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The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 16th March

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General

Comments (415)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Tariq says:
    16 Mar16 March 11:35

    Anybody had experience with Lanistar? Their App Store description seems to imply they are a me-too of Curve but with recharge to Brighton based cards…

    • Rhys says:
      16 Mar16 March 11:37

      Big hype when they launched with influencers last year but then a but then it came out it hadn’t registered with the FCA at that time etc etc. https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/fca-statement-lanistar-consumer-warning

      • Aston100 says:
        16 Mar16 March 13:03

        There were so many good codenames for it ready for use on this site.
        What a shame.

      • George1976 says:
        16 Mar16 March 14:17

        “ Big hype when they launched with influencers last year”

        That’s a good enough reason not to get one then.

    • Connor says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:32

      Was actually reading about it last night. Guy running it seems a bit of an idiot. Hired 60 people for customer service and has had to sack them before the product has even launched.

      I’m signed up for the Chrome X plan, should be interesting to see when (if) it finally launches.

  • Steve says:
    16 Mar16 March 11:41

    Anyone have a good resource that outlines which energy providers allow overpayment by card, and of those which accept Amex? Bulb has been mentioned as one that takes card, wondering if there is a summary somewhere?

    If not, anyone using any of the following and can advise? Outfox The Market, Green, Avro, Igloo or Bulb. Thanks!

    • M says:
      16 Mar16 March 11:55

      Bulb you can do – £50:£50 referral code if you would like it.

    • Peter K says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:03

      Avro accept amex payments…but then won’t allow you to reduce your DD even with a chunky positive balance on the account.

    • Rhys says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:04

      Octopus and London Power do too

      • Jane says:
        16 Mar16 March 12:17

        Igloo do, and pay 3% interest. I haven’t quite worked out how to reduce the direct debit yet though.

    • JDB says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:47

      E.On takes overpayments, but only on automated telephone rather than online if your account is more than £300 in credit. They don’t take Amex though. Once you are enough in credit, it is very easy to reduce your monthly DD online to a nominal sum. At the annual review they put the credit into your bank account!!

    • Tom says:
      16 Mar16 March 13:00

      Igloo. Plus 3% interest on your balance is worthwhile.

    • Buxton says:
      16 Mar16 March 13:23

      I use Octopus, they will cancel your DD if you ask them and they do take Amex when they generate bills, although they don’t chase for payment straight away when the balance is outstanding.

      They’ve been pretty good and attentive when I’ve needed them, i think they also have a few tariffs now so check them to see if they match Igloo and others.

    • Hugh says:
      16 Mar16 March 15:07

      Last week I made an Amex payment to Green, but still to see if they adjust my Direct Debit.

    • Steve says:
      16 Mar16 March 16:24

      Good to know all, this could almost be an arts in itself it seems! Igloo sounds intriguing, will dig into some more.

  • C says:
    16 Mar16 March 11:50

    I’ve just had my council tax bill and it says that you can pay it at the Post Office – does anyone do this and pay the whole lot for the year on Amex? I’ve seen co-op mentioned recently. Alternatively I will pay online/by phone with IHG card but would be good to be able to put it towards companion voucher spend

    • Secret Squirrel says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:43

      I have had council tax at the P.O only accept MC/Visa. The tills were hard coded to it accept Amex even though they accepted it for other things?

    • PJJ says:
      16 Mar16 March 19:31

      our local Post Office take Amex. If you Council Tax Bill has a barcode on it you should be OK
      Have paid Car Tax the same way at the Post Office
      Easy to call in and ask

  • Anon says:
    16 Mar16 March 11:52

    Is a Avios household pot different from an individual pot of avios who is logged in?

    • Rhys says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:06

      Household is all members combined, individual is just your Avios?

      • Anon says:
        16 Mar16 March 13:05

        I could see 33k in my individual and 36k in my household. If I use up my 33k then I presume the household pot will go down?

        • Rhys says:
          16 Mar16 March 13:13

          Yes, Avios are taken from the household in proportion to the total each person contributes.
          Eg, Person 1 has 1,000 Avios and Person 2 has 2,000 Avios, an Avios booking for 1,000 Avios would see 333 Avios taken from Person 1 and 666 from Person 2.

          • Chris Heyes says:
            16 Mar16 March 13:47

            Rhys Yes but you can ask them to do it differently most cs will
            We have a household Acc (myself and Partner) plus her brother his own account
            But three of us travel together
            I Have asked when booking for equal amounts to be taken from each account and it hasn’t been a problem.
            I Have also asked for the whole amount of Avios to come from my account on occasions for the three of us . My pot quite large

  • Colin MacKinnon says:
    16 Mar16 March 12:01

    I know some people here love Trump Turnberry, so here’s an offer from a Scottish based deals site. £199 for a deluxe room B&B, or £299 per night DBB. Too close to home for me!

    https://www.itison.com/Edinburgh/deals/multi-award-winning-trump-turnberry-break–346e4367-acb1-4f39-9d82-1d04a16788ec

    • Anna says:
      16 Mar16 March 13:01

      When can we come?! I’ve got 5 nights booked on points as my summer Plan C so I might look at this as a possible add on, cheers.

