Would you complain if Qantas took your 75K points after the 18 month expiry date?

[Dr Ralph]

Usual hyperbole in this article on the Daily Mail site. But the brief synopsis is that a customer was upset that their 75,000 QFF points was taken after account inactivity of more than 18 months. I understand that Qantas had contacted the person and that this was all as per the terms of QFF membership.

Qantas offered to reinstate the points if the person earned 2500 points from spend via their web site.

Seems very generous of Qantas.

But would you even bother complaining about this let alone would you really be 'furious'? I think that you have to accept some level of personal responsibility for letting this happen.

Given the person is actually named you'd think even the negative publicity this would provide towards you should discourage all but the most entitled to bother complaining?

Qantas deletes 75000 points of a frequent flyer, asks him to earn more

Australia's largest airline Qantas has told a frequent flyer that he could only have his points back if he earned 2500 more in six months

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Austman]

For many loyalty schemes that I am enrolled in, points now never expire.

I think it's only a matter of time before laws are introduced to make that compulsory or at least make it a much longer minimum expiry period - eg 3 years.

It's been done with gift cards. Even Qantas ones despite what it might state on the Qantas gift voucher.

Time to do it with FF schemes, I think.

 

[Matt_01]

These pop up every now and again. As a frequent traveler and with a points earning card I never seem to run into this issue but understand others can. However I am just amazed that with so many ways to keep a QFF account alive people still get it so wrong.

 

[samh004]

For many loyalty schemes that I am enrolled in, points now never expire.

I think it's only a matter of time before laws are introduced to make that compulsory or at least make it a much longer minimum expiry period - eg 3 years.

It's been done with gift cards. Even Qantas ones despite what it might state on the Qantas gift voucher.

Time to do it with FF schemes, I think.

The only problem with this is that as the outstanding balance grows, the loyalty program, within its terms, will devalue the points to protect themselves. Suddenly, because one fool couldn't remember to earn 1 point every 18 months we all pay the price. I don't think this needs to be the way to go, and with the 18-month account activity rule as it is, they basically don't expire already, so there's no need to reinvent the wheel because some people find that concept too difficult to grasp.

 

[VPS]

Typical coughe Journalism - they can't even get the header correct
Furious frequent flyer slams Qantas after they deleted 75,000 points and said he could only get them back if he thousands more in six months

 

[Matt_01]

To add to what @samh004 QF points if you know how to manage your account correctly and it is so simple never expire. Personally I find my SQ account a bit more difficult to manage as points expire on a rolling three year time frame and I find myself more careful in transferring and topping up my SQ account from AMEX or VA based on a as required basis.

Also with a figure of 75000 points, this could have been some CC sign on bonus however this is just speculation.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Typical coughe Journalism - they can't even get the header correct
Furious frequent flyer slams Qantas after they deleted 75,000 points and said he could only get them back if he thousands more in six months

Their stories, rather than just the title, also normally contain grammatical errors. But it's not just the Daily Mail, I see this regularly in many newspapers. Especially for online content, which they seem to want to get out fast, rather than proof reading properly.

 

[p--and--t]

If you disagree with the T&C's or can't be bothered to read them in the first place - don't join in the first place and don't cough about it later. No sympathy whatsoever.

 

[p--and--t]

If you disagree with the T&C's or can't be bothered to read them in the first place - don't join in the first place and don't ***** about it later. No sympathy whatsoever.

Oh isn't that clever. If you type the word cough it automatically gets replaced with stars - LOL

 

[Austman]

Suddenly, because one fool couldn't remember to earn 1 point every 18 months we all pay the price.

I think that's a bit harsh.

It's the 18 months expiry that I think is simply too short. Three years seems more reasonable to me.

I bet it will change by law if airlines don't do it beforehand. FF points are becoming too much of a valuable currency.

 

[Archphoto]

I think that's a bit harsh.

