Well, this is kind of a snafu.
A small number of New York City subway riders reported a bug in the Metro Transit Authority (MTA) tap-and-go turnstiles that inadvertently activates the Apple Pay Express Transit feature on user iPhones, resulting in double billing.
The MTA’s One Metro New York system is designed to scan a rider’s smartphone, even if it’s within a purse or pocket. The technology allows the device to be accessed without having to activate or unlock the device. Those who experienced the error complained of charges appearing on both their MetroCard and via Apple Pay.
Addressing the incident, Chief Revenue Officer Al Putre in a statement to the New York Post said “about 30 customers” had complained about unintended Apple Pay charges, adding that the public benefit corporation is working with Apple to fix the problem.
“The system is a popular success that’s working well for the vast majority of people and we’re in touch with Apple about addressing the issue of unintended taps,” Putre said.
Apple offered the following comment regarding the issue:
“When a customer enters the greater New York transit area, they receive a notification that a payment card in Apple Wallet can be used for Express Transit. NYC residents are also informed about Apple Pay Express Transit when they add a payment card to Apple Wallet for the first time. Customers can easily turn off the feature in Settings on their iPhone at anytime and use Face ID or Touch ID to ride transit.”
The MTA began rolling out Apple Pay Transit Express support to the OMNY terminals in 2019. As of December 2019, OMNY had gone live at 85 subway stations across New York City, all MTA-operated buses on Staten Island and two Staten Island Railway stations. Wide availability at all subway stations and MTA buses is planned for completion by the end of 2020.
If you’ve encountered this issue on your end, please let us know about your experience in the comments.
Via AppleInsider, The Gothamist, and the New York Post