British Airways cancelling flights to Northern Italy due to coronavirus

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• Keith says:

  9 Mar9 March 09:44

  Has anyone used Clubcard points to book Hilton Hotels?

  How does it work? Are you essentially issued a gift card you can use at checkout on any room of your choice including the lowest priced advance purchase room? Or are you offered a specific selection of rooms and rates you an use the clubcard points for (which may be more expensive than lowest advance rate)?

  Also would you be able to take advantage of your status benefits (Breakfast / Upgrade etc) if you booked in this way?

  Thanks

  • BJ says:

    9 Mar9 March 10:07

    Comments last week suggested it is no longer an option, Don’t know if that is temporary or permanent.
    https://headforpoints.com/2020/01/05/how-to-use-tesco-clubcard-points-for-hilton-hotel-rooms/

    • BJ says:

      9 Mar9 March 19:26

      @meta comments at 17.30 that hotels dott com is back now so Hilton may bd available again too.

  • Secret Squirrel says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:08

    Alternative then to transfer to VA then into Hilton. Min 10k VA points though.

  • Lady London says:

    9 Mar9 March 17:38

    No benefits unless you are very lucky and on my last booking Tesco clubcard was only showing overpriced larger rooms when I found out later cheaper regularly priced rooms were available at the same time.

• kevbar says:

  9 Mar9 March 10:29

  My Monese account has been closed due to ‘regulations’ even though I gave them source of funds, I guess I was costing them too much…

  • BS says:

    9 Mar9 March 10:45

    Lots of PO topups?

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      9 Mar9 March 11:09

      Probably, that’s what got me shut down BJ.

      • BJ says:

        9 Mar9 March 11:44

        That was BS not BJ.

      • BJ says:

        9 Mar9 March 14:02

        Btw, what do they do with your remaining balance when they shut you down?

    • kevbar says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:33

      Lots of paypoint top-ups via co-op and amex. No cash, but I don’t think they look at the evidence, just want to get rid…

      • Lady London says:

        9 Mar9 March 17:55

        Yup.
        Revolut tried the same excuse when they changed MCC codes recently causing lots of cost to customers onRevolut card or feeder cards.

        Remember the history of pathetic excuses used for disproportionate or irrelevant actions in the UK in recent years:

        “Health&Safety” (this one has had a good long run and been used to justify all manner of ridiculous things.)

        “Security” (this one is still going strong to excuse almost anything.)

        “Brexit” (was popular to excuse poor business results but is now wearing thin).

        “Compliance” (always popular with Financé departments within firms to get their own way.
        When actually there’s no compliance requirement but their staff are incompetent/playing it safe for themselves personally. SOX was really good for this.)

        “The law has made us do it” .(When the law hasn’t changed and in fact previously stated methods of operation did conform to the law and still do. But there is a cost somewhere to be justified (if they’ve decided to charge more ) or remove (if a previously stated or used method of operation is costing them).

        • ADS says:

          10 Mar10 March 00:57

          that’s an excellent list LL – we should all print it off and deploy on rotation !

• AJ says:

  9 Mar9 March 10:44

  O/T: VA email just received – they’re ending FX fees in the EEA. I assume these changes take effect immediately?

  • roberto says:

    9 Mar9 March 10:53

    “We’ve removed a fee payable when shopping within the EEA. You no longer need to worry about pesky transaction fees when paying in certain currencies.”

    Removed…

• j says:

  9 Mar9 March 10:57

  OT, can’t check in for a BA flight tomorrow, with app or online. Also, in app one way upgrade to premium economy is showing up at £230 (London to Bangkok). If there’s a deal might consider upgrade to Club, is it best to ask at the airport check-in desk?

  • Andrew says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:11

    Having problems trying to find Avios reward flights on the BA site.

    • bill says:

      9 Mar9 March 11:12

      same problems on Avios.com

      • j says:

        9 Mar9 March 11:19

        https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/british-airways-down-passengers-unable-21657988

        • Shoestring says:

          9 Mar9 March 12:05

          that’s appalling – yet again

        • Lady London says:

          9 Mar9 March 18:56

          Wonder if possibly BA outsourced their IT to India, I’ve not seen any stats for coronavirus spread in India but guessing they could be affected.

        • Shoestring says:

          9 Mar9 March 19:08

          BA’s outsourcing of IT to India must be one of the worst case studies in the history of outsourcing – I’ve no particular problem with India’s expertise in this area but BA seem to have washed their hands of their responsibility to actively manage this contract, ie ‘we’ve out-sourced it, so it’s cheaper & the problem has been handed to somebody else/ contractor’

  • Anna says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:21

    Double check you are properly ticketed and if problem persists get to the airport early!

