Faxing credit cards
Nov 29, 2011, 10:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: MSY
Programs: DL PM, LY Silver
Posts: 520
Faxing credit cards
I customarily make 4 or 5 trips to Israel a year. We have usually flown through
Atlanta on Delta, but this flight has been discontinued. I hate going through JFK and taking a 744.
For our next trip, we decided to go through Delta to AMS and AMS to TLV on LY.
It appears to be impossible to buy tickets by fare class on the LY web site. I called and snagged 2 W tickets. Before I called LY I purchased my tickets to AMS on DL, believing that if I could not get good coordinating flight to and from AMS, I had 24 hours to cancel and rebook on DL.
I called LY and made the reservation with little difficulty. The agent told me I had to fax a copy of my credit card and she would email me the ticket. I faxed my credit card.
The next day I had heard nothing. I called again and after a long sojourn in the call center labyrinth, I reached an agent who told me that my fax had not been received. This, in spite of the fact that my fax printer logs showed a successful delivery. We decided that I would fax it again and that she would check in 15 min and call me back.
Two hours later no response. I spent the rest of the afternoon calling LY. Half of the time I landed in Israel and half in NY. No one was able to determine if they had received my fax or not. I was already long past the time I could cancel and rebook my DL flight to AMS.
My question is --- will I always be required to fax a CC to ticket a flight on LY?
Will getting status make this any better? Does everyone have to do this? DL has never asked me to fax a credit card and I really don't understand why LY mandates my doing this.
Can someone enlighten me.
Atlanta on Delta, but this flight has been discontinued. I hate going through JFK and taking a 744.
For our next trip, we decided to go through Delta to AMS and AMS to TLV on LY.
It appears to be impossible to buy tickets by fare class on the LY web site. I called and snagged 2 W tickets. Before I called LY I purchased my tickets to AMS on DL, believing that if I could not get good coordinating flight to and from AMS, I had 24 hours to cancel and rebook on DL.
I called LY and made the reservation with little difficulty. The agent told me I had to fax a copy of my credit card and she would email me the ticket. I faxed my credit card.
The next day I had heard nothing. I called again and after a long sojourn in the call center labyrinth, I reached an agent who told me that my fax had not been received. This, in spite of the fact that my fax printer logs showed a successful delivery. We decided that I would fax it again and that she would check in 15 min and call me back.
Two hours later no response. I spent the rest of the afternoon calling LY. Half of the time I landed in Israel and half in NY. No one was able to determine if they had received my fax or not. I was already long past the time I could cancel and rebook my DL flight to AMS.
My question is --- will I always be required to fax a CC to ticket a flight on LY?
Will getting status make this any better? Does everyone have to do this? DL has never asked me to fax a credit card and I really don't understand why LY mandates my doing this.
Can someone enlighten me.
Last edited by GMill; Dec 1, 2011 at 7:07 am Reason: fix typos
Nov 30, 2011, 2:38 pm
#2
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First I've ever heard of anything like this.
Why on earth did they ask you to do that?
First I've ever heard of anything like this.
Why on earth did they ask you to do that?
Nov 30, 2011, 3:09 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 414
No need to freak out the guy! If they wanted to go on a spree, the number is enough for them just as much as a fax! And none of the other agents he called later were suprised, they just couldn't find it! Perhaps it's just some random procedure!
Nov 30, 2011, 8:55 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Israel/United States
Posts: 1,234
I have heard of various cases--not just in airline tickets where people are required to fax a credit card. It is done to ensure that you really have possession of the card. Due to fraud they are protecting their posteriors. Amrom makes a very wise point--the card isn't needed for fraud, just the number.
Did you fax to a NY, or Israel number. BTW the reason you sometimes end up in NY and sometimes in Israel is that there is a small reservation center in NY. When it is busy or closed the calls are routed to Israel. If you want to always reach Israel ( i.e. that is where you fax ostensibly went) then call after business hours in NY or on a Sunday.
Did you fax to a NY, or Israel number. BTW the reason you sometimes end up in NY and sometimes in Israel is that there is a small reservation center in NY. When it is busy or closed the calls are routed to Israel. If you want to always reach Israel ( i.e. that is where you fax ostensibly went) then call after business hours in NY or on a Sunday.
Dec 1, 2011, 6:33 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: MSY
Programs: DL PM, LY Silver
Posts: 520
I have heard of various cases--not just in airline tickets where people are required to fax a credit card. It is done to ensure that you really have possession of the card. Due to fraud they are protecting their posteriors. Amrom makes a very wise point--the card isn't needed for fraud, just the number.
Did you fax to a NY, or Israel number. BTW the reason you sometimes end up in NY and sometimes in Israel is that there is a small reservation center in NY. When it is busy or closed the calls are routed to Israel. If you want to always reach Israel ( i.e. that is where you fax ostensibly went) then call after business hours in NY or on a Sunday.
Did you fax to a NY, or Israel number. BTW the reason you sometimes end up in NY and sometimes in Israel is that there is a small reservation center in NY. When it is busy or closed the calls are routed to Israel. If you want to always reach Israel ( i.e. that is where you fax ostensibly went) then call after business hours in NY or on a Sunday.
Are those of you who have never heard of such a request in the habit of making LY reservations?
Dec 1, 2011, 6:38 am
#7
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By the way when the tickets were finally issued, I asked the agent if I would be required to fax a credit card each time I booked on El Al. She responded that I would.
I am rethinking my choice of El Al.
I am rethinking my choice of El Al.
Dec 1, 2011, 10:26 am
#8
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Dec 1, 2011, 2:56 pm
#9
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