The HfP chat thread – Sunday 1st August

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• The Original Nick. says:

  1 Aug1 August 11:51

  Morning all. I have had expiration warning of 5000 Lufty miles expiring at the end of September. What are my options?
  Thanks.

  • Rob says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:13

    None, unless you pay to extend them.

    • Save East Coast Rewards says:

      1 Aug1 August 13:17

      I wasn’t aware that’s an option. When was that introduced?

      • Rob says:

        1 Aug1 August 15:29

        They will email you about it. Problem is that the cost is the same as they are worth, so there is virtually no value in it. Imagine if Avios offered to stop your points expiring if you paid 0.8p each ….

        • Ammar says:

          1 Aug1 August 17:17

          Award wallet have let me know that I have 2500 points expiring but I had the m&m cc until they finished that off, but I thought they allowed a grave period until December this year or is that just for the miles earned with the cc?

        • Rob says:

          1 Aug1 August 18:54

          You have a grace period but AW doesn’t know that.

  • Lady London says:

    1 Aug1 August 14:09

    Miles&More UK site had Amazon vouchers (German site doesn’t offer this). Not sure of the minimum though.

    IMV Lufthansa only cares about SEN’s. The rest of us can go hang. As Rob remarked recently in a comment, Lufthansa thinks it’s being clever by expiring gazillions of people’s miles still on their fixed 3-year expiry schedule [without any help because they’ve not been able to fly in Covid] and reducing balance sheet liabilities as a result for now.

    Got the message on this from Lufthansa about how much they value flyers who are not SEN and not able to have their German credit card a long time ago. I’d even fly Ryanair to Germany to avoid them now and hope Ryanair can get over the illegal barriers Germany appears to be setting for them to expand there.

    • Lord Doncaster says:

      1 Aug1 August 14:32

      Frau Merkel certainly looks after her own.

    • Maciek says:

      1 Aug1 August 15:21

      They don’t care about SENs. They only care about HONs.

      • kitten says:

        1 Aug1 August 19:58

        correct Maciek, that was what I should have said.

        And, of course, people who fly First Class

    • TGLoyalty says:

      1 Aug1 August 15:42

      Your points stop expiring with any status inc frequent traveller or whatever it’s called?

      • Maciek says:

        1 Aug1 August 16:02

        Correct. FTL puts a stop to the expiry clock.

  • BigSi says:

    1 Aug1 August 21:14

    @The Original Nick. I also had 5,000 miles and was able to use them for a gift voucher. If you download the app for the first time you get an extra 500 miles. With 5,500 miles you can get £15 voucher for itunes or adidas. If not you can get £10 amazon or a few other vouchers. Here is the link:
    https://milesandmore-uk.cadooz.com/frontend/product.do;jsessionid=HU3h-LzIvXfgwhKgHwwQ0NuBxumRpxxE2P9E0x7W.w09?productNumber=9203

• APB says:

  1 Aug1 August 12:32

  Hello all
  I feel I should know the answer to this but don’t. If someone books a flight on BA on your behalf and adds your exec number are you able to upgrade it with your Avios? Thanks in anticipation

  • Gtellez says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:39

    Depending who is buying it. When I get BA flight through Amex travel (due to travel policies of my company), the option to upgrade with avios online doesn’t work (says that you have to call your travel agency to make changes).
    I guess that if the person getting the tickets is an individual shouldn’t be a problem, but not been in that position.

• TJ says:

  1 Aug1 August 12:42

  I have a couple of days coming up at the Kimpton Charlotte Sq. Do they recognise Ambassador status…in particular the guaranteed 4pm check-out?

  • Kai says:

    1 Aug1 August 12:45

    No Ambassador benefits at Kimpton.

  • ChrisC says:

    1 Aug1 August 14:04

    They will recognise your underlying IHG status though which as AMB will be Plat as a minimum.

    Nothing to stop you asking if you can have a 4pm checkout though but expect a polite refusal but be gracious if it is offered.

• AJA says:

  1 Aug1 August 12:45

  Great question KBuffett. Thanks for the link Steve, I will have a go at linking based on Kai’s response. It didn’t occur to me that the Hilton Barclaycard would be eligible.

  • Patrick Cold says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:19

    Thank you. that was easy!

