Qantas Club Lifetime Membership Benefits Removal

[Blackie67]

Hello folks,

I am hoping someone can help me. I purchase a Qantas Club Lifetime Membership around 2001. At the time, the benefits included priority baggage. The last three times I have travelled domestically and internationally I did not get priority baggage. When I contacted the airline about this, I was informed that my membership did not include priority baggage. I tried to have the matter escalated and was met with stony silence of course. I persevered and was eventually told to 'contact frequent flyer'. I have to say the corporate customer is the worst I have ever experienced. I took the matter to the Airline Customer Advocate. They made contact and I received a reply, which was an image on two lines from a document:

'...it's always been a condition of membership that Qantas could change the benefits:
9. Termination
9.1 Qantas expressly reserves the right to terminate or materially alter any Benefits, or any aspect of
the operation, of The Qantas Club at any time, without notice
By using the card and /or PIN members the customer agreed to be bound by these Terms and
Conditions, so we do not agree with her statement that we are 'unable by law to remove or modify
any benefits'.'

Under law of contract, when you take out a lifetime contract and pay for that contract up front, parties to the contract cannot vary that contract without mutual consent. I have never received a single piece of correspondence from Qantas telling me they were removing benefits from my membership. In reading through other comments in this forum, it seems as they no longer offer the Lifetime Club Membership category they simply omitted it from their systems and their database.

I am hoping someone has a copy of the original contract for Lifetime Club Membership or can guide me to a copy of if dated 2001. I remain unconvinced that they have the legal right to remove benefits from the Lifetime category. Have others experienced this? By joining together we may make greater inroads.

Hopeful

Leharna

 

[woodborer]

I think it was only ever formally offered on domestic flights.

 

[mannej]

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the success rate of bags coming out as a priority is fairly hit and miss, however if you are referring to the old orange priority baggage tags, these should be printed on your actual luggage tag.

I’m not sure the ACA will be able to do much for you.

 

[Captain Halliday]

As someone slowly chipping away at LTSG, mostly in whY, I was slightly horrified by the thread title.

To the OP, sorry I can’t help with the T&Cs you’re chasing.

But thanks for the (slightly uncomfortable) reality check that any form of LT status may end up worthless... just ask the lifetime Golden Wing members

 

[Lynda2475]

I have Qantas Club membership and on domestic flights, my bags always have the priority symbol when they print out, but this doesnt always mean my bag is amongst the first to come out on the carousel. Never been given priority tags on international though.

 

[opusman]

I've had my bags come out last as a Platinum travelling in international F, so don't feel too hard done by.

 

[serfty]

The benefit was removed in 2007 ... There was some angst then as well.

No more Priority Baggage for Qantas Club

I travelled today from DRW to ADL (and soon on to MEL) and was informed on check in that as of midnight tonight, QC members without FF status will no longer be entitled to priority baggage. She said she thought it was weird none of the passengers knew about it - I just searched their website...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Borisdog]

I’ve NEVER had my bags come out in the first 10 in all the time they’ve had priority tags on them, either domestic or international. In fact they’ve actually not even made the flight twice. Once Dom and once Int.

Wife’s bag usually comes out before mine, without the priority tags.

I think the priority tags are a little joke that the QF baggage handlers play on us

 

[pjohn]

I've had my bags come out last as a Platinum travelling in international F, so don't feel too hard done by.

I've sometimes had my bags not come out at all..

 

[Vic]

You probably have the right to a refund if the changed benefit is significant to you.

 

[woodborer]

You probably have the right to a refund if the changed benefit is significant to you.

They do allow refunds if they close a lounge.
In this case, 18 years into a membership, 12 years after a change to priority luggage was apparently made, can't imagine they'd refund much.

 

[Vic]

They do allow refunds if they close a lounge.
In this case, 18 years into a membership, 12 years after a change to priority luggage was apparently made, can't imagine they'd refund much.

