ABTA pushes government to clamp down on ‘excessive’ card processing fees
Banning payment card fees will increase prices of flights and holidays, ABTA is warning the government, which intends to outlaw debit and credit card charges from January next year.
Calling on government to follow through with early promises to monitor the amount charged by credit card companies for processing cards, ABTA said this was the real problem.
"ABTA agrees that people should not be charged excessive fees when paying by card, however, preventing travel companies and other retailers from passing on the often excessively high charges they face when taking card payments, risks increasing prices for everyone, regardless of how they pay," said ABTA in a statement released this week.
"We will be writing to the Government, highlighting the particular concerns of travel agents and providing examples of how these new rules will negatively impact the travel industry and their customers.
"We will be calling on the Government to address the real issue – the high level of fees charged to companies when taking card payments. The Government has previously committed to monitoring the amount charged by credit card companies for processing cards. They now need to back up their words with action."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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