Amex free flight upgrade?

[wafliron]

I also tried to do this recently and had a complete fail rebooking directly with VA. Bear in mind this is the first time I'd tried this, though, so I might've done it wrong.

Anyway: About a month back I rang up and booked a MEL-PER-MEL using the free flight on my Platinum Reserve CC. Rang back the next day and cancelled it for a credit shell - e-mail received from Amex with the details.

About a week ago I wanted to use said credit shell to book a Flexi, so I rang VA to try and do so. No dice. They first looked for a credit shell linked to my Velocity account - nothing. Next I gave them the original VA PNR (which was still showing up in my Velocity account, even though it said "booking not found" rather than showing the flight details) - they could find this, but it actually caused some consternation as at first glance the CSR thought it looked like it had never been cancelled at all. After going off to check with a supervisor she confirmed it had been cancelled, but there was no credit shell in that PNR / linked to it. Finally I tried the Amex PNR (mentioned in the e-mail received from Amex about the credit shell) - CSR couldn't find any booking / credit shell with that PNR, so I assume it's an Amex-only reference number.

So, as I said, complete fail. Hoping I did something wrong, but I suspect rebooking directly with VA isn't possible anymore? I did tell the CSR up-front that the original flight was booked via Amex, but she seemed to know what she was doing (Platinum desk) and appeared to genuinely "look" for the credit shell everywhere she could think of.

Just as some additional info, in case it's new / useful:
- The total value of the credit shell (for MEL-PER-MEL booked for about 3 weeks in advance) was $379.74.
- The total fees to cancel and rebook via Amex are $107.
- Apparently these types of credit shells can only be used for another, single person, booking for the same person that the original (now cancelled) flight was for.

 

[Plutonus]

Hmm. I'm not sure how travel bank works with all this as you used to be able to quote the Virgin PNR for attached credit.

Does anyone know how travel agents keep Virgin credit now? It sounds weird that there was no $$ attached. Where did it go?

 

[psylink]

The total fees to cancel and rebook via Amex are $107.

Interesting post. Did you end up rebooking with Amex?

 

[wafliron]

Interesting post. Did you end up rebooking with Amex?

Not on this occasion - I needed to get three people booked under the same PNR, and discovered when I called that I could only use the credit for a one-person booking (for myself specifically). I'm also just about to cancel the Platinum Reserve card this credit came from... will be interesting to see if I can still use it.

 

[Moopere]

Not on this occasion - I needed to get three people booked under the same PNR, and discovered when I called that I could only use the credit for a one-person booking (for myself specifically). I'm also just about to cancel the Platinum Reserve card this credit came from... will be interesting to see if I can still use it.

That just sounds crazy doesn't it? A credit is a credit surely? Not that I disbelieve you - business ... and Amex these days, seems intent on crazy stuff, but I can't see the sense in segregating special credit shells like this. What .. are they hoping it simply turns into breakage? Won't affect me till next year, I'm getting rid of my Velocity Amex Plat ... price is the same as last year, but they've done the 0.5c/1$ thing .. so less value but holding the price .. no bonus points in the second year either so very little reason to keep it. I rang em up to see what they could do and they suggested the "velocity escape" at 1:1$ ... I wonder if that one will drop to 0.5/1$ soon along with the rest? Its free though, might try it out.

 

[wafliron]

That just sounds crazy doesn't it? A credit is a credit surely?

You'd think so! But apparently not. It's possible I got a dud operator though - I was in a rush so I didn't query it or try again, just moved on.

 

[smit0847]

I also tried to do this recently and had a complete fail rebooking directly with VA. Bear in mind this is the first time I'd tried this, though, so I might've done it wrong.

Anyway: About a month back I rang up and booked a MEL-PER-MEL using the free flight on my Platinum Reserve CC. Rang back the next day and cancelled it for a credit shell - e-mail received from Amex with the details.

