Virgin Atlantic COVID-19 Cancellations and related issues
#121
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 19
Just an update to my earlier post. Informed via email that my flight from LHR to Seattle on April 14 has now been cancelled. Any advice on how to navigate customer services from here? I don't want to rebook and they are clearly not giving guidance on refunds (like every other airline). All suggestions gratefully received.
#122
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
Requested cancelation last week - confirmed cancelation within 24 hours, refund back to my credit card in 7 days. Booked through OTA but technically refund (and charge) came directly from VS
#123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,141
Just an update to my earlier post. Informed via email that my flight from LHR to Seattle on April 14 has now been cancelled. Any advice on how to navigate customer services from here? I don't want to rebook and they are clearly not giving guidance on refunds (like every other airline). All suggestions gratefully received.
Just call them up and say 'my flight has been cancelled I would like a refund'. They may offer you a voucher but you don't have to take it.
#124
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 19
Thanks for that. Will take a deep breath, grab a book, call customer services and wait.
#125
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,766
Booked a Delta flight for April using Flying Club miles. Delta cancelled the flight, so I contacted VS via SMS asking to be rebooked on VS metal in the fall. The agent just responded telling me there is no award availability. I've never been in this situation with VS, but when I've had it happen with other airlines they've rebooked me on their own flights with no issues. Should I push back or try a different approach?
#126
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Northern England
Posts: 1,526
Question of a what would you do variety for my future booking.
due to travel at the end of the month on an upperclass redemption booking. Its not yet been cancelled but Im sure it will be, and if not I will want to cancel or change it anyway.
the redemption was done using a Virgin creditcard 241 voucher whilst I was a gold member. Im now silver
I would like to change to a similar time next year, ie April but redemption flights wont be out by the time I need to cancel or change.
options I see are:
Cancel - if I cancel I would get the voucher and miles back (I assume) but I would not be able to use it for upperclass anymore as Im silver now. I would also need to pay the cancellation fee, but would get tax/surcharge cash back (note, Ive now closed the creditcard that was used to pay, so would need it to be reimbursed to a different card)
Change - change to a date thats available in the future, say January, and then pay to change the dates again once the flights I actually want are released. This would keep the booking live and cash covered by my creditcard if VS go under
Voucher - get the booking moved to an voucher. This would probably not be protected if VS go under and Im not sure how redemption bookings with 241 work under this scenario for rebooking. I suspect I would end up disappointed
thoughts?
due to travel at the end of the month on an upperclass redemption booking. Its not yet been cancelled but Im sure it will be, and if not I will want to cancel or change it anyway.
the redemption was done using a Virgin creditcard 241 voucher whilst I was a gold member. Im now silver
I would like to change to a similar time next year, ie April but redemption flights wont be out by the time I need to cancel or change.
options I see are:
Cancel - if I cancel I would get the voucher and miles back (I assume) but I would not be able to use it for upperclass anymore as Im silver now. I would also need to pay the cancellation fee, but would get tax/surcharge cash back (note, Ive now closed the creditcard that was used to pay, so would need it to be reimbursed to a different card)
Change - change to a date thats available in the future, say January, and then pay to change the dates again once the flights I actually want are released. This would keep the booking live and cash covered by my creditcard if VS go under
Voucher - get the booking moved to an voucher. This would probably not be protected if VS go under and Im not sure how redemption bookings with 241 work under this scenario for rebooking. I suspect I would end up disappointed
thoughts?
Last edited by Tim_T; Apr 2, 2020 at 3:15 am
#127
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MCO
Posts: 3,030
There has been discussion floating around about VS not surviving this. I booked an award on DL metal with VS miles. For awards, when does VS "pay" its partners for the itinerary? If VS goes belly up and DL survives, will the ticket still be valid? I am assuming if DL goes belly up, and VS survives, they will try to re-accommodate me on their metal or refund my taxes and miles. I want to take the trip. I just don't want to lose a quarter million miles.
#128
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,691
There has been discussion floating around about VS not surviving this. I booked an award on DL metal with VS miles. For awards, when does VS "pay" its partners for the itinerary? If VS goes belly up and DL survives, will the ticket still be valid? I am assuming if DL goes belly up, and VS survives, they will try to re-accommodate me on their metal or refund my taxes and miles. I want to take the trip. I just don't want to lose a quarter million miles.
