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• xcalx says:

  4 Nov4 November 12:34

  OT one for Harry @shoestring

  Flying LBA-LHR-BCN on Friday. Can you go over the routine for snagging the exit row seats.

  Thanks

  • Harry T says:

    4 Nov4 November 13:04

    I’m interested too!

    • Shoestring says:

      4 Nov4 November 14:04

      OK but somebody recently said they couldn’t make it work, might have been an element of user error?

      1. check in online T-24 or the earliest you can, choose the best seats you can – but *DO NOT* print BPs or save as PDF – just exit saying you’ll pick up BPs at airport [the reason is that this crystallises your BP with no further change possible]
      2. arrive earlyish at airport and do self check in at the machines, these let you choose any seat (in your fare class) for free incl exit seats
      3. if it fails (as that other person said), you can still go to the check in agent and ask for a better seat incl exit seats for free

      • N says:

        4 Nov4 November 20:10

        It was I!

        T5 machines now give no opportunity for user input after you put your passport in – they just spit out your BP.

        I haven’t tried going straight to a desk, but since now most desks are unmanned, I wouldn’t be too hopeful.

        Please report back if you manage to pull it off at T5.

        • Yorkieflyer says:

          4 Nov4 November 23:03

          Same at LGW when I tried it, no Option to change seat on checkin machine

      • xcalx says:

        5 Nov5 November 07:48

        Thanks H. Will give it a go at LBA on Friday.

• GRIMZ says:

  4 Nov4 November 13:09

  OT, I want to move my Avios to AER club from my BA Executive account. Can anyone help?
  I have an Avios.com account all set up.

  • Rob says:

    4 Nov4 November 13:12

    Log in at Avios.com with your Aer Lingus details then find the Combine My Avios option.

• Harry T says:

  4 Nov4 November 13:14

  OT: Avios on BA Cityflyer.
  I’m looking to go to Florence in August from Edinburgh and Palma in September, again from Edinburgh. These are direct flights with BA Cityflyer (thanks, @Anna for alerting me to these a while back).

  I have the option to book either Club Europe or Euro Traveller redemptions for these flights, both of which are good value per Avios. I’ve used the Avios and money option that gives best value per Avios, which does yield higher taxes.

  Please could someone who has flown these routes suggest whether it is worth the extra Avios for flying Club to and from these destinations?

  Seems like you get fast track security and a decent lounge at Edinburgh but not coming back. Club and Economy have the same 2-2 configuration and actual seats on the planes BA Cityflyer uses, so no advantage to the actual physical club seat.

  I’ve included the Avios options below.

  Edinburgh to Palma is, for each leg:
  Economy: 6800 Avios + £121
  Club: 18700 Avios + £131

  Compared to the cash fares, this works out as
  2.43p per Avios for economy and 1.08p per Avios for Club.

  Edinburgh to Palma is, for each leg:
  Economy: 5000 Avios + £121
  Club: 16000 Avios + £161

  Compared to cash fares, this works out as 3.43p per Avios for economy and 1.65p per Avios for Club.

  Thanks for any help. I just want to make sure I don’t squander Avios on Club redemptions that don’t offer much benefit over Economy redemptions on these short haul flights.

  • Harry T says:

    4 Nov4 November 13:15

    I should say I can only really find information pertaining to the LCY BA Cityflyer flights online, so I’m hoping someone can give me advice about the Edinburgh routes, if they vary significantly.

    @BJ have you flown these routes from Edinburgh?

    • Shoestring says:

      4 Nov4 November 14:15

      that’s a lot of extra points & money for a couple of G&Ts and a sandwich / lounge snacks plus the 10 second pleasure of boarding & exiting first

      as you say, the journey (seat) is no better – no blocked middle, even – if you had 2x 32kg of luggage, that’s different but I guess that doesn’t figure

      eg your (single) Palma leg effectively costs you an extra £120! Nothing says you have to get trolleyed every time you fly, buy a couple of drinks in the pub & a bottle of Beefeater or Gordon’s in Duty Free for later & save your pennies would be my advice, esp with an Embraer

      • Lady London says:

        4 Nov4 November 14:40

        Not flown the routes but CE does not seem to give anything much to look forward to. Esp oit of LCY. So Y every time if using Avios.