    • Lady London says:

      10 Mar10 March 14:27

      I smell.denied boarding compo if BA’s IT problems would mean someone was not allowed to board their flight.

  • BJ says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:54

    Those two things combined might mean it has been switched to a 4 cabin aircraft tomorrow and they have seats in WTP free. Anybody flying CW tomorrow might want to check if they have been reallocate seats in F which would confirm this. Another possibility is you have a phantom reservation but that seems unlikely if you have been offered an upgrade. Highly unlikely to be overbooked on a Tuesday given the current crisis. If you can spare the cash, call them up and offer them £250-300 for an upgrade to CW.

    • Anna says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:18

      I have a return leg from GCM in Y for 3 of us at the end of April, as BA generally only release 2 CW seats on that route and no PE (outbound is F to MIA). Would that also be a reasonable amount to offer for a CW upgrade unless things have markedly improved by then?

      • BJ says:

        9 Mar9 March 12:53

        No idea, think it’s totally unreasonable for CW given BA usual fares tbh Anna. However, it’s a buyers market and BA is hardly nice to its customers so I would feel no guilt at trying to take advantage of their need for cash.

    • j says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:23

      Thank you very helpful.

• Alex Sm says:

  9 Mar9 March 10:58

  Latest from SWISS – they have allowed free changes on all flights until the end of the year (but routing needs to remain the same)

  Trying to sort out our Italy trip which had to be postponed

• rams1981 says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:26

  OT SPG points not showing on Amex website. Maybe they are correcting balances.

  • BJ says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:58

    Possible, but I doubt it as that is not unusual, they come and go, same with MR points IME.

    • thehornets says:

      9 Mar9 March 15:16

      I have had no MR points credited to my Gold account for five days, even though I have lots of transactions (including one or two in Morrissons)

      • Leigh says:

        9 Mar9 March 15:23

        +1 for platinum card.

• Shoestring says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:30

  O/T is the Waitrose Amex offer widespread? – I’ve got Spend £20 or more, get 5% back every time

  probably old news

  • TonyG says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:36

    I’ve had that offer for some time on multiple cards

  • Andrew says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:38

    For the first time in a while I don’t have a Waitrose offer on Amex, LBG or First Direct.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:54

    but its no where near as good as buying JL vouchers in Morrisons at 10% off

    • Shoestring says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:03

      or 20% off! 🙂

      that offer ends in 2 days, so get moving if you plan to get any more M’s giftcards

      • Harj says:

        9 Mar9 March 12:41

        what’s the 20% off? have only seen 5% off with Amex offers…

        • Shoestring says:

          9 Mar9 March 12:58

          10% on my Green Amex + 8% Virgin Miles + 1% MR points + 1% More points on M giftcards

      • PJJ says:

        9 Mar9 March 14:37

        @Shoestring. Have you a draw big enough to take all your gift cards ?

        • Shoestring says:

          9 Mar9 March 20:53

          I have got £3500 worth because 20% off was too sexy to resist

          mostly M giftcards, because I can use them to buy any other giftcard, later

          I should probably have got twice as much, but don’t really want them stuck behind the sofa etc ie a worry

  • BJ says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:59

    Been on all my cards forever.

  • Doug M says:

    9 Mar9 March 17:41

    Just for reference I have, Plat 7%, Gold 10% and SPG 5%. (Unrelated the SPG goes shortly, and the Gold as soon as the 10K bonus posts).
    Just back from Morrisons in Holloway N. London, what a palaver. Only one JLP card per transaction. So I end up with 6 separate transactions, using Milky Ways to trick the till as the card is not heavy enough, and then to and fro with the More card and the Amex. Worth the effort, but frustrating they make it such a pain.
    I don’t really grocery shop in Morrisons, and use little fuel, even if I bothered to drive to a Morrisons Petrol Station. Can I use their own gift card to buy say JLP and Amazon gifts cards at a later date?

    • Nick_C says:

      9 Mar9 March 17:51

      I bought JL GCs from Morrison’s last week. Only one if valued at £50. No problem buying 6*£25

    • Shoestring says:

      9 Mar9 March 17:52

      pretty sure that’s a yes as the M giftcard is treated like cash and can be used to buy lottery tickets etc – the kiosk lady tried to tell me they can’t be used to buy alcohol this morning, not that I was trying, but that’s not in the T&Cs – I think she was thinking about the £5 vouchers from More points

    • TGLoyalty says:

      9 Mar9 March 20:17

      Same as cash can buy anything.

      Also if they have JL vouchers than can be load with any amount up to £100 you can buy more than 1 per transaction

• BJ says:

  9 Mar9 March 12:05

  OT: Creation declined verification code transaction from Curve. Just called Creation and was inforned I can no longer link the IHG card to Curve. Anybody else who got the IHG card recently had issues adding it to Curve?

