Amex & BA - 2009 Master Thread
Jan 6, 2009, 11:02 am
#31
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,459
Did you ask them for the this letter?
Got the letter today about the rate increase (madness) and change of fee to £150.
I do have a Platinum Chargecard however, so I assume this letter is just a generic one?
Or does this mean they are going to charge me when the CC anniversary comes up?
Got the letter today about the rate increase (madness) and change of fee to £150.
I do have a Platinum Chargecard however, so I assume this letter is just a generic one?
Or does this mean they are going to charge me when the CC anniversary comes up?
Jan 6, 2009, 12:01 pm
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: TLV/LHR
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Elite Amb, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 12,948
That explains why they always charge me the fee, and I have too then call up and argue with them to get it refunded...
Jan 6, 2009, 12:29 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 677
I had this recently. I have always been charged the fee (even though have a Platinum chargecard) and have always rung up to have it refunded. This time the callcentre told me (two separate times) that it had now changed and even existing cardholders needed to pay £150. However, I sent an email to Amex explaining that this seemed incorrect (given the info on this board although did not say so!) and received a reply saying a) I was right and it did not apply to existing Platinum holders and b) the £150 charge would be refunded.
So the old rules apply, for now, but there does appear to be some confusion at Amex.
So the old rules apply, for now, but there does appear to be some confusion at Amex.
Jan 6, 2009, 2:58 pm
#34
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 862
I do wonder what would happen if you tried to cancel an account with negative miles.
Jan 7, 2009, 2:25 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MAN
Programs: BA Blue, Priority Club Plat (again!), Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 541
Also got the letter regarding the 3% APR rise (to 46% I think). What a scandal given the current level of interest rates 
Jan 7, 2009, 3:09 am
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Therefore no scandal at all.
Jan 7, 2009, 3:21 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, HHonours Diamond, BA AMEX PremPlus
Posts: 5,140
Have the actual interest rates increased? The APR must include the fee, so if the fee goes up, then the APR has to be recalculated - so a 3% increase in APR is probably nothing to do with interest rates either charged by Amex or by anyone else in the big wide world.
Therefore no scandal at all.
Therefore no scandal at all.
Jan 7, 2009, 4:04 am
#38
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,459
The fee that you will be charged is set out on the back of the letter under the heading "New Wording" in the second box down. It appears that existing Plat cardholders are not being charged any fee, so if you have had a free card in the past, and you are now being charged a fee, a call to Amex might be worthwhile. Nothing about bonus miles in my letter.
Jan 7, 2009, 4:56 am
#39
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,301
My letter just told me about the increased APR which doesn't bother me as I pay my balance in full.
My last statement still says at the end my annual fee is £30.
My last statement still says at the end my annual fee is £30.
Jan 7, 2009, 6:56 am
#40
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,459
Look on the back. In the box beginning "The total charge for credit..." the annual fee (if any) is set out in the last sentence as part of the calculation of the total charge for credit.
Jan 7, 2009, 7:12 am
#41
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MAN
Programs: BA Blue, Priority Club Plat (again!), Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 541
Perhaps I read the letter incorrectly and I have subsequently shredded it but I'm sure the APR increase is not entirely related to the annual fee. I thought I saw that the APR on purchases was rising to 19.9%.
Can anyone verify or did I dream this?
Can anyone verify or did I dream this?
Jan 7, 2009, 7:17 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MAN
Programs: BA Blue, Priority Club Plat (again!), Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 541
Also, Amex has suspended the capability for balance transfers for card holders, "in the current climate".
Jan 7, 2009, 10:00 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Programs: MyWaitrose, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond & BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,685
Yes, I've just had a letter telling me it's going up 2% to 19.9%
Jan 7, 2009, 2:31 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: BA Executive Club
Posts: 1,175
The back of mine says it's going up 3%, from 16.9% to 19.9%.
The "total charge for credit" paragraph doesn't mention an annual fee at all (I have an Amex platinum card). It also quotes the APR as 19.9% on the front of the letter.
I thought the current climate had interest rates falling?
The "total charge for credit" paragraph doesn't mention an annual fee at all (I have an Amex platinum card). It also quotes the APR as 19.9% on the front of the letter.
I thought the current climate had interest rates falling?
Jan 7, 2009, 2:39 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Reading, UK
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 102
The rates and other critical bits and pieces are given in a Summary Box style PDF:
https://secure.cmax.americanexpress....x_05_11_08.pdf
https://secure.cmax.americanexpress....x_05_11_08.pdf