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Use your own credit card to book your flight or get knocked off
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Airways recently offloaded many people from their flights because they had booked their tickets online with a credit card that wasn't theirs, but a friend's or a relative's. These people had to purchase another ticket if they still wanted to fly. I know that a few other Middle Eastern airlines, all Indian airlines, and Cathay Pacific, have the same policy to the extent that the person who's credit card has been used to book the flight, needs to accompany you to check-in.
When my parents came to visit me in Madrid from France, I booked them flights on my credit card; similarly when my brother and I traveled around Spain, all flight/train/hostel bookings were made under my name. If all airlines, or any travel-service related company for that matter, begin using this policy, they may lose lots of business from online purchasers so I wonder if it will ever become standard online booking policy.
It's all to prevent credit card fraud, but seriously inconvenient, no?
Filed under: Asia, United Arab, Airlines, Internet Tools, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bob Jun 7th 2008 6:25PM
United does this as well. I booked a flight for a friend LAX - AMS, I had to show up at SFO to have them confirm it was my flight. I wasn't going to drive/fly down to LAX just to show them my ugly face.
Shane Jun 7th 2008 6:38PM
This is news to me! As an expat living in Tokyo we pay for my husband's kids to come see us and it would be impossible for us to 'show our face'.
My guess is that the companies must have been losing a lot if money from fraudulently used credit cards and this is their way of proving that the owner of the credit card actually wanted the fare charged to them.
Thanks for the heads up on this.
Shane Sakata
The Tokyo Traveler
http://www.thetokyotraveler.com
Jason Jun 7th 2008 6:58PM
I bought a ticket for my wife on Cathay from LA, but I also had to buy her a separate ticket from Tucson to LA, and there was no way I could show my face in LA. When I saw the fine print on the ticket after paying with my credit card, I wrote a letter with my signature saying my wife was authorized to use my credit card, I included a copy of my driver's license and a photocopy of the credit card (which I made my wife destroy after showing the airline). The airline accepted that.
I worked at Penske Truck Rental and anybody using a credit card in somebody else's name was required to have a letter from that person with a photocopy of the their ID and the credit card, along with a signature, so I prayed that it would work as well for Cathay and it did.
Justina Jun 7th 2008 9:42PM
Usually you dont have to show up at the airport they are flying from- you instead have to show up at the airport nearest to you in order to confirm your permission. This was the case when my father bought me a ticket at the last minute to get home for a funeral. It was a pricey trip that was not, btw, booked online. Sometimes it might be a particular dollar amount that triggers it or just certain airlines because I booked a cheap (
Priyam Jun 9th 2008 10:28AM
Most of the Indian carriers do have the rule, but it is rarely enforced. I haven't heard of anyone being denied boarding due to lack of the credit card on which the ticket was purchased.