MEL_Traveller
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2005
- Posts
- 27,810
red roo
I'm about to embark on my next tour of Asia and will be making use of my hard earned frequent flyer points to book intra Asia awards on cx. the majority of these journeys will originate in Thailand or china.
problem is, while awards can be booked on line, you are required to present yourself (with credit card) at the qantas Bangkok or shanghai office in order to complete the booking process. tickets will not be issued unless you visit the office for credit card verification.
I book my awards in advance, usually from outside the country, and require tickets as evidence of return travel for border formalities (even at checkin in certain cases).
previously qantas has indicated that local regulations require them to take this step. we have already established however that this is not the truth, and it is because qantas uses local sales agents who do not have the correct facilities or arrangements for credit card processing.
we know it is not 'due to local regulations' because I can book travel on Cathay, British airways, American Airlines (you name it... even Sri Lankan airlines) without needing to have my credit card verified before a ticket is issued.
so i feel this squarely lies with qantas, and whatever booking system/arrangements they have in place.
the workaround is to use the australian call centre who will make the booking for you over the phone, and charge you in australian dollars. however... this attracts the call centre assisted booking fee.
as this has now been going on for several years, could you please raise with the relevant department that the assisted booking fee is WAIVED for bookings that need to be completed ex bkk and ex china where the frequent flyer does not have an address nor is domiciled in those countries.
since it seems that credit card fraud may be an issue, might I suggest it is also passed on to the relevant department that appropriate controls are easily put in place. where an established frequent flyer, especially those with status, are using points for their own travel, from their own account, and paying with an australian credit card with a billing address that matches their frequent flyer account, what is the risk of fraud?
finally, if it is a fraud issue, qf could put arrangements in place for the credit card to be presented at checkin (as is the case in hkg).
in summary could I please have an explanation of why award bookings ex bkk and china require credit card verification before a ticket can be issued (and the important bit it this... when no other airline requires it)? and secondly can qantas please organise for a fee waiver for passengers caught up in these arrangements through no fault of their own?
this has been going on for many years, and has cost me in the hundreds of dollars in assisted booking fees.
with thanks
MEL-T
I'm about to embark on my next tour of Asia and will be making use of my hard earned frequent flyer points to book intra Asia awards on cx. the majority of these journeys will originate in Thailand or china.
problem is, while awards can be booked on line, you are required to present yourself (with credit card) at the qantas Bangkok or shanghai office in order to complete the booking process. tickets will not be issued unless you visit the office for credit card verification.
I book my awards in advance, usually from outside the country, and require tickets as evidence of return travel for border formalities (even at checkin in certain cases).
previously qantas has indicated that local regulations require them to take this step. we have already established however that this is not the truth, and it is because qantas uses local sales agents who do not have the correct facilities or arrangements for credit card processing.
we know it is not 'due to local regulations' because I can book travel on Cathay, British airways, American Airlines (you name it... even Sri Lankan airlines) without needing to have my credit card verified before a ticket is issued.
so i feel this squarely lies with qantas, and whatever booking system/arrangements they have in place.
the workaround is to use the australian call centre who will make the booking for you over the phone, and charge you in australian dollars. however... this attracts the call centre assisted booking fee.
as this has now been going on for several years, could you please raise with the relevant department that the assisted booking fee is WAIVED for bookings that need to be completed ex bkk and ex china where the frequent flyer does not have an address nor is domiciled in those countries.
since it seems that credit card fraud may be an issue, might I suggest it is also passed on to the relevant department that appropriate controls are easily put in place. where an established frequent flyer, especially those with status, are using points for their own travel, from their own account, and paying with an australian credit card with a billing address that matches their frequent flyer account, what is the risk of fraud?
finally, if it is a fraud issue, qf could put arrangements in place for the credit card to be presented at checkin (as is the case in hkg).
in summary could I please have an explanation of why award bookings ex bkk and china require credit card verification before a ticket can be issued (and the important bit it this... when no other airline requires it)? and secondly can qantas please organise for a fee waiver for passengers caught up in these arrangements through no fault of their own?
this has been going on for many years, and has cost me in the hundreds of dollars in assisted booking fees.
with thanks
MEL-T
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