Closing a lounge is not the only reason for a refund. They also allow a refund for changes "that deprives the Member substantially of the intended use of the membership". Up to the OP if this change substantially changes their intended use.

How long is a lifetime?

 

[ric_melb]

I think Woodborer's comments are relevant.
OP has received 18 years use from Lifetime Membership, and it seems it has taken him 12 years to realise that Priority Luggage benefit ended in 2007. As others point out Priority Luggage is a dubious benefit anyway, and a partial refund for this change is most unlikely.
In any case I think a $2,700 payment amortised over 18 years would lead to a zero refund amount.
Time to cease worrying.

 

[woodborer]

Closing a lounge is not the only reason for a refund. They also allow a refund for changes "that deprives the Member substantially of the intended use of the membership". Up to the OP if this change substantially changes their intended use.

How long is a lifetime?

Good luck arguing it "deprives the Member substantially of the intended use of the membership" if it took 12 years to notice the change.

 

[Vic]

I think Woodborer's comments are relevant.
OP has received 18 years use from Lifetime Membership, and it seems it has taken him 12 years to realise that Priority Luggage benefit ended in 2007. As others point out Priority Luggage is a dubious benefit anyway, and a partial refund for this change is most unlikely.
In any case I think a $2,700 payment amortised over 18 years would lead to a zero refund amount.
Time to cease worrying.

Except the terms and conditions allow for a refund for more than just closing lounges. you might not value priority luggage that doesn't mean others don't, only the OP can decide if they're been substanitially deprived of their intended use.

Finally, it is incorrect to pretend the payment is amortised over 18 years. How long is a life time? 70 years, maybe closer to 80 years.
When did the OP buy the membership? At 20 = there is still 42 years to run on the membership, or more than 2/3rds, so $1700 of remaining value.

Certainly a life time membership last for a lifetime, not only for the period upto the point that Qantas devalues it enough for someone to be entitled to a refund.

 

[Vic]

Good luck arguing it "deprives the Member substantially of the intended use of the membership" if it took 12 years to notice the change.

You're missing the point. Refunds are available for more than just lounge closures. Very important to provide correct information when commenting.
Not up to me to argue anything, that's for the OP to decide.

 

[Happy Dude]

There are many instances here where members have been so aggrieved to not receive priority luggage that pointing it out to QF that it's a published benefit via the complaints channel has yielded tidy amounts of QFF points as compensation. Perhaps on enough occasions for it to be considered an untapped source of regular points.

Why wouldn't the OP be entitled to some compensation?

 

[woodborer]

You're missing the point. Refunds are available for more than just lounge closures. Very important to provide correct information when commenting.
Not up to me to argue anything, that's for the OP to decide.

and you're missing the point that they took 12 years to notice. It can hardly be the substantial reason they took out membership.

 

[Blackie67]

I noticed it many years ago, when I first enquired about it, I was told that my baggage was being transported as priority but that at the time on domestic flights 70% of passengers had priority baggage so in effect no one got priority baggage. So I let it slide. I am grateful for the heads up about the compensation. There were three reasons why I took out the lifetime membership 1) I got to sit in a lounge in a quiet (well, at least it used to be) space before my flight, 2) I received priority check in and 3) I received priority baggage. Where a third of those benefits have been removed, without communication of any kind which is a breach under australian law, I consider that a fundamental failure on Qantas's part to honour their contract with me.

How does one pursue compensation? I am loath to call them, it is a harrowing experience, sitting on hold for up to an hour to be spoken to by someone who doesnt know the answers and frankly doesnt care. Who do I contact for compensation?

Many thanks

 

[Vic]

You could try email to the frequent flyer address. or lodging an online feedback form.

and you're missing the point that they took 12 years to notice. It can hardly be the substantial reason they took out membership.

you're missing the point - It is not up to me, or you, to decide what is substantial to the OP. I simply stated the conditions, your interpretation of the OPs situation does not change those conditions, and is pretty much irrelevant.