Change of notice period for QFF enhancements (benefit limitations)

[markis10]

Looks like the notice period is being enhanced as well as changed in terms of how negative news is communicated:

With effect from 1 May 2013, Qantas Frequent Flyer will amend clauses 3.2 and 3.3 of the Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions. The changes will mean that from this date:
- Qantas will use best efforts to give members at least three months' notice (rather than the current six months) of material changes to the Terms and Conditions that limit benefits provided by Qantas; and
- Members living in Australia and New Zealand will now receive notice of relevant changes by email and/or online at qantas.com (rather than by mail or email), so it's important for all members to have their email address up to date.

http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/program-change

 

[eastwest101]

At least we got more than 3 months notice of the change to the notification of change of conditions!

*^%#& ~

 

[TonyHancock]

Is the change from 6 to 3 months connected to the Emirates tie up? I guess QF may have to implement some changes "in a hurry"?

 

[eastwest101]

Is the change from 6 to 3 months connected to the Emirates tie up? I guess QF may have to implement some changes "in a hurry"?

I think this may be true as well TonyHancock - I will imagine the tie up with Emirates may have quite a lot of changes.....

 

[anat0l]

So........... in other words, we're all in trouble?

 

[lovestotravel]

At least they give notice unlike Virgin!

But of course ATA was not a published benefit in the first place, but Silver priority check-in........

 

[harvyk]

Is the change from 6 to 3 months connected to the Emirates tie up? I guess QF may have to implement some changes "in a hurry"?

It wouldn't surprise me if this was to bring change periods into line with EK, the timing sure fits.
That said when BA dropped QP members from lounge access, there was no real notice given there by QF despite it been a documented feature of QP membership, so QF don't always follow their own rules when it comes to 3rd party services.

 

[eastwest101]

At least they give notice unlike Virgin!

But of course ATA was not a published benefit in the first place, but Silver priority check-in........

Good points - and may I add *cough*

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/qantas-frequent-flyer-program/galleries-access-not-quite-reinstated-36538.html

 

[BD1959]

It's rubbish anyway.

Similar clause in the QC T&Cs: 4.3 Qantas will give notice of any material changes to these Terms and Conditions that will apply to a Member's then current membership period by providing a written notice by email or mail to an address provided to Qantas by the Member, as well as by publishing the changes on the Qantas Club pages of qantas.com. Removal of BA Galleries access could easily be deemed "material change", but there was *no* written notice from QF to QC members when QF first became aware of the issue, just posts on the Forums that (i) it was never a benefit in the first place (ii) QF were working with BA to get the issue resolved.

IIRC an email did come out to members, but a while after the website had been updated.

Regards,

BD

Edited to say: whoops, just seen harvyk's response while I was looking up the T&Cs!!

 

[codash1099]

So........... in other words, we're all in trouble?

Oh how cynical we've all become (but not without good cause).

Red Roo has been pretty silent lately. I wonder what that portends?

 

[dk4]

I think this shows how close QFi is sailing to the wind at the moment!

We are already hearing talk of deadlines set by the board for 2015 at QFi.

I surmise that this change is management taking "enough rope" to make changes and adapt quickly, to react to this timeline.

IMO problem is - a lack of a well planned response may also sink the ship.

 

[jetlagger]

Oh how cynical we've all become (but not without good cause).

Red Roo has been pretty silent lately. I wonder what that portends?

The elusive Roo never was consistently proactive on the forum so maybe the Red Roo was also enhanced :?:

 

[mannej]

How about the Virgin rep?

 

[medhead]

It wouldn't surprise me if this was to bring change periods into line with EK, the timing sure fits.
That said when BA dropped QP members from lounge access, there was no real notice given there by QF despite it been a documented feature of QP membership, so QF don't always follow their own rules when it comes to 3rd party services.

It's rubbish anyway.

Similar clause in the QC T&Cs: 4.3 Qantas will give notice of any material changes to these Terms and Conditions that will apply to a Member's then current membership period by providing a written notice by email or mail to an address provided to Qantas by the Member, as well as by publishing the changes on the Qantas Club pages of qantas.com. Removal of BA Galleries access could easily be deemed "material change", but there was *no* written notice from QF to QC members when QF first became aware of the issue, just posts on the Forums that (i) it was never a benefit in the first place (ii) QF were working with BA to get the issue resolved.

IIRC an email did come out to members, but a while after the website had been updated.

Regards,

BD

Edited to say: whoops, just seen harvyk's response while I was looking up the T&Cs!!

ISTR that the lounges that can be access have never been listed in the T&Cs. Certainly not in the T&Cs of QFF, which is the subject of this thread, nor in the QC T&Cs. This would have been covered in the thread linked below:

Good points - and may I add *cough*

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/qantas-frequent-flyer-program/galleries-access-not-quite-reinstated-36538.html

 

[anat0l]

ISTR that the lounges that can be access have never been listed in the T&Cs. Certainly not in the T&Cs of QFF, which is the subject of this thread, nor in the QC T&Cs. This would have been covered in the thread linked below:

That point, even if correct, was still regarded as "hair splitting" which detracted from the actual issue. One could argue that this was how VA managed to "escape" it's obligation for notice when it withdrew Anytime Access for Gold and Platinum members (though there is the additional consideration as to whether the change was "materially limiting benefits").

Sent from my GT-I9300 using AustFreqFly

 

[ajw373]

It wouldn't surprise me if this was to bring change periods into line with EK, the timing sure fits.
That said when BA dropped QP members from lounge access, there was no real notice given there by QF despite it been a documented feature of QP membership, so QF don't always follow their own rules when it comes to 3rd party services.

They didn't have much say in that decision by all accounts!

 

[medhead]

That point, even if correct, was still regarded as "hair splitting" which detracted from the actual issue. One could argue that this was how VA managed to "escape" it's obligation for notice when it withdrew Anytime Access for Gold and Platinum members (though there is the additional consideration as to whether the change was "materially limiting benefits").

Sent from my GT-I9300 using AustFreqFly

I'm more than happy for you to list the number of the clause that grants access to a specific lounge. Otherwise, I'm confident to say that I'm correct. I would also say that those people who see this as splitting hairs probably don't understand or appreciate the full range of the T&Cs that are there. In particular, the other conditions that provide protections, ability to gain redress in the given situation. For example, the ability to do something about QC membership that is on hold.

 

[Danger]

This is a croc.

 

[oz_mark]

Dunno. Six months seems an unusually long time to me.....

 

[BD1959]

ISTR that the lounges that can be access have never been listed in the T&Cs. Certainly not in the T&Cs of QFF, which is the subject of this thread, nor in the QC T&Cs. This would have been covered in the thread linked below:

My point was that under the QC T&Cs, material access changes should be notified to Members in writing - not that the access should be listed in the T&Cs.

Which brings me to an interesting point I've been pondering. I've been reading somewhere that the (current) joint BA/QF Lounges at SIN are run by QF but that the joint lounges at BKK are run by BA. Is this true - and if so, what likelyhood once the JSA is terminated that the BKK lounges no longer carry the QC designation?

Regards,

BD