British Airways launches flights from London Heathrow to Preveza and Bastia

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• Michael Jennings says:

  18 Oct18 October 11:51

  OT: Something slightly amusing happened to me last week.

  I stayed Friday night (12-13th October) at the Holiday Inn Prague Airport, which cost 15,000 IHG points. My flight was late, which meant I didn’t check in until about 2am. Everything was perfectly fine with the hotel. However, when I look at my IHG account now, I have been refunded the 15,000 points. In my stays history, the stay is shown as 0 nights – 13th October to 13th October, and costing 0 points. I haven’t been treated as a no show or charged a no-show fee, but I have seemingly had a reward stay of 0 nights.

  Anyone else had anything like this happen? People must check into hotels after midnight all the time, particularly at airport hotels, so I can’t imagine this happens every time anyone does.

  • Rob says:

    18 Oct18 October 12:51

    BEWARE. This is what IHG rules say: if you ‘no show’ on a points night, you get your points back BUT your credit card is charged the fully flexible room rate for that night.

    It happened to me once – I wrote about it but, as I didn’t name the hotel, I can’t find the article. I forgot to cancel a redemption for my brother and, at 9am, I got a Amex notification on my iPhone showing a £200 room charge going through. I quickly realised what had happened, called the hotel and had a row over what constituted ‘check-in’. They agreed that as long as I turned up before 11am (check-out time) I could officially check-in and I’d get my £200 back.

    So I threw the kids in a taxi (wife was out), dashed to Camden, checked in, nicked the room toiletries and then we hit the market for a bit!

    • Genghis says:

      18 Oct18 October 12:57

      https://headforpoints.com/2016/07/05/ihg-rewards-club-no-show-fine-penalty/

      • Rob says:

        18 Oct18 October 13:14

        Thank you 🙂

    • Russ says:

      18 Oct18 October 13:23

      A points Warrior!

    • Michael Jennings says:

      18 Oct18 October 13:36

      Yes, I understand that this is what is supposed to happen, but in my case only half of it has. The points have been refunded, but nothing has been charged to my credit card. I haven’t received any e-mail or notification telling me that I am going to be charged, either, and the night is shown in my past stays on the IHG website (but with the same day for check-in and check-out). Perhaps they were half way through the process of marking me as a no show when I walked in the door.
      I’ll keep watching my credit card, obviously.

      • Lyn says:

        18 Oct18 October 15:11

        IHG sometimes correct their own points mistakes later, even months later. Presumably the hotel will realise at some stage that they haven’t been paid by IHG for the stay, so IHG may stilll deduct the points from your account.

  • Alex W says:

    18 Oct18 October 17:28

    Rob, after an overnight flight I need to check in to IC Bangkok around 7am. I have booked paid nights before and after. Do you think this will be ok and should I still get 2 nights credit?

    • Rob says:

      18 Oct18 October 21:57

      Yes, will be fine BUT let them know in advance as they decide you will be a no-show and give your room away if full or if someone turns up at 2am without anywhere to stay.

      • Alex W says:

        21 Oct21 October 11:01

        Thanks Rob.

  • Lady London says:

    18 Oct18 October 20:42

    I wouldn;t call 2am a no show.
    One hotel I use regularly told me they consider it a no show if you haven’t turned up by 8am unless you’ve called them.

    If you did this on the first night of your reservation I guess all the nights of your reservation could get flushed?

• JPa says:

  18 Oct18 October 11:57

  OT: Just checking again if anyone has the link to upgrade the BA free card to the BA Premium for 10000 avios, either from the amex account page, app or from an email. I can’t see it on my account and no luck with google or asking amex on chat. Thanks

  • Benylin says:

    18 Oct18 October 12:14

    No such thing afaik

    • JPa says:

      18 Oct18 October 16:07

      It was mentioned in a number of posts yesterday, but nobody posted the link.

      • Shoestring says:

        18 Oct18 October 16:15

        Whereas people ringing Amex CS get no joy these days if they ask for cardmember offers to be added, there are reports of people seeing success when they ask for a card upgrade offer.

• Optimus Prime says:

  18 Oct18 October 12:27

  Another OT…

  When using Priority Pass at Gatwick Granary Store – do you get £15 credit for a guest too or only PP cardholders do?

  • Optimus Prime says:

    18 Oct18 October 12:28

    I meant Grain Store….

  • New Card says:

    18 Oct18 October 12:37

    £15 per person including guests. Just be careful when you sign their machine that they’ve inputted the right number of guests…

    • Optimus Prime says:

      18 Oct18 October 12:56

      Thanks!

  • Matt says:

    18 Oct18 October 12:58

    Was there with my wife recently, managed to use self plus guest on my priority pass card and one use on hers to cover the whole bill. The waitress went to ask someone but came back saying that was fine.

• Billy says:

  18 Oct18 October 12:43

  Hope to use Preveza flights next year. Parga, nearby, is stunning.

• Alex says:

  18 Oct18 October 13:06

  OT Have seen the answer in the comments before but can remember which article. Had Amex Gold upgraded to Plat after 4 months, no fee charged. Coming up to original Gold anniversary which I believe will trigger Plat fee to be charged. Is this retrospective ie for the 8 months I’ve had Plat + a further 4 rather than for a further 12 months? Thanks in advance.

  • KevMc says:

    18 Oct18 October 13:42

    No, you will just get charged £450 for the next 12 months. This is obviously refundable pro-rata if/when you cancel, of course.

    • Alex says:

      18 Oct18 October 15:15

      Thanks Kev

• Nick says:

  18 Oct18 October 13:09

  Withdrawing cash in the EU:

  Best to use starling, curve or Revolut. I have all 3.

  And for Norma card purchases?