  • will says:
    16 Mar16 March 12:02

    Ref: Virgin flying club login

    Anyone else fink it bonkers that the 2 entry boxes initially present as username and password and then when you enter username the surname box is produced in the middle.

    Almost without fail I forget, and tab down and write my password which is revealed then in the surname box in plaintext.

    Very poor web design

    • KS says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:40

      If you use the flying club number it won’t ask for surname. Unless things have changed since last I logged in.

      • Chas says:
        16 Mar16 March 18:45

        Good tip – thanks. Must explain why the surname field isn’t there by default. It’s always annoyed me too @will.

  • Yorkieflyer says:
    16 Mar16 March 12:51

    Being reported by TTG that Aer Lingus has begun recruiting staff for its new Manchester transatlantic services – which may include a route to Antigua.

  • TicknBash says:
    16 Mar16 March 12:56

    Anyone knows the best value way to book for 2 adults and a 3 year old with 241/reward?

    Or if 2x 241 is used, does anyone know what happens if adult number 3 can’t make the trip ?

    • Rob says:
      16 Mar16 March 13:35

      Has to be 2 separate bookings, adult + child on the 241 and then the 2nd adult on a separate booking, unless the child is old enough to avoid the bank on unaccompanied minors.

      • Genghis says:
        16 Mar16 March 13:53

        I’ve been able to use 241 for two adults and one child on one PNR.

        • Anna says:
          16 Mar16 March 14:21

          Yes, you can have a child on a 241 booking with 2 adults. Even some BA staff don’t know this, the CSA who processed my last cancellation was very confused that 3 of us were on the booking.

          • Rob says:
            16 Mar16 March 14:51

            Are you Gold? This is a stated benefit for Gold members (PNR linking).

          • Anna says:
            16 Mar16 March 15:51

            No I’m blue, OH is bronze. Never had an issue with it.

          • Anna says:
            16 Mar16 March 15:52

            Apologies, not PNR linking – making a 241 booking for 2 adults and a child!

      • Nadeshka says:
        16 Mar16 March 15:03

        I currently have a 241 booking for 2 adults and then my 2 year old on a completely separate PNR – so it’s not a complete ban, they seem to be able to override if necessary.
        This was as a result of shifting a sale booking after her 2nd birthday so she needed to be rebooked separately. No status.

        • TicknBash says:
          16 Mar16 March 15:57

          We’re in similar position.
          Thanks to HfP I timed our trip for my daughter’s 2nd birthday outgoing infant return child on F to HKG but got cancelled – eVoucher.

          Trying to rebook but getting inconsistent advice from CSA.
          First CSA was confused how to deal with infant eVoucher that is now a child.
          Second just adviced to cancel and refund everything and start again – but will result in a 241 voucher expiring – we have 3 x 241 now.

          Option 3 would be to use 2x 241 with 3 adult 1 child – instead of paying cash fare for child.

          Children are expensive !

          • Nadeshka says:
            16 Mar16 March 16:38

            The CS initially suggested the full cancel and rebook but I didn’t want to lose the 50% sale fare we paid.
            She did a bit of checking and her solution was to remove the infant and rebook her as a standalone child redemption, but then we could shift the two adults with a 241 & sale fare (so 25% cost) free of charge and no requirement for avios availability for the two adults, only the child. Could see if a CS is willing to do the same in your case?
            Ours was initially a March 2020 booking that I took a FTV for and rebooked in October 2020 for Jan 2021. Once the Jan booking cancelled they allowed me to shift till the end of June.

            And yes the little one has messed up all our holiday strategies! We are looking at another redemption booking as also swimming in 241s – have decided to take grandma who is happy to entertain herself and maybe do a bit of free babysitting in the evenings! Feels wrong to pay full price just for a toddler.

    • Nadeshka says:
      16 Mar16 March 14:41

      If using 2×241 I don’t think you can go ahead without the 4th adult? Similar to if one adult can’t make a normal 241 booking.
      As a point if using 2×241 and both are in your name then it needs to all be in one PNR as a fresh booking. I was advised just now by CS that they wouldn’t be able to add 2 people with my 241 onto an existing booking I was on or add to an FTV I was on.

      I did have to remove an infant from a 241+infant booking and it was about 2 hours on the phone with CS for her to get the system to allow it.

      Best value in the future for 3, if eligible for the Barclays Premier account, might be a combination of 241 for 2 and the Barclays voucher for the 3rd.

      • Anna says:
        16 Mar16 March 15:53

        Yes we’ve done a few trips in the past few years where OH and son used a 241 and I used the Lloyds upgrade voucher, where there were 3 avios seats in CW.

      • TicknBash says:
        16 Mar16 March 16:09

        Switched to Barclays Prem last year and bagged 25k avios – very happy with the service and benefits.
        Just locked in to a 7 year Premier exclusive mortgage product at the int. rate of 2 year fixed – and the upcoming upgrade voucher but is 12 months away !

        Converting the Mrs once its rolled out hopefully soon.

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