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KLM charges credit card processing fee for flight originating from UK?

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KLM charges credit card processing fee for flight originating from UK?

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Old Nov 29, 2018, 5:06 pm
  #1  
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KLM charges credit card processing fee for flight originating from UK?

I was surprised to see the website display a charge for using credit card to pay for a flight LHR-AMS.... I used KLM site to book flight before (not UK flight), and this is the first time I see processing charge. Is this new for UK flight? Is there any way i can avoid the fee?
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 6:03 pm
  #2  
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Originally Posted by uclacolumbiaunc
I was surprised to see the website display a charge for using credit card to pay for a flight LHR-AMS.... I used KLM site to book flight before (not UK flight), and this is the first time I see processing charge. Is this new for UK flight? Is there any way i can avoid the fee?
Most credit card surcharges are banned in the UK but Air France and KLM seem to have found a loophole in relation to Amex cards and exploit it to their hearts content: see here for a discussion of the issue. I am not entirely sure whether their position is still legally correct following recent judgments of the ECJ on interchange fees but it is too much hassle to investigate and challenge.

You should not be charged a fee if you use a Mastercard or Visa, however (unless perhaps if it is a corporate card).
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 6:41 pm
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Originally Posted by NickB
Most credit card surcharges are banned in the UK but Air France and KLM seem to have found a loophole in relation to Amex cards and exploit it to their hearts content: see here for a discussion of the issue. I am not entirely sure whether their position is still legally correct following recent judgments of the ECJ on interchange fees but it is too much hassle to investigate and challenge.

You should not be charged a fee if you use a Mastercard or Visa, however (unless perhaps if it is a corporate card).
I was thinking about using AmEx Platinum for 5x points. But even for MC or Visa, it says there "might" be surcharge. I thought it's kind of fishy that they use the word "might"....
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 12:58 am
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Originally Posted by uclacolumbiaunc
I was thinking about using AmEx Platinum for 5x points. But even for MC or Visa, it says there "might" be surcharge. I thought it's kind of fishy that they use the word "might"....
Any fees that KLM charge will be clearly visible in the payment screen... after you've entered the first 6 digits of your credit card.
If they require surcharge with your card, I suppose you can just use PayPal instead (Although not with Amex)
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 2:12 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Ditto
Any fees that KLM charge will be clearly visible in the payment screen... after you've entered the first 6 digits of your credit card.
If they require surcharge with your card, I suppose you can just use PayPal instead (Although not with Amex)
I did enter the first 6 digits of my MasterCard, but it shows "invalid number" as the result. I guess their system doesn't recognize card number issued in USA.
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 2:17 am
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Originally Posted by uclacolumbiaunc
I did enter the first 6 digits of my MasterCard, but it shows "invalid number" as the result. I guess their system doesn't recognize card number issued in USA.
Hrm... if you put in an invalid number then it doesn't seem to let you move forward, nonetheless given that it is not an EU issued card, if they will identify it, they will add the surcharge.
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 2:21 am
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Originally Posted by Ditto
Hrm... if you put in an invalid number then it doesn't seem to let you move forward, nonetheless given that it is not an EU issued card, if they will identify it, they will add the surcharge.
I just entered another Visa number, the result indicated that there will be a fee charged.

... just want to make sure, there is no fee if paid by Paypal, right? Interestingly, Paypal doesn't show AmEx card as a payment option.
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 2:59 am
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There was a discussion there: Credit Card Fee

And the last post is the solution I'm using to pay with my Amex and avoid the fee.
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 12:56 pm
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Slightly OT but of interest for this discussion.
From DEC 1st, AF & KL will apply extra fees for some payment modalities for tickets booked on AFKL websites (selected countries/POS). This fee will be a % of price (taxes included) :
- PayPal payments : 0.9% for sales done in the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Estonia
- Sofort payments : 0.8% for sales done in Switzerland
- ETransfert : 1,25% for sales done in Poland
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 1:43 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Mirk
There was a discussion there: Credit Card Fee

And the last post is the solution I'm using to pay with my Amex and avoid the fee.
Platinum line,.. . did you call KLM ticketing office? I am in US, so making a phone call to Europe might end up costing more...
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Old Nov 30, 2018, 7:57 pm
  #11  
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i was able to avoid paying the credit card fee by calling Delta to make the booking,... better yet, I can use my Delta gift card on KLM flight.
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Old Dec 1, 2018, 3:21 am
  #12  
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Originally Posted by uclacolumbiaunc
I am in US, so making a phone call to Europe might end up costing more...
Skype or other VOIP service provider?
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