HDFC bank has ruined lounge-access Priority Pass for customers by overcomplicating rules

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Wingtips lounge at JFK airport New York City
A lounge at JFK International Airport in New York City that welcomes Priority Pass-holders.

Mumbai (TAN): India’s HDFC Bank has ruined a wonderful travel privilege to its customers by overcomplicating the procedure to avail it.

The bank, which is India’s largest lender in the private sector by assets, offers the Priority Pass membership to holders of its premium credit cards in the Regalia category. This pass allows free airport lounge access to members.

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The Priority Pass is a separate card that comes along with the relevant credit card. The number of free lounge entries and ways to use the card has changed over the years.

While a few years ago, the card allowed 12 domestic and international lounge accesses in a calendar year, the number was later brought down to six. That is what this reporter had in mind while using the card at lounges in recent months. He only found out he was being charged when he went through the latest bill. The charge had been for a September 2018 use of the card.

A representative of the bank claimed the Priority Pass usage updates had been intimated to all customers by mail and SMS and that this change had been in force for a year. But being bombarded with tens of emails, text messages and calls from HDFC every week, these are easy to miss.

“At this moment, the Priority pass allows six international free airport lounge entries and two free entries per quarter at domestic airports,” the representative told this reporter.

“However, if you were to use this facility in India, you would have to present your Regalia credit card and not your Priority Pass. Using the Priority Pass domestically will result in you being charged,” the representative added and revealed that this reporter had also been charge in the previous statement for another lounge visit, a fact that I was unaware of because I did not go through the bill details on that occasion.

“Please always ask the person swiping the card at the lounge entrance to make sure you’re not being charged,” the bank representative said.

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Though less number of free entries, the procedure is very simple for another card this reporter uses, the Diners Club Miles. This card allows six free lounge entries in a calendar year and all you need to do is present the card at the lounge entrance. That is the way to go, HDFC Bank.

An overcomplicated benefit-availing procedure will make users wonder if the bank’s intention for customers is to miss the fine print and end up paying more than they were looking to. 

HDFC Bank needs to immediately simplify Priority Pass usage rules.

One Comment

  1. Yes Hdfc bank Employe cheated me by saying take priority pass 6 international lounge and 3 domestic lounge free in year . I use in feb at Delhi airport lounge the priority pass and in June bill came of 2400 rupees . I stop the card closed all my account in Hdfc bank . They are cheaters and liers don’t trust them give money and sit in lounge.

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