov18 November 09:31

      GC”s hit the spending bonus for me so I imagine they’d work for that promo too!

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

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