Credit card booking fees - unavoidable?

henrik1971

Going to Brussels for a few days in the summer with the family. Just tried booking flights on the Brussels Airlines website - you get to the payments page and it asks you which payment method you wish to use:
1. Debit cards - no fee
Tried this, but the only card they accept is Maestro (which needs to be enabled for 'e-Maestro' transactions). These cards don't obviously appear to be available in the UK, or if they are, they are hard to find!
2. Bank Transfer / Direct Debit - no fee
Tried this but they only accept payment from a specific Belgian bank - no other.
3. Credit card - transaction fee of £18 per person
Is that a joke? In truth it appears to be £18 all-in, but still a rip off
4. Paypal - £18 fee again.

So am I right in thinking there is no possible way to avoid the £18 card fee? Any ideas anyone?
Thanks in advance.

henrik1971

Sorted.

Worked out that the online bank payment system is actually a payment intermediary service called SOFORT. Strangest thing I've used in a while, but everything I've seen online says it is legit and safe.

All seemed to go okay. It did however seem very strange entering online banking passwords and memorable info into a third party platform.

If anyone else has used this, I would be interested to hear!

Thanks

eDicky

SOFORT is widely used northern continental Europe, credit cards are not.