[Saltrams]

No views but we ate at Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi Tsunohazuan, T&T Building, 5th floor, 3-22-10, Shinjuku and the food was lovely. It’s on the Amex Plat dining list if that helps.

[Saltrams]

I’ve had one today too! WhatsApp message with the same blurb as OP had.
I cancelled a BW booking 10 days ago that I had booked direct, no BdC involvement. The booking ref is wrong but seems a bit of a coincidence as I so rarely use BW hotels. Maybe they have had a bit of a leak?

[Saltrams]

danimal wrote:

Am I reading this correctly? Are you arguing with Finnair over 20 Avios?

It’s a point of principle, not the value of the Avios!

[Saltrams]

Ah! OK, now I understand the technicalities of the 18 month rule. Thank you to those who took the trouble to explain here and a big middle finger to Finnair who just sent me this response:
“ Thank you for your reply. ‌We are very sorry for this unfortunate experience and the position we must assume in this matter.
Your claim has been settled and this entire matter has been reviewed several times. Under the circumstances, it is the consensus of opinion that our position as previously stated must remain unchanged.
Please note that this case will be closed with no further replies.
Kind regards,
Eva V.
Finnair Customer Relations”

Deep breath, do I close my account & have nothing more to do with them or make some tiny transaction so that I can later pay them to transfer a shed load to my husband, which was my original plan all along?

[Saltrams]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

If you are on one of the VA coded flights that is operated by QR then you get their full service.

Not that VA flies between Doha and Australia using its own metal it does so via a wet lease with QR.

Ah! That makes much more sense. Thank you.

[Saltrams]

@danimal I used a Chrome incognito window and the Amex end of things went very smoothly, thank you again for the tip.
Whether Qatar will accept the transfer is anyone’s guess!

[Saltrams]

I have also fallen foul of Finnair’s auto-expiry. Luckily it was only for 20 Avios that I moved as a test run but I’m disproportionately miffed by their cavalier attitude.
On 25/2/25 I transferred the 20 Avios from my BA account into Finnair.
On 3/7/25 Finnair marked the Avios as “expired” and removed them from my account.
The time between the two events was 18 weeks and 4 days.
It is clearly written on the FY account membership page “ Avios expire if you have no transactions at least once every 18 months.”
Even when I noticed this error by chance it was not yet 11 months since the transfer, let alone 18 months.
I have been to-ing and fro-ing with Customer Service about this, as a point of principle but they won’t budge. The frustrating thing is that I just don’t understand the basis of their action as it would necessitate a “metadata” file on each single Avios to determine its date of issue & expiry wouldn’t it?
I absolutely didn’t transfer in anticipation that the transfer would extend validity; I don’t need to extend validity as I have a very active Avios life with transactions going on almost daily, certainly weekly.
Does anyone understand this?

[Saltrams]

Reviving this topic to ask if the VAustralia business experience really is as good as Qatar’s? I’ve seen reports that they are Q-Suites in all but name and the catering/dine on demand is excellent. Can it be true?

[Saltrams]

+1 for Roamless. It is much better than any other I’ve tried. I had no problems with in the US, Europe or Africa. The pay as you go model makes much more sense than buying a few GB here and there, and having half it go to waste. Brilliant for short trips in particular

Thank you to whoever used my referral code-$5 credit appeared this afternoon.[/quote]

That might have been me. Thank you for the heads up. I’m in Australia currently and Roamless has been excellent here and in Qatar en-route. I have my own referral code now but it’s late, I’ve had a glass of wine & CBA to find it 😂

[Saltrams]

Yes, +1 for me on these problems

[Saltrams]

danimal wrote:

The reason to use the private window is not because you don’t have secrets! It’s because it disables any broswer extensions that may be stopping the transfer working, and also removes and errant cookies.

If you can’t / won’t do this AND you are unable to call Amex then I’m not sure how this community can help you.

You do know Amex has a chat facility?

That’s interesting to know about the private browsing, thank you. I’m fine with trying it out, just never thought I needed it. Chat I’m aware of and might have to resort to it.
As far as the HfP community helping goes, I was primarily wondering whether transfers were a well known PITA with well known solutions. I’m trying to get the process up & running for the first time so that it works when I need it (in about 2 months’ time)…I’m glad I started early!

[Saltrams]

binotsen wrote:

Had a similar problem recently and had to call Amex and get them to transfer the points manually which they were happy to do.