About a week ago I wanted to use said credit shell to book a Flexi, so I rang VA to try and do so. No dice. They first looked for a credit shell linked to my Velocity account - nothing. Next I gave them the original VA PNR (which was still showing up in my Velocity account, even though it said "booking not found" rather than showing the flight details) - they could find this, but it actually caused some consternation as at first glance the CSR thought it looked like it had never been cancelled at all. After going off to check with a supervisor she confirmed it had been cancelled, but there was no credit shell in that PNR / linked to it. Finally I tried the Amex PNR (mentioned in the e-mail received from Amex about the credit shell) - CSR couldn't find any booking / credit shell with that PNR, so I assume it's an Amex-only reference number.

So, as I said, complete fail. Hoping I did something wrong, but I suspect rebooking directly with VA isn't possible anymore? I did tell the CSR up-front that the original flight was booked via Amex, but she seemed to know what she was doing (Platinum desk) and appeared to genuinely "look" for the credit shell everywhere she could think of.

Just as some additional info, in case it's new / useful:
- The total value of the credit shell (for MEL-PER-MEL booked for about 3 weeks in advance) was $379.74.
- The total fees to cancel and rebook via Amex are $107.
- Apparently these types of credit shells can only be used for another, single person, booking for the same person that the original (now cancelled) flight was for.

Did you fail to give Amex your Velocity number to attach to the booking you cancelled? That would explain why VA dont have your credit shell.

 

[quick_dry]

Did you fail to give Amex your Velocity number to attach to the booking you cancelled? That would explain why VA dont have your credit shell.

I gave it to them, and it showed on my Velocity profile for a while... then after I cancelled it showed up, but with booking not found... then vanished from the system entirely.

 

[Plutonus]

I gave it to them, and it showed on my Velocity profile for a while... then after I cancelled it showed up, but with booking not found... then vanished from the system entirely.

Have you tried another operator?

 

[wafliron]

Did you fail to give Amex your Velocity number to attach to the booking you cancelled? That would explain why VA dont have your credit shell.

I did - my experience was the same as quick_dry's, in that the booking appeared in my Velocity account even after cancellation, but simply said "Booking not found" below it.

Have you tried another operator?

I haven't - but as noted previously I do believe my operator tried her best to help me, plus with quick_dry reporting an identical experience I'd say it's not a good sign...

 

[Moopere]

Well its a shame. It just further devalues some of the Amex cards in my view. I cancelled my Velocity Amex today. No fuss, and no feeling from them to try and retain me ... I still have the Edge amex so maybe thats why. The total number of people taking this angle on cancellation and rebooking couldn't have been large. A few dozen would be my guess.

 

[Plutonus]

Is it possible to cancel a booking on the Virgin website that was booked via an agent? Probably not.

 

[Ken1]

We have two Platinum Reserve SYD-ZQN redemption flights booked to travel in August and one of the passengers may not be able to travel then as he has applied for a new job. I know we can pay a change fee to change the date, so long as it's before 12 months from the initial booking date of November. I've called Amex and have been told that we can pay $107 to change the date or $127 to put it into a credit shell. I asked if we put into a credit shell if we can then book something else with a different name but was told it has to be the same name, which is what I thought from reading the fare conditions. Is there any way to use the credit from a credit shell to book a new ticket in a different name (same surname but someone else in the family)? Would paying to upgrade from Saver to Flexi help?

 

[thehound]

Well I've had a very interesting experience today which is in distinction to some others on here recently.

I had a great win using the Virgin Flyer card and an old Amex Platinum Reserve free flight, despite a complicated scenario. I had made a couple of bookings for my wife, one PER-MEL using the free flight with the Amex card (the card has long since been cancelled), and then MEL-HBA with a paid saver fare. I wanted to cancel these flights, put them into a credit shell, and then book a two-for-one for both of us from PER-DRW later this year. I firstly thought we wouldn't be able to have the Amex flight in the same credit shell since it was booked through Amex (as per posts above) and that I'd need to call Amex to cancel rather than Virgin, and secondly thought that there'd be no way I could use any credit shell in my wife's name along with the Virgin card in my name to get a 2 for 1.

