Qantas says Jetstar doesn't levy credit card surcharges - but a 'comfort fee'

[wooley]

What would they do if everyone started paying them in physical cash? They'd be stuffed. Imagine the expense they'd incur from having hundred of people running to the bank each day with thousands of dollars in cash, the extra insurance they'd have to fork out for etc etc. Paying electronically is as much a convenience for QF as it is for the customer.

But then they could add an inconvenience fee...

 

[juddles]

I know airlines are in a difficult market. Surcharges or component pricing are not the solution.

Increase airfares. Or pay executives less. Cut down the costs of business. Do away with lavish offices......

AAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!! Trying to sleep but this sort of post prevents that. Lavish offices??? Pay executives less?? These items are TINY in the QF reality.

If Aussies want an Aussie carrier, then pay them what is real. I can get a full fare Qantas ticket to South America with QF for the SAME PRICE IN DOLLARS that it would have cost me in 1980. Air travel is INCREDIBLY cheap.

 

[dajop]

Understand that airline is a tough business. But it is far from the only tough business. I think most people have broadly accepted credit card surcharges that reasonably represent the differential cost of accepting them.

Hotels typically charge 1.5%. Don't know of too money that charge $7 for a $100 room and and at the same time $7 for a $600 room.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Qantas.COM charges the fee but almost every other OTA doesn't charge anything extra for a qantas flight.

I don't get it - why book direct on the website if you're not happy to pay more?

However in saying that qantas.com has one of the lowest direct booking rates for a major airline in the world and imposing extra fees isn't exactly going to help lure customers from OTAs.

 

[Mr_Orange]

And if they bother using up just 5 seconds of their lives, there is simple information of methods of payment that do not incur the fee.

This is true, however the other methods do carry the same consumer protection rights as credit cards do. We pay annual fees to the card provider, why should we be slugged again to take advantage of the benefits.

I would never pay for an air fare by BPay or Poli (don't even know what that is) or Paypal or cheque.

 

[cambriamarsh]

its not universal! qantas doesn't charge fees for booking by credit card from other countries! only Australia!

Not quite correct. We get hit in NZ too.

 

[wandering_fred]

And while purchasing QF domestic tickets overseas won't incur the "fee", fare classes which are available (as standalone tickets) more than make up for the lack of said fee. One would need to purchase the domestic segment as an add-on to an incoming international ticket.

BPAY is relatively painless for most Australian residents since most utility bills are most easily handled by that already. I only occasionally use PayPal, and then if it is only option.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[burmans]

Exactly not! QF state very clearly, it is a fee based on what the market will accept. It is not set based on the credit card cost. It is based on what they believe the market will wear. How could they be more honest about that??

Except that if it comes down to what Qantas state and the law says, then usually its the law that wins. And the guidelines are clear, sucharges are allowed but only to the extent of the reasonable cost of the transaction.

What Qantas think about this is somewhat irrelavant, except in trying to convince a regulator to change their regulations.

 

[medhead]

There is no way to avoid the booking and service fee from jetstar, is there?

What would they do if everyone started paying them in physical cash? They'd be stuffed. Imagine the expense they'd incur from having hundred of people running to the bank each day with thousands of dollars in cash, the extra insurance they'd have to fork out for etc etc. Paying electronically is as much a convenience for QF as it is for the customer.

Indeed. Simply shows that credits cards are a very low cost method for collecting payments.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There is no way to avoid the booking and service fee from jetstar, is there?



Indeed. Simply shows that credits cards are a very low cost method for collecting payments.

you can avoid booking fees as follows:

Booking and Service Fee
Jetstar charges a Booking and Service fee for some bookings completed online. For bookings made in Australian Dollars (AUD), Jetstar waives this Booking and Service Fee for all bookings paid for using Jetstar MasterCard, Jetstar Platinum MasterCard, Jetstar Vouchers, POLi and Direct Deposit (Direct Deposit is available up to 14 days prior to departure only). A Booking and Service Fee of $8.50AUD per passenger per domestic flight and $8.50-$12.50 per passenger per international flight applies for bookings completed with any other payment type. We actively encourage our customers to complete their bookings using one of the payment methods for which no Booking and Service Fee applies. For more information, see Payment Methods.

