SQ to charge credit card fee

[Chris]

Just received the following, not sure if this applies only within Australia. This is to match the same charge by QF:

SINGAPORE AIRLINES TO IMPLEMENT CREDIT CARD SERVICE FEE
Further to Tariff Note TN04_09, Singapore Airlines will implement a Credit Card Service Fee (CCSF) to partially offset the cost of merchant fees charged to the airline.
Effective for tickets issued on or after 01 April 2009, Singapore Airlines will apply a Credit Card Service Fee (CCSF) of AUD25 per passenger per ticket. The CCSF is a flat fee applicable for all published fare tickets issued in Australia, validated to SQ (618) plate and paid for wholly or partly using a SQ accepted credit card. The CCSF will be collected under the tax code YR and displayed separately on the ticket as a YR tax.
Important notes:
�� The CCSF YR tax will auto-quote in standard GDS fare and itinerary pricing entries.
�� Wholly or partly credit card form of payment will incur the CCSF YR tax.
SQ accepted credit card forms of payment:
• American Express
• Diners Club
• MasterCard
• Visa

[sqdazz]

This almost makes me want to vomit. What is SQ becoming? Fuel drops to lowest levels in years, they still charge us ridiculous fuel surcharges, now they want to add ANOTHER surcharge !? I'm starting to wonder if I love this airline anymore at all.... Stinks like a LCC now.

Will they allow the 'BPAY' system in Australia to avoid this insane fee? I'm pretty sure Qantas has some kind of bpay facility

[kpc]

Two immediate thoughts: Will you still have to pay the $25 credit card fee for the surcharges and taxes for award flights? This will drive a lot of passengers to book via their travel agent to avoid this credit card fee, therefore SQ will lose revenue!
Oh SQ, another great way to further disaffect your passengers!

[demue]

And another thought if this CC fee would get expanded beyond Oz. What is with people paying with the SQ branded credit cards like the Krisflyer Amex in SIN? This is so embarrassing. Well they are not getting any revenue from me right now anyway due to LH SEN requalificiation tying me to LH/ LX metal for the 25% status mileage bonus and the award to DPS is booked already, but still a move only worthy of a LCC and not a major network carrier. Yikes SQ what are you becoming?

[Kiwi]

Will they allow the 'BPAY' system in Australia to avoid this insane fee? I'm pretty sure Qantas has some kind of bpay facility

Qantas is just as bad. They have credit card surcharge ex-Australia, waived for bpay. Unfortunately only Australians can use bpay.

Qantas replacement by jetstar on NZ domestic routes means credit card surcharge applies in NZ too, and they have no other way to pay. It's disgusting.

[Chris]

How is a credit card fee, pure revenue, regarded as a tax? It's disgusting how they hide it.

Collect it as a Q surcharge, which will be then part of the fare calculation.

[ADL_SQ]

This is very disappointing. I mean ... if there was a realistic other method of paying for an airfare most people would use it. Perhaps they would accept a personal cheque !! :-)

[taipeiflyer]

i once booked an F ticket on SQ through a tpe TA, which offered a really good fare that was good for just one month. when i went to pay, they informed me there was a 2% service charge for using a CC. i decided to come back 10 mins later and paid cash... they looked at me pretty funny. but seriously, i am surprised that SQ is doing this.

[YK@HKG]

What's the purpose of the SQ website then if this move deters passengers from booking and purchasing tickets online? Hmm......another unwise move by SQ if it gets expanded beyond AUS.

[milehighj]

Don't the CC companies have a (usually non-enforced) rule that merchants cannot specifically charge extra to recoup the fees?

[mad max]

charging a credit card fee reeks of LCC tactics.

i heard that SQ is paying higher prices still for fuel despite oil prices dropping because they hedged their bets wrongly; they bet jet fuel prices would keep on going up so purchased contracts to buy jet fuel at (then) reasonable prices, which are now way above market rate. someone needs to get fired for that.

[Kiwi]

Don't the CC companies have a (usually non-enforced) rule that merchants cannot specifically charge extra to recoup the fees?

That rule is gone in most countries.

[milehighj]

That rule is gone in most countries.

Noted, thanks for the clarification.

[KeithMEL]

Does this only apply for TA-issued tickets (because the note seems to be for TAs) or also tickets bought on singaporeair.com?

[EWR]

Qantas is just as bad. They have credit card surcharge ex-Australia, waived for bpay. Unfortunately only Australians can use bpay.

Qantas replacement by jetstar on NZ domestic routes means credit card surcharge applies in NZ too, and they have no other way to pay. It's disgusting.

Slight detour: When is JQ replacing QF in NZ? What happens to my ticket bought for May?

And back to the topic, how much does an SQ TA charge for booking over the phone, in comparison with AUD25?