Qantas Credit Card Service Fee (CCSF)

[straitman]

Funny you should say that Kiwi Flyer as I heard the other day that financial institutions are feeling the pinch and the only way to get out of strife is to increase telephone banking and net banking fees. Hmmm.

As mentioned some where previous Commbank has just dropped all its Netbank fees.

Sounds to me like the cost of recovery was greater than the revenue raised and rather than increasing the fees further they just dropped them. ....very unusual :!:

 

[Dave Noble]

AA in the US will only accept AUS credit cards in the name of the person booked on the flight, as this award was for my GF who works at the Rock, i had to call AA SYD to pay the taxes & fines :roll: (USD 127.90)

Cheers
DJ737

Next time, book online on aa.com and pay online...all nice n easy. Although the web site says taht it takes UK/US CCs only, it will take an ozzian one; just put UK in for country when filling in ur address

Dave

 

[DJ737]

Hi there

Can't get award flights on online from AYQ thru AA.com.

Cheers
DJ737

 

[Sequel]

I have just booked my first online QF ticket in a while, an was suprised to see the $4.40 credit card fee (haven't been on the site for a while).

What makes it worse, is that the fare was only $27 (plus $48.65 or a huge 180% in "taxes"), which makes the credit card fee a whopping 15% of the ticket price. How can they justify that? Or why was I silly enough to pay it?

 

[serfty]

I have just booked my first online QF ticket in a while, an was suprised to see the $4.40 credit card fee (haven't been on the site for a while).

What makes it worse, is that the fare was only $27 (plus $48.65 or a huge 180% in "taxes"), which makes the credit card fee a whopping 15% of the ticket price. How can they justify that? Or why was I silly enough to pay it?

Justification is in that they are a business without equal competition. Our choice to use Qantas or not...

Did you get a Bpay option? This is for bookings 7 days or more out and there is no $4.40 cc fine when used.

 

[oz_mark]

Justification is in that they are a business without equal competition. Our choice to use Qantas or not...

Did you get a Bpay option? This is for bookings 7 days or more out and there is no $4.40 cc fine when used.

Interestingly I was looking at some flights in July and August. Sometimes it came back with the spiel about $4.40 and sometimes it didn't

 

[JohnK]

Interestingly I was looking at some flights in July and August. Sometimes it came back with the spiel about $4.40 and sometimes it didn't

Did you book the flights that didn't?

 

[Sequel]

There was the bpay option, but it was easier at the time to pay with credit card.

Maybe it needs to be brought to the attention of the ACCC (or whoever looks after consumers), as shorely there is no way they can possibly justify a 15% credit card transaction fee (or, given the benifit of doubt, 5% assuming the "taxes"/fines are included in the fare).

 

[StevePER]

Maybe it needs to be brought to the attention of the ACCC (or whoever looks after consumers), as shorely there is no way they can possibly justify a 15% credit card transaction fee (or, given the benifit of doubt, 5% assuming the "taxes"/fines are included in the fare).

How much should the credit card fee be?

The Reserve Bank’s reforms allow the merchant’s bank (i.e. the provider of the merchant’s credit card 'swipe machine' facility) to restrict their merchants from charging a fee that is greater than the merchant service fee.

The ACCC does not have a 'price setting power' for credit card fees. It strongly encourages consumers to include the cost of the credit card fee when deciding what they wish to purchase and to shop around to get the best value for their needs.

 

[oz_mark]

How much should the credit card fee be?

The Reserve Bank’s reforms allow the merchant’s bank (i.e. the provider of the merchant’s credit card 'swipe machine' facility) to restrict their merchants from charging a fee that is greater than the merchant service fee.

The ACCC does not have a 'price setting power' for credit card fees. It strongly encourages consumers to include the cost of the credit card fee when deciding what they wish to purchase and to shop around to get the best value for their needs.

Somehow I doubt that Qantas's merchant bank is going to place such a restriction on Qantas.

 

[JohnK]

I have just booked my first online QF ticket in a while, an was suprised to see the $4.40 credit card fee (haven't been on the site for a while).

