With the gloom of winter hurtling ever closer I was idly looking at the website today to try to cheer myself up with thoughts of next summer's family holiday to Europe.

However it turns out there is no availability using mileage redemptions to anywhere I want to go in August. Nothing in Portugal, Spain (except Madrid, where I already go for work), southern France (except Nice - same applies as for Madrid), Italy, Cyprus..

Am I just too late and they've already been booked? Or don't BA offer mileage redemptions to holiday places at a time when I might actually want to go on holiday?