Consumer mailbag: BC Ferries payments and reservation refunds

Every Friday consumer reporter Lynda Steele dips into the CTV mailbag to answer viewer questions.

BC Ferries payments

Ted emailed CTV to ask why BC Ferries does not accept debit when driving into its terminal. After watching Steele On Your Side, Ted learned that certain Visa and MasterCard transactions can cost vendors more than debit transactions. He believes accepting debit cards may be a way for BC Ferries to save money and avoid increasing fares.

BC Ferries told CTV News it comes down to the time it takes to process a debit transaction. The short time it takes each customer to punch in their PIN and hand the device back to the ticket agent can add up to a considerable amount of time at peak hours. BC Ferries says it may implement debit in the future if it can find a time savings somewhere else.

However, you can pay with your debit card at the automated foot passenger kiosks.

Reservation fee refunds

Crystal wrote CTV with another ferry-related question. She made a reservation on a ferry but decided to cancel it shortly after. When she called to cancel, well in advance of her travel day, she was told BC Ferries would not refund the reservation fee. She wants to know why.

BC Ferries says if someone cancels a reservation within an hour of booking then the fee would be refunded. Otherwise, there are no refunds. The policy is to prevent people from booking and holding space on a vessel and cancelling it just prior to the sailing. If that happened other customers would not be able to book the space.

After we contacted BC Ferries, it agreed to refund Crystal's reservation fee and she ended up taking another sailing.