Virgin Australia bookings going forward.

[straitman]

What are peoples thoughts about future bookings with VA?

For example we have several TravelBank credits. We have one each for my wife and myself and another for both of us via Amex.

Looking ahead to maybe October/November. Are we better off to have these TravelBanks intact or use some of then to make a couple of bookings that that we hope will go ahead? Another way of looking at this is which would be better if the it all goes the wrong way. Having a booked ticket OR having a TravelBank credit? (or maybe neither)

 

[Bolthead]

What are peoples thoughts about future bookings with VA?

For example we have several TravelBank credits. We have one each for my wife and myself and another for both of us via Amex.

Looking ahead to maybe October/November. Are we better off to have these TravelBanks intact or use some of then to make a couple of bookings that that we hope will go ahead? Another way of looking at this is which would be better if the it all goes the wrong way. Having a booked ticket OR having a TravelBank credit? (or maybe neither)

My wife and were only yesterday talking about this. Currently we have about $2k in the travel bank together and 4 x tickets (future dates) June and September to Europe and North America. (approx. $5K in value) We tried to transfer European tickets to the travel bank however as we know they are not currently transferring these tickets to the travel bank. I don't have an answer suffice to say that we will wait and see. If it goes pear shape and we loose the lot and we will try and do a charge back. I just hope that version VA 2.0 will still honour the travel bank as well as future tickets.

If they don't honour the travel bank, future tickets and Velocity points (we have about 300k together), then we will not support any version of the "New Virgin Australia." If they honour parts of it then I guess time will tell and we will make up our mind then.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Earlier this week I booked flights for November using Travelbank credits, and I've got my free Amex flight to book before this time next year, but haven't decided where/when I'll take that trip.

 

[straitman]

It seems a bit arbitrary now as it now won't let me even look at the booking I want whereas two days ago it was available.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Where were you looking to go?

 

[jakeseven7]

Not putting any fresh money down obviously on VA, probably won't for 6-12 months until after any acquisition either (sorry VA2).

But family has some travel bank which is probably as good as lost so will probably rebook to use it as soon as restrictions are lifted.

 

[straitman]

Where were you looking to go?

Fiji

 

[BNEFlyer]

Fiji

May have been taken out of the system as we can't go OS until at least sometime in 2021.

 

[straitman]

May have been taken out of the system as we can't go OS until at least sometime in 2021.

The optimist in me was hoping that the NZ and SP bubble would be up and running by then.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

What are peoples thoughts about future bookings with VA?

I don't have any, neither am I making any for the time being.
Bad of me not to support the "possibility" of version VA1/VA2 surviving, but I am not sure what iteration of VA1/VA2 will carry on.
Will there be a continuation of VFF, though they keep saying its separate, like VGW...
But I am just not sure about it all.
If I was more confident, I would make future bookings on the VA website, but call me a coward, at this point in time, I am not making any future bookings.
Lucky too that when Covid19 started, and when VA1 went into VA, I didn't have any open bookings.

 

[Stealthflyer]

I don't have any, neither am I making any for the time being.
Bad of me not to support the "possibility" of version VA1/VA2 surviving, but I am not sure what iteration of VA1/VA2 will carry on.
Will there be a continuation of VFF, though they keep saying its separate, like VGW...
But I am just not sure about it all.
If I was more confident, I would make future bookings on the VA website, but call me a coward, at this point in time, I am not making any future bookings.
Lucky too that when Covid19 started, and when VA1 went into VA, I didn't have any open bookings.

I'm not going to shell out on any flights - VA or otherwise - until I know that the borders will be opened and it's safe. I have a CC redemption flight later this year with VA, but I don't think VA will even keep the route if they return to the skies. Hobart to Perth is pretty niche. There's so much uncertainty.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I think it took VB a few years or so before they brought on their VFF system.
They (VB) started about the time AN died, so about 2000 or so, and I think it was about 2004 ((edit: I just checked, it was 2005)), before VFF started.
As I mentioned in the past, speculation is bad, but we just don't know (as you have), what routes will continue, if they will continue to pay for the VFF system, or if VGW will survive.
Not too long to go, month and a bit before we get more info, (end of June?)...
Results of sale end of July.
Even if the Aust domestic borders are opened again to domestic travellers, I worry more about self isolation.
Would dare surmise though that VA is earning lots of interest though, of the money being held in travelbank.

 

[jase05]

Will take a few domestic flights with VA in the next month but not looking much past that and definitely won’t be booking much further forward until we find out what form VA2 will return as (if it does even return).

 

[oz_mark]

The optimist in me is hoping that I can use the credit to get to Canberra in December (given I didn't get to Brisbane this weekend!)

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

The ACT govt wants to open borders with other states ASAP.
Hopefully the domestic borders will be open to domestic travellers, and no more self iso.
Hopefully you are not QLD based, or SA based Oz_mark, or you will have to self iso when you get back to your state, if NSW/Vic based, then no self iso needed.
Who would have thought that self iso would come into use in the Aussie vernacular.

 

[Colin D]

The optimist in me is hoping that I can use the credit to get to Canberra in December (given I didn't get to Brisbane this weekend!)

H Oz Mark, interested to know if you actually received a credit? I requested one on 25th March and haven't received it.

When I spoke to VA on Friday to re-book my flight from May to November they initially said credit requests made in March were processed, then they did a U turn when I asked why mine wasn't processed.

 

[oz_mark]

The ACT govt wants to open borders with other states ASAP.
Hopefully the domestic borders will be open to domestic travellers, and no more self iso.
Hopefully you are not QLD based, or SA based Oz_mark, or you will have to self iso when you get back to your state, if NSW/Vic based, then no self iso needed.
Who would have thought that self iso would come into use in the Aussie vernacular.

I have added layers of complexity on top of all that (reside in a different state to where I work)

H Oz Mark, interested to know if you actually received a credit? I requested one on 25th March and haven't received it.

When I spoke to VA on Friday to re-book my flight from May to November they initially said credit requests made in March were processed, then they did a U turn when I asked why mine wasn't processed.

Yes, but it did take some time.

 

[Colin D]

I have added layers of complexity on top of all that (reside in a different state to where I work)




Yes, but it did take some time.

Did you have to chase them for it?

 

[oz_mark]

Did you have to chase them for it?

No. I did get an email at one point about not to worry, they are still working on it. And then it turned up.

 

[jakeseven7]

So my work which is BFOD had to book ao essential travel, our internal booking travel tool has completely blocked all VA flights from being able to book.... just QF, JQ, Rex available.