paying for items in UK with HK credit card

ct1 · 22-05-2008, 03:23 PM

potentially weird question but has anyone had any issues with paying for hotels and car hire in the UK with their hong kong credit cards. The companies we are dealing with are absolutely insistent that we pay with a chip and pin enabled credit card. they won't accept payment without. has anyone else had this experience or on the day of paying did it all go ok.
cheers, chantal

hullexile · 22-05-2008, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by ct1:

potentially weird question but has anyone had any issues with paying for hotels and car hire in the UK with their hong kong credit cards. The companies we are dealing with are absolutely insistent that we pay with a chip and pin enabled credit card. they won't accept payment without. has anyone else had this experience or on the day of paying did it all go ok.
cheers, chantal

At Christmas I hired a car using my HK card, no problem.

ct1 · 22-05-2008, 03:29 PM

which company? the ones we have spoken to are being very difficult. thanks.

Claire ex-ax · 22-05-2008, 03:36 PM

Point out that many countries do not follow the same credit card requirements as the UK. Then ask whether, in that case, they will not accommodate tourists/hire to visitors from overseas. Then ask whether this policy of refusing business from tourists will hurt their businesses.

hullexile · 22-05-2008, 03:38 PM

Can't remember if it was called National or Alamo or could even have been both.

PDLM · 22-05-2008, 04:13 PM

I haven't had any problems - simply tell them that it's an overseas credit card. They are still processed in the same way as they always were.

jaykay · 22-05-2008, 04:28 PM

Had the same problem with Sixt trying to hire a car before Christmas. Got on the phone to some Northern Bint who'd struggle to get a Krypton Factor of 1 (if anyone remembers that) who kept repeating the same mantra "it's all chip and pin now" to all my questions including well how do you deal with people from abroad and people doing business? No brains whatsoever.......

Ended up calling Alamo (because wasn't able to book a baby seat online) and had it all sorted in 10 minutes. However when we got there the cards wouldn't work so ended up having to call back to HK to tell them we're in UK and need to use the fuggin cards! But yeah seems some dumbasses think the whole world is chip'n'pin.