Air Miles cancels points deadline

Air Miles announced Thursday it is shelving plans that would have seen the loyalty points program cancelled and unused points lost as of Dec. 31.

LoyaltyOne, the firm that runs Air Miles, also said there will be no longer be any deadline in place for collectors to use their miles for reward.

“We have made the decision to cancel the expiry policy for all Collectors effective immediately. There is uncertainty with provincial governments proposing or considering legislation across Canada so we have decided to cancel the expiry policy so that all collectors, regardless of location, can be confident that their balances will be protected,” Bryan Pearson, chief executive of Loyalty One, said in a statement.

Air Miles has come under fire for its redemption program and some people maintain it is difficult to cash in the points that were set to expire at the end of this year. At the end of 2011, Air Miles issued a five-year expiry date on reward points and, with the date now upon us, it somehow has caught some off guard.

During the past four years, Air Miles collectors have received more than $2 billion worth of value, the company said.

“Our commitment is to create an environment where reward programs continue to deliver value to consumers and the companies that operate them,” Pearson said.

In Ontario, a private member’s bill that would make it illegal for loyalty programs to let customer points expire without their permission was set to take effect this month.

“The company believes that cancelling the expiry policy will lead to more meaningful conversations between government and industry, helping to ensure loyalty programs remain viable in all provinces and that Canadian consumers continue to reap the rewards of loyalty programs, regardless of the province in which they live,” Air Miles said in a statement.