KLM charges credit card processing fee for flight originating from UK?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,776
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?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,377
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?
You should not be charged a fee if you use a Mastercard or Visa, however (unless perhaps if it is a corporate card).
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,776
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).
You should not be charged a fee if you use a Mastercard or Visa, however (unless perhaps if it is a corporate card).
#4
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,414
If they require surcharge with your card, I suppose you can just use PayPal instead (Although not with Amex)
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,776
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.
#6
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,414
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.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,776
... 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.
#8
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK/FR
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 886
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.
And the last post is the solution I'm using to pay with my Amex and avoid the fee.
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
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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
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
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,776
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.
And the last post is the solution I'm using to pay with my Amex and avoid the fee.