nate89
Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2010
- Posts
- 139
I have a flight booked from LAX-LHR-IAD-LAX that leaves on the 21st. I booked it on Monday this past week and AA sent me an email yesterday evening saying that my credit card had been declined.
I called up today to see what had gone wrong (thinking it may have been low balance), but the lady I spoke to said "there was an error with your credit card. You will have to come to the AA service desk in LAX and pay for it in person when you fly".
My first reaction was, "What? Can't you just re-submit it or let me use another card?" So she said it again - I have to pay at LAX when I fly out; she can't do anything about it. I asked if my ticket will be reserved by the time I get there and she confirmed it will.
I mumbled something and then ended the phone call. I was uncomfortable with this. Especially when I re-read a section from the email:
"Please be aware that other airlines flights booked via American Airlines are on a request basis only and fares are not guaranteed until ticketed"
The flight to LHR is on BA metal.
Furthermore, "Please allow us to advise you that failure to secure payment within 72 hours of confirming your reservation will result in cancellation of your booking."
It will be more than 72 hours from the time I received that email to the time I get to LAX.
I decided to call up again, hoping to talk to someone else this time. I did (thankfully).
This time the service person actually listened and double checked the CC details and noted that there were some (optional) fields empty which may have been why it declined. I also put the suburb instead of city (a bad habit...). She said it should be no issue and that she will put it through the system again and I will be emailed within 24 hours whether it has worked or not.
I hope that first service person gets sacked. Maybe I am reading too literally, but if I had not called again my trip risked ruin because of her laziness and/or incompetence.
(end rant)
I called up today to see what had gone wrong (thinking it may have been low balance), but the lady I spoke to said "there was an error with your credit card. You will have to come to the AA service desk in LAX and pay for it in person when you fly".
My first reaction was, "What? Can't you just re-submit it or let me use another card?" So she said it again - I have to pay at LAX when I fly out; she can't do anything about it. I asked if my ticket will be reserved by the time I get there and she confirmed it will.
I mumbled something and then ended the phone call. I was uncomfortable with this. Especially when I re-read a section from the email:
"Please be aware that other airlines flights booked via American Airlines are on a request basis only and fares are not guaranteed until ticketed"
The flight to LHR is on BA metal.
Furthermore, "Please allow us to advise you that failure to secure payment within 72 hours of confirming your reservation will result in cancellation of your booking."
It will be more than 72 hours from the time I received that email to the time I get to LAX.
I decided to call up again, hoping to talk to someone else this time. I did (thankfully).
This time the service person actually listened and double checked the CC details and noted that there were some (optional) fields empty which may have been why it declined. I also put the suburb instead of city (a bad habit...). She said it should be no issue and that she will put it through the system again and I will be emailed within 24 hours whether it has worked or not.
I hope that first service person gets sacked. Maybe I am reading too literally, but if I had not called again my trip risked ruin because of her laziness and/or incompetence.
(end rant)
Be interesting to see their response.
