Last day for Hilton’s UK, Europe and Middle East hotel flash sale

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• BJ says:

  25 Mar25 March 08:34

  IT: Anybody else missing all their bookings on their online BAEC account pages? Do I need to add them again manually or will they reappear by themselves?

  • Andrew-A says:

    25 Mar25 March 08:42

    Sorry posted before I saw this.
    Yes I am, since yesterday, and they wouldn’t add manually.
    I still have them on the app though although haven’t logged off and on.

    • BJ says:

      25 Mar25 March 09:30

      Thanks, looks like they have numerous issues. I had offpeak dates pricing up at peak rates yesterday.

    • john says:

      25 Mar25 March 10:30

      My brother said about this on Saturday

  • Anna says:

    25 Mar25 March 09:33

    Mine and my OH’s all missing from the desktop site, though still showing on the app. I’m assuming it’s a technical glitch if it’s affecting multiple accounts, and hopefully not BA targeting people who used a different Amex to pay the taxes on their 2 4 1 redemptions!

    • J says:

      25 Mar25 March 13:34

      Rang them up to say this on Saturday, safe to say the staff had no idea of the issue

• Andrew-A says:

  25 Mar25 March 08:39

  Morning.
  Is anyone having problems with BA Exec club today? My upcoming bookings have disappeared and so has my OH’s.
  Thanks

  • RussellH says:

    25 Mar25 March 10:17

    Yes and no. No problems choosing seats for this time next week, but I have just had to enter my passport details for the third time. Plus home page says I need to enter the data, while Manage my booking says all adta entered…

• N says:

  25 Mar25 March 09:33

  Curve sueing Amex – https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/03/25/all-in-one-payments-firm-curve-launches-legal-battle-against/

  I can’t read the full article as I don’t have a sub. Anyone care to copy and paste?

  • Thomas Howard says:

    25 Mar25 March 09:59

    Given many of us will be cancelling our Amex cards over the next few months will anyone even care if they win? Over the next few years its likely the new Lloyds Mastercard (or similar) will become the default BA card, I think Rob hinted Creation will launch a Marriott card, and all but the Amex MR cards will be phased out across the EU. Virgin are upping their game with the newish card and AF-KLM integration. I think Amex is going to be a lot less interesting in future.

    I’m probably wrong but it looks to me like its yesterdays fight.

    • Anna says:

      25 Mar25 March 10:07

      Agreed – with the sign up bonuses going there would be fewer opportunities to use Curve with Amex function anyway.

    • N says:

      25 Mar25 March 10:21

      For some of us ongoing spend will outweigh the sign-up bonuses and so will continue to hold an Amex of some description, but time will tell with the launch/announcement of new cards over the coming months.

      • Julian says:

        25 Mar25 March 10:32

        If anyone seriously follows Rob’s extremely provocative suggestion to not hold any of the relevant Amex cards for two years at a time Amex is potentially going to lose a lot of cardholder business and be rather unhappy with Rob about doing so?

        For instance they might then change their signup bonus rules on members introducing new Amex cardholders in order to limit the number of such people another member may introduce………

      • Alan says:

        25 Mar25 March 10:52

        I don’t really think it takes an article from Rob for a lot of people (not everyone by any means) to realise that they would be better off ditching AMEX cards for 2 years. I pretty much worked that out within 30 seconds of reading the initial article – and I know that I am bo no means the sharpest tool in the HfP user box.

      • BJ says:

        25 Mar25 March 11:29

        @Julian, unless I am mistaken, he didn’t actually suggest it, he merely posed and explored the question.

    • BJ says:

      25 Mar25 March 11:24

      There’s too much knee jerk reaction to amex changes and too much expectation on VS-AF/KLM IMO. Patience is needed in developing new strategies around these.

      • Peter 64K says:

        25 Mar25 March 13:50

        I agree. The measure twice cut once proverb applies here. When I sat down and thought about things I revised my initial plan.

  • Julian says:

    25 Mar25 March 10:25

    Speaking of Curve is anyone else aware of or have they applied for a ticket to attend their upcoming event on Monday April 8th in Bloomsbury, London entitled “Curve Talks: Our Vision, and a Sneak Peak” Its also conveniently occurring at a car and congestion charge friendly 6.30pm in the evening.

    I already have my ticket so the rest of you are welcome to apply for one.

    See https://bit.ly/2JA9Ys1

    • Graham Walsh says:

      25 Mar25 March 13:16

      Saw that, tempted to pop along and hear all about their plans. I’m in two minds whether to cancel totally or not. I use it only to switch between IHG and Virgin. CBA with the recycling element.

  • Matt says:

    25 Mar25 March 11:08

    In the article the CEO of Curve suggests that the initial break with Amex at the start was because they were having to pay high fees to Amex so shut it down.

    Is that true, or a bit of an inaccuracy from Curve?

    • Julian says:

      25 Mar25 March 11:36

      The whole Amex business model of them offering more rewards to their members is based on charging merchants substantially more than Visa or Mastercard for the privilege.

      So if Amex accepts Curve from merchants who do not take Amex directly they are only earning pennies rather than pounds per transaction. Also Curve’s alleged business model is that you use Curve for all your card transactions, due to its receipt scanning facilities etc, which would be very dangerous indeed for Amex if it came to pass in terms of their currently direct Amex card transactions (i.e. not through Curve).

      If Amex use was only permitted at merchants that didn’t take Amex directly then it would be less dangerous for Amex but I don’t think there’s any way Amex can enforce that and some customers might still use their Curve Mastercard for all transactions including the ones that Amex used to earn lots of commission on.

