[StanTheMan]

NorthernLass wrote:

@StanTheMAN, I feel like I’m deeply involved in relocating to St Kitts & Nevis, and Dominica, even though it’s very, very unlikely. I should probably FF through the ads!

Good news from the car dealership, takes MC and Visa. So will it be avios, VS or HH points?

The woman in the ad even starts with “I know this is an annoying advert”….

The crew did make me laugh out loud earlier when he asked my wife what she wanted to eat. She replied she didnt want anything and he said “I see you have eaten with us before”…
Superb banter !

[StanTheMan]

Just back from 4 sunny days in Dubai. Hard to beat for a quick flash of guaranteed winter sun….. Banyan Tree hotel was excellent.

Also, after reading a lot of club world bashing, we had 2 great flights. Club Suite was very good – slept well overnight on the way there. And the food and crew on the day flight back were both enjoyable. Even the food in the lounges at both airports was more than acceptable.

My one annoyance was the ridiculous adverts for 90 seconds at the start of any film or TV show on the IFE. Easy to fast forward through them, but just pointless.

So, I for one, will happily continue flying Club Suite (for avios bookings!)….

[StanTheMan]

BA105 cancelled tonight too. So maybe Dubai related, rather than specific aircraft ?

[StanTheMan]

The Hotel Hubertus in the Dolomites is superb. Very family friendly – multiple pools, and hiking/tobogganing for non-skiers.
Combine with a few days in Venice. 3 hour drive from there…..

[StanTheMan]

meandthekids wrote:

@StanTheMan thank you. Do you know if any taxes and charges had to have been paid via the platinum Amex or any Amex?

And from your reply, does it suggest Hilton points booked but not able to stay would be covered under the postponement rules?

I’m not sure we can even postpone it would likely be a straight cancellation if the worst happened but very helpful to know the possible options available.

As always thanks in advance.

TBH, our claim was on avios flights (taxes paid on a BAPP). We had to postpone the trip, the only new flights available were cash. So I cancelled the original flights and got the avios back and a small cash refund. The Plat insurance paid for the full cash cost of the new flights (less the excess and cash refund).
So in theory AMEX insurance put zero value on the Avios that I got back.

I’d like to think a half reasonable Hilton hotel would refund the points if you explained the situation with medical documents etc.

[StanTheMan]

Meeting Room 2 –

Cracking Outperformers from 2025 – hosted by Alan Partridge

Complimentary mousepads for all attendees*

*1 per person

[StanTheMan]

meandthekids wrote:

Thanks @JDB

We have a hotel points booking with Hilton which is actually non refundable. They do some non refundable points bookings too I’ve noticed in the last couple of years.

We’ve spent a significant amount- I think we purchased the points for the booking so there’s definitely a cash element paid, as opposed to collected.

WE had used Nationwide Flex Plus in the past and they found some way to calculate the points value but as you say its no longer within its cover.

WE haven’t left for the travel, but an illness or death may lead to cancellation or curtailment, so wanted to find something that covered us.

At the moment we have Paltinum Amex and Nationwide flex plus. For the flights, the taxes and charges on Avios were not paid on the platinum (maybe another Amex card if that still works?)

JDB wrote:

@meandthekids – it’s quite a difficult question! BA and Wanda now have a policy that covers Avios but it looks quite expensive and not very good. I think Amex still covers points. I think the exclusion of points by Aviva (which now underwrites Nationwide and HSBC Premier) is quite likely an unfair contract term but not one to rely upon. The question is, what are you trying to cover? Avios are refundable until 24 hours before your outbound flight so you only need to insure a short window which, for BA in case of illness/bereavement would be covered by the airline on production of evidence. In the event of you needing to come home early, the fact you paid with Avios/points still leaves the insurer with the promise to get you home.

For hotels, again generally you can cancel at fairly short notice so insuring the points only applies in a short window.

In my view, there’s no single insurance policy (particularly of the packaged variety) that meets every need so you need either to pick the one that covers all the most important bits for you or rely on a web of policies. I see the Nationwide Flex Plus travel policy as being free/negative cost since the £18/month gives me AA cover I would otherwise pay for and a member ‘dividend’. The HSBC Premier policy is free if you qualify for the account.

Platinum amex has excellent Postponement cover. So if the worst happened and you had to postpone the hotel stay, they would pay the difference in price/fees (upto £7.5k per person covered ).

[StanTheMan]

sinc1000 wrote:

Sorted now

The lady from Hong Kong office was great

She got me on 10am flight in the morning in club world to LHR

Happy days

Thanks for all the comments guys

Much appreciated

Sounds like the girl did good.

[StanTheMan]

Paul B wrote:

bigmaggot wrote:

Rob Burgess wrote:

Nothing turned up here!

