Buying flights on behalf of someone else

Tinuel

Good morning all,

I am buying a flight for my wife and daughter on my card. They are abroad, I am in the UK. I know that some airlines ask for proof of purchase (card) as well as the print-out with the reference.

I wonder if she will have problems even with the reference number, print-out and the flights in her name. Will they ask for the debit/credit card that was used to purchase it?
If so, can they not allow her to travel?

She will fly with American Airlines from San Juan to Miami or NY and from there to London on BA. Do these airlines normally request the "buyers" card?

Your attention is appreciated, need to book it ASAP.

baby_bronagh

hi
last year I paid for my son's flight from menorca on my credit card.He didn't have enough money so I booked his flight with Thomson back to Glasgow and all he had was the reference number.I couldn't send a printout and he had no problems whatsoever .He just went to checkin ,gave ref. number and wasn't asked for credit/debit card number as far as I know.You could phone airline to verify/double check this.
hope this helps!

kazprincess

Could you get her card details and do it all in her name and her card to save worry?
I dont think it would make a difference though, or maybe phone the airline to confirm that it would be ok?

dmg24

Why not check on the AA/ BA website, or ring them?

Mr_Warren_2

No airline will ask you for proof of purchase (ie did you pay the flight yourself) as this would cause trouble with birthday presents, surprise air travel gifts from parents to children etc. With the tickets/E-ticket or web check-in facility you will be 100% fine (think of business travellers, we do not buy our tickets ourselves)
The only system requesting you to show your Credit card is when you book a train ticket on-line. You need that same card to retrieve the tickets at the machine at the railway station.

Voyager2002

Mr_Warren wrote: »

No airline will ask you for proof of purchase (ie did you pay the flight yourself) as this would cause trouble with birthday presents, surprise air travel gifts from parents to children etc. With the tickets/E-ticket or web check-in facility you will be 100% fine (think of business travellers, we do not buy our tickets ourselves)
The only system requesting you to show your Credit card is when you book a train ticket on-line. You need that same card to retrieve the tickets at the machine at the railway station.

I am afraid that this is NOT TRUE! Many airlines do expect passengers to bring the card used for ticket purchase when they travel, and may ask to see it at check-in. A failure to produce the card may mean that they are unable to travel.

Of course, there are many situations when the passenger has not paid for the flight, and so alternative arrangements for ticket purchase can be made. For example, the BA website asks you to tick a box to indicate if the person making the booking will not be travelling. That is all that you need to do, but behind the scenes the booking is processed differently.

Most other airlines have similar systems. Check the websites of the airlines that you intend to use, and if they don't tell you then call them and ask.

moonrakerz

Mr_Warren wrote: »

No airline will ask you for proof of purchase (ie did you pay the flight yourself) as this would cause trouble with birthday presents, surprise air travel gifts from parents to children etc. With the tickets/E-ticket or web check-in facility you will be 100% fine (think of business travellers, we do not buy our tickets ourselves)
The only system requesting you to show your Credit card is when you book a train ticket on-line. You need that same card to retrieve the tickets at the machine at the railway station.

To add to Voyager's post:

If you check-in at an automated kiosk you will need either the card you bought the ticket on or a regular flyer card for the airline in question.

basill

When purchasing E ticket flights the booking page will sometimes give a choice of document for the traveller to produce. I have used my passport (enter number at point of booking ) when the flight was along way ahead and did expect to be keeping the card.
So far the confirmation email plus passport has always been sufficient to travel.
I think the automatic check in machine will accept either passport or credit card.
B

Voyager2002

basill wrote: »

When purchasing E ticket flights the booking page will sometimes give a choice of document for the traveller to produce. I have used my passport (enter number at point of booking ) when the flight was along way ahead and did expect to be keeping the card.
So far the confirmation email plus passport has always been sufficient to travel.
I think the automatic check in machine will accept either passport or credit card.
B

Don't count on it. I recall reading a discussion started by someone who was denied boarding (by Sri Lankan airways) because he no longer had the credit card that he had used to buy his ticket.

odowdchr

Mr_Warren wrote: »

No airline will ask you for proof of purchase (ie did you pay the flight yourself)

Cathay Pacific went through a stage of denying check-in to people who didn't have the credit card used to purchase tickets. Not sure if they still do it, but i take the card just in case.

Tinuel

Thnaks all for your info.
AA asked a friend of mine for proof of purchase once, I have flown with them and was never asked for a debit/credit card.
The customer service isn't very clear too. Depending on the circumnstances I was told.