You can take a 23kg suitcase on Flybe when you book via an Avios redemption

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• Roger says:

  25 Feb25 February 06:54

  OT_ IHG Accelerate

  I have a target to use IHG Premium card for bonus points, I no longer have this card and instead only white (free/no fee) card. Would I still be eligible for the bonus?

  • Andrew M says:

    25 Feb25 February 07:35

    Not unless you get the premium card again. Sorry!

    • Roger says:

      25 Feb25 February 07:44

      That is very Cheeky of IHG.
      How do you achieve bonus if you do not hold the card!

      • JamesB says:

        25 Feb25 February 07:58

        It’s an old story with IHG, many have had their offers ruined by a credit card application target despite alreadyholding the card.

      • RussellH says:

        25 Feb25 February 11:27

        And sometimes it works the other way too. Sor far, the only Accelerate target I have ‘met’ this time around is to pay IHG with my IHG Credit Card. I got the points, but have not paid IHG anything – just guaranteed several points bookings against the card. I think it is call (mis)information technology.

      • Lady London says:

        25 Feb25 February 21:43

        IHG is also fond of demanding a booking using a corporate rate from people on Accelerate, wwhen many do not have any access to corporate rates. I suppose it’s because they want to collect the information on who’s linked to what corporate? and too bad if putting that target there means you don’t bother with Accelerate so put your bookings elsewhere.

  • Matt says:

    25 Feb25 February 10:40

    For my autumn 2017 accelerate offer, I had a target to sign up to the IHG credit card (which I already had). I wrote to IHG Rewards Club to explain this however they advised I can focus on the other targets which was a little annoying. However a couple days later the target showed as completed so unsure whether they intervened or if my existing card triggered the offer.

• Lumma says:

  25 Feb25 February 07:20

  The problem with the economist deals is that, if you can’t write off the cost as a business expense, is that they’re constantly offering cheap deals for subscriptions. Just a quick search for “the economist” on my email inbox shows direct offers from them and deals through Groupon for 12 issues for either £10 or £12. Even though it returns to full price after the deal, they’re quick to try and get you back again if you cancel. In the meantime I don’t see why you couldn’t get another cheap subscription for your spouse, child, dog, cat, goldfish etc. in the meantime.

  • JamesB says:

    25 Feb25 February 07:47

    The other problem is that most UK residents can read the digital version for free on any internet-enabled device via their local authority library subscription. Therefore, the avios subscription offers at up to 13200 make no sense unless people want to have their personal print copy. Much better to use the library digital subscription and buy avios via discount offers like groupon using the money saved. For M&M though, the choices may be more complex as the miles are more difficult to collect.

    • shd says:

      25 Feb25 February 19:41

      Buy SPG points and convert to M&M?

      • Combat Johnny says:

        26 Feb26 February 08:45

        What is the conversion rate like on that?

• Nick says:

  25 Feb25 February 07:51

  It may be of interest that avios.com have a Double Avios promotion running this weekend, until end of play today.

  As examples, you can get 12 avios/£ for Hilton bookings (normally 6/£) and 6 avios/£ with IHG bookings (normally 3/3).

  • Roger says:

    25 Feb25 February 07:53

    Yes, just booked on Ebookers.com, with an expiring £30 bonus.
    Almost free hotel room once you add cost of BF!

    • Peter K says:

      25 Feb25 February 08:35

      You get a free boyfriend?? Wow, that’s a new incentive scheme 😉

      • Fenny says:

        25 Feb25 February 10:23

        But you still have to feed them and play with them and clear up after them.

      • Tilly says:

        25 Feb25 February 10:30

        @Fenny it gets worse after marrying them!

  • Nick_C says:

    25 Feb25 February 10:34

    10 Avios per £ on Tesco Wine Direct, with a mysterious “more Avios” on orders over £100.

    • Anna says:

      25 Feb25 February 11:16

      And 20 avios per £1 at Holland and Barrett for detox products to counter the effects of all the wine!

      • RussellH says:

        25 Feb25 February 11:34

        Yes, that was quite a nice surprise – I though that I would be only getting 12 whenever they got around to awarding them. The transaction has not tracked, of course (they never do in my experience), but completing the complaint form has, so far, ultimately worked. I just noticed that my avios from ao.com on 8 Jan are ‘approved’. Still to actually get them, though.

• Nick G says:

  25 Feb25 February 07:54

  Rob

  Is there any redemption system I can use for checking flybe such as ba redemption finder? Or is it a case of painfully plugging dates in etc? I give up on avios so far this year I can’t anything I want in April or June from local airport.

  Also groupon deal is back if anyone if you’re interested. I bought the 2000 pack yesterday for €19 and it’s tracked via Iberia plus store so it says….

  • palcsaky says:

    25 Feb25 February 09:03

    You could have had them for only €15.20. There’s a number of 20% off vouchers floating online that work on existing accounts. I bought both the 2000 and the 8000 Avios packets in separate transactions, 20% off worked on each of them.

