Unnecessarily complicated loyalty program rules & features

[Mattg]

What's the most pointlessly complicated or poorly explained rule/feature of a loyalty program that you've come across?

 

[AIRwin]

I initially found it difficult to understand JASA

 

[SYD]

I initially found it difficult to understand JASA

Many people did and would refuse to believe that the sweet spots existed. Oh, I miss those days!

 

[RooFlyer]

What's the most pointlessly complicated or poorly explained rule/feature of a loyalty program that you've come across?

The Accor eco-system of 'paid cards' (how they relate to each other etc). Every time I try to understand it by reading the threads here, I end up with my head buried underneath a pillow.

 

[WilsonM]

What's the most pointlessly complicated or poorly explained rule/feature of a loyalty program that you've come across?

You're still annoyed about the intercon suite upgrade aren't you...

But in all seriousness, the general PQP/PQS/PQD and similar rules of US programs are a general pet peeve.

 

[DAC1]

Pointlessly complicated feature: Qantas’ IT which makes it impossible to easily book moderately complex award bookings or change even some of the most simple award bookings online.

Pointlessly complicated rule(s): Overly complex lounge entry arrangements (VA and SkyTeam airlines being the main culprits).

 

[jase05]

I still haven’t got my head around the various Star Alliance programs. I would estimate that out of my flights the ones that I have to chase up the most for points are Star Alliance. I’m not sure why they make it so hard to earn points across their alliance and a couple of times I’ve just given up in the end.

 

[flyingfan]

Not all QF status credits are credited equal. Some contribute to lifetime and/or P1, but only if it’s not from a credit card/it’s called Loyalty Bonus/divisible by a prime number/comes doused with Neil’s vinaigrette. The T&Cs and list of ^*#%+ are long.

VA’s rolling status credit earn also confuses me in how much I have to earn when.

 

[Ade]

VA’s rolling status credit earn also confuses me in how much I have to earn when.

This! VA Confuses me so much ... I'm very used to the QF way of membership year I guess.

 

[serfty]

VA’s rolling status credit earn also confuses me in how much I have to earn when.

This! VA Confuses me so much ... I'm very used to the QF way of membership year I guess.

That's one thing I do not find confusing. Qualification is based on the prior 365 days of travel, Re-Qualification for subsequent years is based on each years travel since the date of initial qualification.

 

[justinbrett]

That's one thing I do not find confusing. Qualification is based on the prior 365 days of travel, Re-Qualification for subsequent years is based on each years travel since the date of initial qualification.

I find it confusing. Can you make a diagram?

 

[Human]

I remember trying to make a redemption for my family using Asiana points on Air NZ some years ago. Before allowing me to redeem points for my wife and children, Asiana made me fill out and send a paper form for each family member, along with copies of my family members' passports. Then I had to make the redemption itself over the phone. I remember reflecting that the rigmarole involved in making the redemption took longer than the flight itself...

 

[Happy Dude]

Any program that uses terms like qualifying miles, elite miles, rollover miles etc et al just confuses me like the metric system does an American.

 

[RooFlyer]

That's one thing I do not find confusing. Qualification is based on the prior 365 days of travel, Re-Qualification for subsequent years is based on each years travel since the date of initial qualification.

I agree that in hindsight, once you’ve reached qualification, it’s not really confusing. For me it was having reached platinum for instance for the first time,( inoneleap) the time frames changed and that was something to get my head around.

 

[WilsonM]

VA Confuses me so much

While not VA status, if someone can explain in detail all the specific benefits of VA status on partner airlines - when things will apply and when they don't, I'll be a happy camper

 

[AIRwin]

While not VA status, if someone can explain in detail all the specific benefits of VA status on partner airlines - when things will apply and when they don't, I'll be a happy camper

Some info on the Velocity website:
Silver Membership
Gold Membership
Platinum Membership

 

[whughes3]

That's one thing I do not find confusing. Qualification is based on the prior 365 days of travel, Re-Qualification for subsequent years is based on each years travel since the date of initial qualification.

IIRC that is how QFF used to operate prior to the introduction of SC's.TC's in 1998, which is when the current system of going by years starting from the relevant calendar month was introduced. IMHO either is greatly preferable to going by calendar years which many airlines apparently still do.

 

[serfty]

IIRC that is how QFF used to operate prior to the introduction of SC's.TC's in 1998, which is when the current system of going by years starting from the relevant calendar month was introduced. IMHO either is greatly preferable to going by calendar years which many airlines apparently still do.

I joined in late 1994 and the Qantas "Year" philosophy was as it is now. Back then it was somewhat simpler for status earn: 20 eligible flights (in any class) would get Blue Status, 50 Silver and 80 Gold. (There was an alternate distance criteria). Gold had the holy grail of Lounge access.

The rot began to set in with the introduction of booking class based Tier Credits in September 1998.

 

[oz_mark]

That's one thing I do not find confusing. Qualification is based on the prior 365 days of travel, Re-Qualification for subsequent years is based on each years travel since the date of initial qualification.

On of the creators of the Velocity system once told me that he probably wouldn't go down the rolling totals path if he started again. Basically said that worked out to be too difficult to explain to many members how it worked.