[Mart16]

A great tale! Some of the figures here though, my goodness…………

[Mart16]

OP has two daughters with competing preferred itineraries, tight restrictions on when they can travel, is not concerned about weather/temperatures. Admittedly they won’t be able to “immerse” themselves, whatever that means, but provided all parties are fit, healthy, capable of withstanding temperatures and a full on schedule, it’s doable.

[Mart16]

I think it’s a perfectly fine itinerary, I like moving around a lot and it’s certainly a great mix of places. Makes everyone happy and as you say you’re limited when you can travel. Ignore the naysayers, the only person who really knows if it’ll work is you. If your family are flexible, go with the flow kind of people, you’ll be grand

[Mart16]

@ringingup can I ask how you got the secret agent rate? V interested for an upcoming trip…

[Mart16]

Aston100 wrote:

ekposh wrote:

I’d never realised the value. Even SIN is 62.5k + £30. That’s probably about as good value as using a BAPP 241.

62500 + £44 when I looked.
That is amazing.

Is this still only one seat per flight or is there more? For DOH was only ever showing one seat.

[Mart16]

Agree that getting refunded or amended should be first port of call!

If not, I would happily accept it – maybe Rob/Rhys can connect us via our emails or I can send direct? Thanks

[Mart16]

@jdb thanks for this, I’ll be booking the extra night at the IC and will treat myself to a decent meal Sunday night on Ba’s dime.

Is it best to book through IC direct and give that receipt, or could I eg book through Emyr for the credit etc?

Thanks

[Mart16]

So I think I have decided that I can fly back on the Monday and work from Sofia the day of the Monday.

@JDB / those in the know – am I right that I can submit a claim to BA after the event for the cost of an extra night’s hotel (staying in the intercontinental)?

Is it just a case of booking the extra night now and sending the receipt to BA after the event.

Thanks v much

[Mart16]

JDB wrote:

Mart16 wrote:

Yes, I have tried every weekend combination for the next year and it says “there is no availability for selected days. Please change your date” although all have business availability available for purchase online.

My point is am I right that although only one leg has been cancelled, I can rebook the entire flight to dates of my choosing?

No, the cancellation of the return doesn’t entitle you to rebook the whole trip at no cost. That applies to certain situations only. BA is supposed to reroute you for the cancelled leg. They will reroute you on the Sunday via Bulgarian airlines then onto a BA flight.

Ok, thanks. Agents told me it was possible to rebook the whole trip but had to be 3 days before/14 days after original date.

Is there a reason it has to be Bulgarian airlines? I am looking into options to ensure the leg XXX>LHR is 80TP.

[Mart16]

Yes, I have tried every weekend combination for the next year and it says “there is no availability for selected days. Please change your date” although all have business availability available for purchase online.

My point is am I right that although only one leg has been cancelled, I can rebook the entire flight to dates of my choosing?

[Mart16]

If you downgrade the bapp in say, 3 months, collect the pro rata refund for downgrading but not cancelling, after hitting the sub and voucher, could you then 9 months + 1 day later upgrade again and rinse and repeat this tactic?

[Mart16]

@froggee – is it confirmed it is still the case that you get an (almost) full refund on avios bookings (no matter what £/avios amounts paid?

I thought this was a brief glitch a while back but interesting if still going.

[Mart16]

NorthernLass wrote:

It’s hardly encouragement to echo something that Rob and others have been saying here for a long time. Everyone can make their own decisions, I’m not sure why it’s always assumed that people are so feeble-minded. Anyway, there’s not even any need to be in a position where you’d be agonising over whether to take the last leg – e.g. book it for much further out and use it for a separate trip or get BA to add the return without it. As it involves MAN there’s always the chance it’s going to be cancelled, as well!

Totally agreed with this, what a ridiculous comment earlier asking if you’re willing to underwrite it – this is the internet, and you’re voicing a perfectly reasonable perspective. It is blindingly obvious if OP did skip the last leg, there is a 99.9% chance of zero backlash – of course this is a “risk”, but favourable odds. Quite ludicrous that the comment of “recent focus of airlines” is followed up by an analogy from…1981. And a flyertalk post from several years ago from a serial skiplagger, not a one off on an avios booking.

