‘Expired’ Points

[Metamel]

Hi everyone. Thanks for allowing me to join. I wondered if anyone can help me with my expired loyalty points. I had hundreds of thousands of points I have been saving for 20 years! I was planning to use them for my 10th wedding anniversary this year only to discover they have all gone. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t know about the 18 months rule having joined so long ago, and I believed my everyday reward points were being transferred but apparently they haven’t been. Long story short I had 2 robotic conversations with Qantas’ Phillipines call centre stating their policies over and over again. I pointed out that last year they were willing to return all points with the ‘challenge’ and that is what they submitted to the ACCC however as of January it’s only 50%. I’ve argued for compassion given I received no notification from them. Emails they said they sent I just don’t have. I have all their other promotional emails but not the said notifications. Seems very odd. Anyway has anyone had any success or can I somehow engage the ACCC? Not sure where to turn I’m just so disappointed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi and welcome to AFF!

When you say 'last year they were willing to return all the points' - when did you lose the points? Last year?

As you say, Qantas will allow members to get their points back by completing a 'challenge'. This usually involves spending with one or more program partners. It's not usually a great deal of money. But it gets you back earning in the program.

Many people have taken up that opportunity, completed the challenge, and got their points back.

 

[calmelb]

Emails they said they sent I just don’t have. I have all their other promotional emails but not the said notifications.

Check the very fine text at the bottom of your points updates and those promo emails. They have been known to hide them

 

[Metamel]

Hi and welcome to AFF!

When you say 'last year they were willing to return all the points' - when did you lose the points? Last year?

As you say, Qantas will allow members to get their points back by completing a 'challenge'. This usually involves spending with one or more program partners. It's not usually a great deal of money. But it gets you back earning in the program.

Many people have taken up that opportunity, completed the challenge, and got their points back.

Last year the challenge meant you got all your points back. This year they will only give you back 50%.

Post automatically merged: Jul 29, 2020

Check the very fine text at the bottom of your points updates and those promo emails. They have been known to hide them

Thank you. Yes I found one in tiny letters in one of their newsletters. Not exactly ‘notification’.

 

[calmelb]

Thank you. Yes I found one in tiny letters in one of their newsletters. Not exactly ‘notification’.

Agreed, but unfortunately QF (and other airlines too) aren’t always trying to play fair. They should’ve extended the points expiry during COVID, especially due to the lack of earning opportunities

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Last year the challenge meant you got all your points back. This year they will only give you back 50%.

Oh, i see. That sucks

 

[Metamel]

Agreed, but unfortunately QF (and other airlines too) aren’t always trying to play fair. They should’ve extended the points expiry during COVID, especially due to the lack of earning opportunities

Agree

 

[Hvr]

So how were you accumulating points?

What was the reason this was interrupted?

After all a gap of 18 months seems quite long.

And finally, when did they actually expire? And how long after expiry did you contact Qantas?

 

[exceladdict]

We also had an experience this year where no matter what was said, only 50% were offered back.

 

[arghbee]

Hi everyone. Thanks for allowing me to join. I wondered if anyone can help me with my expired loyalty points. I had hundreds of thousands of points I have been saving for 20 years! I was planning to use them for my 10th wedding anniversary this year only to discover they have all gone. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t know about the 18 months rule having joined so long ago, and I believed my everyday reward points were being transferred but apparently they haven’t been. Long story short I had 2 robotic conversations with Qantas’ Phillipines call centre stating their policies over and over again. I pointed out that last year they were willing to return all points with the ‘challenge’ and that is what they submitted to the ACCC however as of January it’s only 50%. I’ve argued for compassion given I received no notification from them. Emails they said they sent I just don’t have. I have all their other promotional emails but not the said notifications. Seems very odd. Anyway has anyone had any success or can I somehow engage the ACCC? Not sure where to turn I’m just so disappointed.

Qantas needs to develop a customer-centered service ethos, they need to embrace the notion of respect and honesty to customers instead of their persistent and entrenched culture of paternalism that excludes customers.