[Matt]

Given that Headforpoints is FCA regulated and promoting (and paid to promote) these credit cards, does that change anything about whether we can rely on what is written here?

(I know in practice it doesn’t, read the T+C you’re agreeing to etc etc, just wondering what the rules say in theory)

[Matt]

Myflightpath.club is free and works very well. You can add as much or as little detail as you like about each flight you take.

[Matt]

Yes, points in her account won’t expire as long as she has regular activity.

[Matt]

This is incorrect. You had tickets in Premium economy and were downgraded, so you are due 75% of the total cost (excluding proper taxes/airport fees) of that downgraded flight as its a long haul flight (lower rates apply for shorter flights).

Work out how much you paid in total (avios plus cash) for the flight back including whatever you paid for the upgrade, and subtract any departure taxes. Multiply the avios by 2, to account for the value of the companion voucher.

Work out what percentage of the total distance TYO-LHR-MAN is the downgraded flight (>90% I’d guess). You then want to request 75% x ~90% x the total you came up with earlier as a reimbursement under UK261 for the involuntary downgrade.

You may (almost certainly will) get rejected by BA – ask for confirmation that their answer will not change, then go to CEDR (dispute resolution). Do not accept just a refund of the upgrade fee.

[Matt]

Rob Burgess wrote:

Jim Utd wrote:

If it’s on those lines @john then it’s a poor offering.

What you need to remember (and I know what’s coming) is that Barclays and Virgin distort the market in the UK because they run airline cards which are not primarily aimed at making money, for different reasons. You will NEVER see those sort of earn rates matched.

The Currensea model is moving towards ‘hard core’ cards as you saw from Marriott if you compare to Hilton. United is hard core too and I suspect the bulk of cardholders will be US expats with status.

I can see why Virgin isn’t completely aimed at making money, but why are Barclays running a loss leader here?

The Marriott card is aimed at people in one of 2 groups: spending lots outside Europe, or chasing Marriott status. I can’t see much use outside those two groups (both of which I belong to). Given that United MileagePlus was my first travel loyalty account (in 2003) I’m hoping this will be useful, but I’d be surprised.

[Matt]

When we do an ex-EU trip we allow about 4 hours between tickets on the way back – allows a bit of leeway, without being too long to hang around. That’s based on the knowledge that we can afford to book last minute economy tickets from wherever we are if it goes wrong. As the above 2 posters say, 2hr20 would be tricky even before the schedule change – you’re relying on the first flight being on time, and no significant queues anywhere on arrival in DUB.

[Matt]

We visited for 2 weeks last November, (mostly) booked through Trailfinders. Our itinerary was:

Short overnight on arrival near SJO
Tortuguero – 2 nights
Arenal – 2 nights
Monteverde – 2 nights
Manuel Antonio – 3 nights
Osa Peninsula – 3 nights
San José – 1 night

It was great – we had enough time everywhere, though if you wanted to have a more relaxing time then extra nights in most places would be OK. Not sure I’d go for 6 nights in Manuel Antonio though – the park is quite small and very busy. Would recommend all of the places we went to.

[Matt]

Northern Dave wrote:

The year refreshes on the 17 July according to the terms and conditions – no idea why such a random date

That’s when it started. I’d forgotten, and was wondering where my nectar points were for my first stay this year.

[Matt]

You might be lucky if you get through to them, but I think more likely will be that you’ll need to buy a new flight to MAN. There’s probably a chance (though not a great one) of making the flight with 1hr20 between them if you’re hand baggage only, but no chance at all of collecting and re-checking luggage.

[Matt]

If you don’t find availability to change your booking before you go, it would be worth asking at checkin about the cost to upgrade (with cash). Not always possible, and sometimes unaffordable, but worth an ask.

[Matt]

JDB wrote:

Kraut wrote:

The flight is in April and we are already overnighting in an airport hotel so might be hard to prove inconvenience apart from an appallingly early wake up and have to spend 5.5 hours at CDG!

Inconvenience per se isn’t the trigger for compensation. The only possible route to compensation in your scenario is the 2021 CJEU decision in Azurair which decided that a departure brought forward by more than one hour constitutes a cancellation and full, not 50%, compensation. This is tricky in your case as your flight was only moved by ten minutes, your ‘early departure’ flight was not itself brought forward even if you involuntarily had to move to that which was four hours earlier, you were given ample notice and arrived at your final destination at the originally planned time and that last point is probably the clincher for Air France. It isn’t entirely unarguable, but it’s a very long shot.

