Bits: Travelex / Avios, 20% bonus on transfers to Etihad, £4 Manchester passport control fee

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• Genghis says:

  11 Oct11 October 07:23

  OT. Last reminder for Tesco Xmas saver. Closes early next week. 6% return on £200, all paid in codes you can then spend in Tesco (including grocery online).

  • Optimus Prime says:

    11 Oct11 October 09:12

    Thanks for the reminder, Genghis!

    Have just signed up. How does one make a top-up?

    Also what’s the best strategy here? Opt out once Tesco post the codes or remain opted in for all year?

    • Genghis says:

      11 Oct11 October 09:20

      After you’ve selected Xmas saver, wait a day for system update then go into store and top up using your club card. Once vouchers all received in Nov, opt out to get vouchers throughout the year (or go to virgin temporarily if there’s a 1k autoconvert on).

      • Optimus Prime says:

        11 Oct11 October 09:24

        Thanks!

      • Genghis says:

        11 Oct11 October 12:56

        No.
        Normal vouchers – do what you want, convert to avios etc.
        Top up vouchers – only spend in Tesco. 2 year validity
        Bonus vouchers – only spend in Tesco. c. 2 months validity IIRC.

      • the real harry1 says:

        11 Oct11 October 13:06

        OK thanks for clarification, I wonder why they make you opt out of auto-conversion —>Avios/ Virgin? – probably uses the same mechanism in some way, even if you get your Clubcard vouchers as normal

      • Genghis says:

        11 Oct11 October 13:12

        Part of the point of the Xmas saver scheme is for the not so well off to save their vouchers throughout the year for Xmas.

  • rams1981 says:

    11 Oct11 October 09:30

    Thanks @genghis. Am I missing something or can you top up £200 onto your Clubcard and use the vouchers to convert to BA/Virgin miles for cheap?

    • callum says:

      11 Oct11 October 09:37

      No because you’re not strictly topping up £200 onto the Clubcard – you’re buying top-up vouchers which can only be spent in-store.

      • rams1981 says:

        11 Oct11 October 09:40

        Ah thanks. Still not bad for buying other gift cards which come without much discount usually like Amazon

      • the real harry1 says:

        11 Oct11 October 12:27

        but are the top up vouchers sent in the post?

        seems like sending £212 in cash through the post – or are they unique to a Clubcard a/c?

      • Genghis says:

        11 Oct11 October 12:36

        They would be sent through the post (I believe) if you have your set up to post. I just do e-vouchers for security reasons.

        But I think Tesco have strengthened things recently. As a further preventative control, don’t you now need to use a Tesco clubcard to redeem vouchers in store (which would presumably need to match the voucher?)?

      • Genghis says:

        11 Oct11 October 12:39

        Saying that, I used my codes last year on my wife’s Tesco account (Delivery Saver) so perhaps the controls aren’t that strong…

      • rams1981 says:

        11 Oct11 October 13:04

        @genghis what’s the best way to contact you. I’m not on twitter. Do you use ukhd?

      • Genghis says:

        11 Oct11 October 13:10

        @rams1981. I’m genghis1232 on FT. Just signed up to HUKD with same username but I don’t seem to be able to send messages. If not, I’m happy for Rob to put us in touch, if he would be so kind?

      • the real harry1 says:

        11 Oct11 October 13:14

        we can message you (just tried it) but looks like you can only receive not send 🙂

        “Sorry, you can’t currently send PMs. Once you’re a more active member of the forum, the PM service will be unlocked for you.”

      • rams1981 says:

        11 Oct11 October 13:27

        Just messaged you @genghis. Have a FT account though barely on the site itself

• Derek Scott says:

  11 Oct11 October 07:43

  I’m sure EDI airport introduced the Immigration FastTrack fee option last year

• W says:

  11 Oct11 October 07:50

  If I’m not mistaken, people like Travelex have terrible fx rates? £300 = 300 avios would need to be <£3 add on to the best rate, right?

  • Genghis says:

    11 Oct11 October 07:54

    People should run some numbers before purchase. I very much doubt Travelex overall beats one of the zero added options.

