Where to get a VISA Electron card?

A question about : Where to get a VISA Electron card?

Does anyone know where I can get a VISA Electron card?

It seems to be the only way to avoid extortionate credit/debit card charges on Ryanair.com - Ј14 on a Ј104 flight! That's over 13% in charges! Sorry but I refuse to pay them that much...

I notice that Barclays offer one, but only for 16 to 19 years olds. Do you think they are fussy about the age? I was 19 once...

regards

TT

Best answers:

• I have a visa electron from my A&L standard current account
• HSBC and Natwest issue Solo cards. All other banks have basic accounts with Visa Electron cards. I am not sure about Barclays and age though.
• rbs do a maestro cirrus card(or a switch card), ive had it since i was 18/19,
• hi
  i still had a visa electron card with barclays till last year and im 25.it only stopped because i changed banks.if you ask them for a basic account this is what they give you.
• oh lloyds tsb do a visa debit card
• My visa electron card is via Woolwich.
• Thanks for all the answers. I hope the following is useful to someone:
  1. VISA Electron and VISE Delta are NOT the same - Electron is normally for 'basic' bank accounts for students, and those who can't get a 'full' current account.
  2. I rang Lloyds - they don't issue Electron cards anymore
  3. I rang A&L - they have agreed to "downgrade" my VISA Delta to an Electron card
  4. Both banks tried to tell me that very few places accept VISA Electron, but reading other threads in this forum, I know that this is no longer true
  5. If my A&L VISA Electron card arrives, I'll be saving Ј14 a time on booking flights on Ryanair!!!! Can't wait. Do I get a MoneySavingExpert certificate now??
  regards
  TT
• Hi there the cooperative bak offer a visa electron card with there basic bank account
• Just an update - I received my new Electron card from A&L, and successfully paid for our Ryanair flights without paying any fee! Saved Ј12 against the credit card fee that they normally charge!
  I feel much better now.
  TT
• >"That's over 13% in charges! Sorry but I refuse to pay them that much..."
  13% is chickenfeed to get annoyed about Paddy
  1p return tickets for me & 2 friends gave me a hit of 6 card payment 'handling charges' to process the one transaction totalling 6p - That would now be Ј24.06. Would that be a 40,000% increase on the advertised price? The price is still fine, so why do Ryanair want leave you feeling cheated?
• I think it's a con by Ryanair to put hidden costs into tickets. They have to legally have a low cost option for buying tickets, so they choose a card virtually nobody has so that nobody can get the advertised prices. Someone ought to take them to court and see whether there is any basis for the difference in charges between an Electron and any other debit card.
• Having made a career of playing the Ryanair system I wanted to hit them with an Electron card payment but was far from keen on opening a `basic` account to get one. The key is that the Electron payment is checked for available funds, thus safeguarding the retailer. Trawling NatWest I find that they offer Gift Cards that are `accepted by Electron equipped retailers world wide, including online`. Go to bank, hand over cash and get a charged card that you can then activate and enter to pay for the Ryanair flight. Drawback is that you need to round the figure up, so torn between letting them keep my 2p change as their `administration fee` or asking for a refund or credit aginst next booking!