 

[eminere]

To avoid the credit card fee simply purchase a flight voucher and use it against a booking. There are no fees levied when using a credit card to purchase a flight voucher or to pay the balance of the booking after redeeming the voucher.

 

[footy99]

You can avoid it and still pay by cc by price beating Tiger over live chat too.

 

[Alanslegal]

I always pay via direct deposit to avoid the fee, but my goal isn't to avoid the fee, it is book flights - effectively holding them - whilst thinking about whether to confirm the payment or not. This is especially useful for sale tickets where it's very tempting to just go because it's cheap but that I know I shouldn't. The holds, can be almost like a few working days if you time it right.

 

[Mattg]

To avoid the credit card fee simply purchase a flight voucher and use it against a booking. There are no fees levied when using a credit card to purchase a flight voucher or to pay the balance of the booking after redeeming the voucher.

Are you sure that this is the case? I needed to make a booking of around $450 a while back. Bought a $300 voucher (this is the highest denomination I could buy without going over $450) and they wanted to charge me a credit card fee for the remaining $150 to be paid.

 

[Mattg]

So basically their fee-free payment options are as follows:

• Use a Jetstar credit card - which means physically getting that specific credit card and paying an annual fee. The annual fee ranges from $59 to $149. So Jetstar is still getting your money in other ways.
• Using a Jetstar voucher - while the voucher itself is fee-free, they'll make you pay a credit card fee for paying the outstanding balance by card. Which in theory is okay if you can get a voucher which equals the exact cost of the fare. However the vouchers only come in the following denominations: $25, $50, $100, $200, $300 and $500. You can only use one voucher per booking AND, any remaining balance on the voucher will be forfeited if there is still many on there after you make the booking. :!:
• POLi - which is against the T&Cs of most banks...
• Direct deposit - which they won't even let you do if the booking is made less than 2 weeks out.
• Use the "Price Beat Guarantee" - only works if there is a cheaper flight available on another airline on the same route within 1 hour.

 

[footy99]

So basically their fee-free payment options are as follows:

• Use a Jetstar credit card - which means physically getting that specific credit card and paying an annual fee. The annual fee ranges from $59 to $149. So Jetstar is still getting your money in other ways.
• Using a Jetstar voucher - while the voucher itself is fee-free, they'll make you pay a credit card fee for paying the outstanding balance by card. Which in theory is okay if you can get a voucher which equals the exact cost of the fare. However the vouchers only come in the following denominations: $25, $50, $100, $200, $300 and $500. You can only use one voucher per booking AND, any remaining balance on the voucher will be forfeited if there is still many on there after you make the booking. :!:
• POLi - which is against the T&Cs of most banks...
• Direct deposit - which they won't even let you do if the booking is made less than 2 weeks out.

Or by price beating another airline. Then you can use your cc for free.

 

[Mattg]

Or by price beating another airline. Then you can use your cc for free.

True, I just updated my post.

 

[JohnK]

Are you sure that this is the case? I needed to make a booking of around $450 a while back. Bought a $300 voucher (this is the highest denomination I could buy without going over $450) and they wanted to charge me a credit card fee for the remaining $150 to be paid.

Jetstar or Qantas?

With Qantas no credit card surcharge if any part of the airfare is paid by gift voucher.

 

[Mattg]

Jetstar or Qantas?

With Qantas no credit card surcharge if any part of the airfare is paid by gift voucher.

I'm referring to Jetstar here. Qantas is much more generous, of course.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

To avoid the credit card fee simply purchase a flight voucher and use it against a booking. There are no fees levied when using a credit card to purchase a flight voucher or to pay the balance of the booking after redeeming the voucher.

Wrong, balance will need to be paid by Poli to avoid the fee sorry