Premium Charged for Using Credit

[Jama]

I don't know what everyone else thinks but this is somthing that irritates me.

When you have credits available they can not be drawn upon from the online booking system. This is not a big deal in itself but, then you are forced to book flights using these credits through the guest contact centre with the additional fees.

I have just booked new flights using credits with an additional total cost of $90 on top of the fares. I personally think this stinks. If VA choose to not allow access to credits from our member login then that is their problem. The additional guest contact centre fees should be waived when using credits. I already paid a premium for flexi tickets and to have more fees added is just wrong. It is now even worse as the new fare types mean change fees are now payable on flexi, so you now pay a premium for the fare + a change fee + a forced fee on top for using the contact centre !

J

 

[Mal]

Yes it's nasty. I first looked into it a while ago when the change fees went up.

 

[Justchecking]

I lose trust in companies who chargé a fee just because they can, giving you no alternatives to paying it. remember how the banks gave us ATMs so they could save money by sacking the bank tellers, did that pocketed the difference then started charging us to use a branch, closed half the branches and pocketed the difference. Now they charge us to use ATMs, took out half the ATMs because we could now by forced onto another banks ATM and be charged, pocketed the difference. Banks in my eyes ave about the same credibility as a thief. If I could be paid in cash I would never use a bank again.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

My experiences have been somewhat different.

I had a credit, which took two bookings to exhaust. They waived the fee both times without me asking. Also, I changed yesterdays booking from Y to Y+ to avail myself of the J SCs and the lady firstly stated the cost including the change fee ($80, I think) but I asked if that could be waived as I was going up to PE and she agreed.

I guess it sometimes pays to ask.

 

[Jama]

Believe me I always ask. Nicely !

If that fails and I think it is unreasonable I complain up the food chain. I did in this case. This was a waste of breath too. And yet credits can be accessed online with the competition. Go figure.

J

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Believe me I always ask. Nicely ! If that fails and I think it is unreasonable I complain up the food chain. I did in this case. This was a waste of breath too. And yet credits can be accessed online with the competition. Go figure. J

I must admit, I also think redeeming credits should be fee free if no other way is provided except the call centre.

 

[Mal]

My experiences have been somewhat different..

I suggest this may be a benefit of your DJ status... (one of those unwritten benefits that can be applied).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I suggest this may be a benefit of your DJ status... (one of those unwritten benefits that can be applied).

I wondered about that as well, except Jama has the same status as I.

 

[Ansettaddict123]

I had the same debate with a VA staffer the other night. Not very successful however :/

It really is unfair to be charged for something when you have no other option. I mean fair enough for normal online bookings, but when you have no choice but to book through the GCC its rubbish

 

[odysseus]

Also in the camp not happy about it. Compounding that was I had credits in USD, and found they took a gouge on the conversion (even though the funds were already with them), and then they charged credit card fees for multiple travellers even though the difference for all pax over the credit was under $10 in total.

Had I not had all those fees applied, the credit would have adequately covered the fare cost!

 

[Jama]

Hmmm. I actually also got charged credit card fees for all fares as well, even though only one sector I was booking was coming off the card, the rest was credit. I argued this on the phone at the time as well and discovered it was charged anyway. This bit was later refunded after some threats about reporting it.

I like travelling with VA but shouldn't have to put up with all this.

 

[froggerADL]

Hmmm. I actually also got charged credit card fees for all fares as well, even though only one sector I was booking was coming off the card, the rest was credit. I argued this on the phone at the time as well and discovered it was charged anyway. This bit was later refunded after some threats about reporting it.

I like travelling with VA but shouldn't have to put up with all this.

I recently cancelled a Premium reward flight, points + pay. They refunded the cash, but minus the $18 credit card fees. I asked them to send me a link to the T&Cs that allow them to do this. I was told that I would receive this by the end of the day. I didn't.

I got the points recredited after a couple of phone calls.

I cancelled a Qantas classic reward flight a couple of months ago and they refunded the CC fees with the taxes.