Can't use BA Amex Card to Pay for BA Seats - ...!
Nov 1, 2011, 9:06 am
#1
formerly Bryce Curdy
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 112
Can't use BA Amex Card to Pay for BA Seats - ...!
I've always resented having to pay a credit card surcharge for using a BA branded credit card to pay for BA flights but today's experience trumps that.
I decided (foolishly or otherwise) to spend £160 to book CW upper deck seats for our return fight from Sao Paulo. I could only pay using Visa or Mastercard! Utterly ridiculous! Why promote a card promising 3 airmiles per pound spent if you can't use the bloody thing? Tempted to ask for a refund of the £150 fee.
I decided (foolishly or otherwise) to spend £160 to book CW upper deck seats for our return fight from Sao Paulo. I could only pay using Visa or Mastercard! Utterly ridiculous! Why promote a card promising 3 airmiles per pound spent if you can't use the bloody thing? Tempted to ask for a refund of the £150 fee.
Nov 1, 2011, 9:13 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Iver
Programs: BA GOLD/OWE BA Amex Prem Plus Tesco Airmiles Qantas Bronze IHG SPG Eithad
Posts: 2,902
I've always resented having to pay a credit card surcharge for using a BA branded credit card to pay for BA flights but today's experience trumps that.
I decided (foolishly or otherwise) to spend £160 to book CW upper deck seats for our return fight from Sao Paulo. I could only pay using Visa or Mastercard! Utterly ridiculous! Why promote a card promising 3 airmiles per pound spent if you can't use the bloody thing? Tempted to ask for a refund of the £150 fee.
I decided (foolishly or otherwise) to spend £160 to book CW upper deck seats for our return fight from Sao Paulo. I could only pay using Visa or Mastercard! Utterly ridiculous! Why promote a card promising 3 airmiles per pound spent if you can't use the bloody thing? Tempted to ask for a refund of the £150 fee.
Nov 1, 2011, 9:39 am
#4
formerly Bryce Curdy
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 112
Thank you for this information, and apologies if I should have spotted it previously, but at the same time it is utterly ridiculous and embarassing.
Nov 1, 2011, 9:51 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Quite close to NQY
Programs: BAEC Silver,clubcard,clubcard plus, BA Amex................ And Mucci x3 ;)
Posts: 9,488
is this just an online problem or could you phone and pre book your seats using your amex over the phone ?
cs
Nov 1, 2011, 10:09 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Nov 1, 2011, 10:09 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 469
The only time I've had a problem using my BA Amex with BA was on a flight to Orlando when I couldn't pay for my on board Duty Free with it (had to use a Mastercard in the end after trying to get payment through on both mine and my wife's card on both onboard card machines). The cabin staff even said they had never seen a BA Amex before. Very strange experience, but it was ex LGW.
Nov 1, 2011, 10:09 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Bicester, UK
Programs: MUCCI, BAEC Silver, A-Club Gold
Posts: 1,228
I have used the AMEX to book seats and also had problems doing so, I think sometimes it might be a system thing. For what it's worth on the occasion it was not available as an option it was a flight from GRU, although I have used it on flights to-from GRU as well.
Am I right in stating that AMEX was not a card type that you could select rather than it was declined.
Am I right in stating that AMEX was not a card type that you could select rather than it was declined.
Nov 1, 2011, 10:26 am
#11
formerly Bryce Curdy
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 112
This was originally a miles redemption and Amex companion voucher booking flying into Buenos Aires and returning from Sao Paulo, both legs in CW. I have not been in CW upper deck for a number of years and decided to pay the seat booking fee for the return leg (the outward journey is not in a 747). The payment options were restricted to MasterCard and Visa, no Amex!
Nov 1, 2011, 10:31 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, TG Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 8,665
I suspect if you were to buy seats for both the outward and inbound legs, the Amex option would appear as you would be paying the UK office. Strange that the seat payment on just the inbound leg is being taken from Sao Paolo rather than from the UK. That would be why the Amex option does not appear.
Out of interest, have you checked that you are on the UK BA website rather than the Brazil BA website.
Out of interest, have you checked that you are on the UK BA website rather than the Brazil BA website.
Nov 1, 2011, 10:31 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
This was originally a miles redemption and Amex companion voucher booking flying into Buenos Aires and returning from Sao Paulo, both legs in CW. I have not been in CW upper deck for a number of years and decided to pay the seat booking fee for the return leg (the outward journey is not in a 747). The payment options were restricted to MasterCard and Visa, no Amex!
Nov 1, 2011, 1:02 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 55
I've had this before when buying a ticket for someone else from GRU.
They'll take the Amex card over the phone - for some reason the website doesn't offer it as an option when your start point is GRU - probably some anti fraud thing or just a weird quirk of the system.
They'll take the Amex card over the phone - for some reason the website doesn't offer it as an option when your start point is GRU - probably some anti fraud thing or just a weird quirk of the system.
Nov 1, 2011, 1:05 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SEN
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 612
I had the very same problem earlier in the year. The Amex option was just not there. For the life of me though I can't remember how I resolved it but I know I used my Amex in the end.
I'll see if I can find the thread as I seem to remember posting a screen shot to prove the point
I'll see if I can find the thread as I seem to remember posting a screen shot to prove the point