Best Practices for Credit Card Payments in Avinode

At Avinode, we strive to provide a seamless and secure payment experience for all our members. However, to maintain the integrity of our platform, it's essential that credit card payments are handled responsibly. To help prevent issues and disputes, we’ve compiled some guidelines on how to properly use credit cards within Avinode and avoid common pitfalls.

Why Credit Card Payment Practices Matter

Responsible use of credit cards on Avinode helps protect both your business and the integrity of our system. Ensuring secure and appropriate transactions reduces disputes, prevents service interruptions, and avoids costly chargebacks. By following best practices, you can contribute to a smoother experience for everyone on the platform.

Use Cards Only for Legitimate Business Transactions
- Credit cards should only be used for authorized and agreed-upon transactions. This includes payment for services or goods that have been explicitly discussed and confirmed within the platform. Avoid using credit cards to make payments that haven't been properly documented or consented to by all parties involved.
Use Valid and Up-to-Date Cards
- Always use current and valid credit cards with sufficient limits to cover the transaction amount. Expired cards or cards with inadequate credit limits can cause failed transactions, leading to potential delays and frustration for all parties involved.
Maintain Clear Communication with Your Client
- Always communicate clearly and transparently with your client about the nature and amount of the transaction. This helps prevent misunderstandings that can lead to disputes or chargebacks. Providing an invoice or clear documentation of services rendered will also be beneficial in case any issues arise later.

Avoiding Chargebacks and Disputes

Chargebacks can be a significant issue for businesses, causing both financial and reputational harm. To avoid chargebacks, consider the following tips:

Provide Clear and Detailed Documentation: Make sure that every transaction is backed by proper documentation, such as an invoice or quote that clearly outlines the services rendered and the payment terms. This helps prevent misunderstandings and gives both parties a reference point if any issues arise.
Address Concerns Promptly: If a client has a question or concern about a payment, address it immediately. Resolving an issue early can prevent it from escalating into a formal dispute or chargeback.
Unfamiliar Payment Methods: Be cautious if someone suggests a payment method or card that seems unusual or that you haven't encountered before. This could be an attempt to bypass normal security measures, leading to potential chargebacks or fraud.
Frequent Chargebacks
- Chargebacks are a signal that something has gone wrong in the transaction process. Members with frequent chargebacks may be engaging in questionable practices, such as disputing legitimate charges after services have been delivered. Chargebacks are time-consuming and costly for both sides, and repeated incidents can harm relationships within the community.
Use of Third-Party or Unauthorized Cards
- Using a third-party card or a card that does not belong to the business or individual responsible for the transaction can lead to fraud or disputes. Ensure that the person or company benefiting from the transaction is the same as the one providing payment.

Responsible Card Use Builds Trust

By following these best practices and avoiding problematic behaviors, you contribute to a safer, more reliable payment environment within Avinode. Transparency and responsible use of credit cards not only protect your business but also foster trust within the community. Should you ever have any questions or concerns about credit card payments, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team for assistance at support@avinode.com.

Together, we can ensure that Avinode remains a platform built on security, trust, and mutual respect for all members.

Liability Check

What is a Liability Check?

If 3DS cannot be applied to a card transaction, you may be asked to approve & accept liability for the transaction manually. In these cases, the transaction will still be able to be processed, but you will not be protected by the 3DS liability shift. Therefore, if the transaction turns out to be fraudulent, your company would bear the financial loss, rather than the card issuer or the payment processor.

What steps can I take to get the Liability Check approved or removed?

You can Accept Liability to approve the fraud check if you are confident that the client will not raise a dispute later on. Bear in mind by choosing this option, your company assumes the liability instead of the card issuer or card network (AMEX, VISA, or MasterCard).
You can Cancel the transaction. Then, your client can use the same payment link to retry the payment with the same card or a different card, ensuring that the 3DS authentication is successful.

For any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Support team via chat or email. Simply click on the Help button.

Related Information: Payment Request Statuses and Flags

🟧 Card Sanctions Check

Card Sanctions check - passenger verification in order to reduce risk.

At Paynode, security is front and center. This is why we apply sanctions checks to each card payment.

What is a Sanctions check?

Sanctions check the screening of passengers during payment. This process ensures individuals involved in transactions are not listed on national or international sanctions lists. This screening helps maintain the integrity and security of financial transactions.