I’ve had nothing from Amex, however speaking to Amex the offer is on for all. I’m £3k away from £400 credit! Thanks who raised this

Oh really, they say it’s available (open) to all personal plat members, and not targeted?

I have used the offer, and never got an email about it.

[StanTheMan]

I’d give it a hard pass – and I’m a fan of the original on Piccadilly. Was soulless and very average.

We had a good meal at Bob Bob Ricard Cite in the same area though.

[StanTheMan]

NunoBettencourtsPinky wrote:

Nice – not read The Times for years. How far right do they lean these days?

always room for improvement

[StanTheMan]

That’s saved me £400 a year!
But will have to give up the Sunday print edition delivery….

[StanTheMan]

My £400 travel credit is ready to use now….

Just have to click the option to use it before paying for a hotel/flight/car rental booking on Amex Travel.

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/how-to-use-travel-credit/

Another excellent benefit of the Platinum card/

[StanTheMan]

Thanks chaps

[StanTheMan]

Thanks @AndrewT very helpful
Any idea of time to receive the new card ? its been 2 weeks since my last statement and card switched over in the app, but no plastic arrived yet.

[StanTheMan]

We had v similar situation with 4 Avios flights. Broken ankle meant we had to cancel the flights for a refund. Could only re-book cash flights 5 months later when healed and school holidays allowed. New cost was a short £3,000. Platinum insurance paid out no issues. It’s postponement cover is very very good. I would call them to triple confirm the ex-Madrid isnt an issue. And you must get a not-fit-t0 fly letter from the doctor.

[StanTheMan]

Scott wrote:

runnerbean wrote:

JDB wrote:

Scott wrote:

Jesus Christ, this is primary school arithmetic.

There are over eight million working age adults in England with lower numeracy than a nine year old…

50% of the population has below average numeracy skills

How strange, I read that the figure with lower than average driving skills was also 50%.

Now that I think on it, I also read that 50% have lower than average parenting skills.

What an amazing coincidence, I wonder what the chances of that are.

I’d say the chances of all these averages being identical to the median value is extremely low. But sounds like you are the maths expert….

[StanTheMan]

Yes, that’s totally fine. Just bear in mind the max £35 cancellation charge per person.

I would add, it may be worth also looking at BA holidays – we have had very good deals to various Ikos resorts over the years – and save the Avios for another time.

[StanTheMan]

runnerbean wrote:

JDB wrote:

@runnerbean – keep a look out next time as you are paying extra for the celebrity anyway, even if you don’t get papped yourself. I don’t know if you need to alert the Daily Mail in advance, but freelancers are probably doing it for them. Did you miss Rita Ora – just googled it and the DM ran a story last week?

This may surprise you but I’m not a Daily Mail reader and last time my mother (who could probably tell me who on earth Rita Ora is) asked me to pick one up for her, I kept it firmly wrapped inside my copy of the Grauniad.

Ignore the troll. Amazing how many opinions he has of places he has never been to.
Nobu is phenomenal, in every one of their locations I’ve eaten at.

PS Rita Ora was at the Nobu in LA, so unlikely you would have seen her…..

[StanTheMan]

vzzbuckz wrote:

My wife had her card stolen recently – but I’ve not reported it yet; the thief is spending less.

Hahaha. Lovely stuff !

[StanTheMan]

Stayed here 3 or 4 times, all be it, all over 5 years ago.

But would thoroughly recommend. The lounge was very good. Pre dinner canapes were almost a meal in themselves. The pool areas and beach are a delight ( though the beach is a little walk from the hotel, over some open land).
If you are going to be drinking, the lounge will probably pay for itself with some pre-dinner drinks every night.

The location is also excellent. You can walk out to the JBR walk, which has some life in the evening.

From what ive heard, the GH has a very shaded pool – so if that is a concern, also another reason to pick the RC.

[StanTheMan]

Apologies, like the man in the orthopedic shoes said, I stand corrected. It most certainly came to the rescue in this case.

[StanTheMan]

Dont tell JDB, but a postponement claim just paid out in 5 days, thanks to the excellent policy provided by Amex Platinum.

Had 4 avios flights booked to travel next month, and a wife with a freshly broken ankle (luckily a stable fracture so already in an air boot after 2 days in a cast).

Paid cash for 4 new flights to go in April, as no avios availability now. 10 minutes to submit some PDFs and doctors letter via the portal. 5 days later, approval of claim confirmed, less the £50 excess.

No issues with any pre-existing conditions.

Very very impressed.

[StanTheMan]

Now I think of it – Sesto Senso in San Juan was also very good. Great food overlooking the harbour there.

[StanTheMan]

Taberna Maritima Agua y Sal in San Juan is about 5 minutes from the Abama. It is very popular. Basically a large fish counter where you pick what fish you want and how its cooked. Then they bring it over. Crazily good value.