Diners Club Card - No Free Airport Lounge Access!

007apb

One of the benefits of having a Diners Club charge card was that it provided free access to a number of airport lounges worldwide - this was included as one of the benefits of the card for the £50 annual fee.

I received a letter yesterday giving a week's notice that this will no longer be provided and that each visit to a lounge will be charged at the discounted rate of £15.

I was not very happy with this and called to complain and was given the various reasons for the change, however I explained I paid the annual fee on the basis of the benefits offered which the lounge access was the primary one. The lady eventually agreed to provide a pro-rata refund of the fee as a goodwill gesture which I was happy with.

I have now received a phone call 3 hours later from the same lady to advise she had made an error and her manager has stated that there will be no refund and they are within their rights to make such a change. My only recourse now is to write a letter of complaint.

Whilst I understand that in the huge number of terms and conditions they will be able to make such changes - I don't think it's really treating the customer fairly!

I suppose there is nothing else I can do but write a letter of complaint, although I don't believe it will help! :mad:

jonesMUFCforever

If the complaint does not get resolved to your satisfaction you can take it to the ombudsman service.

In my opinion charging an annual fee for a service then pulling the service is indeed treating the customer UN fairly.

agrinnall

You say lounge entry is one of the benefits, what are the others? If they are worth £50 by themselves (even if you don't want them) then they'll be able to argue that removing lounge access doesn't mean the benefits aren't worth the fee.

reclusive46

agrinnall wrote: »

You say lounge entry is one of the benefits, what are the others? If they are worth £50 by themselves (even if you don't want them) then they'll be able to argue that removing lounge access doesn't mean the benefits aren't worth the fee.

Generous Rewards Program - frequent flyer miles and attractive vouchers
Comprehensive Travel Item damage Insurance programme (Damaged items you buy abroad covered effectively)
Transactions can be checked 24 hours a day - even those not yet on your statement
Attractive offers and special promotions
Welcome by more than 16.5 million establishments worldwide - each individually selected and approved
Cash withdrawals at more than 650,000 ATMs worldwide
Discounted additional card for your partner

I'd hardly call them benefits worth £50.

pvt

agrinnall wrote: »

You say lounge entry is one of the benefits, what are the others? If they are worth £50 by themselves (even if you don't want them) then they'll be able to argue that removing lounge access doesn't mean the benefits aren't worth the fee.

If it is the one that he joined for, then I disagree with you. If they are charging for providing those benefits, and they don't provide all of them for the full year he paid for them, then I believe he actually has a right to all of his money back, let alone a pro-rata rebate.

[Deleted User]

Surely it would be breach of contract if you're paying for X, Y, and Z, but only get X and Y?

Roger1

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

In my opinion charging an annual fee for a service then pulling the service is indeed treating the customer UN fairly.

The annual fee was not for that particular service but for the card.

The Ombudsman is unlikely to be interested. American Express made far more significant changes to their platinum card when they reduced benefits and increased the subscription by 50% to £450 p.a. Several cardholders approached the regulators and intervention was there none.

If the OP is interested in using the lounges, they are still available with the DC card for £15 per visit without the membership fee of £69 that would otherwise apply for a similar lounge programme.