10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

[aussiejohn]

I was only on 10K for 20T and missed the boat in September due to late arrival of my postcard and Amex's now legendary inepitude.

I've been paid my 30K worth of points and for me it's all over red rover.

One thing that puzzles me is that there has been no comment whatsoever on this thread from anyone at Amex, yet it has been suggested many times that one or more Amex people are reading it.

Whilst one understands they would have to be mighty careful what they said, you would have thought someone would have made some effort to refute some of the outlandish comments and defended themselves against outright lies. But someone here is bound to come back and say how does one defend the indefensible.

Amex have a lot of explaining to do and are probably never going to do so to our satisfaction nor save themselves from one of the biggest corporate disasters we've seen in awhile!

 

[straitman]

One thing that puzzles me is that there has been no comment whatsoever on this thread from anyone at Amex, yet it has been suggested many times that one or more Amex people are reading it.

Whilst one understands they would have to be mighty careful what they said, you would have thought someone would have made some effort to refute some of the outlandish comments and defended themselves against outright lies. But someone here is bound to come back and say how does one defend the indefensible.

Amex have a lot of explaining to do and are probably never going to do so to our satisfaction nor save themselves from one of the biggest corporate disasters we've seen in awhile!

aussiejohn,

Whilst I take your point look at post #265 on this thread for an early comment from Amex.

 

[aussiejohn]

aussiejohn,

Whilst I take your point look at post #265 on this thread for an early comment from Amex.

Thanks straitman, my apologies, I do remember people referring to Luisa at times.

By the way, is there an easy way to search for a particular post in a thread? I couldn't find one! Just had to navigate manually to Page 27 and find the right post.

 

[futaris]

Ignore this post.

 

[straitman]

Ignore this post.

Thanks futaris. A lesson for me also.

 

[ajnz]

Nothing like this one... well nothing this generous....

Yep - wasn't expecting anything anywhere near as generous. Hell, I would've temporarily moved back to Melbourne for 3 months if I'd been able to get in on this one! .

 

[futaris]

Usually you can use search to find a post. However since this thread is horribly long, the standard #postno links don't work. Anyway, here is a roundabout way to get it to work.

You can get the post number by searching by clicking on Search this thread, and then Advanced Search.

Search by username "admin", and you get a link that you can click on:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/american-express-rewards/10-000-bonus-points-per-14628.html#post190943

Don't click on it, but reformat the link number so that it is this:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/190943-0-post.html

The second number is usually the post number in this thread, i.e:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/190943-265-post.html

The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community - View Single Post - 10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

I was trying to do the above before, but was linking to the wrong post numbers.

 

[Platcard]

Whatever "owed" is ... I registered all my accounts for all three programs as they were posted.

Ostensibly, with the promotions I registered for, I would be due a lot more points but I am happy with my lot.

I am waiting for at least 1 of 2 purchases made today to post overnight on one card to make 100 for the month.

Those 150K points have a value to me of around $2,750, so I am content. (Especially since I never received a 'postcard'/'invitation'.

What do you use your points on to get this value??
I can see the best value is flights at about $10 per 1000tx.

Can anyone tell me what is the best value please? Do you think it would be beneficial to open a QFF account and transfer the points to that or just use the amex website to book flights. Thanks in advance.

PS: I am on 5 x 5 tx unlimited promo and been awarded about 250,000 so far and owed another 170,000 or so. I have been told by AMEX call centre staff that they will all be credited by the end of January.

It works out to $4200 worth of flights using the amex website to book!!!:mrgreen:

 

[simongr]

I would use neither the QFF site nor Amex to book the flights using points.

I am now planning to use my Amex points when they are fully and finally paid to get two Y+ rtns LHR-SYD-LHR on VX for my parents for 252K points (bang go my ideas of using points for baby stuff through vouchers or a Macbook Air for me).

 

[Alanslegal]

What do you use your points on to get this value??
I can see the best value is flights at about $10 per 1000tx.

We all value FF points differently but as a base figure most would agree 1 point is worth 1cents. Usually long haul award flights in J/F or points upgrades are usually / offer better points value.

In your case, if you earn 420K points, and use Qantas as a simple example, could give you 3 x QF one world award trips (up to 35K miles each) in economy.

 

[StevePER]

I am now planning to use my Amex points when they are fully and finally paid to get two Y+ rtns LHR-SYD-LHR on VX for my parents for 252K points (bang go my ideas of using points for baby stuff through vouchers or a Macbook Air for me).

What's the reason you're going with VX rather than SQ J for 255K? (Just curious because the SQ J saver awards look like excellent value to me).

 

[AnonymousCoward]

What do you use your points on to get this value??
I can see the best value is flights at about $10 per 1000tx.

Can anyone tell me what is the best value please? Do you think it would be beneficial to open a QFF account and transfer the points to that or just use the amex website to book flights. Thanks in advance.

This really depends. Booking via Amex website gives you some kind of gauranteed value for your points.

If you transfer to QFF (for example) then 282,500 points gets you a 35,000 mile, 5 stop-over, business class ticket. You could fly SYD-HKG-SIN-London-New York-Los Angeles-SYD on that. 422,500 points would get your a first class ticket.

But there are limited seats that QANTAS makes available for redemption. So you'd need to call ahead, verify that the flights are available. QANTAS can put the ticket on hold for a few days whilst you transfer the points. You'll still need to pay the "extras" (e.g. taxes).

Those types of tickets would be worth $10k or so.

 

[serfty]

What do you use your points on to get this value??
I can see the best value is flights at about $10 per 1000tx. ...

Certainly not flights - upgrades are one that can give value > 6¢ per point.

My most recent spend was 80K points for a two night stay at the Conrad Hong Kong - cheapest current flexible rate is HKD6160 or ~AUD1,200 (~1½¢ per point).

