Loss of Qantas Platinum 1 member points due to members accidental death....

[moa999]

Kathleen01,

Again sorry for your loss.

On Qantas, I would definitely be calling the Plat One line - phone number should be on correspondence and asking to speak to a supervisor or have a senior exec call you.

On the Amex, i would be checking with your husband's company exactly how it is paid. In my experience whilst the authorisation may come from offshore, the account would normally be paid from an Australian dollar account (effectively in Australia), as otherwise there would be exchange rate issues.

I would also be looking at your husband's corporate superannuation policies, as this will often also contain a death benefit of some kind.

 

[Kathleen01]

Thank you so much for your great reply, and taking the time for this information....Kind regards

 

[Kathleen01]

Thank you for taking the time to reply.....will touch base with Qantas tomorrow...kind regards

 

[Kathleen01]

There was no company superannuation policy as American Based...My husband has his own Rollover account.

Im assuming the compay accepts the exchange rate conversion as all bills are paid in the US. The US company has Life Insurance for the rest of the worlds employees, that is payable , Back to the Company.!!!....The flights were paid for on the Corperate Card. Full Economy class tickets purchased so full refund, on the return would have been applied for and reimbursed, as well as cancelling the next leg on totally different date/sector. There was NO Need to disclose my Husbands daeth when calling Qantas, by his collegue. I cant believe people ( on this thread) think that this isNOT a Breach of Privacy. Could you accept that this could happen to YOU?.

 

[Kathleen01]

Thank you....Kind regards

 

[nlagalle]

Im assuming the compay accepts the exchange rate conversion as all bills are paid in the US. The US company has Life Insurance for the rest of the worlds employees, that is payable , Back to the Company.!!!....The flights were paid for on the Corperate Card. Full Economy class tickets purchased so full refund, on the return would have been applied for and reimbursed, as well as cancelling the next leg on totally different date/sector. There was NO Need to disclose my Husbands daeth when calling Qantas, by his collegue. I cant believe people ( on this thread) think that this isNOT a Breach of Privacy. Could you accept that this could happen to YOU?.

Kathleen01, not trying to be nasty or anything like that, but it isn't a breach of privacy, So i'm failing to see where it is. It would only be a breach if personal information was passed, and someone dying isn't personal. I don't think you will get too far on that tact.

Your best bet would be to speak to QF about giving you access to use the points quickly (which some anecdotal evidence suggesting they give you 12 months to book them up).

 

[Kathleen01]

Sorry nlagalle, but are you serious.? How do you consider that by announcing another person has died, ( to a company affecting another person's details ) NOT personal information.

I take offence at your post.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Kathleen01 sorry for your loss.

I hope you can achieve a result here, because - I'd like to know that if something happened to me that QF would do one final thing to look after my family.

 

[Kathleen01]

Thank you for your reply....Yes I will certinaly keep members updated, as you could not imagine what It has been like these past couple of months with such stress, and so many companies to deal with, apart from Fraudsters calling ( after viewing death notices in Newspapers) calling for Information. Had I been a older grieving widow, I would assume that information would be ok to give out, as you just dont think people could stoop so low.

Anyhow just off the topic, thank you. Yes you would hope that Qantas will acknowledge this error, regardless is some people dont call it a 'Invasion of Mine & my Husband's Privacy'.
You dont get to Paltinum 1 status and hope that your looked after, even after death Will keep everyone posted. Im overwhelmed at the replies...Many thanks to everyone.

 

[fersea]

I am sorry but I can't see how you have a leg to stand on. Someone gave Qantas information that is publically available (presumably you put a notice in the newspaper for a start) and is obviously without doubt 100% correct.

I can't see what your argument could be with Qantas - "other people have done something dodgy against the T&Cs so I have suffered loss because I couldn't do it?". How can that stand up. (the debate over whether Qantas T&Cs are fair is another matter).

Sadly I think you have missed the boat here. Also I urge you to consider whether going down the path of making enemies with your husband's company is such a good idea. If he racked up that many points presumably he was there for a while and had a good relationship with his colleagues. I am sure they are also devastated with your husbands (presumably) sudden passing.

Please don't ruin your husbands legacy by pursuing something that is unlikely to be successful.

As others have said I thnk your best chance of success is to be honest with Qantas and hopefully they will bend their rules.

As per everyone else sorry for your loss.

 

[nlagalle]

Sorry nlagalle, but are you serious.? How do you consider that by announcing another person has died, ( to a company affecting another person's details ) NOT personal information.

I take offence at your post.

The privacy acts deals with your personal information and how it is kept and released. Your husbands death isn't private information stored by either company. That the company told Qantas of his death is not a breach of the act. Qantas suspending/closing the account may not have been appropriate without proper documentation, however you don't know what was told to them by the employer when cancelling the ticket.

You may have taken offence, of which I am sorry, but personally I don't see how you could claim there is a breach. I already suggested a different tact to deal with retaining the points for a period.

 

[pshepvic]

Refer to my post above as well. The privacy act does NOT apply to people who are deceased. Once you die, your information is not restricted by any organisation. Even if it was, Qantas have not breached privacy. It was the company that provided information about the individual, not Qantas. Qantas policy is also very clear that you do not retain points when you die.

The ONLY thing Qantas has potentially done wrong here is that they (allegedly) did not verify the information that they were provided. Who knows, perhaps the company did provide some sort of evidence.

But please don't have a go at those of us who have said this is not a breach of the privacy act, as it is not. I have posted a link above where it is clearly stated that the privacy act does not apply to the deceased.


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[Kathleen01]

Im under the impression, that Im expressing my Freedom of Speech in as much as 'Calling You' on your informaiton.

Are you both Attorneys?

 

[mella2007]

Very sorry for your loss Kathleen under obviously very traumatic circumstances.

As difficult as it is to read, the members on these boards are experts when it comes to all things Qantas and no one is certainly trying to upset you, but merely present the facts as they state in the terms and conditions.
I actually think your issue lies more with your husband's company and their conduct and not Qantas.

 

[pshepvic]

Sorry, but by saying you are offended by posts where someone is simply pointing out a fact is uncalled for. You started this post, claiming that privacy has been breached, and you asked for advice. When someone who actually has detailed knowledge of the privacy act provides an answer it would be good to listen to what they have to say. Whilst you personally may feel that privacy has been breached, under Australian law it hasn't.

As far as my occupation goes, that is irrelevant. You don't need to be a lawyer to have an understanding of the privacy act. A 30 second google search to find the specific page on the privacy website confirmed my understanding.


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[Hvr]

Thank you for your reply....Yes I will certinaly keep members updated, as you could not imagine what It has been like these past couple of months with such stress, and so many companies to deal with, apart from Fraudsters calling ( after viewing death notices in Newspapers) calling for Information. Had I been a older grieving widow, I would assume that information would be ok to give out, as you just dont think people could stoop so low.
<snip> .

It looks like it has been at least a couple of months since you lost your husband. While it would be best to contact Qantas sooner rather than later, given that it appears there has been a bit of time since his account was closed you may want to take a day or two to decide what you actually want from them.

That way you aren't trying to decide when you're talking to them and will have already determined what is acceptable for you to resolve the matter to your satisfaction. You will only get one chance to make an offer and it is best to be prepared beforehand rather then making it up as you go whilst on the phone.

 

[Kathleen01]

Chapter 5: Protection of a right to personal privacyThe Privacy Act provide a statutory cause of action for
invasion of privacy. The Act contain a non-exhaustive list of the types
of invasion that fall within the cause of action. For example, an invasion of


privacy may occur where:
(a) there has been an interference with an individual’s home or family life;
(b) an individual has been subjected to unauthorised surveillance;
(c) an individual’s correspondence or private written, oral or electronic
communication has been interfered with, misused or disclosed; or
(d) sensitive facts relating to an individual’s private life have been disclosed.

 

[Hvr]

And your husband was the individual concerned and since he has passed away there is no breach of privacy. Privacy dies with the person.

If you know a lawyer it may be worth your while discussing this with them to get clear advice and determine your options. Unfortunately, as has been mentioned here many times the "privacy" matter isn't going to be of assistance to your claim for Qantas to provide you with the points from his account.

Also, as has been mentioned, sadly it was correct that he has passed away, therefore Qantas has the ability to close his account and void all of the points that were transferred after his passing.

Your best hope is for Qantas to allow you to transfer/utilise the points on compassionate grounds.

 

[Bodie]

Kathleen

Again sorry for your loss

In a early post, you indicated that you had to deal with foreign funeral home and qantas to bring your husband home, I have no experience in this regard, but some documentation I imagine would be required to tansport home, so in effect, when qantas closed the account, was documentation provided that confirmed information passed on by the company? Also was the company involved in the process as well, as it was a business trip? Thereby again confirming details.

Good luck with superannuation, life insurance process.

Bodie

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

I wondered if part of the requirement of Qantas to provide a refund of the booked fare was for the booker of the ticket to satisfy one of a list of parameters, one of which was the death of the PAX.

If it was, then the Company booking the fare would simply be providing Qantas with the factual reason to enable it to get a refund of what they had paid..

I don't know, I am just wondering. I guess at the end of the day there was no malice on the part of the person who gave Qantas the info with the cancellation but unfortunately it has had significant impact on the OP's ability to access the benefits of the accrued points in the QFF account.

Seems a bit rough from Qantas to simply snaffle someone's points if they pass away, all the same, but if that is the T & C's then that is the T & C's.

Nothing to lose by politely appealing to their human side and pointing out the many years of past loyalty etc and see if they will allow a transfer at least to the OP's account of points.

Given he was a Platinum 1 you would think there would/should be some consideration given by Qantas. ask to speak to a Supervisor, sometimes people in power like the show their ability to make a decision the "underlings" ( no offence intended) are not authorised to make.

Good luck.

Do any of the experts know what the T & C's say in relation to refunds ??