Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Forum Replies Created

  • in reply to: 30% bonus on Amex point transfers?
    zio 326 posts

    Rob has commented more than once recently that Amex don’t want you to convert to airline miles as they cost amex more. A UK avios transfer bonus is therefore the last thing on their mind.

    in reply to: Complaint rejected
    zio 326 posts

    My guess is you’d get 10k avios. You may get an extra top up if you are servicing the club toilets.

    in reply to: Complaint rejected
    zio 326 posts

    I haven’t replied to an email. As suggested to me on the phone I just added another comment to my original case reference. Since this says “resolved” and “closed” with a green tick my suspicion is I am wasting my time.

    in reply to: Complaint rejected
    zio 326 posts

    It doesn’t seem to add up that a plane full of people, if it came to it, wouldn’t manage a “toilet monitor” solution over a period of 7 hours.

    However, I would be grateful for thoughts on the following part of the OP, as I find myself in a similar situation:

    Checked later and they had closed the case – Has anyone had experience of responding back saying the resolution proposed isn’t acceptable and want to escalate? I emailed back recently but haven’t heard back so thought I’d ask.

    My claim for downgrade reimbursement has recently been marked as resolved, with no communication as to how. I rang BA and CSA said they could indeed see my case marked as resolved but couldn’t give me any further information. I was told to add a message to the original case, but haven’t heard anything back and wonder if I ever will given that the case has been marked “resolved”.
    Anyone with that knowledge?
    Since I rang, 10k avios have appeared in my a/c (still with no communication) which I suspect is a hopeful attempt to fob me off. I would therefore appreciate advice as to the best way to open a dialogue which will get me the desired result. Is it worth adding a further message to the original online claim, or is it now time for a real letter?
    Many thanks as always for help and advice.

    zio 326 posts

    @TonyLon book one voucher per person. You have correctly identified the issue people have reported if using one voucher for two people on their ex-UK flight.

    in reply to: Trip report – Easter Island and Machu Picchu
    zio 326 posts

    The above link is broken. I assume this is the one: https://www.paradoxtravels.com/post/a-luxury-travel-review-of-the-belmond-sanctuary-lodge

    Friends stayed there as part of their honeymoon and also loved it. Price was too punchy for me so I was up early for the first bus from Aguas Calientes.
    Being in early (before the crowds, in golden hour) was a huge plus for me, both for the photography and the ambiance. If Sanctuary Lodge is too expensive I would recommend one night in Aguas Calientes (uninspiring though it is) rather than attempting a day trip to MP.


    @masaccio
    Can I ask please where you stayed on EI and would you recommend it?

    zio 326 posts

    Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition.
    How about the last execution by guillotine in France? 1977.

    in reply to: BA communication [over downgrade payment progress]
    zio 326 posts

    Patience is a virtue… although I must admit I was running short on it. I was downgraded in April, literally had an email today. However it only said “As you weren’t able to travel in the Club World cabin you’d booked, we’ll work out whether you’re due any refund, and will be in touch with you soon about this” so patience will be required still.

    in reply to: Smoking at t5 / BA First
    zio 326 posts

    I remember the first time I went to the Brixton Academy post smoking ban I was shocked to see a ceiling! Had been hundreds of times previously without seeing it.
    Absolutely incredible we were coming home from school in smoke-filled bus upper decks.

    in reply to: Curve Black Legacy to become Curve Black
    zio 326 posts

    Can’t blame Curve for wanting a slice of the pie but I was quite happy with the level of risk in my eg ISA top ups.

    zio 326 posts

    Happy daze 🙂 You are definitely good to go.

    in reply to: Tokyo reward flights
    zio 326 posts

    Frankly astonished by this, and disappointed for you. Is this a UK university? The next academic year’s dates should have been fixed a year ago. And having just checked my university there are provisional dates on the website for the following SIX years. Educational establishments can’t change dates two terms away at the stop of a hat.