  • Grant says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:15

    I linked my new free IHG card without problem, maybe 2-3 weeks ago.

    • BJ says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:36

      Just got mine last week. Tried to add it to Curve on Friday, verufication transaction appeared to be pebding at weekend based on available credit but that changed this morning. Hoping other recent efforts will show this is not a change in policy despite CSA comments. With hindsight I should have made a few transactions before attempting to add the card to Curve. If others report no issues in recent days then I’ll spend thd £500 before trying again.

      • xcalx says:

        9 Mar9 March 13:37

        I’ve had problems just trying to use the IHG card, have managed to do the spend for the 20k but have had to phone twice to get card “reset” No dodgy deals either. Just tried to get football ticket online failed again, it’s going in drawer for 5 months now until I cancel.

  • Anna says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:21

    This is a huge blow if correct. I did 3 Curve/IHG transactions over the weekend but one was declined this morning. We have 2 IHG MCs linked to Curve and use them a lot.

    • j says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:31

      Perhaps some IT issue – just had Curve linked to Hilton declined for €4 in a supermarket, first time I think I’ve ever had an issue…

  • memesweeper says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:40

    Datapoint: Curve linked to IHG just worked for a £ 300 payment — so not a blanket ban for all it seems, yet. Given Creation’s very poor customer service I would not be sure this is a deliberate policy based on anything they said.

    • BJ says:

      9 Mar9 March 13:05

      The issue is not so much about transactions getting approved or declined, but whether Creation is preventing new carholders applying then to Curve by declining Curves verification charge so that they cannot receive a code to add the new card. My belief, or hope, is that the verification transaction was randomly declined and is not indicative of any problem with new IHG cardholders adding their cards to Curve.

  • BJ says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:42

    So, this morning I’ve failed to add a card to Curve. Several reports of both successful and unsuccessful transactions…probably just a normal day in the life of Curve 🙂

  • the_real_a says:

    9 Mar9 March 13:11

    Was it your first transaction on that card? With Creation you need to do a chip and pin transaction first before you do any cardholder not present transactions.

    Speaking to Creation customer service is generally less effective than discussing the problem with a tree.

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      9 Mar9 March 13:22

      “Speaking to Creation customer service is generally less effective than discussing the problem with a tree.” 😀 😀 😀

      • Peter K says:

        9 Mar9 March 13:31

        Love it 😂

        • AJA says:

          9 Mar9 March 13:48

          +1. I actually laughed out loud at that sentence. 🙂

        • PJJ says:

          9 Mar9 March 14:42

          I’ve been in a field of sheep this morning, we put the world to right !

      • The Urbanite says:

        9 Mar9 March 18:38

        The trick is to call the right people at Creation directly!

        • BJ says:

          9 Mar9 March 19:18

          Believe ne, I’ve spoken with everybody at Creation over the past month, at least it feels that way!

    • BJ says:

      9 Mar9 March 13:54

      Thanks, yes it was my first and my 2nd-5th too (CSA said these do not show on system). That might explain it, and yes CSA failed to mention ghe chip and pin issue this morning so I guess you are right about the tree too. My current amazon transaction now looks likely to be declined too.

      • Heathrow Flyer says:

        9 Mar9 March 14:29

        When I added a new IHG card (after my old card was stolen) I had a couple of issues adding it.

        First I deleted the old card, then when I tried to add the new card I don’t think I ever had the verification code come through. Instead I had to authorise the Curve ‘verification’ with Mastercard Secure Code – which I had to call Creation a a couple of times to get re-set properly.

        When the Secure Code verification code failed it came up with a different Creation phone no. – the security team I think, which, when I rang it, sounded like someone was picking up the phone in the corner of the office. Either way, they were able to reset my code and I was able to verify the card and use Curve going forward.

        Whether I had to input the code into Curve I can’t remember.

        I wouldn’t take what the Creation CS agent said as accurate.

        • BJ says:

          9 Mar9 March 15:02

          Sounds like a nightmare, I think I’ll just pay £500 into my factors account and stick the card in a drawer.

    • Lady London says:

      9 Mar9 March 17:29

      🙂 You’ve been talking to Accor Customer Service as well, haven’t you ?

      • BJ says:

        9 Mar9 March 19:15

        Accor? Oui, Madame Londres, vive les grands arbres verts!

        • Cat says:

          9 Mar9 March 19:27

          …qui n’ecoute pas, zut alors!

        • BJ says:

          9 Mar9 March 19:56

          Qui??? Now we’re talking, you just made my day Cat 🙂

        • Cat says:

          9 Mar9 March 20:30

          😁

  • Jill(Kinkell) says:

    9 Mar9 March 15:18

    Just took cash out of bank using curve linked to my IHG acct.

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