How does Sanctions check work?

At checkout, your client is asked to confirm whether they are the passenger or if they are making a payment on behalf of a passenger. If they’re paying for someone else, they’ll be prompted to provide the passenger’s full name, date of birth, and nationality

Why do you ask for this information?

Providing the passenger's full name, date of birth, and nationality during payment checkout helps us quickly verify their identity, ensuring smooth and prompt payment processing.

This procedure complies with legal requirements designed to prevent transactions on behalf of individuals listed on international sanctions. By verifying these details, we maintain the integrity and security of your payments.

How quickly is the Sanctions check done?

The screening is often done in real-time at the point of payment to ensure that the transaction is not completed if there is a match on the sanctions list.

What happens if the passenger's information is incomplete or entered incorrectly by my client?

If the requested information is not provided or is incomplete, it causes the payment to be flagged for additional review.

The payment is not complete and this delays the processing of your payment as we work to ensure that all legal requirements are met.

What steps can I take to clear the Sanctions Check and get my payment approved?

Email Notification: You’ll receive an email from our team notifying you that your payment requires further attention.
Provide Passenger Details: To clear the sanction check, simply reply to the email with the passenger's full name, date of birth, and nationality.
Quick Resolution: Once we receive this information, we’ll complete the sanction screening process, and your payment should be cleared shortly after.

Providing these details promptly ensures that your payment can be processed without delay.

Why was the passenger flagged by your system?

Screening can be complex due to name variations and it can trigger a false positive due to common names.

By instructing your clients to enter the passenger's correct and full details, you can help us clear your payment instantly, allowing you to complete your transaction without any issues.

For any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Support team via chat or email. Simply click on the Help button.

Related Information: Payment Request Statuses and Flags

Overview of card payments

Paynode makes business aviation payments seamless

Paynode provides quick and easy credit card payments, a secure system and simple interface, and transparent payment tracking.

How do card charges work on Paynode?

Create a Payment Request
You start the process by sending a payment request to your customer.
How to create a Payment Request
Credit card fees

Percentage fee based on card type for each credit card payment

(Credit card fees are dependent on the card used.)

Paynode Fee Schedule
Your client pays
Your client receives an email with a link to submit payment and pays.
How your customer pays
Each transaction is checked for fraud
The transaction is authenticated using 3D Secure and checked for potential fraud.
What is 3D Secure
If the cardholder is not a passenger, then one passenger name is collected and screed against sanctions lists.
Confirm Services Rendered
Funds are held in your name until you self-certify that the first leg of the journey has begun.
How to Confirm Services Rendered
Get paid
Funds are disbursed to your Paynode account.
When to expect receipt of funds

Track the status of a card payment

Payment Status

The current status of a Payment Request is shown in your list of Payment Requests.

Or you can find the status in the upper left-hand corner of the Payment Request.

Payment History

You immediately know what has happened to your Payment Request every step of the way when you look at its History.
Go to the Payment Request, and click on History.

Payment Status and flags

Credit Card Processing Time Frames

When will I receive my card payment?

Funds are disbursed to your bank account once two conditions are met:

You have Confirmed Services Rendered
AND
Paynode has received the funds from the card issuer

If payment is received for an air charter service that has already taken place and Confirm Services Rendered is clicked immediately, it takes approximately 2 - 5 business days for funds to be disbursed and 0 to 1 day to arrive in your Paynode account.

How can I check the status of my card payment?

Below is an example from the History Tab on a Payment Request that shows when payment was received, when there was confirmation of services rendered, and when disbursement happened. Please note - the Payment Request does not show when the funds were received into the member's Paynode account.

Why is my card payment taking so long? How does card processing work?

The diagram below shows how card processing generally operates step-by-step.

In a successful scenario, neither you nor your client should be aware of it. It all happens quickly to confirm payment.

As you can see, there is a lot of activity along the payment channel, and the payout is dependent on each of these routes. The payout is opposite to payment confirmation. The card issuer transmits your payment request, who is then responsible for sending your payout through the original payment channels (as shown in the image above) to you. The payout process may take between 2 to 5 business days to complete.

