100,000 points taken in 11 weeks QFF

[cove]

If a Qantas frequent flyer member does not bother to read their emails I do not believe they should expect much from a loyalty programme. I do notice that many do not properly read their snail mail nor their emails for quite important communications and then bad things result like getting their car wheel clamped, losing their drivers licence, driving an uninsured or unlicensed car and things like that.
Qantas has a loyalty program and they would like their members to be properly engaged otherwise it ceases to be worthwhile for Qantas to have that member on board.

 

[hcsneb111]

If a Qantas frequent flyer member does not bother to read their emails I do not believe they should expect much from a loyalty programme. I do notice that many do not properly read their snail mail nor their emails for quite important communications and then bad things result like getting their car wheel clamped, losing their drivers licence, driving an uninsured or unlicensed car and things like that.
Qantas has a loyalty program and they would like their members to be properly engaged otherwise it ceases to be worthwhile for Qantas to have that member on board.

Maybe if they didn't send so many marketing emails, the emails would have been read. As others have said the subject line needs to be more specific when their is important information contained. I'm sure everyone is guilty of not reading every word of every email they receive especially when the majority of the content of the email is marketing.

Regardless the issue is about the family transfer. Qantas will update the T&C and hopefully the problem is resolved for future members.

 

[kevrosmith]

Maybe if they didn't send so many marketing emails, the emails would have been read. As others have said the subject line needs to be more specific when their is important information contained. I'm sure everyone is guilty of not reading every word of every email they receive especially when the majority of the content of the email is marketing.

Regardless the issue is about the family transfer. Qantas will update the T&C and hopefully the problem is resolved for future members.

I guess it is possible to unsubscribe from the unimportant emails (you can do this in your online profile) and then you'd know that any emails are probably worth reading. Does make me wonder though: if you un-tick all emails, what email would be sent to advise of points expiry?

 

[pagingjoan]

I guess it is possible to unsubscribe from the unimportant emails (you can do this in your online profile) and then you'd know that any emails are probably worth reading. Does make me wonder though: if you un-tick all emails, what email would be sent to advise of points expiry?

Yes, indeed. It would be good to have RedRoo's response to that question.
Would it be advice by mail? Probably more likely to be read, if that is the case, too.

 

[markis10]

Maybe if they didn't send so many marketing emails, the emails would have been read.

Hardly applicable when you have control over what is sent in the first place.

 

[serfty]

See post 38 ...

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/showthread.php?p=989532

 

[Buzzard]

IMHO 7 days is a bit mean, say 28 would have been a bit more reasonable but it is what it is. Do the best you can and move on.

 

[Princess Fiona]

As far as I understand it, 100K points were transferred to an inactive account and multiple emails were sent to the recipient to advise of expiry of said points due to inactivity on the account. The points were forfeited as there was no response to the emails sent and now have been re-instated as a gesture of good will with a 7 day expiry date if not redeemed.
I think this is a very generous gesture by QFF and I hope that the OP does too.

 

[Anna]

I hope that the OP does too.

In addition, I hope that the OP has returned QF's calls by now.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

As far as I understand it, 100K points were transferred to an inactive account and multiple emails were sent to the recipient to advise of expiry of said points due to inactivity on the account. The points were forfeited as there was no response to the emails sent and now have been re-instated as a gesture of good will with a 7 day expiry date if not redeemed.
I think this is a very generous gesture by QFF and I hope that the OP does too.

the flip side is this:

• a customer rang the QF service centre to find out their long dormant account number for the purpose of a family points transfer
• the customer was not advised transferring points into an inactive account would mean forfeiture
• the terms and conditions do not cover a transfer into an inactive account
• the airline allowed a transfer into an inactive account
• the airline has said they made an assumption about their members (that they would be active), and has indicated the terms and conditions are not clear on transfers to an inactive account (otherwise why change them?)
• a general points newsletter was sent that contained details of points expiry, but this was not highlighted, and if a member was not expecting points to expire, why look for it? (I don't on my newsletter because i have no reason to)

generous gesture or not wanting to have it examined more closely by a consumer protection agency/tribunal?

QF has made it very clear they will confiscate points in 18 months, and have reduced this from three years to 18 months for their sole benefit. Why start reinstating points unless they think it is the right outcome?

 

[basso]

• the customer was not advised transferring points into an inactive account would mean forfeiture

But is this true? There is certainly a statement to the effect when doing an online transfer....

Note: Transfers cannot be reversed or cancelled and do not count as activity on your account, or the account you transfer points to, for the purpose of preventing your points from expiring. Points that are transferred to a family member will be subject to the points expiry date that currently applies to the receiving family member's Qantas Frequent Flyer account. If the family member receiving the points has been inactive for an extended period, it is possible for the transferred points to expire at the end of the calendar month in which the transfer is made. to that effect when you do an online transfer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But is this true? There is certainly a statement to the effect when doing an online transfer....

and that was my point a post or two back... if that was so clear, why didn't anyone on AFF directly point to that notice from the outset? I even missed it when I went to the transfer page.

the fact so many people didn't know about it, or skipped it, means it is not necessarily prominent. or sufficient.

why was that notice not included in the terms and conditions?

or better still, why not outright block a transfer to an inactive account? US airways for example blocks points purchases by accounts less than 12 days old. qantas could do the same thing here. all sorts of combinations on that area which I don't think are outweighed, in consumer protection terms, by a paragraph which is not part of the terms and conditions.