Yes, I appreciate that most normal folks think that a quick phone call is useful and convenient. I’m rather contrary in that regard; phonophobic for a start and also right now I’m in Australia for 6 weeks and that call would take a big bite out of my roaming package! Then don’t get me started on waiting in queues with muzak and multi-choice options etc etc. Phones just aren’t my thing 😂

[Saltrams]

danimal wrote:

You can install Chrome on a Mac, Safari has a similar thing called Private Window.

Oh, OK. I tend to ignore the Private thing on Safari as I have no secrets! Next time I can muster the strength to battle the system I will try a Private Window. Thanks for the tip.

[Saltrams]

NorthernLass wrote:

If your QR and BA accounts are linked you can use the avios from your BA account when booking via QR.

Thanks @NL but I can’t get them out of Amex to anyone at the moment 🫤

@danimal I’m restricted to the Appleverse right now.

[Saltrams]

polly wrote:

Have a great trip. Ours went well to KUL from there in nov. Lounge in FCO not shabby either. We ate and drank well in there. Then it continues as infinity on board QR. You will waddle off the plane at Adelaide!

My post was supposed to be in Daily Chat! Ho hum.

I was coasting in neutral and went straight to the Vista lounge that QR use. Had intended to start at BA lounge first 🙄 Vista was OK, had everything we needed though.

Now writing this through the miracle of Starlink on board and of course, some woman behind is carrying on her video call without employing the miracle of headphones 😞

Better get on with the waddle inducing now…

[Saltrams]

rum wrote:

Do let us know how you get on though as your feedback will help others in the future.

Outcome update, January 2026:

Hit the target, received the bonuses (80k plus 20k), had to get a refund on something, bonuses removed.
Hit the target again shortly thereafter, bonuses credited again, no refunds on the horizon and OH has had a confirmation email too.

So, all in all, pretty happy with most of the Avios needed to get us to Perth on QR next winter 😆

[Saltrams]

@strickers – brilliant thanks, hopefully it still works.

@NorthernLass – I’d love that as I’ve had one trip to Japan and Luuuurved it but no, I’m not such a dreamer to imagine I could get away with that. Although it’s like the lottery, assuming you have a ticket then SOMEONE has to win!
@BA Flyer IHG stayer – please get a shorter username 😂

[Saltrams]

Well @davefl and @tobynow that’s just utter chaos, no wonder I can’t make any sense of it all. Thanks for the advice though, I will do all of what you say within the <12-14 day window (which is coming up in the next few days).
I might report back if I find anything substantially bizarre.

[Saltrams]

Thanks again @go917 I was finally able to get to look at MMB and there I am, a Gold Sparrow indeed.

[Saltrams]

@Richie That’s new to me, will investigate, thank you.

@tobynow Ditto. Wasn’t aware of an Amex Avis site. Off to look at that too now.

Thanks again both.

[Saltrams]

Off to Adelaide at the end of January on QR Avios redemption in J (to Q-Suite or not to Q-Suite? That is the question!). 5 weeks there and then 5 days to see Doha on the way back. (We live in Italy, so this is from & to FCO).

UK by car in April.

Firenze with visiting friends in May.

Summer at home in the Sabine Hills.

Uzbekistan in September (paying real money, TK FCO-IST-TAS-UGC-IST-FCO. Must get round to booking this!)

Suggestions welcome for Oct-Dec

Perth with another QR redemption for the last days of Dec or Jan 27.

Can’t help thinking that looks a bit shabby compared with some of the preceding posts (looking at you @Cat)

[Saltrams]

Thank you @Go197
I haven’t been able to do it yet but I’ll try tomorrow.
Happy New Year!

[Saltrams]

I had a pleasant Online Chat with a QR agent the other day, wherein I requested that my shiny new sparrow number be overwritten on my QR redemption bookings (which had our QRPC FF numbers auto-populated when booking I suppose). The chap was agreeable and confirmed he had done it.
All very well but where can I actually see the change to be certain it has been done? I can’t see anywhere within my bookings in the App or Website that shows the number. I could try to change my seat selection to see if it would be free but a) I don’t want any accidental seat change cock-ups and b) I’m not convinced it would be a definitive answer anyway.
No points will be forthcoming obvs but I want my ducks lined up in case of forced seat changes and multi-choice lounge access of course!
TIA as always 🙂

[Saltrams]

When I first got my BAPP and didn’t use it much in the first weeks they sent me a message saying my limit would be increased if I accepted. I delayed a few days, giving what I thought was careful consideration and when I tried to accept they basically said “sorry, nope, the offer has expired”. Not a brilliant customer relations strategy IMHO.

[Saltrams]

Thanks @NorthernLass, that’s good news.