Cannot pay by Amex for GIB-LHR?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
Cannot pay by Amex for GIB-LHR?
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.
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.
#2
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,659
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.
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.
#5
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: STR
Programs: LH HON->SEN, BA GGL+CCR->Gold, HH D, Hertz PC
Posts: 603
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.
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.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sapporo, Japan
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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.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: STR
Programs: LH HON->SEN, BA GGL+CCR->Gold, HH D, Hertz PC
Posts: 603
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.
#8
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London (LCY)
Programs: BA bronze, Hilton gold, Marriott gold, IHG plat, Meliá gold, Radisson gold, Hyatt disc, AmexPlat
Posts: 977
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).
#9
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
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I called, he did not seem willing to waive the fee so I didn’t even try and paid with MasterCard.
#10
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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).
#11
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Posts: 3,599
Also, are we sure
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London (LCY)
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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.
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.
#13
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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.
So I believe you have rights of redress against both BA and Amex.
#14
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,379
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.
So I believe you have rights of redress against both BA and Amex.
I also find it hard to believe Amex is "99% certain" to refund the fee, but have no evidence either way for that.
#15
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