Foreign transaction fees wrongfully charged by "Ben Dover" airlines.

About a year ago, I saw a foreign transaction fee on my bank account. I called and nicely asked, WTF?

It seems that my ticket from GDL to, ATL and on to FLL showed "GDL, MX,ATL, FLL." This was read by the computer as me stopping in Mexico City. I explained the situation and I was given a credit back but it wasn't charged back to the airline. Basically I got the $$ because I didn't accept the run around and went into PITA mode.

Now fast-forward to a month ago.

I have my friend in N.Y. buy me a ticket online with a U.S. carrier. She used my CC and paid for the ticket, which was priced in US$ and my CC, from a California bank is in US$. For all intent and purposes, I was in N.Y. by proxy getting the ticket.

I later see a foreign transaction fee on my CC billings. I call the bank ang again ask WTF?. Bank says it is not a fee they charged, it was put on by the airline. Airline says it was put on by the bank.

Who's on first.

After a lot more digging, I find the airline, on its own, converted my US$ to pesos so it could be paid to the Mexico office of the airline.

I found the International Contract of Carriage for the airline and it says nothing about converting my US$ ticket cost into pesos, and I read it 2X, line by line.

To me, this is a breach of contract.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Of course it's a small amount, but today, airlines are, IMO, screwing over passengers right-and-left.

You might want to check your CC bills if you were in this type of situation.

We made a purchase with U.S. carrier Delta on line with a U.S. CC and we also got a foreign transaction fee. We called and they said since it was booked "in Mexico" the foreign transaction fee applies. Even tho we bought the ticket in U.S. dollars and paid in U.S. dollars. Not fair !

How much is the fee?

Trailrunner wrote:How much is the fee?

About US$6.

sm1mex wrote:We made a purchase with U.S. carrier Delta on line with a U.S. CC and we also got a foreign transaction fee.  We called and they said since it was booked "in Mexico" the foreign transaction fee applies.  Even tho we bought the ticket in U.S. dollars and paid in U.S. dollars. Not fair !

Since when does "fair" matter to an airline?

They will keep doing this so long as no one does anything.

sm1mex wrote:We made a purchase with U.S. carrier Delta on line with a U.S. CC and we also got a foreign transaction fee.  We called and they said since it was booked "in Mexico" the foreign transaction fee applies.  Even tho we bought the ticket in U.S. dollars and paid in U.S. dollars. Not fair !

Not fair or fare......just another financial ripoff "gotcha", to pad the profit side of the ledger.

Try using a different CC that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees like CapitalOne.

or ay the fee and look at it as part of living in a foreign country.

brigitte wrote:or ay the fee and look at it as part of living in a foreign country.

Right on, Brigitte. Pick your battles, life is short.

Gamina wrote:Try using a different CC that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees like CapitalOne.

Is it the CC company or the airline?
I use Cap One on British Airways and still wind up paying transaction fees as they quote the price in US$ and then jockey around to UK pounds and back to US$.
I think it's BA that gets the extra and not Capitol One.

The fee depends on the price of the ticket. Usually about 3-4% of the price, so if the price of the airline is expensive, depending on where you are going, then the fee will increase along with the price.

Gamina wrote:Try using a different CC that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees like CapitalOne.

It isn't the CC company, it''s the airline.

Same as charging almost everyone the tourism tax by not giving a way to declare being a legal resident of Mx. or w/some airlines, a Mx citizen.

My CapitalOne CC has never charged a foreign transaction fee, no matter how high the charge. Anywhere in the world. And they give a very favorable exchange rate.

Last time I flew into Mexico, to avoid the tourist tax fee, the internet site asked if I had a Mexico passport and I said yes. If someone had asked to see my passport I would have shown my visa card to show that I'm a permanent resident of Mexico.

I always put Mx. Passport, except some online systems for certain airlines.don't give hat option.

Gamina wrote:My CapitalOne CC has never charged a foreign transaction fee, no matter how high the charge.  Anywhere in the world.  And they give a very favorable exchange rate.

Last time I flew into Mexico, to avoid the tourist tax fee, the internet site asked if I had a Mexico passport and I said yes.  If someone had asked to see my passport I would have shown my visa card to show that I'm a permanent resident of Mexico.

Neither does my Capitol One CC, on any charge anywhere.  This shows up on my British Airways billing that they submit to Capitol One for collection.
Their exchange rate is the best, at least with Euros and UK Pounds.