Paying For Girlfriend's Plane Tickets. Advice

[BaBorJamie]

Let me set the story.

This morning was the successful culmination of the application that my girlfriend and I made for her tourist visa. This morning she received her passport and the visa. , yeah baby.

I am going to pay for her airline tickets......, this is where i encountered my problem. I attempted to purchase tickets for her this morning online......., easy i here you say......, can anything ever be that easy. Alas, NO. We live in the age of seemingly non stop, choking Bureaucracy, and therefore buying your girlfriend airline tickets becomes something that is one step short of impossible, or so it seems at this moment.

I tried to purchase online through qatar, and also thai airways, but i am unable to do so because it states that the name on the credit card that is paying for the tickets must also be the same as the name of the traveller. Now, my girlfriend does not have a credit card, so the option of using her card is a no go.

I phoned thai airways and was told that i could purchase the tickets from one of their offices......, BUT......, the price gets close to doubling from what it is online.(i wish this site allowed me to use profanity!!!!)

I want to be able to get these tickets as soon as possible, with the least amount of fuss, and preferably by simply clicking for them online. Is this possible, or do i have to go to the lengths of transfering money to my girlfriend so she can make the purchase at her end?

Any help, any ideas from those with experience of this situation would be greatly appreciated. i really want to get this sorted out quickly.

Regards

Jamie

[2008bangkok]

I remember a freind of mine paying for another friends of mine ticket back to the UK he used BA so maybe try them..

[the scouser]

Jamie,

You might get more guidance in the travel forum.

Thread moved.

Scouse.

[buffcoat]

The rules on this are much tighter now but I know that EVA will allow you to purchase a ticket on a cc for someone else if you are traveling with them on the same flight.

I guess though you will not be doing this and the money transfer maybe your only option.

Good luck

[mariner29]

Send them a fax of your credit card that sorts it out done it a few times.

[JohnC]

I used www.travelocity.co.uk in the past for tickets for my partner using my cc and never had a problem.

Edited June 30, 2008 by JohnC

[machlad]

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago.

I tried to buy tickets for my TG to meet me in Phuket but there was no way I could do it.

She bought them in a Thai air shop in Bkk and I even tried to give my details over the phone but they wouldn't have it.

In the end I had to transfer the money to her account allowing her to pay for the tickets,

Edited June 30, 2008 by machlad

[stevebow]

Etihads own website. they use the passport number as the eticket ref no. Used them many times never had any probs.

Steve

[geriatrickid]

Trying to use your own credit card for a 3rd party is a crap shoot at best, regardless of the haphazard way the rules are enforced. Every example you will be given where no one asked to see the card will be from people that used the card for their own purchase. As stated above, the likelihood of fraud is less for self purchasers because the passport is available to confirm the identity, especially if its an advance purchase.

There is an option and one that is acceptable to airlines and credit card companies: It's called an authorization. Usually it's a simple form that authorizes the card use. Sometimes a visit to the airline ticket office is required. You just have to be persistent and ask the airline company for it. The problem you will encounter is that most agents in your typical Thai sales office are clueless about this and you then have to speak to a manager. If the answer is still "I dunno" get them to confirm with the H.O. If it's an advance sale, you have the time to go through the hassle.

[SaigonDaze]

Probably your best option is to send her $$ and have her buy the ticket locally. Interesting you say the ticket office is more than online. I find it exactly the opposite for Thai Air here in HCMC. Online Biz Class ticket was over $4K. Went to their local office and paid $2600.

[ChangMaiSausage]

I booked the wife's (Girlfriend then) tickets via Qatar airways she had to collect them from Qatar Airways office in Bangkok, she had to produce her passport for ID, simple no problems. Speak to the office and not on-line.

Other way book through http://www.saveflights.com/index.html they delivered her tickets to the hotel 24hrs before she left BKK, I had to confirm hotel and room number.

Good Luck.

[mikethevigoman]

Just western union her the money and let her purchase the ticket, will also be a very good test for her !

[shawndoc]

I realize this first part doesn't apply to the OP, but might be helpful for others:

I just bought tickets for my GF from Air Asia and she used it with no problem. Also have done it with Nok, but with Nok I had to call in and email a scan of my Passport and CC.

I'd suggest you book travel through a travel agent. I've never been asked to show a credit card when using tickets purchased that way, and it used to happen a lot at my company. Only when purchased online.

[jubby]

I used ebookers.com yesterday to book flights for my parents & a friend using my credit card, no problem.