Azurair (and EU/UK261 compensation as a whole) only applies when less than 14 days’ notice is given, so there is no compensation here where 3 months has been given unfortunately.

If less than 14 days notice had been given then compensation would have been due (subject to extraordinary circumstances etc etc), as it is the whole journey that matters not individual flights, assuming that this was all booked on one ticket.

There is no time limit on reimbursing expenses, so if you had expenses incurred you could claim (although might have to fight to get them).

[Matt]

When I signed up for the personal card I checked and was told that the business card earned points for paying taxes, so it seems odd that it’s not allowed at all now.

[Matt]

I did FCO-MAD-DOH-BKK return recently all on IB codes and got access to the Al Mourjan and the BKK premium lounge without any issue. Lounge access is included on all IB business flights, including these.

It’s a downside with AY that QR flights credit so poorly – this is a good workaround.

[Matt]

I’m pretty sure you’ll get lounge access, and should get lounge access in MAD. Long haul business to short haul economy is definitely within the rules.

I would also have been fairly confident about lounge access in DOH, although would be less keen to stake large amounts on it. QR allow Al Safwa access after inbound flights in F connecting to business flights onward (it used to be only after F flights >5 hours, but I don’t think that’s the case, or at least not enforced, any more). I would see it as analogous that you will get lounge access if your inbound flight allows it even if your onward one doesn’t.

[Matt]

Just to clarify, you’ve made and paid for a booking that ends at time X, you’ve returned the car before time X, and they’ve charged you more because you brought it back within the booked time? And you have a confirmation email with that booked time X written on it?

If all the above is correct then don’t bother messing around further, chargeback. They’ve given you their final, ridiculous, answer.

If you’re relying on the grace period to return the car after the booked period then some argument could be entertained – enough to make a chargeback trickier – but charging you for bringing the car back when you’re supposed to is clearly wrong.

[Matt]

Sandy M is correct here, lounge access will (should!) be granted based on the same day Oneworld long haul business boarding card. You’ll get a rejection based on the economy boarding pass, but the lounge agent will be able to override that based on the other boarding pass.

These aren’t technically connecting flights, but for the purposes of lounge access they are accepted as connecting flights.

[Matt]

You mean you’re booking IB flights operated by QR? They all come with lounge access, so you’ll get into the Al Mourjan(s) in DOH, plus all the lounges your status gets you in to.

[Matt]

To dare is to do wrote:

Annie,Colin can I ask who you used for travel insurance ? I’m finding it difficult to find a company that will insure for more than £10k cancellation. That’s just the price of cruise let alone all the flights and hotels etc

How was the polar plunge?

Nationwide Flexplus (packaged bank account) cover up to I think £5k per person as standard but you can pay for extensions for more expensive trips.

[Matt]

If you’re past half way to Qantas lifetime Gold, and can/will stick with mostly Oneworld or other QF partners then stick there – fairly easy decision! If you think you’ll move away from Oneworld then you need to think about which airlines, which cabins and how much

[Matt]

There are not infrequently offers with bonus points – more often 2000,but sometimes more as here. I’ve just rebooked a Moxy stay at £63 with 5000 bonus points. Unfortunately the 2025 promotion has finished though

[Matt]

It’s a tight connection, but do-able at HEL – I think the minimum connection time is 35 minutes or something like that.

Your bags will be checked through, you just walk to the next gate.

If it goes wrong then Finnair will put you on the next available flight – you’re protected. No EU compensation for delays caused by the JL flight running late though.

I would happily book this with one exception – if you absolutely have to be back on time (wedding/funeral/cruise/etc) then allow a longer connection – the risk of delays is clearly higher with a shorter connection, even if most of the time it will work.

[Matt]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

Why is it amusing?

Since 2016 it has been One World
Policy for airlines not to interline bags on separate bookings – even if the bookings are with the same airline.

AA / BA / IB follow the One World police.

Other airlines within the alliance have chosen not to follow that policy. Even then it’s not something you should rely on and people should make decisions on bags not being interlined.

It’s not a Oneworld policy to prohibit through checking, it’s just not required by the alliance anymore. And BA, amongst others stopped through checking despite it clearly being good for their passengers. Others (CX, QR and possibly others) go further, which is better customer service.

[Matt]

Not really any point phoning Finnair yet – you need to speak to BA and ask them why they won’t credit the points.

[Matt]

Not been too bad for me – had one or two last year that needed correcting or chasing, but most just posted.

[Matt]

I’d try calling during UK business hours rather than using chat. Beyond that I’m not sure there’s much you can do.