MSE News: Budget airline fee blow as Visa Electron bank cards phased out 19 May 2010 at 7:32PM edited 21 May 2010 at 4:23PM in Flights, currency & car hire 16 replies 3.5K views

Former_MSE_Natasha

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"Numerous banks are axing the plastic, which can often be used to bypass payment charges on flight bookings ..."

Read the full story:

Budget airline fee blow as Visa Electron bank cards phased out

aleph_0

I think nationwide are bringing in the visa electron, as their cashcard+ card on the basic bank account (existing customers have been receiving letters about this).

Edit: citation: http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/card-changes2.htm
The card described seems to function like an electron, but they don't actually use the word 'electron' anywhere, so slightly unconfirmed.

stclair

Im sure the card itself will be visa debit however it will possible need to seek authorisation for every transaction processed very similar to the barclays and lloyds tsb basic account debit cards.

squidworth

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=27419531&postcount=59

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8384034.stm

Chrisblue1962

At least I'll be able to use my new Visa debit card at card-only petrol pumps and at my local station.

peterbaker

I am amazed that the OFT haven't stopped the practice of surcharging which Ryanair introduced and has been manipulating ever since.

It is not a fair practice and is it is thus misleading and unlawful when it is translated by Ryanair and others as an "avoidable charge" which they do not quote as part of the upfront price.

Clearly an internet or telephone only booking service (which effectively is what all the lo-cost services offer), requires a debit or credit card. There is no other way to pay.

The OFT should simply force the airlines to include whatever the airline wishes to charge as the "norm" for card payments within its upfront price.

But OFT won't do this because they are years behind the curve on almost everything ...

whatmichaelsays

peterbaker wrote: »

I am amazed that the OFT haven't stopped the practice of surcharging which Ryanair introduced and has been manipulating ever since.

It is not a fair practice and is it is thus misleading and unlawful when it is translated by Ryanair and others as an "avoidable charge" which they do not quote as part of the upfront price.

Clearly an internet or telephone only booking service (which effectively is what all the lo-cost services offer), requires a debit or credit card. There is no other way to pay.

The OFT should simply force the airlines to include whatever the airline wishes to charge as the "norm" for card payments within its upfront price.

But OFT won't do this because they are years behind the curve on almost everything ...

But it is possible to avoid the payment fee with the RIGHT card.

Foxtbh

Card surcharges irritate me - Virgin recently charged me 2% on top of an already £1000 booking simply to use a card. As if I was going to pay using a debit card for an amount like that?

vandermerwe

For me the removal of Electron by Visa Debit seems a good thing - but cynic that I am I am looking for the catch.

A growing number of mail order suppliers were accepting "all credit cards except Electron".

Now mine has been replaced by the Co-op Bank I'm going try and order from a well known supplier which states this in their catalogue.

The peculiar thing is I have never managed to find out from any supplier just why they were so anti-Electron.

Vandermerwe

miele_2

I am so fed up with these fees from ryanair and easyjet, I am going to try to change my Halifax Visa Debit Card into an Electron Card on Monday.

I don't use the account (current account) very often as I bank elsewhere so I hope they'll let me do it. Any ideas how long it'll take for the Electron card to come through?

estelle123

I use my daughters Halifax account to book all my easyjet flights,about 20 a year,it only has an Electron Card.Saves a lot of money over the year.