EU bans pre-ticked website boxes / Ban on excess CC charges

From the BBC

and the EU Press Release

This means the end of pre-ticked 'optitional' extras boxes and a ban on firms charging excess CC fees - will only be able to charge the customer what the CC company charges.

I imagine a particular LCC will not be happy !

How soon will the Daily Mail be frothing over with indignation about the EU interfering with a freeborn englishman's rights to have ticked boxes and over the top cc fees?

Good news on the cc, though I'm sure someone will argue that "Traders will not be allowed to make a profit from the charge levied on customers for using a credit card" doesn't mean charging only what the cc company charges them.

No doubt they'll find some other way of getting round the pre-ticked boxes. Am I the only person in the world to religiously untick them? Only to realise that, occasionally, I wanted to leave them ticked?!

I've also noticed that the text associated with the tick boxes is often twisted, expressed in the negative, or simply so convoluted that you're not quite sure whether to tick or untick...

I have a total hatred of junk mail, whether email or snail-mail, and always pay close attention to the tick boxes - if I can understand them, that is!

On the CC surcharge - I suspect companies will invent an !admin fee" or some such...

I charge exactly the CC fee and make it perfectly clear what will happen which is fair in my book. Totally wrong some companies that profit from the machine.

Ryanair changed their credit card charge weeks ago to a "booking administration charge".

Aer Lingus, Aer Arran and Lufthansa also have an irritating "handling fee" on bookings.

How on earth airlines were able to get away with this, when almost every other sector of commerce has to show inclusive prices is beyond me!

[mitchja]

VS wont like this either then but I'm glad if it means an end to their ridiculous percentage CC fee

You can bet, whatever happens, that the bottom line will remain the same - the CC charge will be added to the price, or they'll call it something else - we'll all end up still paying it:-)