Hi everyone,

I recently received a notification in the mail from MBNA. This is the
bank behind the "AOPA Visa Card" -- the one prominently advertised on
the AOPA website front page!

MBNA is proposing ten different changes to the credit card agreement
between us. Well, maybe proposing is too weak a word. They are
TELLING me that these changes go into affect the end of this month
whether I like it or not. And of course -- not a single change does
anything good for me -- just MBNA.

The changes include:
1) Change from an annual percentage rate on outstanding balances to a
variable annual percentage rate (the better to jack up your rate, my
dear).
2) Change the default APR pricing.
3) Change the default grace period (shorten it of course)
4) Change the payment due date (so you're overdue sooner and easier)
5) Foreign transaction fee
6) Transaction fees for cash advances
7) Transaction fee for cash equivalents
8) Change the late fee balance levels. I love their next sentence:
"This may cause your Late Fee to increase to the highest amount."
9) Overlimit fee increase.
10) Changes to the processing of your payment checks (Oh, thats it --
shorten the grace period, the due date, and then delay processing my
payment check so I'm late -- what SCUMBAGS).

All in all, its one big shaft job. And the biggest one of all is
repeated over and over again in this explanation of the changes:

"... if in the future your account is late or you exceed your credit
limit, we may increase the Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) on your
account, (italics) without further notice (/italics), up to a Default
Rate of 24.99%. The new rates will apply as of the first day of the
billing cycle in which your minimum payment is late or you exceed your
credit limit."

This all means that if you are one hour late or exceed your credit
limit by one penny -- they jack up the APR on your card to the highest
allowed by law, 24.99%, and backdate it to the beginning of the
billing period. You find yourself instantly owning them hundreds of
dollars in finance charges for something that might not have even been
your fault!

I hope that everyone who reads this and has an AOPA card will join me
in complaining to the AOPA about these unilateral changes. I am
telling MBNA that I do not agree to the changes and they can have
their card back in pieces if they insist with the changes. But we
also need to bring pressure on the AOPA to terminate their partnership
with any company that would AOPA members with such greed and contempt.

If you feel as stongly about this "breach of contract" as I do,
contact the AOPA at or phone them at
800-872-2672. Let them know how you feel. Maybe MBNA will back off
once AOPA gets enough flack and brings pressure on MBNA.

Thanks for reading this long rant everyone. Clear skies and happy
landings.


Chuck
N7398W