Originally Posted by
JAXBA
...unless you return them via Avios.com/EI - I regularly sweep my orphan IB balances (from Accor or promotions) into Avios.com and then on to my BAEC HHA.
Yes, but the OP was having problems opening an EI account.
I also suspect that a lot of people have forgotten to keep their EI account independently active, so one day those Avios will simply expire en route to BA...