@NorthernLass, agree with you whole heartedly! OP should definitely aim to find a means of skipping that final leg if BA cancellations are favourable.

[Mart16]

Easy extension for another year of diamond ambassador for me and P2 – thank you HfP collective know how!

[Mart16]

What do you put in the email to ambassador?

[Mart16]

Duplicating my post from the chat thread here as more relevant…

Looking to use my ambassador bogof voucher at dubai IC marina – used on a room with club lounge access. If I buy 2 nights (so 4 nights in total) with points, will the club lounge benefits etc be extended for my full stay?
Thanks

[Mart16]

TerryTierPoints wrote:

Gary wrote:

Yes, you can mix class of travel. I’ve just booked PE outbound (daytime flight) and Club World return.. All one ticket.

Thanks for the helpful DP re mix class booking. All one ticket presumably you meant both of you under one booking reference?

Yes. x2 pax, x2 upgrade vouchers, x1 booking reference.[/quote]

I presume this means upgrading outbound from WTP to CW and inbound from WT to WTP? What was the total cost if you dont mind asking?

[Mart16]

Is it possible to use the referral link after booking? Looking at 16 July from Athens

[Mart16]

markdhayes wrote:

Code arrived and booked! Wonder if they’ll do status match to MSC gold for this booking, probably not but worth an ask

How long between booking and getting key?

[Mart16]

The whinging on this thread!!! Give me strength. Good on you Rhys and Rob for the offer.

[Mart16]

The ex-DUB ~£1k fares with star alliance last year saved my parents an absolute fortune to Australia (thanks again Rhys for those!)

Otherwise I think avios is king to aus/nz for the foreseeable. £4k via Scandinavia is still ludicrous money.

[Mart16]

The above figures are eye watering – finally flew this in Club on a delayed 241 / 50% avios ticket, last September (originally booked May 2021). 125k avios + 1.2k all in if I remember correctly for me and OH.

I felt old style CW was perfectly suitable, particularly for comfort sleeping when getting 7J/K. Particularly on the return, felt very fresh. Good if not amazing service both ways. CS on that length probably would have felt a bit claustrophobic and antisocial if a couple after a while.

[Mart16]

@erico1875 how does that work?

[Mart16]

Buying avios is rarely a good idea save for a specific lucrative opportunity. As above, this is very individual and fact specific and generally requires a parallel “offer” (eg I have only ever bought avios to top up a balance for return flights to Sydney during the covid 50% less avios offer combined with a 241, knowing the flights would be cancelled and I could move them – finally flew them in September this year).

Can’t speak for you but it sounds like you are fairly new to the points game. It generally take months/years to (a) accrue a decent mass of points spread over multiple redemption partners, and (b) to gain the knowledge of how to redeem them optimally. If you are new to this, you can obviously buy all the points in the world, but your current redemption strategy relies on availability and – crucially – buying 200k points at 1p a point is still £2k. Realistically there are almost always sale ex-EU fares to Singapore/Asia for less cash.

My advice would be simply to be patient. Growing avios/MR balances organically, to be redeemed for genuinely free opportunities (save the taxes) is a much more satisfying and opportunity-heavy points “hobby”. No site is more helpful than HfP in helping grow that knowledge.

Case in point right now: I am typing this from the Waldorf Astoria Palm in Dubai with Mrs Mart. Outbound in PE on points using upgrade voucher (no biz availability…). Cash stay, originally HH points but cash rates dropped considerably a week before stay. Upgraded to the frankly ridiculously massive Pearl Club Suite with gold status through platinum card. Return flights next week with Qatar using avios.

I started this game 3-ish years ago and I’m in my 20s, and probably only started getting the “real” benefits in the last 6 months – and every day is a school day!

[Mart16]

One thing to flag is keep an eye on cash rates if going to the Waldorf.

Myself and OH was booked with 320k HH points on 5 for 4 (would now be 340k with the points hike). Free breakfast as Gold. Quoted approx £900 to upgrade to Pearl room with lounge access for 5 nights.

A week or so ago a crazy rate showed available at £400 per night with half board, 2 drinks per day, and pearl room/lounge access. A no brainer to get the points back, pay cash, accrue the points with the current double points offer (and those saved HH points are now going towards our Cancun hol courtesy of the BA flash sale!)