Credit card fees on aeroplanes, are their any ways around this?
It’s not just budget airlines that make their money on extras. British Airlines, Air France, Virgin Atlantic and other more traditional carriers have joined Ryanair and Easyjet by charging you a fee every time you book a ticket using a credit card.
The amount charged and the way it is charged varies (some companies charge a percentage of the transaction, some charge a flat fee for example) but there seems to be no way around stumping up extra to put it on the plastic.
What do you think? Have you been caught out in this way and does anyone know a way around this?
II suppose they are paying a fee to the card company for what we spend on our cards and we enjoy the convenience of not having to pay for some months and the guarranties afforded under credit charge regulations - so not a very bad deal really.
just shows cheapest is not so cheap
Don't know about all airlines but Ryanair charge £5 pp each way for using credit cards and even debit cards to book flights! Out of about 6 cards that are accepatble the only card with NO charges is a prepaymenet Mastercard - you can get from major travel companys and you "load" cash on to the card and then use to make purchases. You can also get prepayment cards in Euros and US dollars - alternative and safe way of taking "cash" on holidays. Hope that is useful information. Michaelh
I use a debit card to buy plane tickets but I have a funny feeling that I wouldn't get as much protection as a credit card were something to go wrong. Could anyone confirm this?
It is just another way for airlines to make money. They know that electron cards are being phased out which is why they picked them as the only one that is free. If none were free then they have to include the cost in the original price of the ticket as it is unavoidable.
My guess is that when they are no longer available they will make pre-pay cards free. These are the cards where you have to pay £1 or £2 to get one and then top them up with money.
Well, good thing that even though the bank is crowded, many still wanted to be on bank. We should be thankful that right now, even we are currently facing great economic crisis, many people are still on their way to the banks. The reason why people uses debit cards is that these cards only use the money you have in checking, and thus, knowing exactly your limit. Overdrafts though, will cost you, and if the money runs out that's when you need credit cards or maybe payday loans if the situation calls for it. Since they all have the Visa Check Card or MasterCard logo so it isn't as if no one takes them.
Smile told me that banks are phasing out Electrnon cards...
Electron is the only one. Brian, try Smile they are very helpful
Hi Brian,
That's interesting - I would have thought that any debit card would do, I'd not realised that about Visa Electron. I wonder if the same is true of Solo cards? Does anyone know?
Holly
Ryanair do not charge a credit card fee if you pay by a VISA ELECTRON card. The only problem is, you try and get your bank to issue one of these. My bank says I have to open a new account !
Hi Brian,
I opened an account with Abbey National over the telephone and obtained as electron card.There are several questions to answer but my card was sent by post in aboiut 10days.Hope this helps
The only way around it I know is to use a debit card!