The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 5th October

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Tony says:

5 Oct5 October 10:58

As Nick’s commented earlier, changes will be coming to the Lloyds Mastercard on 15 October. In my case, I’m confused whether future council tax payments will be treated differently, and changed from card purchase to cash transaction. Lloyds wording on this in their July letter seems a bit ambiguous to me: ‘Paying government or court fines, enforcement penalties, fees or costs.’

I wonder if anyone has already clarified this with Lloyds?
- Andrew says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:38
  
  Looking at my MBNA account, the last time I paid my Council Tax it was processed as:-
  
  “Government Services – not elsewhere classified” (9399)
  
  So it clearly states *service* rather than fines, fees, penalties or costs. Might have to wait and see how LBG deal with them though and what code your own local authority uses to process the transactions.
- Yorkie Aid says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 13:33
  
  Surely any charge for paying council tax could be successfully fought and reclaimed. It clearly isn’t a “cash” like transaction.
Ilou says:

5 Oct5 October 11:20

What’s the cheapest but reliable test provider nowadays for a fit to fly certificate please ? I need someone who also takes kids form 4 years old please ?
Thanks
- Tracey says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 11:43
  
  Nationwide Pathology £40.
  - Phil says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 11:56
    
    Agreed. Worked very well for me last week.
  - CB says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 12:17
    
    seconded.
TheOtherN says:

5 Oct5 October 11:51

Treasure hunt! If you’re flying from BCN *today* though international (D,E) gates beyond passport control:

Duty Free gave me a 15% off voucher. I won’t use it. I’ve hidden it behind a sanitising gel dispensor, that is mounted on the wall between an “Ecopunt” recycling bin and a decommissioned Deli Corner which are to your right as you exit the duty free shop.

If you find it, enjoy. If you don’t, maybe someone got there first. Or a cleaner nabbed it. Either way, post here if you used it. Cheers!
- Beardless Hipster says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:38
  
  I would have handed it to a shopper entering the store.
  - Simon says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 13:25
    
    where’s the fun in that though
Super Secret Stuff says:

5 Oct5 October 11:52

Anyone else keep getting random bonus 100 nectar points for no apparent reason? (at least that I can remember of)

I’ve had 3 in the last 2 weeks, posting as “bonus offers” or “SmartOffers App”
- Paul Pogba says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:02
  
  Yes but I’ve not had the 1000 I should have had for the first use of the Smart Shop app.
  - Richie says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 12:05
    
    Did you need to add that one to your card?
    - Paul Pogba says:
      
      5 Oct5 October 14:13
      
      It wasn’t mentioned in the email but waiting 28 days for them to post was so I’m probably being impatient 🙂
HH says:

5 Oct5 October 12:12

My Amex PRG showing an enhanced referral bonus of 18k until 9 Nov (usually 6k). Is this the same for everyone else?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:24
  
  Yup
GaryE says:

5 Oct5 October 12:12

Not sure if this has been mentioned but the USA have raised Barbados to level 4 and advised not to travel to the island.
Ryan says:

5 Oct5 October 12:20

On a scale of 0 – HFP’er how genius am I?

Booked a £6 one way ticket to Milan and £13 airport bus return ticket

With free lounge access, me and a mate will be spending a few hours enjoying the comforts of the lounge instead of going to a pub

“Flight times are ideal being in the evening too”
- Super Secret Stuff says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:22
  
  Pure genius, until you realise the prices of alcohol on the flights hahaha
  - Ryan says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 12:26
    
    We won’t be taking the flight.. it’s only to pass security!
    - Sundar says:
      
      5 Oct5 October 12:30
      
      Wasn’t there a “flight no-show” charge that airlines used to charge for not showing up to a first-leg of a flight ?
    - Ste C says:
      
      5 Oct5 October 12:31
      
      how do you get back out from airside?
      - Aston100 says:
        
        5 Oct5 October 12:40
        
        “how do you get back out from airside?”
        
        Go into a bag shop at the airport and ask the staff “does my bomb look big in this?”
      - Gary says:
        
        5 Oct5 October 13:03
        
        Declare to ground staff can’t fly for whatever reason, then they let you out to join immigration queue (at least this was the case at LHR) and exit as an arrival
      - J says:
        
        5 Oct5 October 14:49
        
        Won’t be the first people to get side-tracked in the lounge and forget about the flight.
- Reney says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:28
  
  Is lounge access guaranteed?
  - Karl says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 14:41
    
    Good luck getting into the lounge if it’s Priority Pass.
- ChrisC says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:28
  
  which airport and airline?
  - J says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 12:33
    
    I’m guessing the price tells us the airline!
    - Ryan says:
      
      5 Oct5 October 13:11
      
      I think you’ve cracked it!
- Rui N. says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 12:44
  
  0, plenty of people do that. You didn’t even need to pay the £6, just buy a refundable ticket.
  - Reney says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 12:46
    
    how late can you do the refund? Up to an hour before the flight?
  - Rui N. says:
    
    5 Oct5 October 12:46
    
    If you manage to beat these guys (one of them did it for 300 days in a row, apparently), then you get a 10: https://viewfromthewing.com/man-arrested-in-singapore-for-buying-refundable-ticket-to-escort-his-wife-to-her-gate-but-not-flying/
    - Ryan says:
      
      5 Oct5 October 13:12
      
      Interesting, but a lot of effort for £4-6
      - Rui N. says:
        
        5 Oct5 October 13:20
        
        Well, if you do it every day for 300 days, £4 per day adds up!
Kai says:

5 Oct5 October 12:27

Entering Portugal – I remember there were some discussions previously. Is it confirmed whether we still need the pre-arrival covid test with the NHS vaccination record?
- Dave says:
  
  5 Oct5 October 13:03
  
  It wouldn’t use the word confirmed but my daughter flew over two days ago and took the test just to be on the safe side