Good news for travellers as credit card fees scrapped
The New Year has started with some much needed welcome news for British holidaymakers currently enduring the storms and floods battering the UK.
Two travel firms have made moves on the way they charge credit card fees, with Jet2holidays/Jet2.com and Dawson & Sanderson scrapping them altogether on all flights and holiday bookings.
Unethical
Dawson & Sanderson, which has 20 branches across the UK, said charging extra for using credit cards was “unethical” and added that it “penalised many of its customers.”
The company said that the 0.3% cap for interchange fee introduced by the government last December had “made the decision slightly easier”.
Managing director Chris Harrison explained: “There are more transaction costs involved to a business other than the 0.3% and this only makes up part of the processing costs.
“This is the ethical thing to do and it’s right that we take the lead on this.”
He added that the move was deemed important as it helps to drive innovative new approaches in the sector, especially among smaller family-owned and independent travel agencies.
Convenient and competitive
Meanwhile Jet2 said their decision to drop the charges was made independently of the government's actions and went on to claim no other airline or tour operator has made the change so far.
By taking the initiative the company said it was doing it “to make booking a holiday or a flight as friendly, convenient and competitively priced as possible”.
Chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, Steve Heapy, said: “We pride ourselves in offering friendly low fares and great value package holidays and this is why we have decided to stop charging our customers for credit card bookings.”
Points
Of course many Brits like to use credit cards for holiday and flights bookings because they accrue reward points, while others simply find it easier to spread payments for larger purchases in this way.
“Credit card surcharges can be a significant income stream for travel agencies, but it just does not feel right to be doing this to our customers when they may have been saving for months for their holiday," Mr Harrison concluded.
If you're booking a last minute getaway don't forget to include your Last Minute Travel Insurance in your plans.
Date Created: 06 January 2016
