A Quebec Superior Court judge granted a class-action lawsuit Thursday against Montreal-based Aeroplan after customers complained they weren't aware of a policy change that cut their points.
The lawsuit, filed in 2009, seeks reinstatement of expired points, $50 in damages for each client and other unspecified damages. It also seeks reimbursement of money customers paid to have their points reinstated under the new policy.
The company implemented expiry dates on its loyalty program in 2007 that required points to be used within seven years or be deducted from a customer's account.
Aeroplan also stated all miles issued before Jan. 1, 2007 would be dated back to Dec. 31 2006, meaning they would have to be used by that date in 2013. Customers were also required to redeem or add points at least once per year or their accounts would expire.
Aeroplan client Pat Donvito hopes that the expiry date on accumulated points will end now that the lawsuit can go ahead.
"It's like a squirrel putting away little nuts for the winter and then when you suddenly want them or need them for a family tragedy or something you want to celebrate, to find that they had been reduced," he told CTV Montreal Thursday.
The suit comes on the heels of a similar class-action suit granted in British Columbia organized by Owen Falquero.
"It's very clear from feedback we've gotten that many thousands of members of Aeroplan never ever saw those notices," Falquero said.
Customers complained notices regarding the policy changes were in small print.
Aeroplan has more than four million members in Canada and has vowed to fight the lawsuit.
But one marketing expert said the company comes out a loser either way.
"It's very easy to change an attitude from positive to negative," said McGill Professor Stuart Soroka.
"But the reverse is very difficult, very expensive. My feeling is that this brand is irreparably harmed," he said.
With a report from CTV Montreal's Stephane Giroux
