Last week, we received an email from a reader who had an issue with the IHG Rewards and Ambassador program that resulted in his account close to 628K points frozen (read more here).
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You can access IHG’s page for Ambassador-program here.
READ MORE: IHG Rewards Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotions
Here’s what happened earlier:
Reader Email: “Held to ransom by IHG Rewards” (627,919 POINTS!)
Here’s the positive outcome:
I emailed their head office and copied in the whole of the European Communications team.
This was their response:
Thank you for your emails. IHG has received your contacts to multiple offices, and it has been decided that I will be your point of contact regarding this matter.
I am truly sorry this remains to be a source of frustration for you. IHG recognizes you were upset regarding IHG’s decision to not extend your Ambassador Status beyond the end of June 2021, and that you felt you needed to dispute your Ambassador fee, which resulted in your account be temporarily suspended. That being said, after careful consideration as IHG understands travel has been limited in the U.K., and you have been unable to take advantage of the benefits of the program, the decision has been made to reopen your account so you are able to utilize the IHG points and Ambassador status. Your Ambassador Status will also be extended until the end of December 2021. Please know this decision is final; no further goodwill extensions are being provided, as we fully expect travel to return in 2021.
Thank you again Mr.REMOVED. We look forward to your upcoming stays with us in the near future.
Thankfully all is working,however my ambassador weekend nights certs expire before the UK hotels reopen and no answer on extension for them sadly.
Thanks for your help, it’s shocking their lack of service.
The reader wanted to add the following comments:
– the 2x IC hotels have been closed most of 2020 and all 2021 in UK even outside the lockdown period.
– the UK after lockdown had tiers so travel from the highest was not permitted
– Nov 2020 was date of challenge not renewal this is an error in IHG’s reply.
– So unable to use as indicted by I’m assuming mainly non UK comments
– And on a personal note working as a paramedic during a pandemic makes anything non work difficult.
And the reason so many points, was looking at an amazing trip in 2020 on points.
Will be interesting to see if they extend the Ambassador weekend nights as the UK hotels are not open before they expire.
Conclusion
I am glad that the reader was able to get the attention of someone at the IHG’s team in the UK that could resolve the issue amicably and do the right thing.
IHG’s main contact center is based in Manila, and they work within the corporate guidelines with little leeway. I believe that this is sometimes behind the customer service lapses documented here. Manila works with the scripts set by the US and the UK.