        Club only worth cash if cheap (possible in low season) and if you need tier points.

        I think i’d also check in case there are cheap Y cash fares. Should be esp if you dont have to take BA. Dépends how many Avios you have and how easy you find it to earn them.

      • Harry T says:

        4 Nov4 November 16:49

        Thanks @Shoestring and @Lady London – much appreciated. Y cash fares are extortionate, as I think these are the only direct flights from Edinburgh to Florence and Palma – will double check. Obviously I can cancel my Avios redemptions if cash flights plummet in price. I prefer the Avios flights for now because I can’t get time off work that far in advance.

    • BJ says:

      4 Nov4 November 17:21

      No but I’m interested, only problem is my partner doesn’t have the time. If we do then I expect we would just choose ET on avios as I value flexibility and we have other lounge options. The 2+2 config us compelling to settle for ET imo.

      • Harry T says:

        4 Nov4 November 17:43

        Yeah, could even pay for lounge access and still save money vs Club Europe, I guess!

  • Anna says:

    4 Nov4 November 16:42

    I’ve flown the MAN-NCE route and will be doing MAN-AGP next year. On such short flights with no difference in the seating I would save my avios every time and travel in ET, especially as the lounge at MAN is nothing to shout about and I have never noticed any difference in the circles of hell which constitute the MAN security experience!

    • Harry T says:

      4 Nov4 November 16:51

      Thanks – looks like the Club Europe experience isn’t worth the extra on these routes then! I’ll save my Avios for long haul 241.

      In unrelated news, what’s your current Amex/rewards card strategy, Anna? I’m wondering whether I should take a break from Amex so I can reset for the bonuses in two years. My partner is going to take the two year break.

      • BJ says:

        4 Nov4 November 17:24

        You need a partner Harry, settles the strategy dilemma and comes with a few other benefits too 🙂

        • Harry T says:

          4 Nov4 November 17:41

          I’ve got a partner! Does have some benefits, I agree :).

          What’s your strategy for points collection with your partner?

        • BJ says:

          4 Nov4 November 18:05

          Regards amex? When the rules changed we split the difference, my partber cancelled all, his cards and started the clock ticking while I carried on my old habits business as usual.

        • Harry T says:

          4 Nov4 November 18:10

          I’m thinking of doing something similar. I will apply for the SPG six months after cancelling it and see if I have been favoured by the Amex IT gods, as you have! Currently just maxing out referrals on the Platinum, waiting for Amex Travel 200£ off and spending on Gold to get the 10,000 Bonus MR. Just got my 241, so BAPP will be going soon.

  • Scallder says:

    4 Nov4 November 16:57

    Flying back from Florence in July (albeit to City), the queue for check in was longer for the Club/Priority check in desk (there was 1) than the standard desk (there was 1)!!

    • Harry T says:

      4 Nov4 November 17:42

      Thanks – so much for priority check in!

• Matt says:

  4 Nov4 November 13:22

  OT – BA On Business flight booking changes/cancellations.
  Broke my foot the last couple of days, so I need to either cancel or change the date of my BA on Business booking – anyone done this before? The website seems to say that you will receive the on business points back, but does not say what the fees/charges are for doing so? Any feedback appreciated!

  • Lady London says:

    4 Nov4 November 14:47

    No charges – at all – but you used to have to leave a clear day between change/cancel and date of flight. So for a Thursday flight you had to do it on Tuesday not Wednesday.

    Be careful not everything used to work properly in the OB website. So do in their opening hours in case website does not work and you have to call them.

    • Matt says:

      4 Nov4 November 15:59

      Thanks very much for the quick clarification & advice – not a lot of people use this one!

• Alex M says:

  4 Nov4 November 13:34

  OT: What are people’s thoughts on AMEX travel offer appearing any time soon? Thx!

  • Shoestring says:

    4 Nov4 November 14:06

    yep due for a repeat appearance, possibly

    • Charlieface says:

      4 Nov4 November 14:29

      What I’m missing is the Post Office offer, that came regularly every 6 months til it stopped about a year ago. £10 One4All gift cards were suddenly very popular at the time…

      • Charlieface says:

        4 Nov4 November 14:34

        That’s hilarious, I just saw on the previous page it came back again. Unfortunately don’t seem to have it…

        • BJ says:

          4 Nov4 November 17:30

          ISTR they staggered the release on previous offers so you might get if yet.