It's the 18 months expiry that I think is simply too short. Three years seems more reasonable to me.

I bet it will change by law if airlines don't do it beforehand. FF points are becoming too much of a valuable currency.

I think you are correct - the average Joe Blow is attempting to earn enough points for that one "big trip" and 18 months probably doesn't cut it for most (especially when seats aren't easy to come by) and extending it would be beneficial.

However, that's not an excuse for not reading the T&Cs - maybe QF should start sending reminders 3 months out? I get these for my website renewals (I actually think they start 6 months out) and you can't possibly miss that, can you? Oh wait - the era of responsibility is officially over, now it's everyone else's fault . . .

 

[p--and--t]

I think you are correct - the average Joe Blow is attempting to earn enough points for that one "big trip" and 18 months probably doesn't cut it for most (especially when seats aren't easy to come by) and extending it would be beneficial.

Sorry doesn't compute. If Joe Blow is actively attempting to earn enough points for that one big trip.....

.... why has he not earnt one ( that's 1) single solitary point in eighteen months

....why is he not significantly encouraged by the offer from QF to get all his points back if he earns some more.

 

[Austman]

There are many who claim they did not receive an email or other notification from Qantas that their points were about to expire.

Maybe that's another issue to address? To ensure such a notification is actually formally done, so there can be no doubt that it was sent?

When it's about something that could be of considerable value, the laws around this seem, at least to me, to be lax.

 

[p--and--t]

I think that's a bit harsh.

It's the 18 months expiry that I think is simply too short. Three years seems more reasonable to me.

I bet it will change by law if airlines don't do it beforehand. FF points are becoming too much of a valuable currency.

My cynical mind would say this exact same bloke would be back in 37 months time blowing a fuse and accusing everyone beside himself with his tale of woe.

 

[Austman]

My cynical mind would say this exact same bloke would be back in 37 months time blowing a fuse and accusing everyone beside himself with his tale of woe.

Perhaps but 18 months is even now on the low side compared with most FF schemes.

 

[exceladdict]

Happened to another friend just this last week (not the man in question) who was also given a challenge of 2.5k points to recover the balance. They had about 80k as well.

In her case, she thought woolies auto-redeem was keeping the points alive, but it had swapped back to woolworths dollarydoos instead of QFF purchasing once a quarter.

Edit: no sob story to today tonight or elsewhere.

 

[Borisdog]

It's the way of the world now though isn't it.

It's always some-one else's fault - no personal responsibility accepted.

A little self-awareness goes a long way.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

No I wouldn’t complain. Being 18+ means you have responsibility. For. Everything.

 

[samh004]

However, that's not an excuse for not reading the T&Cs - maybe QF should start sending reminders 3 months out? I get these for my website renewals (I actually think they start 6 months out) and you can't possibly miss that, can you? Oh wait - the era of responsibility is officially over, now it's everyone else's fault . . .

I would be all for Qantas finally stepping up to send a special email "your points are about to expire" a number of months out from the date, instead of tacking it onto the bottom of monthly emails as they do now. I think doing this would make it much clearer for people. That said, you'd still get poor reporting like this recent story where Joe Blow (as it appears) forgot to keep his email updated and believes this absolves him of any responsibility.

As I said the other day when I screwed up my tax, it is entirely my issue and I wear the cost. You don't see me crying to ACA that I don't understand the ATO-speak on My Gov. Considering tax is much more serious than points – sometimes – this story is such a beat-up.

 

[downgraded]

There are many who claim they did not receive an email or other notification from Qantas that their points were about to expire.

Maybe that's another issue to address? To ensure such a notification is actually formally done, so there can be no doubt that it was sent?

When it's about something that could be of considerable value, the laws around this seem, at least to me, to be lax.

Neither email nor snail mail have guaranteed delivery. There's personal responsibility here if the points are so important. I really don't see what the law has got to do with this. You sign up to a voluntary scheme and follow it's rules.