Amex Platinum Charge and Section 75

mtm103

Hello
I paid for some flights with Amex with Qatar airways. After booking the flights, I paid for excess baggage. When I arrived at the airport in Dubai (flight was Dubai - Doha - London), my flight had been cancelled. After 2 hours on the phone, they managed to reinstate the flight. Except no excess baggage. I showed all the documentation, but the lady on the counter didn't care - either I pay again, or I don't get on the flight. So I had to pay. Qatar doesn't have a credit card terminal at Dubai, so I had to pay at the counter to DNATA (part of Emirates). I paid with my Amex. I sent countless emails to Qatar - all of which have been ignored. I opened a dispute with Amex. After 2 months, Amex came back with "Dnata said they received money on behalf of Qatar, take it up with Qatar, the charge is legitimate". I asked to do a section 75, and was told:

As checked, you own a charge card and made the transaction with your Platinum Card ending in XXXXX. In order for American Express to consider a Section 75 claim, the transaction or contract you wish to dispute must meet a specific criteria. In this instance, we are unable to progress your claim. A Credit Card or Payflex facility must have been used for the purchase. It can only be resolved directly with the merchant.

I am now wondering what the hell is the point of paying by Amex, if this is what happens. Any suggestions?

MorningcoffeeIV

Yes - use a credit card for future purchases if s75 is likely to be needed.

There are many points in the hell with paying with Amex - you just need to understand what card you're using.

mtm103

MorningcoffeeIV said:

Yes - use a credit card for future purchases if s75 is likely to be needed.

There are many points in the hell with paying with Amex - you just need to understand what card you're using.

Thank you.. I will let this be an expensive lesson!! it is crazy as I though Amex chose to follow section 75

MorningcoffeeIV

They don't get a choice to follow or not.

Credit cards do. Non-credit cards don't.

WillPS

Have you opened a charge dispute with Amex?

https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/customer-service/dispute-charge.html

Although I've never had to query a charge card purchase with Amex, whenever I've had an issue a purchase on an Amex credit card I've used the online 'dispute' functionality and had the problem resolved to my satisfaction, no need to even mention nor invoke Section 75.

mtm103

WillPS said:

Have you opened a charge dispute with Amex?

https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/customer-service/dispute-charge.html

Although I've never had to query a charge card purchase with Amex, whenever I've had an issue a purchase on an Amex credit card I've used the online 'dispute' functionality and had the problem resolved to my satisfaction, no need to even mention nor invoke Section 75.

yes - I opened a dispute but they came back with - you paid Dnata, Dnata said it is not their problem. Go to Qatar

Marchitiello

First of all some clarity: you have the Amex Platinum Chargecard, a legacy product not open to new customers. If you want to ensure future S75 protection, I would consider swapping (May need applying from scratch, speak to Amex) to the new version of the Platinum Card, which is now a Credit Card.

now, first of all, was the whole trip under one booking (one PNR) and therefore you are sure that the excess luggage charges applied to the full Dubai to London trip?  If so, I would actually dispute the first charge at time of booking (for service not received as the excess luggage was not recognised) and peruse that Avenue with Qatar first and Amex (assuming you paid that with Amex as well) later. If the charges at the airport were actually higher, than the one paid in advance (and not recognised) I would open a complaint about it. Qatar CS is not fantastic but eventually get there.   Have you tried to call CS in the UK and explain the situation and ask them to open a formal complaint file? 

PS: disputing the Charge at Dubai airport will not get you anywhere as the service was delivered (they accepted your excess luggages), is the first transaction where you were charged for  but did not receive the service in question that you need to dispute.

eskbanker

There was already another thread with more detail of the original issue, which is perhaps worth resuscitating if pursuing the card provider isn't likely to be viable:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6420214/qatar-airways-extra-bags-included-but-ended-up-paying-extra-at-airpot

DullGreyGuy

mtm103 said:

MorningcoffeeIV said:

Yes - use a credit card for future purchases if s75 is likely to be needed.

There are many points in the hell with paying with Amex - you just need to understand what card you're using.

Thank you.. I will let this be an expensive lesson!! it is crazy as I though Amex chose to follow section 75

The law defines what is covered by the Consumer Credit Act and if a product is covered then the whole of the act applies to it. A chargecard has to be paid off in full each month as such it fails to fall within the CCA and hence no S75 protection. 

AmEx do offer "purchase protection" and naturally chargebacks both of which are simply different to S75... there are times when both are better and others where S75 is better.

The devil is in the detail of these things... did you book the flights directly with Qatar or via an agent? I'd also double check exactly what the offer was, it does sound like you only upgraded the second leg of your travel