Porter website charging some in U.S. dollars
When you book flights online, you want to make sure you are paying in Canadian dollars. It can come as a shock to be billed in U.S. dollars.
I recently helped two Porter Airlines customers who were charged in U.S. currency on flights to Canadian destinations.
Porter initially refused to refund the difference when they called to complain.
Customers have to check the flag at the top of the web page each time they book, Porter spokesman Brad Cicero said.
When you go to flyporter.com for the first time, you can select Canada as the country of residence. But you may end up at the U.S. site on future visits if you click through from a link or from Google.
Danusia Szpak’s complaint: She was charged in Canadian dollars on a Porter flight last April from Toronto to Timmins, Ont. When booking the same flight four weeks later, she was charged in U.S. dollars.
She was charged $414.62 (Canadian) on a flight that had cost her $300 in the past. The price included two U.S. taxes and a U.S. dollar fee for a checked bag on her return flight.
Porter’s customer service told her that she was responsible to ensure that she was not purchasing in U.S. dollars.
“I have no idea how I ended up in U.S. reservations,” she said. “If I try to download a TV show I missed from a U.S. station, a message pops up telling me the service is available only to U.S. residents.
“Why hasn’t Porter built some- thing into its system to make a box appear, warning Canadians of what they are about to do?”
Porter’s response: The airline allows you to cancel at no charge if you change your mind within 24 hours of booking; since Szpak waited until June to challenge her fare, she had to pay the higher amount.
Porter agreed to provide a $26.84 (U.S.) refund for the U.S. taxes and baggage fee she paid in U.S. dollars — as well as $50 in vouchers to use for future travel in the next six months.
Giovanni Gallo’s complaint: He flies regularly from Toronto Island to Montreal with Porter. When checking his credit card statements, he found a flight he’d booked last February that was billed in U.S. currency.
Paying $639.83 for two passengers on a Toronto-Montreal round trip is “atrocious,” he told me. He didn’t realize the quoted fare of $446.52 was in U.S. dollars and included U.S. taxes.
“I was told it was my fault for not paying attention,” he said. “But unless you look at the small flag at the top of the page, you’ll never know you’re about to pay in U.S. dollars. Any right-minded Canadian would never think to look out for this.”
When he checked online, he found others who had the same problem, especially when booking on a smartphone’s tiny screen.
Porter’s response: Domestic Canadian flights booked through the U.S. website rely on the daily exchange rate. On Feb. 7, when Gallo booked his flights, the prevailing Canada-U.S. exchange rate was 40 per cent.
“Although Mr. Gallo completed his travel with us in March, we will provide him with his reservation in Canadian currency at par for the U.S. rate that was purchased,” Cicero said.
“The difference will be refunded in the form of vouchers for future travel within one year.” Ellen’s advice I agree with Szpak and Gallo that Canadian customers don’t expect to be charged in U.S. dollars for Canadian flights booked with a Canadian airline.
Porter should work harder to inform customers of this known prob- lem. Next month, it plans to introduce website changes “to make the booking process even clearer for customers,” Cicero said.
Even better, Porter should be able to block U.S. dollar purchases made by customers with a Canadian geographical location and IP address.
When booking online, always check the flag and switch away from the U.S. site if you end up there by mistake.
Also, check your credit card account right away. Porter lets you change a booking before your trip if you make a currency reservation error. Complaining afterward is not advised. Ellen Roseman’s column appears Tuesdays in Smart Money. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca