The British Airways Prepaid Mastercard thread

[Robm]

Datapoint – called BA pre-paid twice this afternoon to cancel our cards. We got through and had the request dealt with in about 5 minutes both times. We were fortunate in both getting our 3k avios each, posted automatically.

[idrive]

Good morning! Does anyone recall if any category were excluded from this £500 initial spending?

[chrism20]

I’m still having an issue with a transaction on this card and I really don’t think they have a clue what they are doing.

Back at the end of September I made a purchase online from Boots for around £35. Transaction went through fine and I received the goods. Nothing was returned and at the start of October I received a push message on my phone saying the refund for the transaction had been processed and the Avios would be removed. They were removed the following day.

The refund shows on the transaction list and shows the points being deducted, however the cash hasn’t went back. I have returned anything so I’m not expecting the cash.

Contacted them in the first few days of October and was advised it would need to be investigated. Received an email about ten days later saying it was still being looked at. Two weeks after that I emailed asking if there was an updated and received back a response saying it was still being looked at and that the person dealing with it was now going on holiday and it was being passed to a manager to reply early the following week.

One day short of a fortnight later I received a reply with a copy of the card statement and they are saying it shows that the refund has been applied. The statement clearly shows the refund being applied, however the balance before and after the refund are exactly the same.

They can’t explain to me what has happened and they appear to have no idea how to fix it and add a paltry 17 Avios back to the account. It’s getting quite comical.

[SteveJ]

@chrism20 at this point I’d be tempted to switch approach. Instead of chasing the Avios insist the balance is updated to reflect the refund if they are so insistent that the transaction is reversed.

At a guess this sound like there may have been a pre authorisation by Boots at order and then they rang the transaction through at dispatch. In which case you may have 3 transactions total, charge at order, refund, charge at dispatch. Somewhere the card statement is missing one of those, but the balance is reflecting it.

[BuildBackBetter]

Why do people bother using this card for daily expenses? It’s so badly designed and supported – just use it to spend once, meet the bonus requirements and dump it. If the issuer doesn’t realise even then how bad the product is, who cares?

[Skywalker]

BuildBackBetter wrote:

Why do people bother using this card for daily expenses? It’s so badly designed and supported – just use it to spend once, meet the bonus requirements and dump it. If the issuer doesn’t realise even then how bad the product is, who cares?

+1 @BuildBackBetter – however if you read above, some people have tried to do all of those things you’ve mentioned, and the card still hasn’t functioned 😀

Glad I didn’t bother with this one – too much hassle.

[Ibblybibbly]

ed_fly wrote:

JL wrote:

ed_fly wrote:

I’ve received 1,500 Avios on Monday, but not the 2nd 1,500. Anyone else in this situation? And has anyone managed to get BA to manually award the additional 1,500?

I’m in this situation too, haven’t gotten round to contacting BA yet

thanks glad to know that I’m not alone. I can’t say I’m overly motivated to call BA for 1,500 Avios. Not worth the time and effort

Me too. Has anyone missing the extra 1,500 seen them appear since posting ?

[chrism20]

BuildBackBetter wrote:

Why do people bother using this card for daily expenses? It’s so badly designed and supported – just use it to spend once, meet the bonus requirements and dump it. If the issuer doesn’t realise even then how bad the product is, who cares?

In my case I was using up the remaining credit in order to dump as the fee was due to kick in at the end of Nov. I’d also been quite fortunate and not encountered any issues until this supposed refund.

[chrism20]

BuildBackBetter wrote:

Why do people bother using this card for daily expenses? It’s so badly designed and supported – just use it to spend once, meet the bonus requirements and dump it. If the issuer doesn’t realise even then how bad the product is, who cares?

In my case I was using up the remaining credit in order to dump as the fee was due to kick in at the end of Nov. I’d also been quite fortunate and not encountered any issues until this supposed refund.

SteveJ wrote:

@chrism20 at this point I’d be tempted to switch approach. Instead of chasing the Avios insist the balance is updated to reflect the refund if they are so insistent that the transaction is reversed.

At a guess this sound like there may have been a pre authorisation by Boots at order and then they rang the transaction through at dispatch. In which case you may have 3 transactions total, charge at order, refund, charge at dispatch. Somewhere the card statement is missing one of those, but the balance is reflecting it.

Possibly that’s what’s happened, I’ve got someone calling me tomorrow to “Explain” so will see what they say. I could be doing with a laugh

[robato]

Just cancelled the card via the chat in the app (the BA Executive Club Rewards one, not regular BA one). About a 15 minute wait to be connected to an agent but once connected, cancelled in less than 3 minutes. They just asked for BA membership number, name, address, DOB, email.

[TerryTierPoints]

Anyone else not yet received the 1500 joining bonus and the 1500 HfP bonus? I’ve not received either yet.

[DTraveller]

I haven’t received either. It’s been ~100 days. Got in touch with chat support and they said it can be 30 days after the 90 day period to receive the bonus. So I’ll be checking again in ~20 days.

[Stu]

Ibblybibbly wrote:

ed_fly wrote:

JL wrote:

ed_fly wrote:

I’ve received 1,500 Avios on Monday, but not the 2nd 1,500. Anyone else in this situation? And has anyone managed to get BA to manually award the additional 1,500?

I’m in this situation too, haven’t gotten round to contacting BA yet

thanks glad to know that I’m not alone. I can’t say I’m overly motivated to call BA for 1,500 Avios. Not worth the time and effort

Me too. Has anyone missing the extra 1,500 seen them appear since posting ?

Nope, we have two cards in our house. On my partner’s card, both 1500s appeared on the same day, 90 days after opening. On mine, 1500 Avios appeared after 90 days, no sign of the bonus and now at 110 days.

Whilst I’d normally roll my sleeves up and chase, I really don’t have the appetite for this one, dealing with BA on anything these days is like platting fog … 🙄

[Indy500]

robato wrote:

Just cancelled the card via the chat in the app (the BA Executive Club Rewards one, not regular BA one). About a 15 minute wait to be connected to an agent but once connected, cancelled in less than 3 minutes. They just asked for BA membership number, name, address, DOB, email.

Could you tell me where this Chat feature is? I’ve looked throughout the Rewards app and b*ggered if I can find it! Ta.

[robato]

Indy500 wrote:

robato wrote:

Just cancelled the card via the chat in the app (the BA Executive Club Rewards one, not regular BA one). About a 15 minute wait to be connected to an agent but once connected, cancelled in less than 3 minutes. They just asked for BA membership number, name, address, DOB, email.

Could you tell me where this Chat feature is? I’ve looked throughout the Rewards app and b*ggered if I can find it! Ta.

On iOs, open the Executive Club Rewards apps:
– Select the menu (3 horizontal bars) on top right
– Select ‘Chat with us’ near the bottom of the menu
– Select ‘Chat now’ -> Should appear during opening hours and launches in your web browser.

[Indy500]

robato wrote:

Indy500 wrote:

robato wrote:

Just cancelled the card via the chat in the app (the BA Executive Club Rewards one, not regular BA one). About a 15 minute wait to be connected to an agent but once connected, cancelled in less than 3 minutes. They just asked for BA membership number, name, address, DOB, email.

Could you tell me where this Chat feature is? I’ve looked throughout the Rewards app and b*ggered if I can find it! Ta.

On iOs, open the Executive Club Rewards apps:
– Select the menu (3 horizontal bars) on top right
– Select ‘Chat with us’ near the bottom of the menu
– Select ‘Chat now’ -> Should appear during opening hours and launches in your web browser.

