ringingup

I searched for threads on the this topic but I couldn't find anything specific.

I'm trying to buy a GIB-LHR one way flight, but Amex does not appear as a payment option! It's not a massive deal, but I'd be curious to know if the same restriction would apply over the phone.

Anonba

FLYGVA

That is what I learned a round about year ago as well; and as far as I remember, Flyertalker @Hippo72 (?) ran into this problem as well.

Mike P

Interesting, I'd be keen to know why this is.

Hippo72

You're right. Had this issue in January.
I was unable to pay for GIB-LHR (o/w) with my Amex.
Unfortunately I continued the booking using the "hold" option (5 GBP) using my MasterCard because I wanted to book the flight at that time for that price and it was out of phone hours for the BAEC Hotline.
Some hours later I called BAEC and they confirmed, no online booking with AmEx due to system restrictions (whatever this means...).
Allegedly I could've booked that flight by phone and used my AmEx. Not sure if additional fees would have applied.
As I already paid the 5 GBP, I continued online and booked the flight with my MasterCard.

flyuk

I had this problem when I tried to pay for an upgrade. I just added a new card, and the new card was my Amex. It went through ok.

Hippo72

That's interesting!
I also paid for an POUG at the day of travel and had to use a different/new AmEx at that time. Did not go through. So I again used my MasterCard.

NFH

I would just book over the phone and pay by Amex. In the event that BA refused to waive its telephone booking fee, I would complain to Amex about "BA's surcharge for paying by Amex" (aka telephone booking fee).

ringingup

NFH

If you had paid BA's fee and then complained to Amex, Amex would have reimbursed BA's fee for sure, and subsequently taken it up with BA. By admitting defeat, you lost out on your triple Avios (assuming you have a BAPP card).

ringingup

NFH

I'm 99% sure. Even if the first person you speak to can't do it, someone will comply eventually. Ultimately if they refuse, which I believe would be very unlikely, then you could point out to Amex's Executive Office, who have access to lawyers, that at https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/c...sPremiumPlusCC, American Express states "Collect 1.5 Avios for virtually every £1 spent, and 3 Avios for every £1 spent with British Airways or BA Holidays". This implies that British Airways does accept American Express cards. Therefore American Express, by knowingly omitting to mention very relevantly that BA doesn't accept American Express for some flight routes (while continuing to accept Visa and MasterCard), would be in breach of Regulation 6 of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

When I know the law is behind me, I always take this kind of approach, by turning it into the organisation's problem instead of my problem, and it works. Please let us know how you get on.

NFH

And just another legal point - by requiring payments by American Express to be made by telephone (with an additional fee) while accepting payments by Visa and MasterCard online (without a fee), British Airways is in breach of Regulation 6A(1) of the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012, which outlaws surcharges for specific means of payment since 13th January 2018. BA's potential defence that the fee is a telephone booking fee and not a card surcharge would hold no water, because the result of BA requiring Amex payments to be made by phone is that BA unlawfully charges more to use one payment instrument than another.

So I believe you have rights of redress against both BA and Amex.

callum9999

It will hold plenty of water as they do accept Amex payments online, just not in this one case because of a policy by Amex (why I have no idea) on one single route. You'd be charged the telephone fee regardless of payment method, it's therefore not an Amex surcharge.

I also find it hard to believe Amex is "99% certain" to refund the fee, but have no evidence either way for that.

NFH

I agree it's not an Amex surcharge, but BA's surcharge, which is why I said that BA is breaching Regulation 6A(1) of the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 by requiring Amex payments to be made only by telephone (for this route), attracting a fee, whereas the fee can be avoided for payments by Visa and MasterCard. Any legal action would be against BA, not Amex, but I believe that Amex are 99% likely to voluntarily resolve the matter as the card issuer.