MatthewClement

I only got through to reception -- they couldn't find an agent for me to speak with!!!

gleff

Have only used PTS to book FHR rates. To the earlier poster who suggested that Business Plat cardholders weren't eligible to use PTS, and I can offer myself as a counterexample...

kuroneko

Can we call Amex UK with a U.S. issued card?

miikka

According to AMEX UK PTS, they very often help travelling US members. I found out this when I was actually trying to get train tickets in tight schedule in France and AMEX UK PTS couldn't deliver them so fast - they adviced me to contact AMEX France PTS (told me the direct phone number to PTS) and also in the same time told me that pretty much any AMEX PTS would help me while I am travelling. The only known exception is AMEX US PTS, which does not want to help anyone else but US members.

I have not tried this because I am not a US member; AMEX France PTS was helpful and solved my train ticket problem.

kuroneko

I'd like to know the answer to this question also. Maybe someone should make a call to Plat Concierge and task them to find out the answer to this question!

Whenever I've been forced to use PTS, I *always* do some quick research on the going rate for the travel service I'm about to request, and *tell* the agent the route I want and the fare I believe I should pay. It's sad that I have to do this, but they have done little in the way of promoting confidence in their service.

chardo

Kasop
Have fun at the Townsend, I don't know if you have stayed there before, but it is a great property with wonderful service and the most comfortable beds ever. While you are there you must eat at the Rugby Grille (in lobby), if you are so inclined, have Halaal make you Steak Tartare tableside, and say hey to Chuck behind the bar.

gwarboy

Although PTS both sucks and blows [TM, Bart Simpson] in most cases, one thing they can do that provides me some value is that they can book a ticket in someone else's name -- someone with whom you will NOT be flying.
Significantly, the person flying will not be asked to show the credit card used to buy the flight when they check in, nor will you need to go to the airport in advance to sign off on the fact that you are the person paying for that ticket, and here's my credit card and ID, blah, blah.

That service has been worth more than the $35 PTS ticketing fee to me, in terms of saved hassles several times.

In case you know of an easier (and cheaper!) way to achieve the above scenario without using PTS, please let me know.

aviators99

Hmm....

I book airline tickets for other people all the time on the individual airline's web page. Am I misunderstanding what you are trying to do?

gwarboy

If I'm not flying with someone but I pay for their ticket on my credit card, the check-in agent will ask my friend to show the credit card used to purchase the ticket (and they won't have that card with them, of course).

Unless they skip the human agent and use online check-in (or the airport kiosk), I guess. Hmmm, perhaps that's the ticket (pun!).

gleff

Umm, that may have been true about 5 years ago on some airlines for tickets purchased just a few days before travel...

But does any carrier actually still do that??

NoStressHere

I have bought tickets for others with no problems. No questions, etc.

Hmmmmm....

Grog

I've done this a number of times with Lufthansa: my credit card and other people flying without me. They've even been on etix attached to my cc, which they of course didn't have. They simply show their own ID, get their BPs and check in. No fees except that damn TSC that LH charges everyone in certain countries.

gwarboy

It was either Delta or UAL who asked to see my credit card on a recent flight that I personally was taking. I hadn't been asked to see my CC in a long, long time, and was taken aback. Can't recall the ticketing details (whether int'l flight, last-minute booking, etc), but it really did happen to me, sometime in the last three months.

Thus, if an airline still (sometimes) asks to see my credit card when I am the one flying, they surely could do it to someone else, whose ticket I had bought but wasn't with them at the airport.

I'm willing to accept that US airlines don't do this regularly any longer (maybe they do it mostly to nonelites?), but I prolly wouldn't want to risk putting an infrequent-flyer friend in a pickle at the check-in counter without me there, if they happened to get asked this question.
When I've booked tickets for pals via PTS, I've often confirmed with the Amex CSR that the passenger won't be asked to show the purchasing card. This was the basis for my comment about PTS having this one upside to them.

Perhaps someday I'll take the risk that others here have undertaken... or, more likely, I'll just chicken out and keep coughing up the $35 PTS fee for a possibly worthless assurance by Amex personel that a phantom checkin-counter threat won't occur. Hmmmm.

Grog

Out of principle, even if I had the credit card on me, I'd just tell them I didn't have it. What do you think can happen? If it's paid, it's paid. You have a contract. If the transaction cleared, what business is it of theirs whether someone is now in physical possession of that same card?

At a hotel or car rental, okay; even on a pre-paid, they want to swipe a card as a form of collateral in case you then trash the room or wreck the car, but at no other business would I put up with that demand.

writetorich

More over on Friday evening, I was going with a great friend and his wife to the berkshires for the week end.

My bestfriend car resevation was "lost" by the company.

I called Plat travel. My rep NEEDED tp place me for on hold as she had to get her Supervisor to help her. A car rental request needed a supervisor!

I was able to make the arrangements myself on Orbitz in less than six minutes!!
I did this while on hold with Plat travel.After 13 minutes no one had come back and I hung up.

Of course after the first six minutes, I no longer needed a car. I was holding on out of curiosity.

Its funny, I had the $30 starwood Card and starpoints are more valuable than
Membership reward points.

The service with the starwood customer service center ( and My Hilton card and regular Optima has always been exellent. I have a very high opinion of American Express. The service with the $395 a year card is BELOW the service of the free and $30 cards!!

I feel that its not only the Plat travel desk. The 800 number customer service is actually worse at Plat than *wood and Hilton!!!