Thanks, worked fine. 10 min wait and told that the points would be sent this week 1500 x 2. We’ll see. 😉

[modestpointscollector]

https://chat.avios.com/Live/webchatLoginD.php?lng=en_ba if anyone wants to use the chat feature

[ianwardz]

Just cancelled via the chat. Whole thing, including waiting took 10 minutes.
Logged out of the app and back in, card gone!
Happy days 🙂

[Indy500]

Indy500 wrote:

robato wrote:

Indy500 wrote:

robato wrote:

Just cancelled the card via the chat in the app (the BA Executive Club Rewards one, not regular BA one). About a 15 minute wait to be connected to an agent but once connected, cancelled in less than 3 minutes. They just asked for BA membership number, name, address, DOB, email.

Could you tell me where this Chat feature is? I’ve looked throughout the Rewards app and b*ggered if I can find it! Ta.

On iOs, open the Executive Club Rewards apps:
– Select the menu (3 horizontal bars) on top right
– Select ‘Chat with us’ near the bottom of the menu
– Select ‘Chat now’ -> Should appear during opening hours and launches in your web browser.

Thanks, worked fine. 10 min wait and told that the points would be sent this week 1500 x 2. We’ll see. 😉

Update. Not a sausage. I suppose more chasing. Worth it for 3k I suppose. Sigh….

[Dudulle]

For what it’s worth, the spend limit of the card seems to be £2500 instead of the 2600 mentioned in the T&C.
And it reset today for me instead of yesterday so not sure if it’s just late or if the “monthly” limit is a rolling 30 days as my first transaction last month was on the 2nd.

[Indy500]

Indy500 wrote:

Indy500 wrote:

robato wrote:

Indy500 wrote:

robato wrote:

Just cancelled the card via the chat in the app (the BA Executive Club Rewards one, not regular BA one). About a 15 minute wait to be connected to an agent but once connected, cancelled in less than 3 minutes. They just asked for BA membership number, name, address, DOB, email.

Could you tell me where this Chat feature is? I’ve looked throughout the Rewards app and b*ggered if I can find it! Ta.

On iOs, open the Executive Club Rewards apps:
– Select the menu (3 horizontal bars) on top right
– Select ‘Chat with us’ near the bottom of the menu
– Select ‘Chat now’ -> Should appear during opening hours and launches in your web browser.

Thanks, worked fine. 10 min wait and told that the points would be sent this week 1500 x 2. We’ll see. 😉

Update. Not a sausage. I suppose more chasing. Worth it for 3k I suppose. Sigh….

Update. Another chase today. “It will be credited in 72 hours”. Consider my breath baited.

[BajiNahid]

Called up as its been over 4 months since the card and I’ve not received my 2 – 1500 Avios- as of yet and was told it would be credited in a couple of days. lets see now!

[allycat]

Datapoint … Player 2 received the 1500 Avios plus 1500 HfP bonus Avios on Saturday, bang on 90 days. Used chat function on the BA Executive Club app to cancel the card today. Took about 10-15 minutes waiting for an agent then another 3-4 minutes to be transferred to one who could do the cancellation and then it was done in a couple of minutes. Closed and reopened the app and Mastercard has disappeared to be replaced with the new application page as expected.

[steve76]

I’m still waiting for my bonus (regular and HFP). Chased a few weeks ago and they said that the points would be added by now, but of course they haven’t. What an utter joke – they run this offer to attract customers, and then show how utterly incompetent they are and what a nightmare they are to deal with, thus ensuring that we never use their product again. I might have hoped that HFP would have kicked them a little on our behalf, since it’s damaging their reputation too unfortunately. Will be much more cautious with offers like this in the future.

[Stu]

steve76 wrote:

I’m still waiting for my bonus (regular and HFP). Chased a few weeks ago and they said that the points would be added by now, but of course they haven’t. What an utter joke – they run this offer to attract customers, and then show how utterly incompetent they are and what a nightmare they are to deal with, thus ensuring that we never use their product again. I might have hoped that HFP would have kicked them a little on our behalf, since it’s damaging their reputation too unfortunately. Will be much more cautious with offers like this in the future.

Agree 100%. Considering HfP don’t do what they do ‘for the love of it’, it’s disappointing to observe the lack of input from them on this lame duck …