 

[medhead]

However, in the Australian constitution there is a strict separation of powers. Parliament cannot create executive bodies (ASIC) that can make decisions that are legally binding on others. Only a court of law can make legally binding decisions.

Hey?

There are many executive bodies that make decisions that are legally binding on others. Besides ASIC, what about state government Environment Protection Authorities, these decide what is pollution, or what required to prevent pollution and that is legally binding on whoever. The decision making ability is supported by the legislation.

Isn't the role of courts to determine if a decision is lawful under the legislation in the case of a dispute. Separation of the powers in practice means that there is an independant judiciary so that the government body that made a decision can't over ride the person disputing the decision.

Sorry I didn't get into this promotion either. But I have read about 50 pages of the saga

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Hey?

There are many executive bodies that make decisions that are legally binding on others.

Can you name one?

Edit: Recall the Boilermakers case back in the 1950s. The High Court ruled that the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration was not allowed to be both an arbitrator of disputes, and a judicial enforcer of decisions. That's why we then ended up with the Industrial Relations Commission, and the Commonwealth Industrial Court.

Besides ASIC,

Um - ASIC would need to go to a court to get any decision it makes enforced legally. ASIC itself can not make a decision, and then punish someone for not obeying that decision.

Likewise, anyone unhappy with a decision made by ASIC (e.g. because ASIC didn't follow it's own procedures, acted beyond its competance etc) can challenge such a decision in court (since ASIC is a Federal body, in Federal court).

what about state government Environment Protection Authorities, these decide what is pollution, or what required to prevent pollution and that is legally binding on whoever.

Again, any decision by the EPA can be challenged in court. Likewise the EPA needs to go to court to get decisions enforced. In NSW the Land and Environment Court is usually the court of first instance.

Isn't the role of courts to determine if a decision is lawful under the legislation in the case of a dispute.

Certainly. And that is why it's not correct to say that a FOS against a consumer can be appealed in court, but a FOS decision against Amex is binding on Amex. Just as the consumer can appeal, so can Amex. Whether Amex would win is another question.

Separation of the powers in practice means that there is an independant judiciary so that the government body that made a decision can't over ride the person disputing the decision.

Well, in this situation I would say that separation of powers means that all matters settling legal rights as between parties in dispute (i.e. what you are entitled to) are determined by a competant court, and any decision that attempts to define those rights is reviewable by a court.

Your intepretation is correct to - and that would be to say that FOS can't make a decision, and then require legal obedience with that decision.

 

[simongr]

What's the reason you're going with VX rather than SQ J for 255K? (Just curious because the SQ J saver awards look like excellent value to me).

Total ignorance on my part - when Amex meet their obligations and I have 360K points then I will be doing investigation. Thanks for that tip though - very very useful

 

[medhead]

Likewise, anyone unhappy with a decision made by ASIC (e.g. because ASIC didn't follow it's own procedures, acted beyond its competance etc) can challenge such a decision in court (since ASIC is a Federal body, in Federal court).

I think this was my only point. Pedantics prehaps but ASIC (and EPA) can make decisions that are legally binding. The court only decides the matter on the facts - i.e. Is ASIC competent in the area, has it acted beyond its legislation, etc. - The court reviews the decision already made.

Again, any decision by the EPA can be challenged in court. Likewise the EPA needs to go to court to get decisions enforced. In NSW the Land and Environment Court is usually the court of first instance.

Yep, that's my point the EPA can make a decision that is legally binding. It can be challenged in court, as above. Someone can ignore the decision, in which case the EPA must go to court to get orders or whatever. But provided the EPA was acting with its remit the court can uphold the decision. i.e. the initial decision is legal and therefore binding. Of course the EPA can also issue expiation notices, e.g. decide that environmental harm has been caused and issue an on the spot fine. But of course these can be appealed.

Very naughty of me, OT and all that, but my comments were more general and pedantic rather then related to specifics of the AMEX promo. I certainly agree with your conclusions about rights of appeal in this case.

 

[vet]

One can agree, as in an arbitration, to be bound by the determination or be bound by the findings of an independent expert. One may also agree to be unable to litigate any decision. So whether Amex can appeal depends on what Amex agreed in the licence given to it by ASIC.

Amex might also have 'knock on effect' problems if another regulator gets a court decision to support its present findings.

 

[oz_mark]

Certainly. And that is why it's not correct to say that a FOS against a consumer can be appealed in court, but a FOS decision against Amex is binding on Amex. Just as the consumer can appeal, so can Amex. Whether Amex would win is another question.

While that may be true, is it not the case that by their participation in the ombudsman scheme, the participants have agreed to be bound by the decisions?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Can anyone tell me what is the best value please?

There is no "one" answer.....as it depends on where you want to fly etc..(and flying is generally the better value as opposed to gift vouchers goos etc...though recently I gained a mobile phone worth $500+ for only 10,000 points each).

Other variable include which FF Airline program you use as not all are equal...and again particular routes can be particularly good with some programs..and not so with others.

However sweeping statements (and there are lots of exceptions and if/buts)are:

* Long haul International flights provide better value than domestic flights (which are often lousy - but there are exceptions)

*Upgrades can be great value (ie say 6cents per point) BUT without status can be hard to get.

* Business Class redemptions are often next. Say 4ish cents per point.

* The RTW Onewold award at say $3000-ish for 140,000 points.

* Then long haul international domestic at say 1.5 + cents / point on some routes.

* Then domestic redemptions....


However things can change (ie Amex could change there transfer rate etc...) and it may takea few years to burn the points from this promo.....and so for aquiring tx in this promo I set a value of 1 cent per point (though I would be confident of actually redeeming at 2 to 4 cents per point).