Bits: Heathrow Rewards 100% bonus with Etihad, track your bags with Smart Tags

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• James67 says:

  9 Aug9 August 07:43

  Presumably the link to join HR via Etihad website and get a1k bonus on first spend over £25 is still active also. Would be nice if the bonus got doubled too but I doubt it.

  • Rob says:

    9 Aug9 August 10:06

    Yes, that offer runs until the end of the year. The Lufthansa offer is better though – 2,500 points for 2 x £50 spends (as longs as you would do 2 x £50 spends).

    • James67 says:

      9 Aug9 August 15:51

      Thanks Rob, I’ll stick with Etihad one as I’m currently aiming dor another 3100 miles with them.

• Nick Burch says:

  9 Aug9 August 09:24

  Anyone know how sturdy the Smart Tags are? I’ve been finding that the BAEC tags only last a few trips, before airport baggage systems destroy them…

• ankomonkey says:

  9 Aug9 August 09:54

  Regarding the Smart Tags, my wife bought a suitcase in Japan several years ago that had a permanent equivalent to this built into the case, so it can’t come off without destroying the case.

  • Joemcluskey says:

    9 Aug9 August 10:25

    My TUMI bags have it as well. But you would need to open the case to find and scan the barcode.

  • mkcol says:

    9 Aug9 August 22:35

    My CabinZero bag has similar, but on the outside by the handle. If anything they’re a bit too discreet & you’d possibly not know they were there if you didn’t know they existed.

• A says:

  9 Aug9 August 10:07

  Aren’t smart tags the same as Okoban? You

• mark2 says:

  9 Aug9 August 11:45

  On the subject of Etihad, has anyone ever managed to redeem on Alitalia?
  The points look enticing at 12,000 return to Italy, but there is no mention of additional costs which make me think they are high. It also appears to require returning from the same place (which we rarely do). Has anyone done it please, as I have 27,000 points from the recent credit card promotion and want to go to Italy next year?

  • James67 says:

    9 Aug9 August 15:54

    If you do a search here or FT it will not take you long to realise that EY partner redemptions are closest to the biggest joke in the frequent flyer industry.

    • Rob says:

      9 Aug9 August 15:57

      AA is generally OK as I understand it, agree on the others!

    • mark2 says:

      9 Aug9 August 16:07

      Thanks, as I suspected.
      I’ll just use some Avios!

      • James67 says:

        9 Aug9 August 19:06

        If you doubt you will reach a useful Etihad balance you could always cashout your 27k for £100+ of pointspay or useful shopping vouchers. That would free up equivalent cash allowing you to book revenue flights of choice or reduce avios outlay via cash and avios if you are avios-poor at the moment. If you could get your balance up to around 33k then you can get about £150 of value in this way. Obvioysly not as good as redeeming for flight but a decent alternative if earning substantive further miles is unrealistic.

  • Phillip says:

    10 Aug10 August 07:37

    Oman Air redemptions are also OK!

• Tim says:

  9 Aug9 August 12:18

  I don’t really see the point of the Smart Tags. Whatever information you wish to make public to someone reading one, you might as well publish on a free luggage tag. Then someone doesn’t have to have a QR code app to get in touch with you.

  • jeff says:

    10 Aug10 August 03:02

    I totally agree. Smart tags are a complete gimmick. However…thats not to say the business of selling them will not be successful. eBay being the perfect example, people often believe they’re getting a ‘deal’ simply because they’re buying from eBay – when very often prices of equivalent goods from major retailing stores are more competitive. A fool and his money are easily parted!

• Andy Smith-Thomas says:

  9 Aug9 August 14:55

  Re: the tags. The only time I’ve ever lost bags is because the airline have out them on the wrong plane. At which point they already have an airline tag that can lead any airline to my contact details, right?

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