36902BRF

It is ridiculous that they can take our money instantly but take three months to send back. That said perhaps they are under promising/over delivering? CX told me four to six weeks but the three refunds from them all took less than two weeks. TK has been the best so far in that it took two days. My personal take is I give them a month for a refund and if I don't have it then I file a charge back with my CC company. A month is more than enough time for them to send a refund, their cash flow problems are not my problem. I'll be dealing with VS on an award ticket refund in the somewhat near future so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Theirin

For clarification, are they saying that they won't process the refund for three months, or that it may take two credit cycles (which could be up to three months) to appear on your account?

joshwex90

Booked TLV-LHR-EWR-LHR-TLV through 3rd party OTA.

VS announced that EWR flights are canceled effective immediately. No comment from VS or the OTA.

Today I got an email from VS that EWR-LHR-TLV was changed to JFK-LHR-TLV. But on VS website, the outbound TLV-LHR-NYC is gone. Doesn't appear. And when trying to book a new flight TLV-LHR, they claim no available flights until April 14 (I'm in theory supposed to fly out after April 1). So it looks like they canceled more TLV flights without announcing anything.

OTA still shows the original itinerary intact.

VS says to contact OTA. OTA doesn't answer their phone.

Will my itinerary get canceled at some point? Do I need to cancel my itinerary proactively for a refund?

FrustratedUK

For what it's worth:

I booked a flight to Seattle in December from LHR leaving April 14 (through VA's website). This is the day after the current US ban on European citizens/residents ends. I have been looking at bookings on the VA website just to see what is going on and noticed the following:

VA are not flying their own direct service to Seattle while this ban is in place, but codeshare flights with Delta are operating (at Ł1000 return - I haven't checked one-way flights, but that's more than double what I paid and will involve a stop somewhere). This is up to April 13. The VA direct flights reappear on April 14 in line with current US information.

I did't see any information on a refund. I'm pretty sure I have a non-refundable ticket. VA are, as posted on here, offering a free reschedule, but travel must take place by the end of the year. I won't be able to do this due to work commitments, and there is always the possibility they could go under, but that's for another time. I have travel insurance through my bank and, as I discovered yesterday, through the American Express credit card I bought the flights with, so I think I am covered one way or another given the UK has advised against all non-essential travel. I have also booked all hotels on a free-cancellation basis.

I heard from someone working at a travel agent here in the UK who is working on repatriating Brits that airlines are refusing to refund even if the relevant EU laws on cancellations apply, knowing full well it's illegal to do so, but desperate to hang on to any cash they have got in the absence of any specific bailout at this stage I suspect.

It's still three weeks away, but I thought I would share what I know. Hope it is of some use. In the grand scheme of things, not a major issue. Thanks to other posters for their knowledge here and I hope everyone stays safe.

kitbag1984

Does anyone think that Virgin are going to survive this?!

Theirin

I think they probably will once the government bails them out. Without government support? No.

I've seen the calls for Branson to bail them out but I don't think those people understand the size of the financial hit. Branson almost certainly can't afford it, especially considering that he's not sat on a few billion in cash, a significant chunk of his assets come from the various Virgin companies themselves.

ETA: just seen this which is related about Branson putting in $250m

rizrizriz

was a day and change, but yes, was a MR, and somewhere never been to before.

FlyerTalker7654

I would have to double check but I believe they said "up to 3 months".....next time I speak to my Mum I'll ask.

lkar

I just cancelled an award booking via text. It went pretty well and the miles were put back in my account almost instantly but with respect to the charges and taxes (about 500 EUR): "You will hear from our refunds department within 30 days."

I guess we will see.

Theirin

I did have a similar delay on a couple of reward bookings last year. No issue with it but it took a few weeks to go through, so hopefully its a relatively normal procedural issue. Fingers crossed for you!

lkar

Thanks. It's all such a pain in the neck right now. I'm really sympathetic to the plight that the airlines are in and also to the cash they need to pay their people. The whole thing stinks.

qofmiwok

I read that VA cancelled all flights to the USA through mid-June. My flight is June 9. When I log in my ticket is still there, and they haven't contacted me to say it is cancelled. But if you search for the flight on google flights it doesn't exist. Anybody know if they are just behind in updating flight status, or if they might reinstate some flights by then?

I just don't know if I need to process a cancellation to get my points and surcharges back, or if I should wait and see. Are these cancellations that are being announced not really firm cancellations but wait-and-sees?

rizrizriz

Last Friday (20 Mar), I sent a tweet to VS, asking for a refund due to the flights all being canceled I was on starting on 26 March. I didn't expect a reply anytime soon, but wanted to get something in and even told them I expected a reply would be delayed for folks that are traveling sooner.

On Sunday (22 Mar) early morning, they replied back and confirmed it and asked that I confirm my Date of travel and destination. I replied later that morning on 22 March.

This morning 24 Mar, I received the following

I am truly sorry for the delayed response! As requested, I have cancelled the tickets and I can confirm you will receive a full refund within the next 100 days, and it will be paid on to the original card it was purchased with. Once issued, you will receive an email to confirm.

I thanked them and over all feel they are doing the best they can do. 100 days does seem long, but I am ok with that, personally. I am sure some would not be, but in these situations, that are occurring globally, I certainly understand, and I told them that too on my reply/ack to their twitter update.

So thats my data points here, thought I would share.

A321neo

Source?

Route?

Please dont spread misinformation re cancelling all US flights thru mid-June.

nexusCFX

Data point: Called in to Flying Club tonight to make a change. Originally booked SFO-NRT outbound in May, return in Nov (I had a reverse RT nested inside). With all that's going on, May is probably not happening, so I called and changed the outbound to SFO-HND in Nov. Agent said change fee waived due to current circumstances, even though from my reading of the policies I was sure I would need to pay because it only covers VS flight numbers and doesn't cover flights in May, so YMMV. It hasn't been re-ticketed though so maybe I'm destined for a phone call asking for $50.