‘Rip off’: Frustrated frequent flyers unleash on Qantas

Loyal Qantas customers have made submissions to an inquiry slamming the airline’s frequent flyer program as “a big scam”.

Qantas Frequent Flyer members have expressed fury at the airline’s rewards program, with some describing it as “a big scam”, “a complete gouge” and a “rip off”.

In submissions to a senate inquiry into bilateral air service agreements, disgruntled Qantas customers complained about the devaluation of points and the struggle of finding a rewards seat to book.

A passenger who has accrued 1.6 million points wrote in a submission: “The problem is, there are never any flights available for us to book.

“We often spend hours — daytime and nighttime, weekdays and weekends — trying to book overseas flights, but to no avail.”

They added: “Qantas’ Frequent Flyer program used to be ‘honest’, however it now just all seems like a big scam, a big con job perpetrated by Qantas, tricking you into spending money to earn points that you’ll never be able to use to purchase overseas flights, which is the main reason that most people join the program in the first place.”

Another flyer said it had become “almost impossible” to get a Qantas reward seat.

Frustrated Qantas Frequent Flyer members have slammed the airline in submissions made to an inquiry into bilateral air service agreements. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Many were outraged at the difference in points now required to book trips compared to previous years.

In submission 45, one Frequent Flyer member said they used to fly to Bali for around 40,000 points prior to the pandemic.

“I flew to Bali in July this year and used almost all my points I had accumulated during the two or three years that we weren’t able to travel. That total was around 167,000 points,” they wrote.

“I understand everything has increased in price but thought I would have at least three trips for my points value. But alas, almost ALL my points were used on I trip – 167,000 of them as opposed to approx. 40,000.”

Many who made submissions about Qantas were furious about how hard it was to obtain a rewards seat. Picture: NCA NewsWire

In submission 46, a Qantas customer said they recently purchased return flights from Melbourne to London for about 350,000 points and $800 in fees and taxes, but before Covid the same journey cost them about 128,000 points and $500 in fees and taxes.

A couple in submission 48 explained they had used 430,000 points, plus fees, for business class return flights in 2017 – however, booking the same trip now looked very different.

“As our next trip to Scotland in 2024 will probably be our last, I was gobsmacked to discover I had to use all my 650,000 FF points plus $16,500 for the same return flight,” they wrote.

Many of the frustrated customers who made submissions said they had been loyal Qantas customers for years and had been saving up points for a trip that continued to be out of reach.

One retiree, who described the situation as “diabolical” in submission 40, said he had accumulated about 800,000 points over the last decade with hope to fly first class with his wife upon retirement, which was not able to happen.

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder and new CEO Vanessa Hudson appeared before the inquiry into Australia's bilateral air services arrangements last week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

In response to the submissions made about the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, Qantas Loyalty chief executive Olivia Wirth wrote to committee chair Bridget McKenzie last week.

Ms Wirth asked for the contact details of those who had made complaints so Qantas could address issues directly with them.

She said in the 12 months to June 30, Qantas Frequent Flyer members earned 175 billion points and redeemed 155 billion points.

“The Qantas Frequent Flyer program is successful only because our 15 million members see value in the points they earn and use,” she wrote.

Ms Wirth said there were currently more than five million Classic Flight Reward seats available for booking across Qantas, Jetstar and their partner airline network.

She also said the points pricing for Qantas’ Classic Flight Reward seats was rarely changed.

“At times, there has been confusion between the number of points needed for a Classic Flight Reward booking in comparison to a Points Plus Pay booking,” she wrote.

“These two product types should not be compared on the basis of points value because a Classic Flight Reward is a fixed value product, high in value but limited in availability and Points Plus Pay fluctuates like a commercial fare to offset the broader accessibility of every seat on every flight.

“For example, submission 59 claims a Sydney to London one way booking is 1,200,000 Qantas Points. This is not correct. A Classic Flight Reward Seat is actually 55,200 Qantas Points plus $243 in taxes, fees and carrier charges.”

Committee chair and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Last week, Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson and chair Richard Goyder fronted a marathon three and a half-hour senate committee hearing for the inquiry where they were grilled about contentious topics including Qantas’ connection to the Yes campaign, slot hoarding at Sydney Airport, and the Australian Government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request for more flights into Australia.

Ms Hudson took over as CEO last month when Alan Joyce walked away from the top job two months early so the airline could “move ahead with its renewal” under new management.