The HfP chat thread – Thursday 9th December

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Russ says:

9 Dec9 December 15:17

According to my wife’s conversation with Amex on querying missing cash back from the Marriott offers, the cashback will be refused if not spent in one hit. Apparently Amex’s system can’t handle split payments so tuff. I’m going to be hearing about this all day……
- Andrew says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 15:39
  
  Most offers do work with cumulative spend, but never any guarantees unless it says so in the wording of the offer, which some do. But usually the official answer from Amex is that it’s all in one go, but in practice, usually cumulatively. But you have to accept the ‘risk’ that the offer won’t trigger and you won’t have a recourse if you don’t spend in one go. The IHG offer in the summer didn’t say cumulatively, I took the risk based on the experience of others on here, and it paid out fine, but if it hadn’t I wouldn’t have been able to complain.
  - Russ says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 16:02
    
    I agree with you on this ‘But you have to accept the ‘risk’ that the offer won’t trigger…..’,
    but this is a little harsh I feel ‘…..and you won’t have a recourse if you don’t spend in one go.’
    - Andrew says:
      
      9 Dec9 December 16:25
      
      The reason I say that is because the wording of the offer says “a transaction”, singular so therefore a complaint might not progress far if they wanted to stick to the letter of the offer.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        9 Dec9 December 16:29
        
        It doesn’t. Says “get a £50 statement credit when you spend £200+“
        
        Other offers like BP and Harrods do say “on an eligible transaction of £xx+”
    - Tw33ty says:
      
      9 Dec9 December 23:03
      
      I triggered Marriott offer on two different, each with two separate stays less than £200 on each card
- Rob says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 15:41
  
  My Hyatt one triggered on two different stays this week.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 15:57
  
  HUACA because the CS is talking rubbish.
  
  Have triggered these across multiple cards with cumulative spend. I split bills to try and hit multiple of £200.
  - Russ says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 16:23
    
    I go to reception and ask to pay something off the bill and then give them the card I want it to come off. Usually works.
- Harry T says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 16:06
  
  Triggered two Marriott amex rebates recently – both through cumulative spend. HUACA.
  - Ikaz says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 16:32
    
    Same here, triggered the offer on cumulative spend on 2 of my cards (once with a couple of months between transactions), and am expecting to trigger on next card this weekend. Did you make sure that the hotels used are on the list? Offer triggered just under a week after check-out
- ankomonkey says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 17:16
  
  I had the Marriott cashback for two payments (check-out then separate payment for lunch in hotel restaurant) several hours apart on the same day. They also appeared as completely different merchants on my statement. I was preparing myself for a battle with Amex Support, but the cashback paid without me having to contact them.
George says:

9 Dec9 December 15:33

*buy
Nathan says:

9 Dec9 December 16:02

Would anyone please know if it’s possible to use an at home lateral flow test with a fit to fly certificate to travel on Eurostar from U.K. to France or does the test have to be taken in a clinic?
I am due to travel from StPancras to Paris tomorrow.

Many thanks
- Will says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 16:58
  
  France requires a nurse-administered LFT. Some chance you get away with a video observed test that sends you a clinician’s certificate. Not actually tried though,
  - Gavin says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 21:55
    
    This doesn’t appear to be true. People are using non-video home LFTs to enter France (Randox, Chronomics etc) according to a skiing forum that I follow.
ShopBig says:

9 Dec9 December 16:03

Avios to nectar from 23rd November still missing…..
- Andrew says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 16:26
  
  Although on the plus side, you can now do your December transfer as the facility is back up.
  - Steven says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 16:35
    
    I see MSE ran an article on this yesterday. Perhaps the pressure helped accelerate BA’s efforts.
  - Harrods says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 16:56
    
    Please note that you will see Avios debited from your British Airways Executive Club account, and you will see the Nectar points credited to your account 12 days later.
    
