Qantas ups credit charges

[oz_mark]

A report from the Australian

THE cost of taking a Qantas break is about to increase as its holiday arm lifts the fee levied on credit card transactions from 1per cent to 1.4per cent.

A spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that the credit card fee charged by Qantas Holidays would increase from February 21 but said it would not apply to air tickets.

She said the new fee was in line with travel industry practice, where some players charged 3per cent.

"Even with the increase, Qantas Holidays still only partially recovers the cost of the credit card merchant fees," she said. "It's just a matter of costs, basically."

Airlines and Telstra were among the first companies to take advantage of the Reserve Bank's reform of credit card fees in 2004.

 

[Jobu]

Travel companies should take a few lessons from other industries and wear the damn charges as part of the costs of doing business... at least for charges sub $5k.

SOB's!

JOBU

 

[N860CR]

There's a lot less places wearing the costs though now. A hell of a lot of places (including Downtown Duty Free) are adding 2-5% (be nice if we had a uniform figure) for Amex and Diners, Visa etc can't be too far behind

 

[Mal]

Or my local bottlo charging 2% if I use Amex/Diners but no extra if I use Visa/MC...

 

[JohnK]

...A hell of a lot of places (including Downtown Duty Free) are adding 2-5% (be nice if we had a uniform figure) for Amex and Diners, Visa etc can't be too far behind

Earlier this month I paid a 1% fee at Downtown Duty Free for using Amex. My last international flight before that was in June and there was no fees for any credit card. It must only be a recent change.

The travel agent I used to use for international flights charged 3% extra if I paid by any credit card not just Amex.

Or my local bottlo charging 2% if I use Amex/Diners but no extra if I use Visa/MC...

For many years we could pay the yearly golf fees by credit card (only MC/Visa) and there was a flat $10 surcharge. Last year they introduced a pay by the month direct debit. If paying by Amex you are charged around $2.50 a month extra which is about 5%, if you use MC/Visa you are charged around 2-3% extra and there is no fee if you pay from a savings account. I don't mind paying a little extra as long as they accept Amex. There are still a lot of businesses that do not accept Amex.

 

[NM]

And at The Good Guys, where they advertise a better price for cash, their "cash price" now includes cash, EFT, Visa, mastercard and Bankcard. The only things they excluse from their "cash price" are Amex and Diners Club.

 

[Guest]

I would be interested to know if these businesses are allowed to charge more % than they are charged by their bank for accepting that type of card.

 

[oz_mark]

I would be interested to know if these businesses are allowed to charge more % than they are charged by their bank for accepting that type of card.

My understanding is that there was nothing in reforms that imposed a restriction of this type, thus businesses are allowed to charge whatever they like. Few are as money grabbing as the 10% that cabcharge get away with.

 

[NM]

And of course the government is very happy to have these organisations charging us a service fee if we use our credit cards. The Australian Government is happy to collect 10% of the service fee in GST. It all adds up, and I expect a good little earner for the treasury. So not much of an incentive to stop it.

 

[bigjobs]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

 

[NM]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

not unless they offer FF points to transact in cash .

 

[oz_mark]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

What's cash?

 

[NM]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

What's cash?

The hard metalic stuff my 9yo expects to be paid after half an hour of smearing (cleaning) windows :roll: .

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

What's cash?

The hard metalic stuff my 9yo expects to be paid after half an hour of smearing (cleaning) windows :roll: .

you're lucky its metal and not plastic

 

[NM]

you're lucky its metal and not plastic

She likes to hear it clang as its dropped into her hand. Otherwise its not real money to her.

 

[dajop]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

Or will organisations be allowed to charge for cash handling costs? Imagine the increased cash handling, counting, security etc required if everyone who paid be CC suddenly converted to cash?

 

[Jobu]

eventually cash will make a comeback ...

Or will organisations be allowed to charge for cash handling costs? Imagine the increased cash handling, counting, security etc required if everyone who paid be CC suddenly converted to cash?

That is a good point really! I think next time I make a big outlay at a travel agent and they give me the "oh, you want to pay by credit card? that's an additional 1.5%", I will resist the urge to buy those points and go to the nearest bank branch and withdraw several grand in $5 notes. So for five grand I will hand them a thousand five dollar bills - that's got to be at least a bit messy doesn't it?

JOBU

 

[NM]

That is a good point really! I think next time I make a big outlay at a travel agent and they give me the "oh, you want to pay by credit card? that's an additional 1.5%", I will resist the urge to buy those points and go to the nearest bank branch and withdraw several grand in $5 notes. So for five grand I will hand them a thousand five dollar bills - that's got to be at least a bit messy doesn't it?

JOBU

$2 coins make a nice clink as they hit together when being counted .

 

[one9]

... I don't mind paying a little extra as long as they accept Amex. There are still a lot of businesses that do not accept Amex.

why would you consider paying a surcharge for amex if there was no surcharge for visa/mastercard. everyone who has an amex knows that a substantial number of businesses will not take amex, and that they need to have an alternative. nearly all amex card holders will have a visa/mastercard to use if amex is not accepted.

if visa/mastercard has no surcharge at a shop, and you can earn 1 QFF point per dollar (eg. woolworths mastercard, cba platinum), then why would you pay a 1-3% surcharge to pay by amex? you are only earning an extra 0.5 QFF points per dollar (assuming your amex card gives you 1.5 points per dollar).

it really is not worth it to pay amex in such case.

 

[JohnK]

why would you consider paying a surcharge for amex if there was no surcharge for visa/mastercard...

Because that is my card of choice and the only one of my cards that I have paid to attach a rewards program to it.

My visa/MC/citibank ready credit and GE credit line just have old debts accumulated (cash advances) that I want to pay off. My credit limit is very much maxed out and it is hard for me to get new credit cards from other suppliers. With an annual credit card spend of $10K-$15K I don't see a need to have multiple reward programs.

it really is not worth it to pay amex in such case.

To me it is. Where amex is not accepted I pay cash.