Travel Agent Credit Card Surcharge

[Dreams425]

I am in need of help from some of the travel professionals!

 

My travel agent is charging our group 3% if you pay be credit card.

 

Has anyone else heard of this? I didn't think it was a big deal but some of my guests had been making a big deal about it and I don't want them to be unhappy since they are paying large sums of money to travel with us.

 

I talked to American Express today and they said it is allowed but then I called the bank who my visa card is through and they said it is definitely not allowed and their merchant account can be revoked for that. I really like my TA and I don't want to think she is doing anything bad.

 

Please help!

[Dreams425]

Thank you! I understand why they do it but I don't want my guests to think my TA is doing something sketchy (which now they do ). You're totally rigth all they have to do is phrase it as a discount for cash/check payments. I'm going to email my TA in the morning. I feel like if I ask about it they she will have to remove it.

[sunshinekc08]

I work for American Express & they are actually not allowed to do that. We call it supression & report companies that do that.

 

It is part of the merchant agreement that they sign in the begining when they decided to take plastic. My TA does not pass the fee on to us....most don't!

 

I would have a discussion with your TA about this, b/c most TA's will do price matches & you can go elsewhere where they don't charge the 3%.

 

Also, its an awesome thing to be able to pay for your trip with credit card and have 30 days more to pay it off & also earn either travel points or cash back.

 

I don't think what she is doing is fair.

 

BTW... when they pay with a CC, the TA gets her money within 3 days. By check, they have to wait for mailing time, and the check to clear & what about the fees if it bounces.....

[TammyWright]

i don't do it...or give a dscount for cash...in fact i recommend people charge on a cc for protection.

[JenniferSS]

It sounds like what they are doing is putting the funds into their own merchant account ( which explains why they are charging the 3% to cover their overhead) instead of paying the supplier/ hotel directly. When we pay a supplier or hotel directly we are not charged credit card fees and therefore do not have to pass along that expense to our clients.

 

I'd be a little leary as it may be an indicator that the company is having cash flow issues.

[Dreams425]

Thanks for all of the info ladies! I found out today that the resort is actually charging my TA a fee. She said she never would have passed anything like that along to us. We are getting ready to switch our reservations from the resort to Apple so she said the fee would be going away anyway. She felt really bad and said she usally tries to not let the brides have to deal with internal stuff like that so in the end everything worked out!

 

I appreciate everyone's advice! What would I do without this forum??