Why am I charged when booking a holiday? (From Oxford Mail)

Of course the card companies charge *someone* for every transaction, but in most cases the retailer absorbs that cost (though you certainly used to see signs in some shops explaining that credit card transactions would be charged at a higher price).

I suspect the key word might be "agent" because it is not just travel agents - other ticket agents charge as well.

In all the other cases you mention in your letter they are retailers who have control over the goods they are selling and can price everything up to account for the average loss they make on credit card transactions.

Agents however are booking something for you from someone else (even if the shop and the holiday operator they eventually line you up with appear to be "in-house") so presumably don't have the right to deduct card charges from the "product" prices the holiday operators are charging.

I suppose an alternative way of doing it would be for agents to negotiate their commissions with the holiday firms such that the commissions covered the average cost of the card transactions, but they're probably unlikely to be able to do that with every holiday operator they deal with.

Just a guess, but an educated sounding one I hope!

I once booked a holiday in a travel agent for 5 people and the cost came to in excess of £2500 and they wanted to charge me 1.8% for the pleasure, i refused to pay and said forget the holiday i will go elswhere, they let me off the charge straight away.

It is becoming quite common to be charged extra for using a credit card but not a debit card. The first time I came across this was in IKEA but have seen it in a number of places since.

Oxford councils levy the credit card charge against payment of council tax, etc.

Paying by credit card for goods not in hand i.e. holidays, items being delivered in future, at least gives you more security should the company in question go under. You can then claw back a full refund from the CC company.
If you'd paid by debit card, then you'd have to wait in line with all other creditors to see if you'd get any money back.