I spoke to someone in the Virgin Australia 'migration team' since apparently one booking was made prior to the change in booking systems, and he was superb. He cancelled both flights and put them into a credit shell under my wife's name, and then proceeded to check whether I could then use that shell toward booking a 2 for 1 fare with the remaining amount paid by the Virgin Flyer card (which is in my name). He had to check with a colleague, but came back saying no problem. So the two cancelled flights gave her a shell of $476 (for interest's sake the credit shell for the Amex flight was $286 after the $80 cancellation fee was taken), and the cost of the Darwin flights was about $22 more in total which I paid with the Flyer card. Amazing result

I've also posted this on Virgin Flyer post since it's of relevance.

 

[smit0847]

I booked my free flight last week and then called up (Amex) today to cancel it and they said they can give me a credit but the credit is held by them (Amex) and I will need to call them to use it (and can only use it for the permitted free flights). They told me there was no way to give me a VA credit shell.

Should I just hang up and call a different agent? What am I doing wrong? Is the 'credit' Amex will give me just a VA credit?

Thanks

 

[thehound]

I booked my free flight last week and then called up (Amex) today to cancel it and they said they can give me a credit but the credit is held by them (Amex) and I will need to call them to use it (and can only use it for the permitted free flights). They told me there was no way to give me a VA credit shell.

Should I just hang up and call a different agent? What am I doing wrong? Is the 'credit' Amex will give me just a VA credit?

Thanks

Try doing what I did (see post above yours) - call Virgin, not Amex, and ask them to cancel the flight and place it into a Virgin credit shell. If the operator says they can't do that, see you if you speak to someone different. You can always ask for the migration team, who cancelled my flight with no problems.

 

[smit0847]

Try doing what I did (see post above yours) - call Virgin, not Amex, and ask them to cancel the flight and place it into a Virgin credit shell. If the operator says they can't do that, see you if you speak to someone different. You can always ask for the migration team, who cancelled my flight with no problems.

Thanks, but I tried this this morning - all was going fine to cancel until the Virgin operator said 'oh, I see you booked this through a travel agent (Amex). We can't change 3rd party bookings - you will need to contact them to get them to cancel/change it'. I said Amex told me to call Virgin, she checked with someone else, but came back with the same answer.

I didn't mention the migration team - should I call back and say 'a friend of mine did this exact same thing by speaking to the migration team - can I speak to them?'

 

[quick_dry]

I didn't mention the migration team - should I call back and say 'a friend of mine did this exact same thing by speaking to the migration team - can I speak to them?'

I would think the migration team was able to assist because thehound's booking was made prior to the changeover to Sabre - worth a try though, but I and others have had the same experience as you.

 

[smit0847]

So I'm still a bit confused - if I call back Amex and cancel my flight and they give me a credit, will that credit be with Amex or Virgin (i.e who will I eventually have to contact to use it?).

Amex told me yesterday I can cancel and the credit will be held with them (and I can only use it for permitted free flights) yet others on here have said the credit Amex give is actually held by Virgin.

Obviously if I ask Amex for my credit and they email me a credit shell reference that I can access through the VA website all is good with the world but I don't want to risk the cancellation fees if Amex are just going to hold it themselves.

Has anyone who has made a recent booking and then cancelled it managed to get VA to cancel it, or Amex cancel it but obtain a VA credit, or have you had to cancel it through Amex but only receive an Amex credit?

 

[Plutonus]

When I did it last year I was able to use the credit directly with Virgin. This year people have had other experiences.

maybe you could ask Virgin the generic question of what happens to a credit on a nonrefundable fare through a travel agent? Do they refund it to the agent or is a credit held? If credit, is it stored under the original PNR? Just say your TA is useless and doesn't know