cbn42

This is all confounded by the fact that "fuel surcharge" is not a government tax or fee of any sort. It's just part of the cost of the ticket.

Effectively, you bought a Virgin Australia ticket from Virgin America. Virgin America keeps your money, miles, points, or whatever, and gets you a seat on Virgin Australia.

How much Virgin America paid Virgin Australia for the seat is really none of your business, just like how much Walmart paid Samsung for the phone you bought at the store is none of your business. You agree on a price with the retailer, and that's it.

Virgin America announced they will no longer assess fuel surcharges on Virgin Australia flights on March 22. You booked MONTHS before that. I'm not sure why you feel entitled to a refund of any sort. If it was a day or two, I'd understand, but you are basically complaining because the price of your ticket went down two months after you bought it.

gooseman13

Right, expect how do you charge a fuel surcharge on a flight you don't operate and have zero fuel cost. The only way (IMHO) you can do that is if the operating carrier is levying a surcharge that you need to pay through to them.

Personally I would offer the OP a travel bank credit for the fuel surcharge amount, not charge the reissue fee, and call it a day.

Dave510

It doesn't matter if Virgin America operates the flight or what their actual fuel cost is (in this case, 0). I don't think very many on Flyertalk believes Fuel Surcharge, whether it's on an award ticket or a revenue ticket, is representative of the cost of fuel on a flight.

Once again, if you don't agree with paying whatever the YQ is + taxes + frequent flyer points, then don't redeem the award. If you've already made the redemption (months ahead at that), then don't hold your breath for a price adjustment, even if a part of the price happens to be called a "fuel surcharge".

thesilb

I appreciate the arguments above along the lines of "I got what I bought at the price I bought it" but would point out, everyone here (including Virgin America) agrees that I should get back the fuel surcharge money on these facts. I just wonder why they insist on a change fee to refund the money where they agree the refund is warranted.

Dave510

If they truly agree that a refund is warranted then you would have gotten the refund. You technically did get a refund anyways, but you had to pay a change fee because your ticket was booked months before the YQ drop date.

gooseman13

But in this case the reason the fuel surcharge exists seems to be because Virgin Australia charges the fuel surcharge.

I don't think VX owes or has any obligation to the OP, I just think the credit would be the right thing to do in this case.

edy4eva

Saying that VX agreed to refund you the surcharges is a distortion of the facts: YOU asked VX to cancel, refund and reissue the tickets which entails the penalty, and since booking on VA again no longer carries fuel surcharges you will not be charged those.

These are the terms. You can't ask them to drop the penalties because it is part of the terms you've already accepted to when booking these tickets. The only way you may be able to have the penalties waived if VX failed to properly disclose them.

If VA increased their surcharges instead of abolishing them, would you have liked VX to chase you for difference on your already issued tickets? The only time they can do that if YOU call VX to change the tickets.

thesilb

I am following up to say that Virgin America decided not to charge the change fee (i.e. to refund me the additional $500). I appreciate everyone's thoughts in this thread. It was interesting to see both sides of the argument. Thank you for helping me think this through.

Typically, Virgin America was quite nice in their communication to close this matter out. The issue aside, they are nice people to deal with.

bayhouse

Glad to see that all the "you should of known better, common sense never prevails" jerks here were wrong

rsteinmetz70112

Persistence pays off.

Dave510

Well, it's a slippery slope and next thing you know you're making a scene in a crowded area to get things you're not entitled to.