I have started the process of redeeming 2500 HHonors Points twice in the last two months, and in both cases I got this email. And I think I figured out why. This is the automatic email you get when you email Customer Service (you know, for them to try to excuse the fact it takes weeks to respond to your emails). At the bottom you'll find a section quoting the email its responding to -- and it should be the request for redemption. Apparently, when you request to redeem 2500 MyPoints for 2500 HHonor points, all the MyPoints system does is deduct your points and then send an automatic email to Customer Service requesting the redemption. And when Customer Service gets the automatic email requesting redemption, it sends the standard reply to you, thinking it came from you.

Anyway, thats what I've deduced... I have no idea whether or not its true. If it is true, that might help explain why it takes awhile--the fact that actual people are involved.