  • Rob says:

    25 Feb25 February 10:22

    Just need to plug dates in I’m afraid.

• Lumma says:

  25 Feb25 February 08:02

  OT, has anyone else had problems accessing their Iberia accounts recently? Even after resetting my pin it still says that it’s incorrect

  • Roger I* says:

    25 Feb25 February 08:46

    I had that problem using AwardWallet. They said my IB credentials were invalid and I should check them at IB where they were OK. Even changing my login details at IB didn’t help.

    The outcome is AW don’t update my IB account.

    • Lumma says:

      25 Feb25 February 08:55

      It’s strange as I can log into my Iberia account through avios.com for combine my avios but I can’t actually log in on their website. Asked Iberia on Twitter and they said to try using Firefox as my browser. It’s clearly still 2005 in Spain

      • RussellH says:

        25 Feb25 February 11:37

        Iberia insisted that I change my PIN two days ago – after doing so I could not get back in because Firefox had not updated the change. I had to do it manually.

  • Michael Canning says:

    25 Feb25 February 11:08

    Yes I had EXACTLY the same issue – I couldn’t login as normal and no method of resetting PIN worked. It was incredibly frustrating!
    Iberia Twitter Help was useless, suggesting I cleared cookies and only used Firebox broswer(!).
    I failed to understand how this was a satisfactory resolution. Nevertheless once I’d explained I’d done this, they then asked for screenshots of each stage of the journey so they could ‘investigate’.
    I couldn’t be bothered so left it a few days and eventually I was able to reset my PIN successfully.
    The whole experience made me question Iberia’s IT systems and their ability to resolve issues (as I normally find a company’s Twitter support has the most up to date information so can resolve issue speedily). Rant over 🙂

    • RussellH says:

      25 Feb25 February 11:38

      What is twitter???
      🙂

    • Lumma says:

      25 Feb25 February 15:34

      I’m convinced that the twitter account “Iberia English” is manned by someone just using Google translate. The response I got this morning was the most coherent one I’ve ever had. It’s usually complete nonsense

  • Bagoly says:

    25 Feb25 February 12:42

    I often get this when trying to login from front page.
    I carry on to do a booking or redemption, and when it gets to login stage it works!

  • Alex Sm says:

    25 Feb25 February 15:27

    Yes, I did have that too and it was annoying! Had to change my pin and spent ages transferring miles to avios.com. Interestingly, it worked much better and faster in Google Chrome than in Mozilla Firefox

• TripRep says:

  25 Feb25 February 08:46

  FlyMayBe :. Worth noting that many of their regional aircraft do not allow standard hand baggage size that you can normally take in the cabin when flying on BA, easyJet etc.

  .

  • Florian says:

    25 Feb25 February 09:16

    I discovered this last weekend from Southend (or actually when coming back to Southend). Our bags were not checked on the way out and entered the plane without issue. This got checked on the way back and, we had to pay 54 euros each… Not buying new bags for them.. Will just fly with other airlines..

    • Graeme says:

      25 Feb25 February 09:30

      Had the exact same thing happen to us. It’s my fault for not checking the baggage allowances, but you just assume – which they clearly rely on. Again, we’re exactly the same – we just won’t fly with them again.

      • Genghis says:

        25 Feb25 February 12:32

        Isn’t it something that you just need to check?

        My default suitcase is a 55 x 45 x 25 – great for BA and EZY. It’s sufficient for whatever I need whether a week away or a 3 week holiday (with laundry). But I know that I cannot take it on say BACF as hand baggage (it won’t fit in the overheads), it won’t fit on 744 UD (so I ask straight away for it to be put in the cupboard) and it’s way too big for FR allowance so I have to take a smaller case / check baggage accordingly.

      • JamesB says:

        25 Feb25 February 15:43

        Agree with Genghis on this. At least a decade since I last checked a bag. My cabin bag is the same size and it is amazing what you can get in that bag if you pack well and avoid unnecessary stuff. I generally pack for 9 days leaving a couple of days clothes to allow for a weeks laundry. I even prefer paying hotel laundry bills to hauling and checking a bag.

      • Graeme says:

        25 Feb25 February 20:20

        I assume Florian meant “checked” as in checked by the gate staff – from Southend you have to pay for “large” cabin bags in advance. Foolishly I wasn’t aware and had to pay through the nose at the airport. I noticed several small cabin bags so some people were smarter than me and hadn’t just assumed.

  • Alex says:

    25 Feb25 February 12:01

    How big are your handhelds for this to be an issue as you shouldn’t be out by more than a CM and they don’t really care overall, as long as you can stuff it into the overheads or under the seat in-front then it’s all good or at least it is with LGW – NQY travel.

  • Kinkell says:

    25 Feb25 February 12:14

    At INV ,all was good until at the gate , normal size cabin bags were put aside and we were assured they would go in hold and be off loaded for collection by aircraft steps at our destination. Worked fine and no extra charges.