      Even for Mastercard or Visa they would be losing money if transactions are made through a Curve Debit card at a maximum 0.2% rather than on a credit card at 0.3% interchange fees.

      • Matt says:

        25 Mar25 March 11:43

        I can see that problem, but I remember Amex dropping Curve initially, not the other way round. The Telegraph article linked above has the CEO suggesting it was the other way around.

      • Julian says:

        25 Mar25 March 13:13

        No doubt Amex dropped Curve initially for precisely the same reason as the second time round.

        Namely huge value transactions paying HMRC bilsl and the like that their systems regarded as a “security risk” and for which they earned only 0.2% commission.

        But it would be interesting to go and ask Curve’s CEO directly in person at their up coming Community event in Central London at 6.30pm on Monday April 8th.

      • Symon says:

        25 Mar25 March 23:33

        I’m glad you said alleged, because Curve really doesn’t have a real business model. This is why talk sometime ago they started talking about becoming a financial market place – like that isn’t already a crowded market! The Curve card is a dead end. Anyway, with Amex pulling the plug on churning and Apple disrupting the card market, things are changing and the Curve card doesn’t have a place in that new world imo.

• mark says:

  25 Mar25 March 10:25

  The Hilton Kennington seems to be exceptionally cheap almost 50% less than the other hotels in London, I’ve never stayed so assuming its old and in need of updating or just exceptional value? £81 a night on one weekend compared to £150 for other hilton hotels. Hoping its not a dump!

  • Olly says:

    25 Mar25 March 10:34

    It wad in desperate need of TLC when we were there lady year. Great exec lounge though Check TA for latest

• Liam says:

  25 Mar25 March 10:51

  OT — has anybody been to any of the lounges in Edinburgh airport recently? I know Rob reviewed the Aspire and No. 1 lounges in 2017 but I wondered if anything had changed. I will be there towards the end of April, flying BA economy but with Priority Pass.

  • Aslan says:

    25 Mar25 March 11:18

    No.1 has been renovated very recently – really nice and open, quiet with decent bar – cold food choices are limited and hot food choices are limited to one per person ordered from the bar.
    Aspire is smaller, but usually louder – I found the food selections there better overall, with a decent wine selection but no sparkles included with PP.
    Opt for the No.1 if you can, but do note they sometimes stop PP holders from getting in when there is the Emirates flight in the afternoon.

    • Rob says:

      25 Mar25 March 11:27

      Not renovated, totally moved to a new location!

      • Liam says:

        25 Mar25 March 11:36

        Thanks both.

    • TripRep says:

      25 Mar25 March 13:31

      Aspire just”won” 2nd worst UK lounge

  • Stu N says:

    25 Mar25 March 16:17

    Would recommend Aspire Lounge for food (especially breakfast) but the new No.1 for everything else. It’s in the new terminal extension above Gate 14. If you pre-book No.1 you get fast track security and guaranteed entry for £5. We usually pay the £5, go to Aspire if wanting fed – you can get in 80% of the time – then retreat to No.1 as it’s a much nicer space.

  • Alan says:

    25 Mar25 March 23:22

    No 1 definitely nicer in new location but not very handy for non-LCC flights; more food options at Aspire. Don’t agree with that article – had ‘chicken/chorizo paella’ recently at Aspire and it was very tasty! Also free Aspire rewards points with PP – less generous than before but still money for nothing.

• Lee says:

  25 Mar25 March 10:57

  I see in todays telegraph that curve are taking amex to court.

  • Evan says:

    25 Mar25 March 16:28

    There was a time when that would have generated many many comments….

• MinR says:

  25 Mar25 March 10:57

  O/T – Booked a short break to Barcelona at the end of April. Looking to book one of the Melia Barcelona hotels to take advantage of the £100 off £400 spend offers on my Platinum AMEX.

  Between the Melia Sarria, and The Level at Melia Barcelona Sky, have any readers that have stayed at either one be able to recommend?

  • Rob says:

    25 Mar25 March 11:29

    We have reviewed The Level.

    • MinR says:

      25 Mar25 March 11:57

      Of course, I should’ve searched first. Thanks Rob!

  • TGLoyalty says:

    25 Mar25 March 20:14

    Do you have the Marriott one? Hotel arts through FHR or cotton house look like great Places to stay

  • Andreas says:

    25 Mar25 March 22:47

    Neither are bang in the centre, I would say Melia Sky is in a pleasant area, if a bit residential, a nice 15 min stroll down to the beach, quite a few local cafes and restaurants not far away on the Rambla de Poblenou. Small supermarket 2 mins walk, open late and on Sundays. Also a quick 5 stops on the metro (yellow line) and you are in the town centre. Weather could be good enough to lounge by the pool as well for a bit. Sarria hotel you are a bit further from metro, and blue line not so convenient to get you into town centre as you will have to change lines, more bustling and more traffic, shopping centre close by, not as pleasant for strolling and miles away from the beach.

    • MinR says:

      26 Mar26 March 10:00

      Thank you Andreas, very informative. Just booked The Level at Melia Barcelona Sky.

• illuminatus says:

  25 Mar25 March 11:11

  OT – re ‘Combine my Avios’, BA T&Cs say it is possible to transfer Avios BA Household Account > Iberia Personal, but Iberia are telling me it is not possible.

  Has someone transferred from BA Household Account?

  • Rob says:

    25 Mar25 March 11:28

    Open an Aer Lingus AerClub account, log in to Avios.com with those details and use Combine My Avios from there. Works every time.

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