Shocked & saddened at Qantas's response to my bereavement - over to VA I go

[gracekelly]

Advice welcomed as am so surprised by the poor business decision and appalling customer loyalty from Qantas. For complex reasons which they accepted/agreed my husband's 400,000 points expired six weeks ago. They gave us a reinstatement challenge which is quite simple - earn 2500 points with two partners over 6 months. No worries - just need to get a different Qantas-earning credit card for him (he isn't the primary cardholder on our main one, and they wouldn't swap us over to transfer the points ANZ or Qantas- boring as an easy fix). Anyway.

My mother died last week in California, and the four of us need to go to the funeral. But for a variety of sad/business reasons, have no cash or credit to get us all there. So I call and have written to ask a simple request - as a mark of compassion, could they just acknowledge that as I will obviously meet the challenge, could they just credit the points back now so we can get ff seats to the USA (and there are heaps). And they said NO.

We explored various ways to quickly get points, but they will all take too long to process. So after 30 years of membership, many flights, turnover of 100,000s of points, different status levels (currently low-public servant), it all means nothing. Very upset.

And it also seems so stupid business-wise. I will have to borrow money from family to buy tickets - which certainly won't be on Qantas. I will spend money on hotels/cars/etc when there, will earn back my challenge with in the month. Then I will redeem those points and never come back. I know I am fragile emotionally - but aren't they being stupid?

Anyway - apologies for the vent - and advice? Planning on leaving July 26 - probably on Air New Zealand to LAX.

 

[Pushka]

I am really sorry about your mother's death. A very stressful time.

I've not heard of the points challenge but it sounds very reasonable. I have heard where the points are just lost. So good you will eventually retrieve those as agreed by Qantas.

But I do understand why those wont be returned until you have completed the challenge. Otherwise what is the point of the challenge?

Reward flights to the US are usually scarce anyway and even if you got them back early then finding flights so close would be an issue too. I booked ours last week for June next year. But admit I haven't looked for your dates.

Not sure what else that can be done?

 

[Steady]

Sorry for your loss Ladymavis and safe travels to CA.

 

[medhead]

Sorry about your loss.

You could buy wine from Epiqure - one partner and points credit immediately. qantasepiqure.com.au
Trying to think of a second partner that will post immediately.

 

[Steady]

Sorry about your loss.

You could buy wine from Epiqure - one partner and points credit immediately. qantasepiqure.com.au
Trying to think of a second partner that will post immediately.

Aquire is also instant

 

[love_the_life]

Condolences Ladymavis. I hope you are able to get the necessary points to make the trip to the US.

Edited - incorrect information removed - the OP does not need to earn the whole amount of points assuming the existing ones are reinstated promptly. Wine is a good way to earn the challenge points. They usually post within a day or so I have found.

 

[deejo77]

With 400k worth of points I would have been watching the account like a hawk and keeping it active, under QANTAS T&C they could have just wiped them to nil, I am surprised in a good way that they gave an offer to get the points reinstated.

Points post quick for flights.

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[JessicaTam]

Condolences Ladymavis. I hope you are able to get the necessary cash to make the trip to the US. I would be looking at paying cash for the flights as it is unlikely you would be able to raise that number of points in time (360,000). It would take an awful lot of expensive wine/business materials and from your post it appears that cash is the problem at present. Once you complete the challenge I hope you are able to take a lovely trip.

The OP has said they have 400,000 points.

 

[Steady]

The OP has said they have 400,000 points.

Will get back after completing a challenge ?

 

[JessicaTam]

Will get back after completing a challenge ?

Yes. I was replying to love_the_life's post saying the OP would have to earn 360,000.

 

[gracekelly]

Yes. I was replying to love_the_life's post saying the OP would have to earn 360,000.

Hi - thanks for the comments. Yes, was very happy with Qantas giving me the challenge (a mix of responsibility for why they expired - too long to explain) - their way of acknowledging joint responsibility which was more mine than theirs.

No problem earning the points - just the speed. So thanks so much for the idea of wine! I have already earned points with two partners in the last few weeks - just not 2500. But a wine challenge with help from kind friends could be quite do-able! Wine doesn't go off -one of my mantras in life.

Any other ideas welcomed. Movie tickets are also good, but not instant - but last for months....and more reasonable than any cheap day or loyalty card.

And lesson learned - watch your primary and secondary card holders on every account....

thanks

 

[Steady]

This is the cheapest offer with bonus points

 

[love_the_life]

Yes. I was replying to love_the_life's post saying the OP would have to earn 360,000.

Thank you for the correction - my mistake as they say. I realise that the OP has 400,000 points but they cannot be accessed until the challenge. I was mistaken in that they only need 2500 points to have them reinstated and did not need to earn the full amount for 4*award flights. This could be easily earned with an Epiqure order and the points do post very quickly. I suppose it depends then on when the full balance of points were actually reinstated

I has edited my original post to remove the error.

 

[gracekelly]

Yes - i think a wine challenge is in order. Luckily I have friends who like wine! Then hopefully Qantas can act quickly to reinstate. In regards to Pushka's comments, there are tons of seats for late July/August, which was one reason I was surprised by their not coming to the party. Because I was saving those points to see my mother at Xmas or school holidays when ticket prices are high and availability is low (and when i plan FAR ahead and grab). But life does not go to plan.

 

[mannej]

Condolences to the OP, but considering the precedent with expired points they are lucky QF have provided an alternate solution. The normal action here is for QF to wipe the account without much chance to have the points re-instated.

 

[gracekelly]

That is good to know when I am in the midst of up/down emotions. funnily enough it was some of my mother's actions that caused the chain of events which led to losing points... adding to the general stress of it all. Will be nicer to Qantas. Especially if I can get get a quicker-instatement. An on the nice scale -the speed of response through Twitter was great (although i am sure they probably don't want that turning into a defacto complaints line!).

 

[Flying mermaid]

Sorry to hear about your loss. It is a very emotional time and I hope the points thing works out for you.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Condolences to the OP, but considering the precedent with expired points they are lucky QF have provided an alternate solution. The normal action here is for QF to wipe the account without much chance to have the points re-instated.

We have seen one or two cases where points have been reinstated - usually with restrictions (for example 'immediate' use). IIRC those have been around the delivery of the notice regarding upcoming expiry or because the wording of the Ts and Cs was ambiguous/unfair (I think one case involved the transfer of points into a dormant account).

Not sure if QF have changed their notification system? AA sends a separate targeted email - no doubt as to the content or message (ie that points are about to expire).

 

[mannej]

We have seen one or two cases where points have been reinstated - usually with restrictions (for example 'immediate' use). IIRC those have been around the delivery of the notice regarding upcoming expiry or because the wording of the Ts and Cs was ambiguous/unfair (I think one case involved the transfer of points into a dormant account).

Not sure if QF have changed their notification system? AA sends a separate targeted email - no doubt as to the content or message (ie that points are about to expire).

That is the only case on here I can remember of points being re-instated. The only other major thread I can remember on this topic of a loss of points was nearly 4 years ago (December 2012) where the husband passed on a work trip. I don't believe those points were reinstated from memory.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That is the only case on here I can remember of points being re-instated. The only other major thread I can remember on this topic of a loss of points was nearly 4 years ago (December 2012) where the husband passed on a work trip. I don't believe those points were reinstated from memory.

I think it was two cases - one with (potentially) insufficient notification, the other to the dormant account.