VA no longer issuing credits to travelbank (or anywhere else)

[bigbadbyrnes]

this is now getting a bit ridiculous.

I've got three flights booked, BNE PER return later this month, BNE PER return in June, BNE LAS return in Nov.

The BNE PER flights were for a weekend, fly out Friday night, back Sunday night. They have been changed to flying via MEL on Sat morning, back via MEL Sun morning. They are totally different and no longer suitable. I want to dig my heels in and request a refund on the basis that the product offered has changed significantly. And when they deny this, I'll gather the correspondence and attempt chargebacks.

I'll do the same with the BNE LAS flights once it becomes official that that flight is no more, but that may not be for some time.

I don't really understand what the chargeback process is, or when it will/wont work, but I'll try it and see what happens. And I'm considering starting a new thread for this singular purpose as there must be a lot of people in this position.

 

[jakeseven7]

this is now getting a bit ridiculous.

I've got three flights booked, BNE PER return later this month, BNE PER return in June, BNE LAS return in Nov.

The BNE PER flights were for a weekend, fly out Friday night, back Sunday night. They have been changed to flying via MEL on Sat morning, back via MEL Sun morning. They are totally different and no longer suitable. I want to dig my heels in and request a refund on the basis that the product offered has changed significantly. And when they deny this, I'll gather the correspondence and attempt chargebacks.

I'll do the same with the BNE LAS flights once it becomes official that that flight is no more, but that may not be for some time.

I don't really understand what the chargeback process is, or when it will/wont work, but I'll try it and see what happens. And I'm considering starting a new thread for this singular purpose as there must be a lot of people in this position.

Let us know how you go, there are others in similar VA1 boats unfortunately

 

[travel_bug]

this is now getting a bit ridiculous.

I've got three flights booked, BNE PER return later this month, BNE PER return in June, BNE LAS return in Nov.

The BNE PER flights were for a weekend, fly out Friday night, back Sunday night. They have been changed to flying via MEL on Sat morning, back via MEL Sun morning. They are totally different and no longer suitable. I want to dig my heels in and request a refund on the basis that the product offered has changed significantly. And when they deny this, I'll gather the correspondence and attempt chargebacks.

I managed to get a payout on my CC's complementary travel insurance for flights VA changed the dates on (mine was also for weekend travel), and as it was interstate I didn't have an excess deducted. If you paid via cc with an insurance, feel free to let me know if you want a basis for wording or a list of docs I sent over.

 

[Melburnian1]

IF they come out of administration.

Nail on head stuff from TheInsider. Yet some business commentators (perhaps after clickbait) believe it will!

I just hope the Federal Government doesn't give in to Nervous Nellies wanting to give 'the new VA' proposal(s) a cash injection. Kiss taxpayer funds goodbye (sadly).

 

[quick_dry]

If you paid via cc with an insurance, feel free to let me know if you want a basis for wording or a list of docs I sent over.

I'd love to know what you wrote.

My dispute is that VA cancelled the flights I was on before there was any restriction (March 25), and the alternative was much earlier in the day and wasn't suitable. According to the terms and the guest policy, that makes a refund an option since the cancellation was initiated by them. According to them they couldn't make my flight due to govt restrictions... except there weren't any then, and they were flying earlier in the day, and they think it's ok to just refer to a COVID policy that didn't appear till well after the flights had already been canned. I can't tell whether the people processing the emails are being deliberately difficult, or just copy-pasting replies without reading/understanding the emails.

 

[Harthagan]

Their whole position of not issuing refunds based on the fact that it us due to gov restrictions has been bogus from the very beginning anyway.

They are still flying to all the same places within Aus, just doing so in a way that is more commercially logistic. I have no doubt their defense would be thrown out of court.

When Qantas stood down most of their staff a couple of us on here remarked how much longer it took virgin to do likewise, at least 2 weeks later. Similarly after going into administration, the big announcement that there will be no staffing cuts. They must be blind if they think that is tenable.

