BBC- (UK) Credit card fees being imposed by councils, says Which?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" wrote in message
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

This is exactly the reason it is allowed in the UK (though I do think the
fee should be regulated down nearer to cost than at present)

tim

(David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) said:

::But in the UK the
:ractice appears to be spreading."

usually when paying taxes or fines to the public sector (they do not
have an incentive to lose some of the income to get your business) but
they shouldn't charge for debit cards although one or two do.
--
JC

On 28/09/10 12:32, tim.... wrote:
"David Horne, _the_ chancellor wrote in message
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

There is.

Try paying by American Express in Europe these days...

Most Internet and small retailers have stopped taking it.

--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...

tim.... wrote:

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" wrote in message
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

Given that most card transactions are currently not charged to the
customer, I doubt that this has much sway.


--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

On 9/28/2010 9:11 AM, William Black wrote:
On 28/09/10 12:32, tim.... wrote:
"David Horne, _the_ chancellor wrote
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

There is.

Try paying by American Express in Europe these days...

Most Internet and small retailers have stopped taking it.

And many never did take it.

On 28/09/10 15:41, S Viemeister wrote:
On 9/28/2010 9:11 AM, William Black wrote:
On 28/09/10 12:32, tim.... wrote:
"David Horne, _the_ chancellor wrote
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that
their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

There is.

Try paying by American Express in Europe these days...

Most Internet and small retailers have stopped taking it.

And many never did take it.

Many did.

These days it's very rare to see a shop with an American Express badge
on the door.

It's much more common in the Middle East and the Far East.

--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...

On 09/28/2010 09:30 AM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal.

You mean over the counter purchases or on-line?

But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

Well, AirBerlin certainly applies a service charge for Etix credit card
purchases. Let's not even mention Ryanair.

T.

On 09/28/2010 03:11 PM, William Black wrote:
On 28/09/10 12:32, tim.... wrote:
"David Horne, _the_ chancellor wrote in message
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

There is.

Try paying by American Express in Europe these days...

Most Internet and small retailers have stopped taking it.


As far as traveling is concerned, Amex is no problem. We use Amex for
flight bookings and hotels all the time.

T.

On 28/09/10 16:10, Tom P wrote:
On 09/28/2010 03:11 PM, William Black wrote:
On 28/09/10 12:32, tim.... wrote:
"David Horne, _the_ chancellor wrote in message
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11422795

In particular-

"Charges for paying by card are banned in several EU countries,
including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. But in the UK the
practice appears to be spreading."

Does that affect, say, airlines? An EU-wide directive would be quite
attractive IMO...

why?

If charging extra were banned then credit card companies could increase
their fees as much as they like and there would be very little that
their
customer (the retailer) could do about it.

There is.

Try paying by American Express in Europe these days...

Most Internet and small retailers have stopped taking it.


As far as traveling is concerned, Amex is no problem. We use Amex for
flight bookings and hotels all the time.


Amazon take them as well.

But Ebuyer, the UK's biggest on-line computer retailer, won't.

--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...