The banks started up these credit card systems without adequate fraud protection, get everyone using them and then try to frustrate you.

I hope these people denied boarding were given full refunds on whichever credit card was used.

There have been some horror stories on this blog and others of passengers being denied boarding for not having the credit card with them that was used to purchase their tickets.

And it sounds annoying as all get out if you are the person who bought a ticket for your child, relative or other friend, and that traveler can’t board a plane. Not to mention how annoying it is for the traveler.

But this is one of the few airline rules that makes some sense. With phone or on line reservations, do you really want someone to simply be able to give your credit card number, obtained from who knows where, and purchase a ticket for a third party? If the transaction is fraudulent, you may not get the charge until after that ticket has been used. And then it’s a battle between you and the credit card company and the airline to see who picks up the tab.

If you legiitimately want to purchase a ticket for someone else, there’s an easy solution. Book through a travel agent. With the bond agreement agents and airlines have, the airline will waive the requirement for the passenger to show a credit card, because they can (and will) go back to the agent in case of fraud. And any competent agent will only accept phone or email orders from someone they know.

Yes, you will pay a service charge. But you will probably get a good fare. And you won’t get the call ‘Mom, I don’t have your credit card…they won’t let me on the plane.”

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Then they switched to using ANY card to name match.

I suspect that it is an additional security measure considering these home bases of these airlines. There is a lot of CC fraud and identity theft out there today and I think it is a good idea.