      • mark2 says:

        4 Nov4 November 14:49

        +1
        They could never understand why I did not care which pattern card they gave me.

        • BJ says:

          4 Nov4 November 17:39

          I asked for the ‘thanks teacher’ ones and tge lady in the pist office commented on a lovely gesture and when I redeemed them them the shop assistant said I must be a popular teacher!

        • BJ says:

          4 Nov4 November 18:07

          *post office even 🙂

• Shoestring says:

  4 Nov4 November 14:54

  quite possibly, yes!

  nobody knows in this particular instance – but there have been similar situations (ie 2 relevant offers available for the same supplier) where both have been triggered by the same transaction

  • TGLoyalty says:

    4 Nov4 November 22:03

    Yep when you have the same offer twice double dips seem to happen.

    • MinR says:

      5 Nov5 November 10:19

      Thanks both. There’s only way to find out I guess. Just need to find a decent J fare that is also eligible for a potential F upgrade using Skywards miles. That’d be a real winner.

• Shoestring says:

  4 Nov4 November 15:23

  Wealthify are running a refer a friend scheme where you both get £50 bonus if the friend invests £500 for 3 months.

  *Money for nothing* if you go for a Cautious fund (they’re ranked 1-5 in terms of Cautious-Adventurous) – my Wealthify/ Cautious is up 1% after 6 months, which is what I’d expect. No need to start an ISA, you can invest in a General Investment Fund. My link reveals my name & I’m too shy but I’m sure somebody else will stick up a link if people are interested – HarryT?.

  *This is much better than the original MSE offer, ie invest £400 for 6 months to get £40 bonus*

  • SteveD says:

    6 Nov6 November 13:35

    Thanks for this Shoestring, I’m sure when you posted this originally, Harry T jumped in and posted his referral link, but I can’t find it now, did I imagine it?

    There is a limit to the amount of referral bonus receivable per account so maybe he’s already maxed it out.

• BJ says:

  4 Nov4 November 19:23

  If purchasing the economist via a Canada address what happens about payment with a UK card? Does it divert to a third party payment page that allows us simply to enter the proper UK card payment details including address? I recall in the past some people had problems obtaining their avios, if we have to chase them up diesn’t using a Canadian address then become a problem?

  • Lady London says:

    4 Nov4 November 22:11

    I think I might have used my Canadian friend’s address but I only did this offer once a little while back. Am certain I paid with UK card and other with continuing drip of Readers Digest like marketing from them that hasn’t quite stopped despite requests, no problem getting the Avios.

    If I was worried things had changed I think I would use C$ via Revolut and send the hard copies to a care home, hospital or university. It’s not a problem to change to a different delivery address in another country mid-sub.

  • Harry T says:

    4 Nov4 November 23:14

    I used a random Alberta address to buy a digital only subscription – it didn’t ask for another billing address when I used my Curve card to pay. Worked out at 0.82p per Avios due to the 5% tax. My Curve card hasn’t been charged yet but I appear to have an active subscription. When I activated my account, I could put that I was in the UK.

  • BJ says:

    5 Nov5 November 06:00

    Thanks to both Lady London and HarryT. Previously I would not have considered buying avios at over 0.5p but times are changing so I think I’m in at 0.82. 2-4-1 departures exINV make it more bearable.

    • Harry T says:

      5 Nov5 November 12:43

      I’m looking at heading out of Inverness for my first 241 – it’s not too far from Newcastle, relatively speaking. Do you book an open jaw and return to Edinburgh or do you just book a return to and from Inverness?

      • BJ says:

        5 Nov5 November 15:05

        Out INV back EDI so you can opt for NCL. Unless you are departing on the evening flight you will be wanting a hotel in Inverness. Be warned they go sky high spring through autumn. HIX is no longer a good option as the airport bus no longer stops at the adjacent retail park unless that has changed again. Better with city centre travelodge or premier inn. Best result fro your place would be around £200/couple so still worth doing considering you get a scenic train ride thrown in.

        • Lalit says:

          6 Nov6 November 22:10

          Marriott is opening a hotel in December literally a 5-10 walk away from the airport. Cash prices look highish but I found it to be reasonable on points.

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