Experience with British Airways Visa Card
 

Last February I was returning from India, on Delta code-share flight of Alitalia. At Mumbai airport, even though I was in business class, the Alitalia personnel at the check-in counter did not allow me to bring my carry on bag, which contained all my daughter's wedding articles. Total weight of the bag was about 15 lbs. I had to pay excess baggage charges as the bag was considered as the third suitcase by the Alitalia personnel. I paid the required charges by my Visa credit card (British Airways Visa Card) issued by BankOne (now Chase) so it comes with me on the same flight. When I arrived at the Newark airport to my great surprise that particular bag for which I paid excess baggage charges was missing. I filed all the required papers, and came home. Four days passed by, and the airlines informed me that the bag was lost and will treat it as a lost luggage. I called and wrote letter to the credit card company not to process the excess baggage charges charged to my account by the airlines as the service contracted was not performed by the airlines. After five weeks from my arrival, to my surprise the bag arrived at our doors, in damaged condition and missing articles. I contacted the credit card company to provide them with the update. The credit card company informed me that as long as I have received the bag, they would not stop the payment to the airlines. I drew their attention that my agreement with the airlines was to get the suitcase to reach at my destination with me and not five weeks later. They did not want to see that point.

After this experience, I called the credit card company to cancel my card for the unsatisfactory service. I was surprised that the credit card company's representative did not care to find out whether there was any possibility to keep me as a customer. Instead of that I was informed that once the account balance is paid off, my card will be cancelled. I still think the airlines got away with my money that they did not deserve and the credit card company supported them.

In my (subjective) experience, AMEX is better with this sort of thing. I have found that they tend to give me the benefit of the doubt when it comes to disputes, even if it means eating the charge themselves.

I disputed a charge once ($1000 +or-) with this card once. They took it off without a blink of the eye. It turned out that the vendor later also reversed the charge so for a moment I had a $1000 +or- credit.