Comments on: Upgrades and Downgrades: credit cards abroad, passport control, cockpit brawls, and more

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:27:14 +0000

@Brian,
The reverse is not a problem for swipe-and-sign transactions. Cards with chip-and-PIN still have a magnetic stripe that is accepted at US locations. However, it’s often difficult to use a foreign credit card online in the US.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:30:53 +0000

Re chip and pin, perhaps I don’t know enough about the technology, but is the reverse also a problem? That is, do folks with chip and pin cards run into problems in the US where the machines are strictly the magnetic swipe kind?

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:52:02 +0000

@Mike, I would argue that US credit card companies (and not just card-issuing banks — I include the Visa and MasterCard motherships, alongside Amex) need to work toward reinstating global standards of some kind. That may mean the creation of a cross-national chip-and-PIN system — remember, cardholders from France may not be able to use their card at vending machines in Denmark. Or, card issuers could start issuing “travel” cards, enabled just for travel purposes, upon request. It’s a thought.

@Ken, I’ll politely disagree. If you don’t use vending machines or self-service fuel dispenser, you’re fine, true. But if you do… Your view is aligned with Michelle Higgins’ in the NYT. But it strikes me as a bit too glib:

But realistically, it’s not a huge problem, and there are ways to work around it. You can still buy things like train tickets and subway cards online ahead of time, carry traveler’s checks or simply pack a lot of cash.

As someone who has pulled their rental car into a gas station in Holland on a Sunday afternoon, hoping to fill up a tank that went from quarter-filled to below-the-E in two minutes, only to find that none of my cards — even a Germany-issued ATM card! — didn’t work, this IS a problem.

@Oliver, forward it to Star Alliance HQ…

@Rob, And you had a green card, which is probably friendlier than the non-resident line…

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:23:06 +0000

I think the chip & pin issue is overblown. In every trip to Europe over the past 5 or so years, I’ve never had a swipe & sign card denied from a merchant. Yes, they can be problematic with some automated machines. And yes, it would be nice if the U.S. joined the rest of the world. But bottom line is that our U.S. Visas and MasterCards are still very widely accepted.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:03:01 +0000

I remarked to my wife just the other day that I bet the reason Chicago lost the games was exactly that – it can be pretty intimidating to enter the US. Since becoming a US citizen, I find it rather easier but I still remember, vividly, the sense of being under suspicion every time I waved my greencard at passport control.

Fortunately the mismatch between my accent (Australian) and the US passport hasn’t caused any problems. Indeed, I quite enjoy greeting them with g’day and it’s never failed to get a smile in response.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:29:46 +0000

Re Air India — unbelievable!

I’ll have to keep a copy of that story in my carry-on, just in case some other Star Alliance carrier should get the idea of rerouting me on Air India in irregular ops.

By: Mike Maddaloni - @thehotiron

Mike Maddaloni - @thehotiron — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:39:18 +0000

What is it that the US credit card companies need to do? When I first contacted you about my experience in Denmark, the card I was using was American Express. The Danish AmEx rep put me thru to a US rep, who said I was basically S.O.L.

In the meantime, it looks like the best option for Americans is to get a bank who doesn’t charge you too exorbitant of ATM fees and only carry cash?

mp/m