Its a british company (i Think) but I've sorced flights from Thailand via them before also.

Takes minutes, then forward the 'e-ticket' by Email to the Girlfriend.

[pgs]

From Sydney I have used agents in BKK to buy tickets BKK - SIN for TW & Bangkok - Korea for her sister. No problem.

Most just ask for the photo page of the passport & the CC to be faxed as proof.

[Governor]

I have used Traveltech2000, I have found that they have always undercut all the on-line sites and have usually been the the most competitive agent I have come accross in Bangkok.

I have paid by online money transfer directly into ther bank account thus cutting out the cost of credit card charges.

[BaBorJamie]

Dear All

SUCCESS!

I secured the tickets for my girlfriend yesterday. The advice and effort from several of the people making posts to this thread enabled me to make this happen. Truly, i give my appreciation to all who have contributed to trying to help me solve my problem. Thank you.

I secured the tickets through travelocity. They had to be booked over the phone, and the company needed a back and front faxed copy of credit card and also a letter of authorisation. Apparantely the airlines implement the rule not because it is a legal requirement, but simply because they don't want to deal with the hassle that might arise from it. Yet another reason to be thankful to the airline companies . I'm just reminded of that south park episode when Mr Garrison invents 'IT'. , probably less painful than your average long haul flight though!

Anyway, thank you all again and i will no longer be needing any more suggestions.

Good day and regards

Jamie

[BIG SPUDS]

out of interest how much were the tickets?

[gk10002000]

Interesting thread. So tell me, how do businesses that send people on business trips, or send potential employees on job interviews arrange these things? Do they just happen to know all the tricks mentioned above and deal with the same agent or travel company all the time? I have been on otwo company paid job interviews here in the USA and have not had any problems even since 911.

[SirDougless]

I use a travel agent in BKK when the GF comes to Sydney. I pay them with my Amex but they issue an eticket with "Payment: Cash". Costs me an extra 500 baht over the Thai website price.

[bkk_mike]

Interesting thread. So tell me, how do businesses that send people on business trips, or send potential employees on job interviews arrange these things? Do they just happen to know all the tricks mentioned above and deal with the same agent or travel company all the time? I have been on otwo company paid job interviews here in the USA and have not had any problems even since 911.

Big companies tend to have deals with the airlines directly over discounts and the like.

This means that you generally don't book flights online yourself, but go through a central service (usually someone like American Express, or Carlson Wagonlit, or one of the other business-oriented travel agencies.)

This is because, in theory, they'll be aware of the negotiated discounts with the different airlines, and also, the amount of travel that was guaranteed to the individual airlines. (i.e. You may actually go on a more expensive flight because they need to book lots of flights with that airline before the end of the month !!).

As for online booking... - Lots of companies require one of the passengers travelling to be named on the ticket, but I will admit, in my own experience, I've only used two that don't... - one is airasia, and the other was www.ba.com (booked a flight to the UK for my wife the other week with my card).

Edited July 6, 2008 by bkk_mike

[pgs]

Amongst the flight ticketing rules are fun terms like:

SOTI - Sold Outside Ticketed Inside - eg: you live in Oz, partner (whatever) lives in Thailand. You buy the ticket from Oz through an agent in TH. There is supposed to be a bankload of extra fees on this under the wonderful rules we have in Oz, but there are generally ways around them.

SITI - Sold Inside Ticketed Inside - You're in CM, friend in BKK, you buy the ticket, they collect & fly within the same country.

SITO - Sold Inside Ticketed Outside - You're in Oz & buy through an Oz agent a return ticket (eg) bkk-syd-bkk. This will cost heaps more - you will see the $$$ light up in the agent's eyes. Japanese tourists were wonderful for this as it was cheaper to buy the NRT - SYD - NRT ticket & use the return part first than to buy SYD -NRT - SYD. The system of using the return section first (I believe) is no longer permitted.

SOTO - Sold Outside Ticketed Outside - You live in London, buy a SYD - BKK - SYD ticket through a UK agent.

[Kf6vci]

They will have to see your credit card and the passport to prove this is genuine. If you can, go to an airport office and have THAI Airways sort it out. ** I once booked 3 flights on 1-2-GO to Udon Thani while not travelling myself. Only when I faxed them both sides of the credit card plus my ID were the passengers allowed to fly.

Some airlines have a warning about not allowing this (Korean Airways for example).

Maybe you could get THAI Airways' account details and make a payment in the name of your girlfriend into that account?

Good luck!