    • JP says:

      11 Oct11 October 08:36

      Although if you need cash they will generally price match the best ones out there if you put in a claim. Ordering in advance is a much better rate than walk out as well.

      • Stu N says:

        11 Oct11 October 09:29

        Pre-order rates aren’t too bad compared to other “pick up” options like post office and high street FX outlets. We often order a bit of currency to collect at Heathrow so we aren’t charging around looking for an ATM as soon as we arrive somewhere. You can “double dip” on Avios and HR points too.

• Eric says:

  11 Oct11 October 08:08

  Hi Rob

  The special Travelex/Avios link doesn’t appear to be working.

  • Rob says:

    11 Oct11 October 08:55

    Stoopid redirect system ….. edited the direct link into the article at the top. Thanks.

• Nick says:

  11 Oct11 October 08:47

  Biggest Bit of all…

  Keep an eye on ba.com about midday today……………

  • Rob says:

    11 Oct11 October 08:55

    Are they dumping the new website?!

    • Stu N says:

      11 Oct11 October 09:38

      Double Avios in new bookings between now and end of year – just had email now.

    • Lawro says:

      11 Oct11 October 09:42

      Please let that be true – searching for reward flights has become painful!

      Did they headhunt the person in charge of the Virgin website makeover to do the BA one?!

    • Kinkell says:

      11 Oct11 October 15:15

      Its awful. Hate it. Seems to be the time of year for tinkering with websites (+ Amex) and making them user unfriendly.

      • Rob says:

        11 Oct11 October 15:42

        This ‘lots of white space’ trend, from BA and Amex, is a function of ‘responsive’ web design. You create a site which can work on any screen size, but the problem is that anything bigger than an iPad looks rubbish.

        You see the same thing with a lot of blog templates. Big acres of white space so that the content can resize itself. HFP still runs off a non-responsive template so it doesn’t do that.

        • Alan says:

          11 Oct11 October 20:16

          Agree they’re using responsive design, but it doesn’t have to end up looking rubbish – they just haven’t spent time coding it properly. Some sites do a much better job – for example if you access the BBC News homepage on your desktop browser then gradually resize the window you’ll see how it both reflows and drops images to fill available space sensibly.

      • the real harry1 says:

        11 Oct11 October 15:56

        it’s not the blimmin’ white space that’s bothering me… 🙂

• filipino_chino says:

  11 Oct11 October 08:53

  I must be the only one that does not mind MAN – saying that, i come from York so i can get the train to the building and QR check-in desk is the first one…

  I know it’s not great, but it’s not bad, not a fan of BHX for the North.

  • TripRep says:

    11 Oct11 October 10:29

    Arriving at MAN & departing BHX in a few weekends time, not looking forward to either…

• CountryKerry says:

  11 Oct11 October 09:47

  OT but Amex have two offers for ESSO on my card. Both are essentially the same, £5 off every time I spend £50 or more. They just have different expiry dates.

  I’ve loaded both and will pay a visit to a Tesco express, combined with an ESSO and buy some gift vouchers later!

  • the real harry1 says:

    11 Oct11 October 12:05

    same here

    just popped to 2 different Essos and got 6x success emails 🙂

    no gcs down here so had to stock up some stamps

    doh! forgot to use myClubcard

    • rams1981 says:

      11 Oct11 October 13:07

      Good work Harry. That’s a lot of stamps!

      • the real harry1 says:

        11 Oct11 October 19:16

        well it was £50+£5+£5 of diesel & £45+£45 of stamps so not too many

    • CountryKerry says:

      11 Oct11 October 18:49

      You could always ‘borrow’ a gift card from another Tesco Store…

• UpInTheAir says:

  11 Oct11 October 09:51

  As a Londoner, I compared Thomas Exchange with Travelex for a bundle of currencies which I need for an upcoming trip to SE Asia.

  TE want £1086.37 but I would have to spend up to £12.00 on travel costs, so £1098.37
  TX want £1117.49 i.e. an additional £19.12 though of course they are slightly more convenient as it’s collection at my departure airport

  So 1117 Avios for £19.12 ? At that price I am in no way a buyer (and in any case there are other things I can do in London on Friday, so no time/money wasted really !)

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