The following describes how Paynode processes card payments:

You request payment from your client.
The payment link is sent to the client via a secure email.
They pay by entering their payment information through the secure or checkout link.
The transaction is reviewed by the risk management system (3DS) to make sure it is not fraudulent.
The payment request is routed via the card schemes (Visa, Mastercard, Amex (US only), etc.) to your client’s bank and requests authorization.
You receive a response from Paynode, and either processes the payment or tells you it was declined.
If the payment is authorized, the payment is confirmed for your business. It all happens very quickly.
Now, funds are routed back from the Issuer to you (the Merchant). See the image above. The card Issuer sends the payment to you.
The payout is received, and your Paynode account is credited.

Track the status of card payments

Request a Credit Card Payment

How to request a credit card payment:

In order to request a credit card payment, create a payment request either directly from the trip or via the Request Payment button on the Incoming Payments page in Paynode.

Make sure to select "Card" as the Payment Option in the Payment Request form. You will be able to customize the card payment with the following options:

Charge their credit card immediately
- Once the card details are submitted for processing, Paynode will immediately capture the funds and complete the transaction.
Hold payment for 6 days (or schedule an auto-hold if card details are provided earlier)
- Once the card details are submitted for processing, Paynode will authorize a credit card hold but not capture the funds.

3. Collect the card on file to be used for any incidentals

Once a credit card hold has been authorized and a capture has been placed on a card, this will be reflected in the Incoming payments list. The status will say “Open - Hold Authorized."

When the credit card hold has been captured, the status will say "Paid."

NOTE: Credit card payment will disburse to your External Account when “Confirm Services Rendered” is confirmed.

For Credit cards, processing fees will apply.

How the Cardholder Pays

This is how your client submits payment with a card.

Once you publish a Payment Request, an email is sent to the address you included in the Payment Request.
Your client receives the email, along with a link to pay.
When your client clicks on the payment link, they arrive at a web page that provides the details of the charges

4. Your client must click to accept your documents, as well as Paynode' s Terms of Use and then click to Proceed to Payment Details

5. Your client is then presented with a screen to submit their credit card details.

6. The transaction is screened through 3D Secure. Click here to learn more about 3D Secure.

7. Once payment has been processed, the screen shows that it has been paid and your client will receive a receipt via email which includes copies of the documents they accepted.

Credit Card Holds

What is a credit card hold?

When you secure funds using a credit card hold (also called an authorization), it means the amount is reserved and unavailable to the cardholder until you release the hold or until you capture the amount held on the card (card charge).

How to place a hold on a credit card:

In order to place a hold on a credit card, go to the Payment Request form and scroll down to Payment Options.

When you select “Credit Card” as the Payment method under Payment Options, you can choose from three options depending on if you want to create a card hold, don't need to secure the funds now or if you want to charge their card immediately.

I don't need to secure funds
I want a card hold (for up to 6 days)
I want to charge their card

When selecting either "I want a card hold (for up to 6 days)" or "I want to charge their card", a new drop-down menu will show where you can select the conditions for the card hold.

Departure is within - Here you can enter a condition, e.g. to create a card hold or charge the card when the trip departure is within 24 hours.
When they provide the card - Here you can choose to create a card hold for up to 6 days or charge the card immediately, when your customer provides the card details.

Once the credit card has been authorized and a hold has been placed on a card, this will be reflected in the Incoming payments list. The status will say “Open - Hold authorized”.

When you expand the transaction to see the further detail, you will have two options.

Capture hold
- This means that you want to complete the transaction on the credit card. The funds will then process and settle just like with a normal card transaction.
Cancel hold
- This means that you want to release the hold. If you do so, the hold will disappear from the cardholder’s statement, and you will not be able to capture the funds without placing a new hold on the card. If you wish to place a new hold, the same Payment Request can be used, or you can create a new one. If you do not want to place a new hold on the card, you can void the Payment Request.

NOTE: If no action has been taken after 6 days, the hold will be automatically released.

🟧 3D Secure

3D Secure - Authentication in order to reduce card fraud.

At Paynode, security is front and center. This is why we apply 3D Secure (3DS) to each card payment.

Understanding 3D Secure: How It Works to Protect Payments

Every time a transaction is authenticated with 3DS, you will have the assurance that the person using the card is actually the cardholder. 3DS also protects customers while paying online, as it prevents other people from trying to process a transaction without being authenticated.

What is 3D Secure?