#129
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MCO
Posts: 3,030
Nope payment takes place after you fly. So if VS goes belly up prior to you flying, Delta will likely not let you fly. And simply put most likely if VS goes belly up your points are worthless. Your points are actually held by a separate entity from VS but it likely isn't funded enough to keep the program running post VS collapse if it happens. All that said Delta does own a chunk of VS and their separate loyalty program so it is possible they might honor the flights but I wouldn't bet on it.
#130
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SDF
Programs: Delta, Southwest, Hyatt
Posts: 153
I've got a flight in early May booked with Virgin Atlantic points on DL metal. The direct DL flight I had booked has been cancelled and I was automatically rebooked on a connecting flight that leaves 5+ hours earlier. I need to completely cancel as the honeymoon this flight has been booked for has to be postponed until May of 2021.
I tried texting Virgin Atlantic to cancel and after almost 3 days they finally responded -- at 4:49am local time here. I was sleeping and missed the text and apparently the window to respond was only an hour or so so I've got to start the process all over BUT when they responded they said they would refund the 100,000 miles but that taxes couldn't be refunded because there is a $50 change fee. Does this seem correct? The taxes aren't much and honestly I'm ok with losing them if its a hassle, but just wanted to check if this the way it should be. I think I'll try calling next time because of the poor experience with texting.
I tried texting Virgin Atlantic to cancel and after almost 3 days they finally responded -- at 4:49am local time here. I was sleeping and missed the text and apparently the window to respond was only an hour or so so I've got to start the process all over BUT when they responded they said they would refund the 100,000 miles but that taxes couldn't be refunded because there is a $50 change fee. Does this seem correct? The taxes aren't much and honestly I'm ok with losing them if its a hassle, but just wanted to check if this the way it should be. I think I'll try calling next time because of the poor experience with texting.
#131
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,766
I've got a flight in early May booked with Virgin Atlantic points on DL metal. The direct DL flight I had booked has been cancelled and I was automatically rebooked on a connecting flight that leaves 5+ hours earlier. I need to completely cancel as the honeymoon this flight has been booked for has to be postponed until May of 2021.
I tried texting Virgin Atlantic to cancel and after almost 3 days they finally responded -- at 4:49am local time here. I was sleeping and missed the text and apparently the window to respond was only an hour or so so I've got to start the process all over BUT when they responded they said they would refund the 100,000 miles but that taxes couldn't be refunded because there is a $50 change fee. Does this seem correct? The taxes aren't much and honestly I'm ok with losing them if its a hassle, but just wanted to check if this the way it should be. I think I'll try calling next time because of the poor experience with texting.
I tried texting Virgin Atlantic to cancel and after almost 3 days they finally responded -- at 4:49am local time here. I was sleeping and missed the text and apparently the window to respond was only an hour or so so I've got to start the process all over BUT when they responded they said they would refund the 100,000 miles but that taxes couldn't be refunded because there is a $50 change fee. Does this seem correct? The taxes aren't much and honestly I'm ok with losing them if its a hassle, but just wanted to check if this the way it should be. I think I'll try calling next time because of the poor experience with texting.
Cancelled Flight A passenger is entitled to a refund if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the passenger chooses not to be rebooked on a new flight on that airline.
#132
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 7
I got an email this morning letting me know my flight from LHR to SFO on June 1 is canceled. However, it made no mention of the flight from SFO to LHR on May 25th. Can they cancel one leg of the trip without canceling the other? I checked my booking online and there's no mention of cancellation for either flight.
#133
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,223
I got an email this morning letting me know my flight from LHR to SFO on June 1 is canceled. However, it made no mention of the flight from SFO to LHR on May 25th. Can they cancel one leg of the trip without canceling the other? I checked my booking online and there's no mention of cancellation for either flight.
#134
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 19
I have just used WhatsApp to request a refund to my original form of payment after cancellation of my LHR - Seattle flight (scheduled April 14). Got an auto response with the usual info about them being very busy. Will post updates on here as I get them if they are of any use to others.
#135
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Northern England
Posts: 1,526
I used WhatsApp on Tuesday around lunchtime, got messaged at 1am, yes AM!, on Thursday night / Friday morning. They changed our April miles flight to next January. Took 50mins and a few messages to confirm booking references and flight choices.