The requirement to present the bank card with which the ticket was purchased when checking in for a flight applies to many airlines. They use it quite selectively. It is possible, they will never ask you for a card, but you should know that the request is completely legal, and if you do not have a card, the airline has the right to not allow you on the flight.
Checking the card — This is a simple anti-fraud tool. An attacker could steal card data and buy a ticket using it. But he hardly has the right to show the map itself or even its photograph.
Some airlines (Emirates) ask to see the card even if the name on the card and the name on the ticket are the same. But most people only ask when someone else bought the ticket for you. And for some airlines, it is generally enough to provide the last 4 digits of the card number. At the same time, no one disputes the right of one person to buy a ticket for another person.
You have the right to ask for a card when checking in for a flight at the airline counter, but if online check-in with a boarding pass is possible, you will not be asked for a card. If the cardholder is traveling with you on a ticket in the same booking, there will also be no questions asked.
It is clear that you have the right not to have a bank card itself issued in someone else’s name. It is enough to take 2 photographs on your phone or photocopies on paper with you to the airport:
- front side of the card,
- cardholder's identification card, double page with photo.
If the card is virtual, take a screenshot of it. If the card is anonymous and the number is on the back, make a copy on both sides, just don’t forget to cover the CVV code with a marker.
If the card is stolen after purchasing a ticket, contact the issuing bank with a statement indicating the owner's name and card number. The bank will indicate the incoming details on the copy of the application. This will be enough to confirm that the card existed. In addition, a bank statement indicating the debit of the ticket price to the airline will be sufficient.
Separate topic — when a passenger has financial claims against the airline, he demands a refund or wants to change the ticket, with or without additional payment. If the ticket was purchased by a third party or agent, the buyer, not the passenger, should file claims against the airline. If you miss your plane and ask the airline to put you on the next available flight, they will check who paid for your ticket.
Many airlines also have restrictions on paying for bookings with bank cards issued in certain countries of the world. These are countries that are considered problematic in terms of card fraud. These include Bangladesh, Cuba, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, etc.