How can I buy a ticket online from an airline when they only accept credit cards & not my Visa Debit card?
Posted in Credit on 12/24/2008 09:04 am by admin
UpFromHere asked:
The airline, EVA (evaair) has great online only web fares to Asia. Problem is they only process bookings with a credit card in my name. They will absolutely NOT accept any debit cards, even if they are labeled “Visa” from my bank. I find this amazing, since I am essentially offering them cash, but all the customer service people I spoke with say it’s because they process the transactions at their home-base in Taiwan. Obviously there are technology services to get around that, but I guess they are avoiding paying additional fees and save money. If the discount being offered was not significant, I would buy the ticket elsewhere. However, if I buy on their website I can save around $600! Believe me, I’ve shopped around. I also have frequent flier miles with them through a travel agent before and that gets me deeper discounts than normal, plus two nights free hotel…but only if I buy through the web. My friend offered to put the charge on his credit card and I can pay him cash, but the airline rules say the card has to be presented be in the name of and presented by one of the travelers. Well, I don’t see any option other then buying the ticket from another source and losing the discount. Unless someone brilliant here knows how to buy online with credit in my name suddenly? Oh, I sheepishly add that I would like to travel in one week…
I tried entering the debit card since I figured it wouldn’t be a problem and processed the same way, etc. It is, in fact, immediately rejected because it’s a debit card. The payment processing system they use seems to able to tell through some instant feedback from a global financial system service.
DERICK
The airline, EVA (evaair) has great online only web fares to Asia. Problem is they only process bookings with a credit card in my name. They will absolutely NOT accept any debit cards, even if they are labeled “Visa” from my bank. I find this amazing, since I am essentially offering them cash, but all the customer service people I spoke with say it’s because they process the transactions at their home-base in Taiwan. Obviously there are technology services to get around that, but I guess they are avoiding paying additional fees and save money. If the discount being offered was not significant, I would buy the ticket elsewhere. However, if I buy on their website I can save around $600! Believe me, I’ve shopped around. I also have frequent flier miles with them through a travel agent before and that gets me deeper discounts than normal, plus two nights free hotel…but only if I buy through the web. My friend offered to put the charge on his credit card and I can pay him cash, but the airline rules say the card has to be presented be in the name of and presented by one of the travelers. Well, I don’t see any option other then buying the ticket from another source and losing the discount. Unless someone brilliant here knows how to buy online with credit in my name suddenly? Oh, I sheepishly add that I would like to travel in one week…
I tried entering the debit card since I figured it wouldn’t be a problem and processed the same way, etc. It is, in fact, immediately rejected because it’s a debit card. The payment processing system they use seems to able to tell through some instant feedback from a global financial system service.
DERICK
12/27/2008 at 8:58 pm
DEWAYNE
The only thing I can think of is that you can go to a place like walmart and buy a visa card and preload it with the money. The only problem is the name thing, so they may not accept it. I would also try giving them your debit card number as well as the expiration date and just not telling them that it’s a debit card. They can’t tell the difference and it’s processed the same way.