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Bits: big BA delays at JFK T7 security until next year, win a volunteering holiday with Avios

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News in brief:

Delays at JFK Terminal 7 security for British Airways passengers

Passengers at New York JFK Terminal 7 – the home of British Airways – have to expect l-o-n-g delays getting through security from 22nd June until the end of January 2018.

This is due to BA’s £52 million investment to improve JFK’s Terminal 7 – see the image below for an example.

World Traveller and World Traveller Plus passengers who have scheduled flights after 5pm will be affected.  It does not impact the private security channel used by Club World and First Class passengers.

British Airways is asking passengers to allow a full extra hour at the airport to clear security if they want to ensure that they do not miss their flights.  Full details should appear on ba.com in the next couple of days.

You can read more about the transformation at JFK Terminal 7 on this BA website although it doesn’t mention the new security delays.

British Airways JFK improvements

Win a volunteering trip to South Africa

Voluntourism is becoming more and more popular.  According to an Avios study 69% of Britons are interested in volunteering whilst on holiday.

To promote voluntourism Avios has teamed up with Tusk to run a competition giving away three volunteering holidays in Southern Africa.

Tusk is an organisation with over 60 projects in Africa supporting communities, protecting wildlife and promoting education.  Three winners will help in one of three projects Tusk is running in Southern Africa:

The Nakavango Conservation Programme

The Vulture Conservation Programme

The Mokolodi Education Centre and Nature Reserve

The three prizes are a placement in one of the three projects, return flights to South Africa, two nights in a 5 star hotel and a GoPro.

To enter the competition you must either upload a three minute video of yourself or write a short essay answering three questions.  The questions, how to enter and more information about the competition and the Do More For Africa project can be found here.  Entries close on 24th July.

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Category

British Airways and Avios

Comments (46)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Scallder says:
    16 Jun16 June 14:13

    Mixed fleet cabin crew looking at 2 weeks of strikes from 1st July: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40305008

  • Colin MacKinnon says:
    16 Jun16 June 17:23

    Avios competition concept is interesting:
    Flights etc for one person – so we would both need to win!
    Flights in Economy, but then a five-star hotel for the first and last nights (presumably to recover/prepare for the Economy ordeal!)
    Otherwise, sounds fun!
    (if only I could UUA if I win!)

  • Billy says:
    16 Jun16 June 17:27

    I was shocked at the queues for security (flying Club World) at JFK two weeks ago.

    Nothing about the experience was premium.

    I can only imagine the queues Economy passengers had to put up with.

  • the real harry1 says:
    16 Jun16 June 20:34

    My F&booze issue with BA (for n flights booked before they announced F&B was being withdrawn) has now been satisfactorily resolved, with no need not to speak about it (no NDA) nor indeed any need to say any more.

    I presented my case. They gave me the adequate compo I requested.

    • Alan says:
      16 Jun16 June 20:47

      Result and nice not to have the hassle of filing via MCOL!

      • the real harry1 says:
        16 Jun16 June 20:57

        Going via the CEO probably helped. I was MD of a FTSE100 division a lifetime ago and if I’d seen my email at that time, I’d have dismissed it in 10 seconds with a request for somebody to sort it out & waste no more company time on it.

        Helps to have the facts & be reasonable – hat tip CWS.

        • Alan says:
          16 Jun16 June 21:08

          That’s my approach too. Had major issue six months out of warranty with my car, no luck with local dealership so escalated to CEO – his extremely efficient PA then sorted everything, as a result I went back to the same manufacturer for my next one. I also made sure to lay things out logically (and as unemotionally as possible!) in the complaint, with a clear indication of what it would take to resolve the matter to my satisfaction – again I think if what you are asking for is reasonable it’s much less hassle for them to agree to it than to have to think what to offer!

          • the real harry1 says:
            16 Jun16 June 22:17

            I never had a problem with M&S BoB. Not for me, so I can sleep/ doze better with no interruptions. You get what you pay for.

          • Polly says:
            16 Jun16 June 22:52

            Same here, went straight to Gavin Patterson, our BT maestro, when we were already 21 days without Internet or phone, elderly parents and all that!. And his PA phoned me on the SAT evening to resolve the matter to all our satisfaction. Lovely lady. Was nearly going round to his house, mind you…result being we are still with BT. God Help us.

            Harry, glad all sorted to your satisfaction too, only fair l say. They shouldn’t change the goal posts when you buy with certain t and c attached..ie f and b..included in ticket…

          • the real harry1 says:
            17 Jun17 June 17:19

            Polly: yes – but there will be many thousands of passengers out there who have not received appropriate compo/ anything for the withdrawn F&B.

            Some indeed in my position where they had several flights booked but only got the ‘gesture’ offered once.

            They should – IMV – all have automatically received about £10 or £10 equivalent for that withdrawn service – on every flight.

            A couple of drinks & a sandwich…

        • the real harry1 says:
          17 Jun17 June 07:37

          here’s the tip sheet from CWS
          http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27984677-post225.html

  • Crafty says:
    16 Jun16 June 22:31

    OT: Anyone considering gift cards for the £30 off £100 at Selfridges… don’t. Goes through as Voucher Express 🙁

    Win some you lose some I guess!

    • Rob says:
      16 Jun16 June 23:15

      Online I assume? Must be ok bought instore ……? I have done this in the past.

      • rams1981 says:
        16 Jun16 June 23:19

        In store works. Did it tonight

      • Crafty says:
        17 Jun17 June 08:37

        Yes, this was online. Successful with many other retailers in the past, but don’t recommend it this time!

    • Brembo87 says:
      17 Jun17 June 11:23

      Crafty, thanks for the info, but could you please clarify is this Amex offer or Selfridges?
      Thanks

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