[DonLee]

For a data point, I didn’t receive the email. Used curve a lot but only fund NS&I once with a small amount.

[DonLee]

I can confirm what @NorthernLass said about Qatar only make avios seats available at double the price at peak times. I was tracking MAN-DOH-MLE ticket since last year, the standard redemption ends at 6th July.

[DonLee]

Etihad spend £600 gat £100 back

[DonLee]

I booked a Qatar ticket through BA, will BA pass the card information to QR?

[DonLee]

NorthernLass wrote:

Should we all book the IC Danang then?! This is a world away from the tussle I had when I was trying to get an alternative to the CP MAN and their suggestion was to book myself into the HI at 3 times the price, lol.

Also the booking with IC Danang were made last year with huge discount/bug period. Only cost 16k or 35k points per night.

[DonLee]

An email from InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula shows how they are going to do when they couldn’t fulfil the booking.

Our records indicate that you recently booked a Reward Night reservation(s) at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. Due to a high number of Reward Night bookings at this property, we are offering select members a Free Night Certificate in exchange for cancelling their Reward Nights) at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. In order to receive your Free Night Certificate, please cancel your current Reward Nights) reservation at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort by April 5, 2023.
You will receive a Free Night Certificate for each Reward Night you cancel. The Free Night Certificate is valid to use for up to 370 days from the date the certificate is deposited into your IHG One Rewards account and at any IHG Hotel & Resort (with a point redemption amount of 100,000 points or less)*. If you choose to cancel your Reward Nights, your Free Night Certificate(s) will be deposited by April 21, 2023.

[DonLee]

Sorry I forgot to mention that as there are only 2 business class tickets available on BA, my wife had to book same flight with her Qatar account. She has no problem rebooking to any day and time. So the lesson for me is transferring avios to Qatar then book from there is preferable if the flights were operated by QR.

Also I have to transfer 27000 avios from my wife’s account with £15 fee to make it work. Thanks for @Rob’s article a few weeks ago.

[DonLee]

Really appreciate all the suggestions. I will try to tell my story so it may help someone in the future.

The redemption tickets to Maldives is hard to find for summer holiday especially for are family of 3. So we were quite surprised to find those business class tickets on the last day of my son’s school year. Then Qatar just zerod out any business class reward tickets for next two months. Considering the speech day finish at 3 and we are less than 1 hour away from Manchester airport, 21:30 flight should give us plenty of time to make it.

The cancelled flight was second leg that departing DOH at 8am. Looks like Qatar will only operate flights that departing between midnight and 2am.

Since Qatar refused BA’s request I followed @JDB ‘s step by step advices. I contacted Qatar but they just refuse to discuss anything as the tickets weren’t booked with them directly. Then I phoned BA again, this time BA just saying there is nothing more they could do and refer me to read the General Conditions of Carriage for Qatar.

Then just found that I can still book same flight out MAN with standard redemption rate on Qatar website but has 18 hours layover at Doha. I phone BA again see if they could rebook it. But BA can only see economy class on the second leg. So I cancelled my flights with full refund. Transferred to Qatar then rebook with same avios and fees.

Also a bonus to book on Qatar website instead of BA is that you can book the DOH-MLE leg in First with no extra avios and fees. I know it is only Cathay Pacific leased 777 and nothing to be over excited. But with 18 hours layover, we should have plenty of time to check out Al Safwa Lounge and make a short visit to Doha as we have never been to.

[DonLee]

BJ wrote:

Have you checked if there are actually any seats lefr on the flight you requested? It’s entirely possible that it is fully booked; our next QR flight is not until mid December but already there are only two business seats left for sale.

hi @BJ There are lots of seats left but Qatar insists no commercial ticket will be rebooked

[DonLee]

ZoeB wrote:

Might the route of least resistance be to try to rearrange your appointment on that day? I know you shouldn’t have to but compared to all the stress otherwise?

