[BH]

I don’t know why they don’t use the same technology as US Global Entry. Once registered and biometrics have been captured, it just needs a facial photo at the border without even scanning the passport. I suppose the overall group size is relatively small compared to that for EU EES, but – given how paranoid the USA is – it must’ve been proven to work.

[BH]

Thanks everyone. Food for thought!

[BH]

cooks19 wrote:

Went to boost this morning and now only showing 2026 transactions available to boost(yesterday showed all of 2025) – is anybody else’s showing the same? Thanks

A few of us have commented under the “offer extended” post today. It happened here and in the US. As usual, there’s no way of alerting Avios people to the problem.

[BH]

Thank you all. I went with Reduce My Excess on basis of Which recommendation. It was £66.38 for one year worldwide including CDW.

[BH]

I am pleased to report that BA was very helpful and empathetic.

The bereavements team cancelled bookings for a full refund without question.

I was then asked to upload the death certificate and a week or so later I received a professionally drafted email confirming that the deceased account had been closed, and that his Avios and AmEx Certificate had been transferred to me – and the expiry date was adjusted to 2 years from the transfer.

[BH]

Thank you.

[BH]

Alaska Airlines’ lounge at SFO gave access, too.

[BH]

If you do decide to go to Palm Springs, get moving as quickly as possible. Last March we left LAX in a chauffeur-driven car just after 4pm. The drive took over 5 hours.

Actually, I suppose that goes for anywhere as you’re driving. LA traffic is brutal at the best of times, but rush hour (which lasts for several hours) can be more like a car park.

[BH]

I don’t have a fixed route in mind, but the end point is Palm Springs (CA:PSP). There are various through options – PHX and DFW being 2 of the most straightforward, but also ORD, DEN, SEA, PDX, and SFO.

I’m here at the moment and come here most years around this time. Although my flight LHR-LAX had a great BA F crew and arrived early, the car here took 4 hours in the worst traffic I’ve ever seen in LA. (The only saving grace was having a driver instead of getting a hire car immediately.)

My question was really about whether an existing TATL redemption could have the domestic legs bolted-on when they become available. I think the answer is “no”.

Incidentally, I’ve seen AA shift a schedule over the course of a year, but I’ve not experienced the kind of on-the-day shifting mentioned. Without a protected connection, I would stay overnight at the connecting point.

[BH]

Yes, AA will likely change its schedules over the year and my question is predicated on there being availability – and precisely the problem that US airlines don’t make flights available until around the 330 day mark.

I suppose the risk of booking separate tickets is not being protected – but then in my experience AA is quite flexible in rebooking when it changes schedules or if a connection is missed.

[BH]

Another twist, if anyone’s interested: my friend cited my case and again requested reimbursement of expenses. This time, the agent said he couldn’t discuss another passenger’s booking [GDPR], but that we were reimbursed in error [more than 14 days notice]. He then offered a BA voucher to cover the expenses.

I can’t see her fighting this intransigence, but it’s pretty poor of BA to behave in this manner.

[BH]

duplicate advice

[BH]

To conclude this discussion and emphasise the importance of accuracy in distinguishing between Right to Care expenses and compensation, I received a confirmation call from British Airways, expressing its willingness to reimburse my expenses.

I had to provide my bank details, and I anticipate receiving the payment within the next two weeks.

AFAIK, my friend is still arguing…

[BH]

Matt wrote:

The rejected person should go back to BA making clear that they are not claiming compensation, merely Duty of Care expenses.

That’s what I’ve advised. Thanks!

[BH]

meta wrote:

“The replacement offered was either to change at an intermediate point or to wait until the next day.”

So it was BA that offered either or and it wasn’t passenger who asked. In all honesty, this has always been the case with BA, they usually offer the choice.

I didn’t see these posts subsequent to my last until this morning, but I confirm that BA’s offer was exactly as I stated: take an indirect same day as original flight or wait until next day for the direct one. I did not reject anything, I just chose one of the options presented in MMB or whatever the disruption equivalent is called.

[BH]

Thanks all. I haven’t received a response yet – even though I submitted mine way before my friend’s. I’ve just seen her claim and she did mention compensation as well as right to care, so inadvertently gave BA an out. I only claimed the additional expenses.

I’ll report back, but the timings of my claim look like it might need to go to CEDR to elicit ANY response.

[BH]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

BH wrote:

One of our group [separate booking] has had their claim for this denied on the 14-days argument.

Is BA correct, or should we push back?

What exactly did BA say in their rejection?

Knowing that would help determine if BA are correct or not.

The relevant paragraph: “ We’ve refused your claim for compensation and expenses because we told you about the cancellation at least 14 days before you were due to depart, using the contact details in your booking. Under EU legislation and The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, we aren’t liable to pay compensation for this kind of situation.”

As you can see – although the claim was not for compensation – BA frames the response only about compensation.

[BH]

Yes

[BH]

You don’t transfer the flights, you change the frequent flyer number to whatever scheme you want to collect with. RAM (Royal Air Maroc) is one site where you put in the surname and PNR to recall the reservation to make the change.

[BH]

I don’t ever recall seeing this at the Fitzroy. I wouldn’t pay it on principle (in the UK all charges have to be stated at time of booking) and my personal dislike of such junk* charges.

*What happened to running a business providing goods and services at a price that returns your desired gross and paying your costs from that? If they don’t charge VAT on it, it may well be a ruse to get round HMRC.

[BH]

You make the booking in the usual way then go to Royal Air Maroc, select manage (doing this from memory so that might not be the precise term), enter the PNR and surname, then update the FF number with the RJ one. You then go back to BA and should now be able to select seats FOC.

[BH]

@strickers Indeed! I’ll never be able to explain that feeling.

The hotel personnel were all friendly and well-meaning, but the outcome was usually blundering.

The cherry on the cake is that a promised investigation of a breakfast charge that quite clearly didn’t belong to us (as it used some US AmEx promo and had been assigned to the wrong room) was justified by sending me an accounting printout. When I asked for a copy of the signed check, they sent a legitimate one with a totally different reference and date. After pointing this out, they sent both bits of ‘evidence’ again. At that point I gave up and spoke to AmEx who instantly credited the overpay without demurring.

EDIT: I do wonder at some of the wide-eyed reviews of these hotels from some American cousins; “they even gave us a free beer and water on checking in. So thoughtful.” This can only be explained IMO by the fact that a nation that typically travels domestically for 2/3 nights is less impacted by an amenity/resort fee than those of us who are there for longer.

[BH]

@LD27 Thanks for your kind words. We were fortunate not to have been adversely affected by the attack. Frankly, even though it happened a couple of blocks away from the hotel, it all seemed remote. The biggest impact on us was the sheer quantity of police and army on the streets during the subsequent days.

Back to the hotel: I really would have a rethink if I were you – especially if it’s more expensive.

[BH]

I was told by IHG that those losing Diamond at end December would retain status (and benefits) to end January.

[BH]

Andrew. wrote:

BH wrote:

I had a look at the Saints game. It had been mentioned to me by our hotel (Kimpton Fontenot) as a reason they get full around this time. Not really my idea of fun, but I checked ticket prices. Unless we sit a mile away from the pitch, they’re really silly.

Went to a game in the Dome in August. It was £27 a ticket and the location was off-centre, and I felt high up. But then looked above me and we were nowhere near the top.

I think it’s a popular game because of timing and all available tickets are authorised resales.