The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 10th November

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• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:24

  I have SSSS on my boarding pass for my flight to the US today. I know in the US it means extra security checks, but does it mean anything when departing the UK? Does it mean extra checks at the gate (I already been through regular security) and is it just an extra bag check or is it more like Israel where they ask specific questions? I’ve been to the Us many times and have never had this on my boarding pass before

  • Michael AC says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:26

    You might be checked at the gate with bags and some more questions. Likely nothing too probing and it might mean you get to board a bit earlier.

  • Tom says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:27

    Selectee for enhanced hand baggage rummage at the gate. Usually takes moments and completed by a courteous security guard. Nothing to be concerned about.

  • Rui N. says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:31

    Nothing to worry about in my experience (got it 3 or 4 times, apparently more common if you buy tickets at short notice or just one ways). You might be stopped at the gate to talk to someone else (fake cop, someone from handling pretending to have some security role or maybe even a real cop), and might even have the chance to speak to someone from the US CBP if there is one around (I’ve had one once at Frankfurt).

    • Dominic says:

      10 Nov10 November 09:36

      Yes, I got mine on a one-way first class ticket once.

      I did find it odd how on my flight, out of 14 people selected, I was the *only* white person, the rest were East or South Asian. Flying from the Middle East.

      • John says:

        10 Nov10 November 09:45

        The rest may have had visa interviews

  • Jon G says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:45

    It’s a deeper search at the gate – they may ask you to empty out your hand carry/bags, they’ll probably do a swab test (for explosive material etc) and a body search.

  • N says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:45

    Extra security. If you’re travelling with someone give them your hand luggage to save time/hassle.

    Sometimes it also means you’ll board first, which is a small perk of the security theatre you’re now an unwilling participant in.

    • Lady London says:

      10 Nov10 November 19:35

      And there was me thinking it was an upgrade

  • Anna says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:50

    I don’t understand why they tell you this beforehand – surely if you were a security risk this would give you plenty of chance to disappear?!

    • Anna says:

      10 Nov10 November 09:51

      But yes, my OH got picked for this a few years ago and was seated comfortably with his glass of fizz by the time the rest of us boarded!

      • davef says:

        10 Nov10 November 10:49

        Every time I’ve had this happen I’ve been last to board because they’ve emptied everything out of my bag and slowly and painfully swapped everything whilst stopping every few seconds to chat to a colleague or do something else.

        Once I was identified as having ‘explosive residue’ on the bag handle… I said well you can open it then, I’m not touching it.

        • Mike says:

          10 Nov10 November 17:58

          “They painfully swapped everything” – I hope you were satisfied with their substitutions !!

    • Save East Coast Rewards says:

      10 Nov10 November 09:56

      Yeah, it makes no sense, particularly as I’m travelling with someone else (who didn’t get SSSS) so I could give them my gun and explosives if I was carrying them (for the avoidance of doubt, as you don’t know who’s reading this, I don’t have anything like that)

      • Super Secret Stuff says:

        10 Nov10 November 10:02

        TBF a terrorist would still have to get passed the US air marshal and random armed pilots on the flight, but because its not visible it doesn’t make you feel safe

      • Nick says:

        10 Nov10 November 10:11

        Great, give them all your bags when you get to the gate, makes the process much faster.

    • Super Secret Stuff says:

      10 Nov10 November 10:00

      There are research reports on the impact of theater of security Vs actual effectiveness, fascinating reads if you have mastered the art of not giving an f when you die

      The marker is there for operational reasons to enforce the theater of security

      • Sandra says:

        10 Nov10 November 10:55

        I’ve had SSSS a couple of times and also been questioned more at my destination entry point too – by the questions possibly because I had residency visa’s in my passport for two ME countries (one current, one expired at the time) and various in/out stamps, although I had flown to the US from the UK. On the other hand on our last visit, once in the US, they gave our son their fast track through airport security and he also had similar visa’s, stamps etc in his passport, so who knows what their thinking is?!

• Amo says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:29

  Thankfully, BA have changed their hold music to add a bit more variety 🙂

  • memesweeper says:

    10 Nov10 November 10:55

    really? I thought the repetition was some sort of special torture to make us all hang up…

• Magic Mike says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:30

  Morning PointyHeads!