  • Genghis says:

    18 Oct18 October 13:25

    For me:

    Cash withdrawals = starling. No monthly limits, no charge but no rewards, fully flat (Curve is 1% + £2 if underlying card non-EUR IIRC) and Revolut is 2% charge after £200 pcm)

    Purchases = Revolut (no charge during the week and benefit of underlying card top up points). Weekend is 0.5% charge in EUR but you can earn that back on underlying card points. Curve has now charged charges but I’ve no limit. Starling not for purchases in EUR. I used in South Korea and HK recently though when Revolut’s weekend surcharging is prohibitive.

    • rams1981 says:

      18 Oct18 October 13:48

      How is starling topped up?

    • KevMc says:

      18 Oct18 October 13:52

      You can topup via a straight old-fashioned bank transfer (unlimited) from your existing account, or top up in the app using a ‘Debit Card’ (up to £250/day)

    • RakishDriver says:

      18 Oct18 October 14:46

      Isn’t curve zero FX charge now up to a certain £ amount ?
      Provided you withdraw during the week, hit that withdrawal limit before charges hit, then switch to starling as suggested (only recently became their customer) – at least you bank some points.

      • mr dee says:

        18 Oct18 October 20:04

        thought curve was 0% now?

    • MD says:

      18 Oct18 October 15:57

      Sorry Genghis maybe I’m missing something here. If you’re happy to use Starling for cash withdrawals, why wouldn’t you also use it for purchases? OK it’s a debit card so no credit card protection, but you obv don’t mind that if you’re using Revolut instead.

      • Genghis says:

        18 Oct18 October 16:38

        Starling = no limit or charge on cash withdrawals but no reward. No reward on purchases
        Revolut = limits and charges on cash withdrawals. Rewards on purchases from underlying card.

      • MD says:

        18 Oct18 October 17:23

        Oh I see, rewards from topping up using a credit card. Knew I was forgetting something. Cheers G.

  • Delbert says:

    18 Oct18 October 13:48

    “And for Norma card purchases?”

    That for me would be my Halifax Clarity card. Starling is okay for cash withdrawals but the topping up and withdrawal limits are strange and quite low.

    • Lumma says:

      18 Oct18 October 16:41

      Starling for cash withdrawals, I took a small overdraft that they offered when I set up the account which allows me to withdraw cash and then I send the money from the notification straight across to avoid any interest charges

  • Dimitri says:

    18 Oct18 October 19:35

    Fair enough. However, why they keep it for old customers and not offer it for new ones?

    I remember reading that it was cancelled for most customers and I am surprised I am one of the lucky ones!

• Nick says:

  18 Oct18 October 13:10

  As a follow on to the stansted escape lounge, I’ve heard that’s it’s almost impossible to gain entry in the early mornings.

  What about prior to a 5pm departure?

  I will of course report back

  • Michael Jennings says:

    18 Oct18 October 14:05

    The thing that annoys me about the Stansted Escape Lounge is that it closes at 8.30pm, when the last flight normally departs around midnight. Yes, it is true that there are relatively few flights after 8.30pm, but there are some. Also, there are often a few flights that have been delayed. If my flight is delayed – that’s when I most want a lounge.

    • Lady London says:

      18 Oct18 October 20:15

      +1. They’re not interested in serving the stragglers I expect. they are open for the good hours not to provide a service.

      Not sure if Stansted could be lobbied to require opening times up to 1 hour before the last flight? else we could really really do with another lounge under different ownership at Stansted and I’m sure it would make money

      The only airport I dislike more than Stansted and Luton is Berlin Schoenefeld. Just about OK landside if not too crowded, but rubbish at all times from the point you start going through the xrays.

  • Lady London says:

    18 Oct18 October 20:12

    I’ve always got in at 4.30am.
    Much after that though, and I see people being turned away.
    Large parties that book there can close off lots of the lounge. Even at that hour. They seem to reserve tables hours before the people who booked them will arrive.
    Without a lounge I don’t think I’d have the strength to use Stansted airport. IMV it’s a hellhole that only exceeded in hellishness by Luton.

• Paul says:

  18 Oct18 October 13:15

  OT-Marriott

  Any advantage of using Marriott APP Check-in?
  Staying at JWM Singapore.

  • Genghis says:

    18 Oct18 October 13:26

    None IMO. Much better dealing with people face-to-face.

  • Rob says:

    18 Oct18 October 13:52

    Not until the day they convince us that you won’t get a better upgrade at the desk (which you usually will).

  • fivebobbill says:

    18 Oct18 October 15:23

    Stayed here for one night on points in Feb this year after disembarking from cruise ship, super hotel!! I’m a Marriott Gold, so at the time was in line for lounge access/breakfast/late check out etc. Didn’t do online check in, but upgrade was showing in the app the night before.
    Did a “walk off with luggage” from ship, so arrived at the hotel just just after 8am, couldn’t do enough, wonderful check-in desk experience then shown to the “lounge” to enjoy breakfast. Just over half an hour later someone from the front desk arrived up and presented me with my room key! Made our way up before 9am to be greeted by our suitcases in a suite overlooking the city/Clarke Quay area, marvellous! Hotel right next to Raffles and a short walk into town.
    Late flight home next day, so given a 6pm checkout, then some food and a few aperitifs in the lounge again before taxi to airport… even gave us both a free arm and hands massage over afternoon tea in that lounge!
    With the early check in and late departure we spent almost 2 full days there and never it cost me a penny.
    You’ll love the place, wish I was going back tomorrow…

    • Mr Marriott says:

      19 Oct19 October 10:26

      “I’m a Marriott Gold, so at the time….”

      ….except now, everything has changed.

      Thus the majority of what you mention would not be on offer to a mere ‘Gold’ today (or at least, certainly not guaranteed)

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