Reduction in Transfer Rates to Velocity/Krisflyer

[NM]

I called Citibank yesterday to cancel a credit card I no longer need (only used it for an interest-free balance transfer). I think the "relationship agent" was somewhat relieved when I didn't mention any complaints about the rewards program as my reason for cancelling - just no longer used the card and did not want the "credit" being a potential debt when applying for other forms of credit like refinancing my home loan. Cancellation was swift and smooth.

 

[burmans]

I guess in the end, I hope Citi will soon advise their position

Well if they don't I'll be exercising my right to complain to the relevant authorities. Having worked in the Credit Provider space I know how much of a pain the regulatory authorities can be, but if you stuff me around then don't expect I'm going to have much sympathy for such matters.

This is precisely the sort of behavior that should be getting the regulators attention and I'm happy to oblige if Citi push me toward that route.

 

[Deleted member 6404]

That interesting, I did a transfer last night of 30000 Citi points and ended with 20000 Krisflyer points , dose that mean Citibank have reverse its decision, and its back to 1.5 C to 1 KF

 

[k3nnis]

Yes for now I believe. But won't last long I think....

 

[legroom]

Yes for now I believe. But won't last long I think....

Anyone thinking otherwise needs their heads examined I think.

They backtracked not because of their goodness but because they had to.

Q:

Apart from SQ/VA, is there anything else that has been 'enhanced' as far as points redemption is concerned?

This happened after my recent magnificent limo trips x2 from & to NRT courtesy of Citi Prestige

Bittersweet really !

 

[burmans]

Yes, I'm certainly expecting that degrading of points to SQ/VA/QF is a done deal, but that they will have hopefully have learnt their lesson and give us some notice of it. Only hopefully though, not convinced there are not some Citibank executives out there who think they are more important than our local legislation/regulation and they are gods of the universe who can do what they want, when they want.

 

[gizzard]

I'm trying to transfer points to Krisflyer but just get the message:

We're Sorry

The Rewards website has encountered an unexpected problem.
Please try again now, or check back later to redeem your points for amazing rewards.
Thank you for your patience.

 

[Kimster]

I just transferred several hundred points to KF and it went through successfully.

I'm trying to transfer points to Krisflyer but just get the message:

We're Sorry

The Rewards website has encountered an unexpected problem.
Please try again now, or check back later to redeem your points for amazing rewards.
Thank you for your patience.

 

[pangwen]

I just transferred several hundred points to KF and it went through successfully.

Do you mean several thousand? I thought there was a minimum transfer of 15000 Citi points.

 

[Kimster]

Do you mean several thousand? I thought there was a minimum transfer of 15000 Citi points.

Yes several thousand. My problems with Zero's.!!!!!

 

[gizzard]

I just transferred several hundred points to KF and it went through successfully.

Thanks. I got mine to work too. It was a browser issue, I couldn't get Firefox nor Chrome to allow it probably because of my security set up. In the end I had to dig out IE and all was well.
I did a whole bunch of 15,000 transfers to get the 10,001 for each.

 

[VAG newbie]

Hi guys: I just received this reply from Citibank in response to my enquiry whether they will notify us of any further change. This is what I got:

Dear VAG newbie:


Thank you for your email.


With regard to your enquiry, we advise that points conversion that we
offer may change over time because of decisions taken by our airline
partners.


In this regard, we regret to inform you that the option to send/generat
a confirmation letter advising any further changes regarding points
conversion is unavailable.


Furthermore, we have noted the content of your email and forwarded to
the relevant department as a feedback.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think that is saying "we will do it again without notice and we won't tell you!" Unfortunately with the new T&C, this time they got it all covered, and we have all agreed to the new T&C when we transfer the points. So I guess my advice is to transfer the points over from time to time and leaving a minimum amount in the reward account to minimize loss.

 

[Glider_]

I wonder if daveozsydney and the AFF legal eagles shouldn't pursue this further. It seems like Citi bowed to public pressure on the initial surprise deval, but is going to continue to weasel their T&Cs unfairly and have missed the point of why people are upset. Their clumsy T&C revision that gives with one hand under the main rules then takes away under their rewards rules is unacceptable but we can be sure they will steadfastly hold customers to them.

It looks like they're going to do whatever they like with their T&Cs and rely on those when they proceed with the original deval, on what they think is a safe bet that customers won't pursue it further. If this isn't stomped on by regulators now, the strength of customers' positions are eroded over time until an eventual complaint to regulators will result in a 'so what?'.

Of course Citi will eventually implement their deval, as is their business right to do so. But given their attitude to the first try at it, and their subsequent nose-thumbing of their legal obligations for T&C changes, we should use the awareness and momentum we have to pursue this and make sure they can't get away with doing the exact same thing next time.

 

[villemus]

Question regarding the Limo service.

Can I tell the driver to drop me off in the City instead of the airport? Would I get charged for not making it to the airport? To me this would be a shorter trip for them and they should be more than happy to do it.

HOwever, when I was enquiring Citi about the limo service and ask them whether I can use it to go from home to the city. They told me it's only available for to and from airport.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

It is promoted / advertised as airport transfer so I would assume they would be pretty sctrict on that.

 

[villemus]

It is promoted / advertised as airport transfer so I would assume they would be pretty sctrict on that.

Meaning if halfway through the trip, I told the driver to drop me off in the city instead, he will refuse? or He'd charge me excess mileage with mileage lower than the airport trip?

 

[basso]

Of course Citi will eventually implement their deval, as is their business right to do so. But given their attitude to the first try at it, and their subsequent nose-thumbing of their legal obligations for T&C changes, we should use the awareness and momentum we have to pursue this and make sure they can't get away with doing the exact same thing next time.

Why expend a lot of energy over something that hasn't happened? Wait and see how they go about it first, then decide on a course of action.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Question regarding the Limo service.

Can I tell the driver to drop me off in the City instead of the airport? Would I get charged for not making it to the airport? To me this would be a shorter trip for them and they should be more than happy to do it.

HOwever, when I was enquiring Citi about the limo service and ask them whether I can use it to go from home to the city. They told me it's only available for to and from airport.

Not sure if I follow you exactly... you have a limo to pick you up at home say 3 hours before your flight, and in stead of taking you to the airport, you want to get off in the city and then make your own way to the airport?

This is probably a discussion for a separate thread... but one assumes the limo driver can't force you to ride if you don't want to. You have the right at any time to be let out, provided the driver can legally stop (dependent on road rules), and that it is safe/legal for you to get out of the car as a pedestrian.

 

[andye]

I was assuming poster wanted a lift into work before flying later in the day

 

[villemus]

well, I don't have any travel plans for the rest of the year, so I was trying to use up the limo benefit for home to city trips.

However since their rules says only allow to book "to" & "from" airport trips, I am just trying to get around the rules.

and I also just noticed that I've posted in the wrong thread, was meant to ask this Q in the main citi prestige thread.