  Question for the more grey-haired chat readers – credit card applications when retired, drawing down on investments. How do you find your acceptance rate/credit limit? Do they care that drawdown might be more variable than a regular monthly paycheque (especially if you’re trying to optimise for tax bands)? Is a 2 year Amex churn strategy still viable or is that too much of a hit to your credit record?

  Not pulled the plug here yet, but thinking about it and thinking if there is anything I need to do to get my ducks in a row before I do…

  Thank you!

  • Anna says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:56

    Hi @ Magic Mike. I don’t actually let my greys show lol but since I retired on a very modest pension by HFP standards I have been accepted for several Amexes with healthy 5 figure credit limits. Possibly including the rest of the household income helps but they never seem to check – prompt and regular payment seems to be more of a factor IME. They go off annual income anyway so presumably you would be entering the figure for what you generally draw down over 12 months?

  • xcalx says:

    10 Nov10 November 12:56

    The late Nana xcalx had 3 new Amex cards every year from age 80 to 90 via my referrals. We just put down income of £28000 and business owner even though her income was state pension only. She was never asked any questions.

    I would just keep to the same income as before retirement.

    • Magic Mike says:

      10 Nov10 November 20:09

      Thanks both, reassuring to hear that retirement doesn’t automatically turn you into a credit card pariah!

• Doog1000 says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:30

  Sorry another Bendy question as options decline. Since the weekend update of the Beardy credit card app I can no longer pay off the card with Bendy linked to Barclaycard but others such as MBNA still work fine. Anyone else with same experience – I get “ah sorry your bank has declined the payment” message which is odd since no record on the Bendy app

• Oliver says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:31

  Amex emailed me a survey about my Platinum card, asking how much I valued current benefits and my thoughts about potential new ones. Lots of questions about an improved MR earnings rate – that would be nice!

  • MD says:

    10 Nov10 November 10:00

    That’s encouraging to hear. I’m between platinums at present but every time they emailed a survey before, I always put in an extended rant (very politely though) about how poor the MR earning rate was for a supposed flagship card, even beaten by the PRGC etc. Hope others do the same. Maybe they’re finally listening.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      10 Nov10 November 10:36

      Yes as a true travel card it would be better if we earned bonus on travel related spend like the gold

      Hotel/restaurant (differentiator)flights, fx spend etc.

      The unique platinum only offers seem to have run dry too (not the free money JL Dining etc) but the enhanced £50 instead of £25 off the other cards get or exclusive spend related money off for the more expensive hotel/restaurant groups.

  • A says:

    10 Nov10 November 13:41

    I got a survey about possible new card deisgns instead

• Dave says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:33

  Anyone triggered a Companion Voucher recently? If so how long did it take to hit your account? Triggered one early last week but hasn’t shown up in BA account yet.

• Colin H says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:37

  Hi.
  Does anyone have a code for Charles Tywitt shirts?

  • Andrew M says:

    10 Nov10 November 22:47

    No but my tip is to Google Charles Tywitt rather than type in ctcshirts… you will be taken to a version of the website where you will find you get better prices on multi buys

• Michael says:

  10 Nov10 November 09:40

  Apologies as I know this has been discussed ad nauseam but being billed £99 by Creation for the annual fee after having received the dreaded “it’s not us it’s you” letter. Are people having success getting the fee refunded?

  • John says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:46

    No

  • Anna says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:59

    I would rather actually be charged the fee, which I don’t think I have been, as Creation are going to find it harder to justify withholding the final few weeks’ worth of benefits if they have charged it.

    • Colin MacKinnon says:

      10 Nov10 November 10:53

      +1 on that Anna!

      No fee, no free night cert and no points – all due last month.

    • Lady London says:

      10 Nov10 November 19:48

      Unfortunately, sounds as though they may be getting smarter.

      They will still free nights earned though. I think I’d still go after them for the points – who says card fee is for any more than having the cars, I certainly expect all parts of the contract to be upheld they don’t get to pick and choose.

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