• Yuff says:

  25 Feb25 February 09:19

  OT ; I need to book a flight from Madrid to London, using avios, and I thought I’d read somewhere that Iberia business is better than CE but that might only be on a particularly type of aircraft.
  Any tips?

  • Yuff says:

    25 Feb25 February 09:27

    Just read about Iberia express short haul and it mentions trying to get the A340 from Madrid.
    I am flying from Palma and the A340 leaves 65 mins after I land. I’m hand baggage only is it doable?
    Also couid BA book my flight all on 1 ticket I’ve just booked pmi-mad on BA.com within the last hour!
    Sorry for all the questions but the a340 looks a much better option 🙂

    • Luke says:

      25 Feb25 February 10:09

      I did PMI-MAD-LHR this week – IB A340 is proper business class service, you get proper 2 course meal, bottomless bubbles, working IFE etc….all the goodies I did not experience flying LHR-MAD on BA B777. 65 minutes for transfer is very very tight – you have to take train from HKL gates to S gate,l + security checks and long walk…I took earlier flight and enjoyed 4 hrs in great IB business lounge rather than rushing through the airport.

    • Rob says:

      25 Feb25 February 10:20

      Doable but Madrid is a HUGE airport so don’t hang around.

      If your ticket is all cash the, yes, you can cancel your current booking under the 24 hour rule and do PMI-MAD-LON on one booking, which gives you some extra protection if you miss the connection. However, this will only be possible if the Minimum Connecting Time at Madrid is under 65 minutes. If it isn’t then you won’t be able to book.

      If you were planning to use Avios to London but cash from Palma then it needs to be separate tickets.

      • Nick says:

        25 Feb25 February 11:37

        I did a 65-min connection this week to the same flight (also from domestic Spain albeit not PMI), it was easily doable, no issues at all. Remember to use the lifts not escalators (like LHR) to save time. Like the uk there’s no extra security check from Spanish origin airports. Even got a few mins in the lounge on the way. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second doing this again – particularly given that there’s so many later flights they’d move you to if your inbound were late.

      • Yuff says:

        25 Feb25 February 11:49

        Thanks that’s all really helpful.
        I’m hoping to do both flights on avios 🙂 but not sure I can via BA

      • Yuff says:

        25 Feb25 February 12:19

        All booked via BA on 1 ticket.
        I paid the extra avios between peak and off peak (2250)as the connection is 50 mins not 65 mins and I assume I was charged a peak rate as it was Iberia via BA.

• Graeme says:

  25 Feb25 February 09:24

  OT – considering my options for a 241 (preferably in First) to San Francisco for next Summer (vague, I know – waiting on a friend to set a wedding date) – is that somewhere I need to book T-355?

  • Leo says:

    25 Feb25 February 09:28

    No. I’m flying F on Wednesday, booked it a while back but not a year. That said it’s harder to get flights back. Coming home from San Diego.

  • mark2 says:

    25 Feb25 February 09:56

    It’s a personal decision, but I always book at t-355 to be sure.

  • David S says:

    25 Feb25 February 10:21

    T-355 if booked at midnight quickly, guarantees you the seat since no guarantees that seats will be available on exact days you want if you wait. I managed to get J tickets to and from SFO booking about 3 months out but we were flexible with no set dates in mind.

  • Anna says:

    25 Feb25 February 11:18

    IF seats don’t necessarily get released at T-355.

    • Anna says:

      25 Feb25 February 11:19

      F – stupid auto correct!

    • Gill says:

      25 Feb25 February 11:24

      Is the optimal option in to book J at T-355 and then keep an eye out for F availability? Interested in Santiago or Buenos Aires next September which both seem to be very popular routes.

      • Stu N says:

        25 Feb25 February 11:32

        Yes, if you have firm plans then I’d book something acceptable when seats are released then try to improve on it as you get closer to departure dates. You’ll pay a change fee of £35 per person for each change and sometimes the taxes, fees and charges move a wee bit but in the scheme of things it’s not too bad to do that a couple of times to get exactly what you want.

      • Gill says:

        25 Feb25 February 12:09

        Thanks Stu. I’m fine with paying a few extras to get F it it comes up but will priorities trying to get the J as soon as they become available.

      • mark2 says:

        25 Feb25 February 12:19

        Remember that you can use BARedemptionFinder to tell you when seats become available.

  • Graeme says:

    25 Feb25 February 12:08

    Thanks all. My concern is that our friend won’t book their wedding until after T-355, making it tougher. Your replies are encouraging though, thank you.

    • Genghis says:

      25 Feb25 February 12:35

      Remember the other nearby airports – San Jose and Oakland

  • Lady London says:

    25 Feb25 February 21:57

    IF you did not want First then as SFO is a very competitive market you might well have been able o snag excellent J or other non-F fares for cash. Personally I would not spend miles on SFO due to this. But I would also rarely spend miles on First.

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