Bealine - you won't (will) believe this!

[Final 3 Greens]

I tried to book a Club Europe flight, from Hamburg to Heathrow, on BA.com this morning.

All went swimmingly, until I tried to give BA about £350, when my credit card could not be accepted, since my billing address is in the UK. There was an apologetic note saying that BA are working on this functionality.

So I called the executive club, who informed me that they could make the booking, but I'd have to pay a £15 surcharge.

In conclusion, I was asked to pay nearly 5% supplement because BA's IS doesn't work properly.

On reflection, I did something that I very rarely do and booked with Lufthansa, whose website allowed this without any trouble.

[BRUpax]

Old problem which several of us over here in Limbabwe REPEATEDLY brought to BA's notice, in writing. We refused to pay the extra surcharge for a tel reservation when it was their own archaic policy which restricted us from using online facilities. We all got so pi**ed off with their pathetic replies that we went over to the competition instead. I now see that more than 12 months on nothing has apparently improved. What losers.

[Final 3 Greens]

BRUpax

Pretty amazing that they can't implement a manual workaround and tweak the business process - "the £15 surcharge will be waived for pax, when ba.com cannot execute the sector that they wish to book, due credit card address."

[PAXboy]

Yep, had this problem when I was in the USA last year. I had to change my plans and return early - so needed to pay a supplement. Could not do it on line and had to go to the airport to do it. In other words, they could accept my payment of a UK card in the USA when in person but not on-line. This cost me time and some money to get to EWR to make the payment.

I do not think that it has anything to do with IS systems. It is a policy decision and, when this subject was raised in this forum last, we had strong indications of that from those onthe inside. The problem, as I recall, is fraud.

--------------------
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

[under_exposed]

Its probably the same as when purchasing without the cardholder presant, the goods or services must be delivered to the address the card is registered to.

[zed3]

As BRUpax stated we have had this problem here in the Netherlands when flying from Dusseldorf using a Dutch credit card . However one can now beat the system on the internet site . Just follow the booking procedure and when filling in one's address - fill it in BUT as it is a German website after the Dutch address fill in country GERMANY . All is accepted and as it is an Eticket no paperwork has to be sent ! Works a treat . So a ticket from Hamburg to London when booking in the UK - fill in the UK address but put GERMANY as country ! Try it and report back !

[Final 3 Greens]

Paxboy

This is what BA.com says

"At the present time, ba.com can only accept credit cards and debit cards which are issued and billed from the country of your departure.

Please note that we are currently working towards expanding this capability."

Maybe it is policy, rather than functionality, but the note implies functionality to me.

I've also just booked MLA/FRA/HAM via Lufthansa.com, departing from Malta, flying to Germany, with a UK billed credit card. If LH can do it, why can't BA?

Zed3

Thanks for your suggestion.

[Aksai Oiler]

3 Greens

You just reminded me of another rediculous BA situation. I was flying from SVQ to LGW and onwards to MAN with two separate tickets, but both J Class. One was an eticket. BA (GB Airways) in SVQ told me that they could not check me in, nor my baggage to Manchester (only to Gatwick) because they were not an eticket station and that I had to pay 34 Euros to convert my eticket to a paper ticket.

I ended up calling the Executive Club to try and sort the situation out. After some dicussion they waivered the 34 Euro add on; but why do I have to go through this agreevation.....

Poka

Oiler

[bealine]

Trust Me! I believe you all!

I have been absolutely horrified by some of the tales I have heard of how my company turns away good business!

Mind you, for years now, I have had a strong suspicion that the "Bearded One" (Sir Richard Branson to the uninitiated) is the only airline boss with a grain of commercial awareness!

Look at how all the carriers (except Virgin) gloat over "passenger loads" - for years we've been tellin'em, "bums on seats" don't matter, it's revenue that counts!!! Concentrating on "bums on seats" ensures (a) passengers receive a mediocre service, at best and (b) the airline struggles to make a profit!

[Final 3 Greens]

Bealine

The sad thing is that I'm a BA supporter generally :mad:

[PAXboy]

F3G: Yep that's what they told me. The reason that I think that it is policy but they make it sound like technical is that: If folks KNEW that it was policy, they would lobby hard for it to be changed, since it would be a minimal effort change. To make it out as technical, gives them reasons for 'delay'.

The other reason that they like to do this (I suggest) is for the differential pricing that occurs. Some routes are cheaper originating at Z than the reverse sector originating at A. Naturally, we must help the airlines to preserve their margin at all times. :rolleyes:

Thanks Bealine for the good natured observation (as always). Some companies are just beginning to twang to the realisation that the Web changes a lot more than just allowing them to save money by getting customers to do the booking for themselves. It also allows them to talk to each other and make comparisons of policy (such as credit card usuage) across the globe.

[Avman]

Fare differences is one thing but geographic location needs to be considered too. Living in the far south of The Netherlands BRU and DUS, and not AMS, are effectively my local major airports. So why should I not be able to book on the web out of BRU (or DUS) with a Dutch cc? BA really need to think outside the box!

[Globaliser]

I believe that this is in fact changing - if you are booking an ex-UK ticket on the UK website, it will now apparently accept a billing address from anywhere and issue the ticket. People are reporting elsewhere (over on a Frequent Travellers' BB which we're apparently not supposed to name here) that they are able to check-in and fly without any problems.

[Pom Pax]

Hang on now before we get too much LH will do this and BA wont do that, you are dealing not with an airline but a bank. The bank sets the rules and either accepts or declines your payment.
As someone mentioned earlier FRAUD, now if the merchant (the airline) wants greater flexibility and the bank considers that this is going to cost it money, then the bank will demand a higher premium for the transaction. Only at this point does the airline have a choice pay the premium or not.

[Final 3 Greens]

Pom Pax

What on earth are you talking about?

The issue is quite simple, airline A allows its clients to book flights using a credit card from a country other than the departure point and airline B does not.

Got it?

Pax couldn't give a monkey's about the merchants relationship with the bank.