It is speech day for my son’s school so rather not miss it. Otherwise he will be really disappointed for not be able to collect his awards in person.

[DonLee]

JDB wrote:

As @NorthernLass says, the problem here is actually enforcing your UK261 rights. It makes it all the more complicated having BA acting as the agent when the responsibility to reroute you lies with QR. In the first instance I would call QR directly to see if they will deal with you and insist that the requirement to reroute you lies with them but they have refused via BA so you are obliged to deal with them and the absence of Avios availability is not a lawful basis for refusing your request to be rebooked the next day. If they refuse to do anything, try once more with BA, referring them to their published Standard Customer Guidelines for cancellations on QR joint business routes. If this all fails, your next step would probably be to write a proper hard copy letter setting out all the details, specific breaches of UK261 citing all relevant paras, the irrelevance of no Avios availability and the rerouting options being at your election, not theirs following a cancellation to Qatar Airways Group QCSC at 10-11 Conduit Street, London, W1S 2QR. Give them 14 days (or less if flight is close) to rebook you. Hopefully they will respond positively, but if not MCOL does carry some risk as it would (unless you have plenty of time) require you to buy expensive replacement tickets and while your position asking to be rebooked the following day is very reasonable, their offer to rebook you 6½ hours earlier is not entirely unreasonable so it’s definitely no slam dunk.

@JDB Really appreciate your suggestion. I will start with contacting QR.

[DonLee]

@NorthernLass Thanks for quick reply. The response is by phone and BA cs has to chase One World desk to find out the outcome.

[DonLee]

Thanks @JDB, still waiting for Qatar to confirm BA’s request. Not sure what I could do if they refuse.

[DonLee]

@NorthenLass
Thanks for pointing out. I always thought that EC261 only covers cancellation within 14 days of departure. There is only a Emirates flight similar to my original flight time, but I doubt BA would rebook us so even a day later would be acceptable

[DonLee]

My flight to MLE in July also get cancelled today. Original flight departs from MAN at 21:30 rebooked to 14:55 which I won’t be able to catch. Phoned BA that I was told Qatar is very strict on redemption rebooking and refused to rebook me on the following day. After a long call BA cs booked me for the following day but only has 50/50 chance Qatar would authorise this change.

[DonLee]

Carlos wrote:

DonLee wrote:

Just bought Ibis business for £69 today Accor GOLD upgraded immediately for two years. One reason I am getting it is for One World Ruby

How do you get One World Ruby, looking to match to BA Bronze

https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/09/28/accor-live-limitless-qatar-airways-partnership/comment-page-3/#comments

[DonLee]

Just bought Ibis business for £69 today Accor GOLD upgraded immediately for two years. One reason I am getting it is for One World Ruby

[DonLee]

The Urbanite wrote:

Some good information in this thread but definitely some waffle too.

If you can’t pay off directly, why not top up a bank account that earns points for doing so, then bank transfer those funds to make the payment? An example that a lot of people were doing is Revolut, which used to accept credit cards without fees. You’ll have to find one that works for you.

Those time were long gone

[DonLee]

Got a call from IHG today to cancel my early April 4 nights booking. Offered 50k as compensation.

[DonLee]

Thanks @marks7389 @NorthernLass

[DonLee]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like outbound is riskier than inbound.

Just realised that I put HKG in my original post as my destination is PVG which departing at 12:40. It will be BA business class all the way for a family of 4. However there are only 2 seats left for the one with more reasonable two and half hour transfer time.

[DonLee]

I also noticed recently that avios were posted a lot slower than usual

[DonLee]

If this was a few months earlier it would be definitely worth transferring to Hilton. There was a 30% bonus from MR to Hilton, but you will get total of 70% more due to a IT glitch

[DonLee]

Or, you could apply for platinum card get all the subs and dinning credits then downgrade to gold after 6 months.

[DonLee]

Ikea: Spend £150 get £15 also spend £100 get £10