3D secure is a security protocol that helps prevent fraud in online credit and debit card transactions. The purpose of 3DS is to authenticate that the person using the credit card is in fact who they say they are.

How does 3D Secure work?

It is up to the card issuer to determine how the cardholder will experience 3DS.

"Frictionless"
In some instances, the card issuer will opt to deliver a "frictionless" 3D Secure experience for the cardholder. This means that the card issuer's logo and messaging may be displayed while the transaction is authenticated, but the cardholder is not prompted to enter any credentials. This most often happens for repeat purchases.
"Authentication required"
In other instances, the card issuer will require the cardholder to input their credentials. The cardholder is redirected to a "3D Secure" page (served by the issuing bank) and asked to authenticate themselves to the issuing bank by confirming their identity.

When 3D Secure is successful, the transaction is approved and the liability from fraudulent chargebacks (stolen or counterfeit cards) shifts to the issuing bank.

While Paynode applies 3DS to all transactions, not all cards are enrolled in 3DS. If a card is not enrolled in 3DS or for some reason 3DS cannot be applied you may be asked to manually approve a liability check.

Confirm Services Rendered

What is “Confirm Services Rendered”?

By clicking the “Confirm Services Rendered” button, you self-certify that you are verifying services have either been delivered, the service is on track to be delivered, or that the funds are allowed to be released according to your Terms and Conditions and Cancellation Policy. When your customer has authorized the card transaction, the funds are held with our card payment provider until you Confirm Services Rendered. Once you have confirmed services have been rendered and payment has been received, Paynode will disburse the funds to your bank account.

Why does Paynode hold the funds until I Confirm Services Rendered?

Credit card charges for air charter and charter-related services are considered higher risk because they are typically for “future services” (i.e you buy for a service today that will be delivered in the future) and they are for large amounts. In order to help mitigate this risk, the “confirm services rendered” feature helps our members (you) reduce their (your) credit card risk exposure while also reassuring end clients that their money is protected in case something comes up that prevents the takeoff of the flight.

How to Confirm Services Rendered?

When you expand the transaction to see further detail, you will have the option to click on Confirm Services Rendered.

I want to Confirm Services Rendered but I don't see the button. How can I confirm it?

The Confirm Services Rendered button becomes available within 7 days (168 hours) of the first leg of the trip.

What happens if I don’t Confirm Services Rendered?

Paynode will hold the funds received in your name until you Confirm Services Rendered. If you do not Confirm Services Rendered, the funds will not be disbursed to your Paynode account.

Card Refunds

What is a refund?

A refund allows you to send an amount charged on a credit card back to the original form of payment. A credit card refund means that you are returning the funds to the card that was previously charged. You can refund the full amount or a partial amount.

You can issue multiple refunds, up to the original amount charged on the card.

Best practice tip:

ALWAYS refund money back to the original form of payment. If a payment was received via credit card then you can ONLY refund it back to the same credit card.
Never provide a refund by sending a wire to a cardholder.
By returning the funds back to the card, you eliminate any possibility of the cardholder requesting a chargeback for funds you have already returned.

How to request a refund

To issue a refund for an American Express, Visa, or Mastercard charge, click on the Request a Refund button on the Payment Request.

Refund fees

The cost of the refund depends on which type of card was used for the original transaction.

Fees	Amex	Visa / Mastercard
Card refunds before receiving payment to your account
Full Refund	Original fees are reversed.	Original fees are reversed.
Partial Refund	Original fees are not reversed.	Original fees are not reversed.
Card refunds after receiving payment to your account
Full Refund	Original fees are refunded. Refund fee of 0.2% is applied.	Original fees are not refunded.
Partial Refund	Original fees are not refunded.	Original fees are not refunded.

Requesting a refund may result in a negative balance that is owed by the Paynode Member.

Refund time frames

If the funds have not yet been disbursed, the refund will be actioned within one business day.

If the funds have already been disbursed, Paynode will provide you with wire instructions on where to send the funds. Upon receipt of the funds, the refund will be actioned. The timing of this process can vary but may take up to 7-10 business days.

Once the refund has been processed, the Payment Request for the original payment will be updated.

Card Processing Currencies

Supported card processing currencies

Paynode members whose company is registered in Europe can process card transactions in five currencies: EUR, GBP, SEK, CHF and USD.

