Comments on: For travelers without credit cards, they’re no longer the friendly skies

By: Jerry Mandel

Jerry Mandel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:23:33 +0000

I prefer using my own credit card when travelling on company business. 1) I get an interest-free loan because I get my expenses are reimbursed to me long before I have to pay the card company. 2) I get the flier miles for the trips. Note: I never come close to my credit limit when travelling on company business and, if I ever did, I could call the card company, explain that I will be travelling on employer business, and get a temporary limit increase. Note # 2) above.

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Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:56:28 +0000

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By: Laura Townsend Elion

Laura Townsend Elion — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:18:18 +0000

Janice,

Do hotels, airlines, etc., take those pre-paid ‘debit/charge’ cards, like AMEX issues, same as credit cards? That might help the younger travelers if they do.

But the article confrims what I’ve said before -keep your credit card at almost all costs! Parents- help your kids get one (as long as they are responsible). I co-signed on a $2,000 limit for my son, so he’s building his credit and can get his own eventually. It’s a necessary evil these days.

A largely separate issue for business travelers is this BS some companies have of making them use personal cards to book company travel – I refuse. Why use up my credit limits (or in the case of one trip run a balance for the next nine months) for their convenience?

By: Janice Hough

Janice Hough — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:54:47 +0000

Good points, and I should have included that the credit card option has a lot of advantages, but it would be nice if there were some other option, especially for younger travelers who may not have a credit card. And sometimes credit card companies put holds on cards for silly reasons, a charge from somewhere odd, a few gas charges, etc, etc, But onboard is small potatoes. My larger frustration is that travel agents simply cannot issue tickets paid in cash or with a check on many airlines. Especially the newer carriers

By: Matthew in NYC

Matthew in NYC — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:32:25 +0000

I was really happy when the airlines started taking credit cards for inflight beverage purchases. I often don’t carry much cash, and it’s rare for me to have fives or tens, sometimes a few singles. More often I drop by the ATM and end up with twenties. Trouble is a beverage is $5 and the airlines don’t provide a cash float for the flight attendants, if the FAs want one, they have to use their own money, which they don’t want to do. So, if you want change from a $20 note, you’d better have hoped that three people before you had $5 notes or you were out of luck. Much better to take credit/debit cards and pay the tab when the flight is coming to a close.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:04:38 +0000

Count me in favor of getting rid of cash entirely. Credit cards are faster and more efficient. And, especially noteworthy in this age of H1N1 fears, they’re significantly cleaner than cash — more so when one uses the cards with RFID chips that don’t even require touching the card to the reader.

Finally, count me as unsympathetic, but anyone who lacks the financial management skill to control spending, except by having a finite amount of cash in pocket, probably shouldn’t be traveling away from home.

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:43:41 +0000

On a positive note, this method of payment cuts down on employee theft. Secondly, handling cash inflight can be a nightmare. Anywhere between everyone gives the flight attendant twenty dollar bills to a cleaner went into the flight attendant’s bag and stole the liquor money.
Credit is less of a hassle.