Card used for payment, or No Check In!
Back to Forum- This topic has 17 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 12 Feb 2016
at 23:20 by Schaible.
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MarcusGBParticipantFlying Ex LHR yesterday i was asked to provide the Card which my Ticket was booked with, by Etihad. As it was a miles booking Business to AUH booked in the summer, my main card had been lost so was replaced, and another expired. Both clearly had different numbers.
“The System” the Etihad Check in staff said would not allow me to check in, without the original card, despite travelling with two bookings, one paid with a previous Amex card, one with the current. the next booking onto Australia was in First Class, and paid for with the currently held card. Despite driving licence, Passport obviously, Etihad Gold card plus others, card and bank cards, none would shift the system block!
It took one hour, and The Duty Manager trying very much to assist, had to call two departments in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, i also called Amex and they verbally confirmed with the Duty Manager, but by this time, someone had overridden the block from their Abu Dhabi finance office.
If it had been a different time when their specific Offices were closed, unless i carried the statement of the Summer booking with me, I would not have been able to even check in.
I am all for preventing fraud, but if your card has changed for any reason (Loss, or expired card, even a closed account), and you have such a great amount of ID and a frequent flyer card, this seems quite unreasonable. It is certainly something to be extra cautious with i think for all travellers. In some countries, they use the “Ideal” system, so it is paid directly from a bank account.
Has anyone else experienced this recently?
Any Airlines you feel are applying this more than others, and what are your views?11 Feb 2016
at 20:32
slotskiParticipantI have been asked a couple of times for my credit card: LHR with Thai Airways, the flight was a bmi redemption and FCO to LHR on BA.
I have read on FT, QR have been active in requesting the credit card and when I was queuing at check-in at BKK I noticed some QR passengers were asked for their card.
11 Feb 2016
at 21:54
travelworld2ParticipantI’ve been asked a couple of times by Virgin, have not had the card on me but it hasn’t been a problem. I’ve been unable to book a ticket for someone else online on Emirates and had to present myself, and the card, at an EK office before a ticket was issued. But that’s it.
To be honest, the Etihad rule in this instance sounds bonkers. A classic example of what happens if you adopt a “computer says no” mentality….
11 Feb 2016
at 22:12
MartynSinclairParticipantThis is not so unusual in the Far East to combat ticket fraud, but it is a very badly thought out “safety check” as there are genuine reasons for not having the original card used for the purchase when you check in. Most obvious one being the card has expired and the old one has been destroyed.. I recall a previous thread on this subject some years back.
I recently purchased 3 tickets for someone using my Amex card for an Air Berlin flight (within Europe) in the summer and I will not be travelling.
I spoke to Amex about this very subject as I would not be with the party of 3 at check in. Amex confirmed it was an Air Berlin issue. I emailed Air Berlin, to inquire what I should do and whether I need to “lend the party” my credit card. Air Berlin have still not responded.
It has been suggested though that I go to an Air Berlin ticket desk at the departure airport (which I visit regularly) and show them my Amex card and ask them to mark the booking accordingly that my card has been verified…
11 Feb 2016
at 22:13
MarcusGBParticipantThanks for the shared experiences.
I have paid for a ticket for another person, but with an indemnity letter with the card copy and my contact details.
But in my case, being a miles booking, all the other proofs with me, and being a Gold member, and the 2nd booking paid with the current Amex card, this clearly is excessive.I will take this up with Etihad in the form of a complaint.
Alex, what is your view on this, or what are their Regulations ex UK in such a situation that would apply to every Airline, or can they have their own policies?
11 Feb 2016
at 23:39
maxgeorgeParticipantI was briefly denied boarding at LAX by TK, despite being Miles&Smiles Gold. I’d lost a card, and had it replaced. A little polite pleading, and I was allowed to proceed, but it was a worrying experience.
Perhaps bringing the relevant statement for a replaced card would be the answer.
12 Feb 2016
at 03:12
AndrewinHKParticipantMake a note of the card number you booked the ticket with incase of any lost cards etc. All the check in agent needs to unlock the booking is the card number, they don’t need the physical card, in my experiences anyway.
Many airlines require the card number if the booking has not gone through the the verified by visa or equivilant card security checks.
Singapore Airlines regularly enforces this policy.
12 Feb 2016
at 04:37
traveldoc1ParticipantIt happens a lot in the far east and is extremely frustrating – especially when they have been paid by the credit card company weeks or even months before. Simply can’t see the point in it and – as other posters have commented, there’s every chance your original card has expired, and you’re now carrying a new one. What’s the legal situation if you’ve paid for a flight and the airline has taken the money but then refuses boarding?
12 Feb 2016
at 05:06
LuganoPirateParticipantIt has happened to me twice on bookings in South Africa but on explaining my card was lost I was checked in anyway without problem.
On buying someone a ticket on SAA I had to fill in and sign a form which was faxed to them.
Ironically apart from when my card above was lost, I’ve never been asked to show my credit card on checking in.
12 Feb 2016
at 05:35
goldaviatorParticipantWhen booking with BA, there is a tick box to say the person paying is not travelling, I do this all the time when booking for myself so never get asked for cc at check in. Not sure if this option is available with other airlines.
12 Feb 2016
at 09:22
goalie11ParticipantI have also had this problem with Etihad, in fact I looked out a letter of complaint I sent on this very subject, which was dated May 2012. I got the usual nonsense about fraud prevention but their reasoning was akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
I also had my passport and Etihad gold card and asked what more ID could they possibly want – blank faces!
The problem was particularly bad when buying tickets for my wife to join me. They wanted to see the card used for purchase, which was a nonsense. Their way around that was to ask for a copy of both sides of the card, which I wasn’t keen on providing. The only way to resolve it, they said, was for me to go to an Etihad office in the city and show the card for them to enter on the system but even that was flawed as my wife was still asked for it at Manchester airport, thereby followed numerous calls from station to station.
I got some resolution from their finance people in that they had their system identify my email address in a booking and it seemed to over-ride anything else they had in place. Not sure how but it did and I have had no problem with it since.
Given Marcus’s experience it seems they haven’t learned.
12 Feb 2016
at 10:24
MarcusGBParticipantIt seems Etihad have not learned.
I will bring it up with them, and they should perhaps look at this thread on BT!
Travelling as you all have said, clearly you have your passport with you, Maybe driving licence with address and photo as i did, numerous cards and several FFP cards, including their own gold one! I really do not know anymore that they could want, and a Senior Police friend of mine has said it was absolute nonsense, Airport Police get called regularly, and their was no issue. Miles bookings especially for First and Business on Premium Long haul+ services such as the A380 First, have to be booked well in advance if they are released at all.Booking in Summer 2015, it was highly likely to have been a card re-issued , lost or replaced, or may even have been an account closed. Thanks also to American Express 24 hr line, but others amongst you may not have a card with 24 hrs for this purpose.
I had the 2nd booking to Sydney First class with the new card that i produced (I cancelled and made a new booking) as a seat in 1st became available just 6 weeks ago,.To me there is no logic. But it was their computer system that blocked it. They told me the end numbers, so they physically wanted to see the card!
I will be taking this matter up, but highly advise anyone to print their statements off for any new cards used, or closed accounts.
I will post their response, if it is anything but standardised. Thanks for your contributions…it is an important issue and more common as time goes by, so could affect us all at some time in the future.12 Feb 2016
at 14:45 -
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