CC fees to be investigated

The consumer watchdog (Which) will ask the Office of Fair Trading to investigate charges that are not revealed until the point of payment and can often be in excess of the cost faced by the retailer processing the transaction.

According to Which?, low-cost airlines are among "the worst offenders", with some carriers charging fees per passenger, per leg of the journey, even though they are only handling one transaction.

The organisation offers the example of Ryanair, which would reportedly charge £40 for a card payment covering a family of four booking a return flight.

This is despite the fact that the cost to the company would only be about 20p for a debit card transaction and no more than two per cent of the overall value for a credit card order.

Flybe would charge £28 and easyJet would impose a fee of £5.50 for the same booking, according to the Which? research.

Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of the consumer charity, said: "There's simply no justification for excessive card charges - paying by card should cost the consumer the same amount that it costs the retailer. Companies shouldn't be using card processing costs as an excuse for boosting their profits.

"Low-cost airlines are some of the worst offenders when it comes to excessive card surcharges but this murky practice is becoming ever more widespread, from cinemas to hotels and even some local authorities."

Reminds me of some Postage fees on ebay

Is "Which" sponsored by easyJet, or why is the research crap?

Another Useless 'Which, Who or What' Press Release


Laff! "The clueless clowns at ‘Which, Who or What’ magazine"

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Before making ‘Super Duper Complaints’ the clueless clowns at ‘Which, Who or What’ magazine, should conduct some basic research. Ryanair does not levy any credit or debit card payment ‘surcharges’. Even our administration fee is avoidable by passengers who use our recommended MasterCard Prepaid.

Isn’t it bizarre that this useless and irrelevant ‘consumer magazine’ is again complaining about ‘low cost airlines’ while, yet again, ignoring British Airway’s unjustified, unfair and unavoidable fuel surcharges. Perhaps this is why 78m passengers this year will chose to fly Ryanair while less than 30m will fly on fuel surcharging BA, and less than one man and his dog will buy the useless and irrelevant ‘Which, Who or What’ magazine.

If it wasn’t for dentist waiting rooms or doctors’ surgeries it is doubtful whether anyone even reads the useless and frequently inaccurate ‘Which, Who or What’ magazine.”

Ryanairflyer wrote:Another Useless 'Which, Who or What' Press Release


Laff! "The clueless clowns at ‘Which, Who or What’ magazine"

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Before making ‘Super Duper Complaints’ the clueless clowns at ‘Which, Who or What’ magazine, should conduct some basic research. Ryanair does not levy any credit or debit card payment ‘surcharges’. Even our administration fee is avoidable by passengers who use our recommended MasterCard Prepaid.

.”

I'm sorry, and I'd defend ryanair to the hilt where neccessary but isn't ryanair's administraion fee just a credit card surcharge by another name? The fact the fee is avoidable by using Ryanair's preferred form of payment, a prepaid mastercard just says to me that the fee they charge is a credit card fee, just disguised.

Avoidable

Ryanairflyer wrote:Avoidable

Avoidable yes, but still a disguised fee and not easily done either.

Rich00cap wrote:

Ryanairflyer wrote:Avoidable

Avoidable yes, but still a disguised fee and not easily done either.

Rich00cap wrote:and not easily done either.

I have not had a problem avoiding the fee to date and have saved alot of money with the pre paid payment choice offered and a good thing it is.
Airlines in general and not just FR, Insurance companies(yes i detest insurance companies) amongst others like the term admin fee.

I just feel the 'admin' charge which is £5 per person per flight is extortionate and only avoidable if you know the system. occasional customers will not want to go the hassle of applying for and topping up a prepaid card.
If it was an admin fee then those costs would be applicable to every purchase and subsequently passed on to customers, and not only those who are unable to pay by PPMC.