Did you receive the Volare points reset email? Let me explain what happens and why the important date is October 15, 2024
One reason why airline loyalty programs, airline in Italy, work less well than the rest of the world [...]
ITA Airways
SkyTeam
One of the reasons why airline loyalty programs, airline in Italy, function less well than the rest of the world is related to the Italian members' unwillingness to learn the basic rules.
In this article:
As I often write in articles it's nice to book Singapore first class by paying only 120€, but in order to use the points, one has to go deeper and study the subject a few.
We like to have everything and right away, and if we don't have it we look for someone to do it for us or explain well what to do. It is not racism it is pure reality.
Volare's email
Since Volare's newsletter announcing the cancellation of Qualifying Points arrived yesterday, I have received about a flood of emails, messages, and blooming post on The Flight Club's secret facebook group.
The tenor of the messages is always the same: "They are THIEVERS/PEOPLE they cancel all my points."
Here, things are not exactly like that. Like Groundhog Day, I am reliving what happened as early as 12 months ago., around the same days, ITA Airways frequent flyer members crying scandal. and call for the intervention of President of the Republic Mattarella.
Foreword. I have never received any such email from the other programs I am subscribed to.. At most other loyalty programs at the end of the qualifying period send an email to say "welcome back" start your collection again to renew your status for next year.
As I have explained in so many articles, and also in a video, which for the lazy can be viewed/listened to on TFC's YT channel, the points QUALIFIED expire every 12 months, it is so for ITA and for all other companies IN THE WORLD.
These are not the points that are used to book award tickets, that then those in ITA don't even have that option, but those are the ones needed to achieve/renew status.
The Flying program, such as Lufthansa's Miles&More, Has a fixed deadline of December 31, this means that from January 1 you should accumulate points to obtain status on the following year.
I use the conditional because in Flying things are not always black and white.
When Volare reward points expire
Qualifying points then reset to zero each year, I honestly found Volare's communication unclear. The rules explicitly say that the qualifying period is 1/1-31/12, I don't understand what is the point of sending an email that says " on January 22 we reset the points".
Award points, That is, those that you can use to pay for tickets, expire instead (unless extended) on October 15, 2024, which is the end date of the competition. This means that if Volare does not make an ad hoc action on the regulations, all members will have their membership cards reset, as is the case with those in the Coop.
The reason is simple, Italian law on prize contests, and point collections fall into this category, require organizers to have a maximum duration of 36 months, unless extended.
Attention THE LAW DOES NOT oblige organizers to let points expire, but only to have to renew regulations and prizes up for grabs. Then, unfortunately, Italian companies from large retailers, to gas stations, to airlines have always taken advantage of the rule to reset the distracted accumulator's points to zero.
The reason for making "points expire" more easily than abroad is cheap. Mounting loyalty points (whether from Esselunga, Q8, or ITA) are a debt on the balance sheet, and making them disappear because they expire relieves costs and makes the Finance guys happy.
So if Volare will not change the regulations., or will announce an extension, all members will have until November 15 this year to use the points accumulated over the past 3 years.
In conclusion
If you got the email, don't worry no one resets the points you got from flying to zero, using credit card or with promotions. Only qualifying points expire.