Paynode members whose company is registered in the United States can process card transactions in USD only.

Why card processing currencies vary by region

In order for process cards in a specific currency, the following criteria must be met:

Paynode must support the currency by establishing it within its house account.
The member's company must be legally registered in the currency's region / country (Europe or United States).
The member must hold a bank account in that currency that is located within the currency's region / country (Europe or United States).
The member's Paynode bank account for the specified currency must be registered with Adyen (the card processor).

Paynode accounts have banking details located in the UK, so all European based members can process cards in the 5 supported currencies.

Paynode accounts also have banking details for USD in the US which enables US based members to process cards in USD.

Credit card country requirements

In order to onboard the credit card payment method, a company must be registered in one of the countries listed below.

Austria	Guernsey	Netherlands
Belgium	Hungary	Norway
Bulgaria	Ireland	Poland
Croatia	Isle of Man	Portugal
Cyprus	Italy	Romania
Czech Republic	Jersey	Slovakia
Denmark	Latvia	Slovenia
Estonia	Liechtenstein	Spain
Finland	Lithuania	Sweden
France	Luxembourg	Switzerland
Germany	Malta	United Kingdom + Gibraltar
Greece	Monaco	United States

Note: This does not apply to other payment methods such as wires, FX conversions, and Instant payments.

Request additional currencies

Is your company legally registered in Europe and you'd like to process card transactions in a currency not listed above? Please reach out to your CSM or contact us at support@paynode.com with your request.

Paynode Member Reserve

Viewership of this page is limited to members only.

What is a Paynode Member Reserve?

A Paynode Member Reserve contains funds that are provided by the member and held by Paynode to act as security for members who expect to:

Process card transactions greater than 100,000 USD (or currency equivalents
and/or
Process card volumes greater than 500,000 USD (or currency equivalents) per month (6 million annually).

These funds are held by Paynode in a non-interest-bearing account.

Why are Paynode Member Reserves needed?

Our industry is deemed to be high risk by credit card schemes and with that, any transaction carries an elevated risk for a chargeback. By establishing a reserve we help to ensure that funds are available to cover any future refunds or disputes in the event a Paynode member is unable to cover the cost themselves.

How to establish a Paynode Member Reserve

Work with your Customer Success Manager to determine if you are eligible to establish a reserve.
Your Customer Success Manager will provide you with an Instant Payment request for you to pay.
Upon receipt of the reserve funds, Paynode will provide a statement showing the funds are held on behalf of the member.

How to cancel a Paynode Member Reserve

Please contact your Customer Success Manager or Paynode Support at support@paynode.com.

If a Paynode Member Reserve was established to allow a member to exceed the default monthly volume limit, then Paynode will make funds in reserve available to the member 90 calendar days after the last month that exceeded the default monthly limit. This delay is to ensure the risk of potential chargebacks has sufficiently passed.

Limits for Card Charges

Why does Paynode apply limits for card charges?

Our industry is deemed to be high risk by credit card schemes due to the high value (dollar amount) of individual transactions and charges are for services to be rendered in the future. To prevent some of the risks associated with card processing, such as chargebacks and fraud, all Paynode members have a maximum transaction limit on card charges and holds within a rolling 30 day period.

There is a default cap of 100,000 USD (or currency equivalents in EUR, GBP and SEK) per credit card transaction and trip. The limit applies to the total value of the trip. It is therefore not allowed to split individual trips into multiple Payment Requests as a workaround to exceed the transaction limit. For example: if you have a trip for 150,000 USD, you cannot simply split the payment into 2 x 75,000 USD Payment Requests.

Criteria to increase card limits

To qualify for a limit increase of 200,000 USD (or currency equivalents), Paynode members must meet the following criteria:

Avinode Group member for 1+ years
Paynode member for 3+ months
No chargeback losses
Establish a Paynode Member Reserve of 20K USD

Once the Paynode Member Reserve is created, it also qualifies the member to have larger monthly card processing volumes.

How to request a limit increase

If you need to process card charges or holds up to 200,000 USD (or currency equivalents), please contact your Customer Success Manager directly or contact Paynode Support at support@paynode.com.

Please note - only credit card transactions have a cap. Paynode does not apply a cap on wires, domestic bank transfers, currency conversions, or instant payments.