 

[hcsneb111]

the flip side is this:

• a customer rang the QF service centre to find out their long dormant account number for the purpose of a family points transfer
• the customer was not advised transferring points into an inactive account would mean forfeiture
• the terms and conditions do not cover a transfer into an inactive account
• the airline allowed a transfer into an inactive account
• the airline has said they made an assumption about their members (that they would be active), and has indicated the terms and conditions are not clear on transfers to an inactive account (otherwise why change them?)
• a general points newsletter was sent that contained details of points expiry, but this was not highlighted, and if a member was not expecting points to expire, why look for it? (I don't on my newsletter because i have no reason to)

generous gesture or not wanting to have it examined more closely by a consumer protection agency/tribunal?

QF has made it very clear they will confiscate points in 18 months, and have reduced this from three years to 18 months for their sole benefit. Why start reinstating points unless they think it is the right outcome?

Well said. I agree. I believe Qantas did not want to give the points back. The only reason they have is because they know they would have had to give them back if the matter went any further. The fact that Qantas is going to make changes to their T&C only because of my situation is admitting guilt on their side.

 

[hcsneb111]

But is this true? There is certainly a statement to the effect when doing an online transfer....

Note: Transfers cannot be reversed or cancelled and do not count as activity on your account, or the account you transfer points to, for the purpose of preventing your points from expiring. Points that are transferred to a family member will be subject to the points expiry date that currently applies to the receiving family member's Qantas Frequent Flyer account. If the family member receiving the points has been inactive for an extended period, it is possible for the transferred points to expire at the end of the calendar month in which the transfer is made. to that effect when you do an online transfer.


Maybe the information above was added after the drafting of T&C. Someone forgot to update the T&C.

Its allot easier and cheaper to add 4 lines of text to a website page than make changes to legal documents (T&C)

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Ok time to figure out what flights to use the points for.

Domestic JASA fares & some international fares permit date changes free of charge if you didn't want to be locked in to travelling at a certain time & need flexibility to change.

These award tickets in fare buckets P/U/Z/X must be booked over the phone & cannot be booked online & are not to be confused with 'points & pay' options which can be.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/showthread.php?t=51720

 

[ermen]

Was going to applaud QFF when heard points were given back but am thinking that their offer of 7 days is wrong and all part of a negotiating tactic.

This is not a case where someone was in clear breach of T&C (eg rock up 5 mins after flight closes and expect to board)... But a case which the T&C is vague and the actions do not even seem to fit the intent of the rule...

This beggars the qn though, if I open a new account and receive the transfer, do my pts expire one month from receipt?

 

[hcsneb111]

Ok time to figure out what flights to use the points for.

Domestic JASA fares & some international fares permit date changes free of charge if you didn't want to be locked in to travelling at a certain time & need flexibility to change.

These award tickets in fare buckets P/U/Z/X must be booked over the phone & cannot be booked online & are not to be confused with 'points & pay' options which can be.

I was just about to put a post up about any suggestions on the best way to spend the points in 7 days.

$700 in Qantas holiday vouchers? 74,700 = $500 from Woolworth's Group

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I was just about to put a post up about any suggestions on the best way to spend the points in 7 days.

$700 in Qantas holiday vouchers? 74,700 = $500 from Woolworth's Group

Any holidays under construction at the moment eg SIN F1GP in Sep? What city are you flying out of?

 

[Mwenenzi]

QF points in an account with non eligible activity in 18 months expire (very clear and in the t&c for many years)
Transferring points in not an eligible activity (very clear and in the t&c for many years)
So points transferred expire:- its that simple

As the OP went to some effort in get the account alive again with correct email, etc yet did not bother to read QF emails and even had 11 weeks to use them, or have eligible activity, and yet did nothing I find very strange. [Am not sure if the QF web site shows when points expire.]

OP comment "The only reason they have is because they know they would have had to give them back if the matter went any further" is totally laughable to me & many others
QF have been generous in reinstating these 100,000. Such ungracious comments put QF generosity at risk (with good reason)

 

[hcsneb111]

Was going to applaud QFF when heard points were given back but am thinking that their offer of 7 days is wrong and all part of a negotiating tactic.

This is not a case where someone was in clear breach of T&C (eg rock up 5 mins after flight closes and expect to board)... But a case which the T&C is vague and the actions do not even seem to fit the intent of the rule...

This beggars the qn though, if I open a new account and receive the transfer, do my pts expire one month from receipt?

Negotiating tactic - definitely! Without the help of AFF the points would have not been returned, Qantas wasn't going to do anything to help me.

I believe you would still have 17 months left before the points expire if the family transfer was done 1 month after you opened a new account.