Hi All,

Hope you had a lovely weekend. I’m in a similar situation and had my direct flight to Cape Town (from London Heathrow) next April canceled. This morning, I contacted Virgin via their online chat, referencing my rights under the UK261 regulation and requesting to be rerouted on a BA flight. The alternative they offered, a connection via Johannesburg, wasn’t comparable to my original direct flight.

After several exchanges, the agent eventually said, "We are going round in circles. Would you like the refund I have offered or a full refund? I cannot help with any other flight option." When I asked why rerouting with BA wasn’t possible, she replied, "We are not offering that option. I can only tell you what I know, and that’s the option I have provided you. There are clearly reasons behind the decision we have made, but that is above my pay grade." She advised me to contact their customer service via email.

Could anyone advise on the key terms or arguments I should include when reaching out to them? I’d greatly appreciate any guidance!