Bits: UK laptop ban, Hilton Flash Sale, new airberlin business class seat

News in brief:

UK laptop ban on flights to / from certain countries

This story was covered extensively in the news yesterday so I don’t want to dwell on it here.  However, if you missed it, the UK Government has banned all electronic equipment larger than a standard mobile phone from aircraft cabins on flights from (but not to) Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia or Saudi Arabia to the UK.

If you are currently in any of these countries and travelling ‘hand baggage only’, British Airways will rebook your flight home without charge in order to give you time to buy a suitcase.

You can learn more on the BBC website here.

Hilton flash sale launched

Hilton has launched a flash sale which runs until next Monday (27th March).  Included are Hilton properties in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Hilton Honors members can get up to 25% off the best available rate for weekend stays between 24th March and 27th August 2017.

On the 7th April you could for example get a room at the Reichshof Hamburg (which Rob reviewed here) for €138 instead of €169.  You could also get a room at the Hilton Paris Opera (which I reviewed here, photo above) for €267 instead of €319.

As the discount is based on the ‘Best Available Rate’ which is cancellable without charge as opposed to the flash sale rate which requires non-refundable pre-payment, you do need to take the ‘25% discount’ with a pinch of salt. However if you don’t plan on cancelling your stay you might find a good deal in the flash sale.

The page to book is here.

New airberlin Business Class seat

Earlier this month at ITB Berlin all the noise was about the new Qatar Airways Business Class seat / suite. However Qatar Airways wasn’t the only oneworld airline to present a new business product.

airberlin also showcased an updated version of their Business Class product.  Remember that airberlin offers excellent value for Avios redemptions if you don’t like paying taxes or charges as this article explains.

Unlike Qatar Airways, who changed their whole concept with their new seat, airberlin focused on a bit of polishing and adding storage space – which is why at first I didn’t even notice any changes.  Looking a bit closer, there is an added shelf on the right side of the seat.

The distance between the seat and TV screen seems a bit shorter, probably so passengers won’t need glasses to watch the rather small screen. airberlin has also changed the fabric and colour of the seat and the carpet looks like it has been updated as well.

All in all these are not very exciting updates, but I do appreciate the additional storage space.

The first planes to get the new seat will be in the three A330-200 airberlin has recently leased, of which two came from LATAM, to enable it to launch its extended range of US services from this summer.

Here is my review of my Business Class flight from New York JFK to Berlin Tegel last summer.  For £4 taxes and charges, it is the smart way to travel if you want to minimise your cash outlay.

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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:

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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