What makes it worse, is that the fare was only $27 (plus $48.65 or a huge 180% in "taxes"), which makes the credit card fee a whopping 15% of the ticket price. How can they justify that? Or why was I silly enough to pay it?

I spoke to QF today regarding their $4.40 credit card service fee. I was told that it was always there as 1% charge absorbed into the taxes and charges portion of airfare and has now shown separately. But I protested that airfares have not come down and she insisted that this is the case. Alas I do not believe them, and it sounds like they have already been trained what to say when queried about new service fee.

I also soke to Amex and they do not care either as it is up to the merchant if the want to include service fee's as part of final price.

I wanted to book a serious of cheap short hop one-way flights and this is where this service fee hurts the most. If you are booking a flight that costs over $500 or even better over $1000 then the $4.40 service is not very significant.

So either pay by credit card and wear the $4.40 service fee and collect the c/c points for the airfare or if your booking is more than 7 days away pay with BPAY and save the $4.40 service fee but no c/c points.

 

[serfty]

... I was told that it was always there as 1% charge absorbed into the taxes and charges portion of airfare and has now shown separately. But I protested that airfares have not come down and she insisted that this is the case. Alas I do not believe them, and it sounds like they have already been trained what to say when queried about new service fee. ...

Before the last fuel fine increases I advanced my plans & booked four return fares MEL-HKG-MEL for october; two paid and two award. The reasoning being that I would be up for another 8x$23 in fuel fines. These fares were paid per pax @ $1088 & award 60K points + $220. Strangely enough, last week I saw the net paid fares on the same 'special' was still around the $1090 mark; fares had been reduced by a level almost exacly in line with that for the fuel fines; all because, I guess, competition.

So yes, while Qantas may have been including the 1% CC fine in with the quoted internet fares; market forces ensured they were well hidden.

 

[Mal]

Can you BPAY from a credit card to the Qantas account?

 

[JohnK]

Can you BPAY from a credit card to the Qantas account?

As far as I know no! Well not from Amex anyway.

You can only BPAY from a savings/cheque account.

 

[kpc]

Can you BPAY from a credit card to the Qantas account?

No. I booked some flights tonite and it specifically said that you cannot BPAY from any credit card. Would you pay $13.20 for ~1000 QF points? That's how many points I forfeited by not paying by credit card and paying by BPAY.

I agree with JohnK that unless you are paying by BPAY, it is now $4.40 cheaper to buy a return ticket as opposed to 2 one ways if paying by credit card. I fear that soon all mercahnts who accept credit cards will charge a fee eg ~3%; or alternatively, offer a 3% discount if you don't pay by credit card. The days of earning "free" QF FF points via credit card spend may be coming to an abrupt end....:evil:

 

[JohnK]

No. I booked some flights tonite and it specifically said that you cannot BPAY from any credit card. Would you pay $13.20 for ~1000 QF points? That's how many points I forfeited by not paying by credit card and paying by BPAY.

Absolutely right kpc. I am now booking a return SYD-BNE and return SYD-HBA with current specials. Airfare total is around $380 so I don't think it is worth paying $8.80 for ~380 QF points on my Amex card!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

As least you have a choice. Bpay not available so the $4.40 charge applies :evil:

 

[JohnK]

As least you have a choice. Bpay not available so the $4.40 charge applies :evil:

BPAY is not available in NZ?

Should be easy for you. Get on the internet and open an Australian savings account with any bank, transfer some funds into it and then use internet banking to pay for airfares.

 

[serfty]

Just a reminder that at per the Original Post, international flights booked using a CC (non Trans Tasman) incur a $12 fine.

Last night I purchased a couple of domestic return journies using CC; at least I receive 2 points per $.

 

[serfty]

BPAY is not available in NZ?

Should be easy for you. Get on the internet and open an Australian savings account with any bank, transfer some funds into it and then use internet banking to pay for airfares.

'tis not that simple; international transfers incur a fee, often more than the Qantas CC fine. :-|