No wonder they couldn't afford to refund their customers, their stupidity and hubris as the ship was sinking is laughable. It's like scurrah just thought the gov would bail them out so his only strategy was to just keep begging for money. You would think that since they were running on fumes the most obvious cost to cut would be the 9000 staff that were surplus to your current needs. Still baffles me thinking about it.

 

[travel_bug]

I'd love to know what you wrote.

My dispute is that VA cancelled the flights I was on before there was any restriction (March 25), and the alternative was much earlier in the day and wasn't suitable. According to the terms and the guest policy, that makes a refund an option since the cancellation was initiated by them. According to them they couldn't make my flight due to govt restrictions... except there weren't any then, and they were flying earlier in the day, and they think it's ok to just refer to a COVID policy that didn't appear till well after the flights had already been canned. I can't tell whether the people processing the emails are being deliberately difficult, or just copy-pasting replies without reading/understanding the emails.

I've sent you a direct message with my wording, I hope it helps!

Their whole position of not issuing refunds based on the fact that it us due to gov restrictions has been bogus from the very beginning anyway.

They are still flying to all the same places within Aus, just doing so in a way that is more commercially logistic. I have no doubt their defense would be thrown out of court.

Agree, and that was basically the crux of my travel insurance claim wording to get around any pandemic/government action exclusion in the PDS. Essentially, "it's not due to gov restrictions as they're still operating the route, they've just put me on differently dated flights with extra stops and a 20hr connection which is not suitable".

 

[TheInsider]

I don't really understand what the chargeback process is, or when it will/wont work, but I'll try it and see what happens. And I'm considering starting a new thread for this singular purpose as there must be a lot of people in this position.

Just call the CC company and get it done.

You can basically initiate a charge back for the below:

• the products or services received are not as described
• they do not receive the products or services at all or within the agreed timeframe
• there are duplicate or fraudulent transactions
• charges are made without permission
• unrecognised transactions appear

 

[Melburnian1]

..When Qantas stood down most of their staff a couple of us on here remarked how much longer it took virgin to do likewise, at least 2 weeks later. Similarly after going into administration, the big announcement that there will be no staffing cuts. They must be blind if they think that is tenable.

No wonder they couldn't afford to refund their customers, their stupidity and hubris as the ship was sinking is laughable. It's like scurrah just thought the gov would bail them out so his only strategy was to just keep begging for money. You would think that since they were running on fumes the most obvious cost to cut would be the 9000 staff that were surplus to your current needs. Still baffles me thinking about it.

Agree with you 100 per cent. Not defending the administrators, but keeping the staff 'on the books' allows those who qualify to receive (through the employer, now the administrators) the higher JobKeeper allowance of A$1500/fortnight. There may otherwise have been some staff (especially on the flight deck) who would not have qualified for JobSeeker, the rebadged and increased Newstart, due to failing the assets test.

However it's dishonest in a sense because many of us cannot see any chance a second VA will emerge. If the Federal Government gives VA or a newbie $$ that would be unwise. You could also look it at as taxpayers paying many $400 a fortnight more (or in some cases $1500 a fortnight more) than they'd receive compared to if they'd been stood down. Not that I (or you) have anything against individual VA staff and like all the other suddenly jobless (who outnumber VA staff by a huge percentage), we hope and pray for them.

 

[jakeseven7]

When Qantas stood down most of their staff a couple of us on here remarked how much longer it took virgin to do likewise, at least 2 weeks later. Similarly after going into administration, the big announcement that there will be no staffing cuts. They must be blind if they think that is tenable.

I still don't know why VA reacted so very slowly, it has done them no favours in the court of public opinion which basically thinks they are poorly run and slow to make important decisions....

 

[woodborer]

When Qantas stood down most of their staff a couple of us on here remarked how much longer it took virgin to do likewise, at least 2 weeks later. Similarly after going into administration, the big announcement that there will be no staffing cuts. They must be blind if they think that is tenable.

