Australian celebrities complain about losing tens of thousands of Qantas frequent flyer points without warning after a mistake anyone could make
- Two actors claim Qantas wiped away tens of thousands of frequent flyer points
- They said they were not warned the points were ‘expiring’ and said it was theft
- Qantas’ frequent flyer program is Australia’s most popular loyalty scheme
- But customers can be stung if their account is inactive for just 18 months
Underbelly star Steve Bastoni (pictured) lost 35,000 Qantas points
Loyal Qantas customers are having their carefully collected frequent flyer points wiped from their account if they don’t use it for 18 months.
Two Australian actors have hit out at the firm for the policy, which they said removes the points without warning – despite collecting them for 15 years.
Underbelly star Steve Bastoni lost 35,000 points, after previously having 50,000 points erased, according to the Australian.
Neighbours star Ben Lawson was also stung by the policy, calling Qantas ‘Australia’s most consistently disappointing airline’.
‘That is corporate theft,’ Mr Bastoni said.
‘There is a monetary value attached to these points and for Qantas to just wipe them is akin to being robbed.
‘I am gobsmacked they can get away with this. It’s a terrible way for a company to conduct itself.’
The first time Mr Bastoni complained, he had first points reinstated – but this time Qantas only promised to reinstate 50 per cent of them on the conditions that he acquire 2,500 more in the next six months.
The actor complained to Qantas on Twitter (pictured), comparing its loyalty scheme to a ‘loan shark programme’
Qantas’ frequent flyer program is the most popular loyalty scheme in Australia, with more than 13 million members (stock image)
He claimed to have received no warning that the points were expiring, despite Qanats insisting an email would have been sent.
In a tweet, Mr Lawson said he had been collecting the points for 15 years.
‘Been collecting Qantas FF points since 2005,’ he wrote.
‘Fifteen years. Just went to use some to discover they’re completely gone because I haven’t flown Qantas for 18-months.
Actor Ben Lawson tweeted (pictured) that Qantas was ‘Australia’s most consistently disappointing airline’
Lawson (pictured) had been collecting Qantas frequent flyer points for 15 years when he claims they were wiped without warning
‘No email, no word of warning, just gone.’
Qantas replied explaining that points expired after 18 months of inactivity, but insisted it was ‘standard practice is to notify customers in advance’.
‘Unlike many loyalty programs, Qantas Points do not expire provided the member remains ‘active’ – meaning they earn or redeem at least one point every 18 months,’ a spokesman said.
‘There are hundreds of different ways members can earn and redeem Qantas Points through their every day spend.
‘This could be as simple as making a purchase using a Qantas Points earning credit card, buying groceries from Woolworths, or even tracking your daily steps through the Qantas Wellbeing App.
‘If a member does become inactive, Qantas will provide notice that their points will expire within 60 days of the expiration date. Members are notified in three different ways – via email, in the Qantas app and through a banner on their Frequent Flyer account.’
Qantas frequent flyers is Australia’s largest loyalty program, boasting more than 13 million members.
It is also one of the airline’s biggest income generators, earning $196 million in the later half of 2019.