• Charlie says:

  1 Aug1 August 12:54

  How many Avios points would I be looking at to fly return to Singapore or Bangkok if I got a good deal? Not fussy on dates at all, just wondered how many points+ fees i’d be looking at to experience Business class long haul……. bit of a rookie when it comes to redeeming points. Thankyou

  • Genghis says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:03

    You can price it up yourself on the website.

  • Matt says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:14

    For off peak dates I believe BKK is 150k, SIN 175k. Both plus taxes obviously. There’s plenty of tables out there on the internet if you want to look at different options.

  • Memesweeper says:

    1 Aug1 August 15:39

    If you looking for an experience then remember you can redeem Avios on Iberia, Cathay, Malaysian, Qatar and SriLankan, all of which fly to SE Asia from Europe.

    Mix up the carriers and you can do a multi carrier redemption, with stopovers.

• Mco says:

  1 Aug1 August 12:57

  Anyone know if I prepay extra legroom seats, bags with Jet2 & Easyjet do the fees get moved to a new flight if I end up changing it? Or do I loose them and have to pay again?

  • Jody says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:10

    Are you changing it yourself because you don’t want to go on the flight, or has the flight been cancelled by easyjet and you are looking to re-book? I’m not certain, but I think this may make a difference.

    I know that we have a flight we booked where they were doing a special offer on hold luggage (£1.99, how I wish they’d do that again!). That was for a flight last year, which was cancelled by easyjet and we moved to later this year and kept the luggage.

    • Lady London says:

      1 Aug1 August 14:16

      Jody is correct. It’s one of the LCCs’ ways of making money. If you change, generally expect to lose add-ons. If they cancel, you keep everything you’ve paid and don’t have to pay more/again on new flight.

      I hope British Airways is reading this as there are reports they are refusing to refund seat reservation fees on flights *they* cancelled. Which isn’t going to hold up in court in court despite BA’s gymnastic excuses.

    • Mco says:

      1 Aug1 August 15:18

      Changing it myself. So probably best to leave it to the last minute before adding luggage and seats?

      • Colin MacKinnon says:

        1 Aug1 August 16:32

        Then they increase the baggage prices for last minute additions!!!

• Anuj says:

  1 Aug1 August 13:09

  Pack it in, it’s exactly what the original post asked for

• Mel T says:

  1 Aug1 August 13:33

  Anyone have any recommendations for a good restaurant in Edinburgh? Its for a celebration, but doesn’t need to be fancy (in fact non fancy is more me!) and no one drinks so nice wine/cocktails not important. Trying to find somewhere for a Vegetarian, a dairy free (and fussy) meat eater, and seafood liking me. Thanks 🙂

  • Patrycja says:

    1 Aug1 August 13:59

    Here’s a few suggestions. All very different to give you a flavour what you could chose from

    – amazing afternoon tea @signet library. They do vergeterian and vegan options (it’s a lovely interior but reasonably priced)
    – LEscargot Bleu is a lovely French restaurant
    – the Walnut is a no frills but lovely food restaurant in Leith
    – Rollo Broughton Street
    – White Horse Oyster Bar
    – Pier Brasserie
    – the Fishmarket

    • Mel T says:

      1 Aug1 August 14:45

      Brilliant – Thank you!

  • Memesweeper says:

    1 Aug1 August 15:41

    The Timberyard. Absolutely sensational.

  • Peggerz says:

    1 Aug1 August 17:16

    Aurora in Great Junction Street, Leith. A real outlier in terms of location but really good stuff. And if you go to The Walnut (we’ll recommended Patrycja) you’ll be next door to the only shop in the world that sells televisions 📺 and……. darts 🎯. Check out Borlands.

  • BP says:

    1 Aug1 August 18:19

    Chez Jules. Great food at fair prices. The only place I consistently return to in Edinburgh.

  • AnotherUser says:

    1 Aug1 August 18:51

    How non-fancy, and any preference on style? Xiang Bala by Haymarket might work if you like Chinese style hotpot where you cook your own food. Been a while since I’ve been, but you could pick from a range of veg, meat and very good seafood. Basic decor and brusque service, though.

    BABA at the Kimpton is very good, as is Dishoom. I found the food and service at both very good.

  • N says:

    1 Aug1 August 19:15

    Loved Cadiz for excellent fish/shellfish in Edinburgh centre but I don’t know if they’d have too many veg/vegan options for your friend. Check the online menu?

  • Mel T says:

    1 Aug1 August 21:55

    Thanks everyone – now to try to get a decision about which one they all like……

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