Originally Posted by
goginess
Hilton's recent change on their reward program (Hhonors) reduces your accumulated points by up to 25% in value, if you don't book them by 1-14-10 and use them all before 1-14-11. a cat 6 hotel was 40,000 pts/night and will be 50,000 pts/night = 25% increase in cost. Has anyone heard of a class action suit to prevent Hilton from devaluing what you (and I) have already earned? They have not provided an adequate timeline to use those earned points at full value ( one year is not enough time for many people to use their points). This is not right. Any attorneys out there remember the airlines who tried to do this same thing but changed their tactics once a lawsuit was filed? This situation seems ripe for a lawsuit and i would be interested in joining it.
Worth a laugh or two.
Frequent flyer programs have existed in their modern incarnation since 1981 -- i.e., more than 28 years. (I've been a member of UA Mileage Plus since its inception in 1981.) In that timeframe, all the programs have changed repeatedly -- they are quite a bit more flexible and complex than in the early days, offer far more earnings and redemption options, etc., but one thing that is pretty much constant is that every few years or so, points/miles get devalued.
The terms and conditions of each program state that the airlines/hotels/etc. can modify the rules of the program at any time. When you join the program, you agree to its terms and conditions.
Of course, if you want to, you can always contact a lawyer and run your idea by them. Find one who specializes in class-action suits. I believe that most of them would put this very low on their priority list, after things like securities fraud, product defects, price-fixing, and a whole host of other consumer class action-type concerns. But there MIGHT be someone out there who would take this on. Who knows?