    zio 326 posts

    Won’t it have an 075- number if it’s an IB flight, even if booked via BA?
    Anyway, there was a long thread recently on whether the email receipt was enough. At the risk of restarting an argument I would say that practically speaking it is enough to show things have worked; but since it takes so little effort to check your avios balance, cc statement, and MMB for a ticket number (if it isn’t in your email) it is sensible to do so.

    in reply to: Reward flight upgrade
    zio 326 posts

    @Londonsteve yours is a flight pattern which shows BA it doesn’t need to try harder via upgrades.
    I have only had one upgrade, JNB-LHR, but that was at the gate. I have never put enough money BA’s way to achieve status.

    in reply to: Reward flight upgrade
    zio 326 posts

    Probably neither a glitch nor generosity. The thought is that BA sometimes allocates upgrades if it thinks it can get you hooked on the relative comfort such that you choose to pay for it in the future.
    I would expect the upgrade to stick. Did her partner end up travelling in WTP+?

    in reply to: Virgin exchange
    zio 326 posts

    Not by any means the proverbial HfP “slam dunk”.
    Two random offers from the Virgin red app: wine voucher gets you 0.5p/point, Gregg’s breakfast roll deal gets you 0.74ppp.
    However, it is very possible to get more than 1ppp value on flight redemptions if you have one in mind.

    zio 326 posts

    Thanks @JDB. Opens up other options.

    zio 326 posts

    I’m afraid the voucher won’t enable you to do what you want here: travel with the voucher must start in the UK so you can’t apply it to just an inbound leg.
    You can book return tickets, but as @HampshireHog says it’s one voucher per person return. If you have 2 vouchers it’s important not to use one to upgrade both of you outbound as you will then have the problem you currently face times two.

    in reply to: Rebrand?
    zio 326 posts

    That’s right. I cancelled mine last year and missed it quickly.

    in reply to: South Africa in March?
    zio 326 posts

    Personally I don’t think there is a bad time to visit KNP, so if that is the time you are in SA make sure you go. The scenery is much lusher which can make sightings more difficult. However there are different things, such as foals/cubs, to see. I will admit, though, that July/August is my favourite time, but I am happy just to sit watching a watering hole for hours.

    in reply to: Rebrand?
    zio 326 posts

    But there is no spend target for the 18k SUB so the slug of points I referred to is in the bag/account as soon as you use the card. True you have to pay the fee (0.89ppp). True you may end up not have a full year to earn the voucher. To me personally the voucher has become less valuable as routes have been whittled. My plan for my points is AF redemptions.

    in reply to: Rebrand?
    zio 326 posts

    @Misty “so now isn’t a good time to be taking out a virgin credit card ?”
    On the contrary, if the possibility of gaining a chunk of Virgin points via a SUB may be closing then it might be a very good time.

    in reply to: BA open jaw / Companion Voucher
    zio 326 posts

    @sr1985 “I may look to book the outbound on an off peak day and pay the £35 each to change it to the actual day we want when I’ve sorted the avios (assuming I can do that).”
    You will only be able to change if there are redemption seats available on a chosen date. I know you’ve said you are happy to do an outbound to DFW etc.but this plan of a date change is not automatic.
    We are here to help, but I urge you to spend time reading Rob’s articles, tbe avios university series etc.

    in reply to: BA open jaw / Companion Voucher
    zio 326 posts

    Agree with @NorthernLass that you might get an agent who would do this, but you definitely shouldn’t be relying on it. No way would I be planning a trip around this.
    Have I understood correctly that you won’t have enough avios to book both flights so want to lock in the important one first? Is that the reason for wanting to book the return first?
    Do you have any avios to “boost”? At the moment that seems to be the cheapest way of adding to your stack quickly.
    Edit: and yes, read the threads!

    in reply to: BA open jaw / Companion Voucher
    zio 326 posts

    It seems as though you are over one misconception about using a voucher, only to hit another.
    Initially it isn’t the cost you need to worry about but the fact that you can’t book the return part of a 241 first.
    There won’t be any overall difference in cost if you book the 241 in one go, or call to add the return later.

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