    It’s changed to 12 days 🙂
Ekimov says:

9 Dec9 December 16:25

Anyone having some issues booking a flight on BA ? trying to a LON-NCE for this week end
Don says:

9 Dec9 December 16:28

Creation just requested more time on my IHG card closure complaint. The 8 weeks is up and they haven’t been able to sort it out yet. Did this happen to anyone else?
- Andy says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 17:05
  
  Yes me, I emailed them last week to say their time was up. They emailed today to say they had sent me a letter issued on the 2nd December saying I could take it to the financial ombudsman but that they would also appreciate more time to resolve my complaint.
  
  So I’m letting them have a bit more time, I want to be seen to be “reasonable” if I need to take it further
  - JDB says:
    
    9 Dec9 December 17:24
    
    It goes beyond being ‘reasonable ’ – you don’t really want to be entering an appeals process (i.e. the FOS) without full sight of the decision you are appealing against as that would put you at a serious disadvantage. There is of course the risk that their final response will be rather unspecific, so you end up in a similar place. A delay won’t hurt as you have a long wait at the FOS anyway, and there is always the outside chance they will cave + any IHG action (which changes everything) will probably become apparent in the coming weeks.
    - Froggee says:
      
      9 Dec9 December 17:31
      
      that “any IHG action” sounds might ominous. I’m perplexed though at what permission Creation have to share any data with IHG other than the giving of points and free night vouchers.
      - JDB says:
        
        9 Dec9 December 17:47
        
        I think that any action was probably the 100/1 shot until the total idiotic publicisation of those FOI docs last week.
      - JDB says:
        
        9 Dec9 December 17:53
        
        @Froggee in respect of data sharing, you will have agreed this when you signed up for the card. Creation’s general Data Protection Notice also covers sharing data with retailers and partners.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        9 Dec9 December 18:38
        
        @JDB “idiotic publicisation of those FOI docs last week.”
        
        Why? It was an FOI from a public body requested as per the law and FOIs can be shared publicly.
        
        Did creation think people were too dumb to FOI?
      - Froggee says:
        
        9 Dec9 December 19:00
        
        Thanks @JDB – seems a massive over reach. They use the term legitimate business interests. Also IHG is unlikely to receive the same DSAR exemptions that Creation receives so if they decide to claim back points and vouchers etc then there will need to have been a decision making process based upon my data. It’s truly fascinating. I’m also amazed that Creation can get worked up about a FOI request. You figure corporations are bigger than that! I will watch with interest. Oh and unlike some on here, I’m always interested in your perspective so thanks again.
    - JDB says:
      
      9 Dec9 December 18:49
      
      @TGLoyalty – the reason that it was idiotic has nothing to do with Creation. The FOI has caused great concern at other financial institutions/companies. What had until then been a slightly nebulous/abstract concept (MS/recycling etc) suddenly sounds all too real and is something most people don’t want to be tainted with or associated with, even if it is not unlawful. It makes indecision/inaction by others look awkward. The mention of Financial Crimes Unit, redactions under 31(1a) of FOIA etc. etc. also understandably unnerves people
- mkcol says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 17:16
  
  Yep me too, posted about it last night. They said they’d posted me a letter on the 7th Dec too.
Lee says:

9 Dec9 December 16:34

BA booking system down? Seems I can’t find any availability cash or points.
- Esme says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 16:54
  
  Not a booking, but system won’t let me check in for flight tomorrow EDI- LHR. Just getting ‘ Error please try later’
Manny_D says:

9 Dec9 December 16:47

Has anyone purchased Avios as a gift for someone? If so do you have choice as to when the points get posted? Or is it from date of purchase? Ideally looking to give this as a present for Christmas.
- ChrisBCN says:
  
  9 Dec9 December 20:37
  
  Whhhyyyy! You’d be better giving a cash gift, it would be worth twice as much! (Ok, maybe you have a specific case where you know they will get more value out of it, but if you don’t…)