I know people perception of time during March was somewhat elastic, but the announcements of standowns were only one week apart - 18 March for Qantas, and 25 March for Virgin.

The administrators were only talking about what the administrators would do, and that was that they would not make staffing cuts while in administration. They have never said anything about what a prospective buyer of the company may do.

 

[Melburnian1]

..The administrators were only talking about what the administrators would do, and that was that they would not make staffing cuts while in administration. They have never said anything about what a prospective buyer of the company may do.

Nor could they.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Yeah, it was sent en-mass to anyone with a reservation that hadn't already been credited to Travel Bank. I got one for each of my three bookings, with the reservation numbers included in each email.

I have one booking (Gold Coast to MEL one way) for two people and am yet to receive such an email. It may be staggered of course and mine may come later.

 

[bcworld]

I have one booking (Gold Coast to MEL one way) for two people and am yet to receive such an email. It may be staggered of course and mine may come later.

But have you requested to cancel that reservation and redeposit it to Travelbank?

 

[woodborer]

The administrators are seeking to issue "conditional" credits, in part to stem the chargeback issue

The administrators are seeking permission to issue conditional credits to customers that had booked flights cancelled due to the pandemic that could be honoured by an acquirer, Strawbridge said.

“Potential buyers may be motivated to extend these conditional credits as part of any restructuring or recapitalisation of the Virgin Companies’ business for the purposes of maintaining and enhancing the customer goodwill associated with the Virgin Companies,” he said.

He added the airline is seeing a rise in credit card charge-backs from customers seeking refunds. That is a potential drain on cash it holds in accounts.

Virgin Australia has 19 potential buyers in data room: administrator

Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd's <VAH.AX> administrator said 19 parties interested in purchasing the airline had been granted access to a data room as of May 11 and non-binding indicative offers are due on May 15, according to an affidavit.

www.reuters.com

 

[Melburnian1]

The administrators are seeking to issue "conditional" credits, in part to stem the chargeback issue..

Who wants a 'conditional credit' when the show is about to permanently end?

Take TheInsider's advice and my little suggestion and demand a refund if you have yet to be used VA (or TT!) tickets.

 

[glasszon]

Who wants a 'conditional credit' when the show is about to permanently end?

Take TheInsider's advice and my little suggestion and demand a refund if you have yet to be used VA (or TT!) tickets.

It looks like a ploy to challenge the chargeback requests they are now receiving: look, I am giving out conditional credits, you can't say I didn't provide the service!

I am very disappointed by how businesses responded to covid-19, going forward I will be much more careful about making large purchase in the future, and I don't think I am the only one who feels this way.

 

[Melburnian1]

..I am very disappointed by how businesses responded to covid-19, going forward I will be much more careful about making large purchase in the future, and I don't think I am the only one who feels this way.

This used to be called 'cutting off your nose to spite your face.'

The 'conditional credit' may be an example of administrators acting ultra vires as how do they know whether new owners (should there be any) will honour same?

You'll be far from alone in your sentiments.

 

[jakeseven7]

It looks like a ploy to challenge the chargeback requests they are now receiving: look, I am giving out conditional credits, you can't say I didn't provide the service!

I am very disappointed by how businesses responded to covid-19, going forward I will be much more careful about making large purchase in the future, and I don't think I am the only one who feels this way.

Well keep in mind Virgin (VA1) as we know it has now gone forever, so technically you will be dealing with a different company - VA2

 

[Harthagan]

The administrators were only talking about what the administrators would do, and that was that they would not make staffing cuts while in administration. They have never said anything about what a prospective buyer of the company may do.

I can't believe they went into voluntary administration after almost 2 months of running hardly any flights with their full staff in tact from pre covid19 when they were operating at full capacity on their entire network.

I mean the situation was dire enough to refuse refunds to customers who were legally entitled to them and freeze velocity points but not dire enough to lay off any of the excess staff. In the meantime their entitlements continue to accrue only ballooning the secured debt to the staff and making it all the less likely that other unsecured creditors will see a cent.