"Honey" and "hon" are definitely flourishing in the US of A. However, a cagey businessman carrying on an affair with an MP's wife is most unlikely to use it in the presence of the Detective Chief Inspector.

Here in Missouri people use "hon" to give you the bad news gently, as in "There's a hardware store, but they be closed now, hon."

And then there's the stressed-out "honey" that you hear between married couples. "Honey, I TOLD you that the checking account had less than $200 in it!"
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Thanks for the updates on 'blag.' It is obviously a word that's getting popular and is also in transition.