Virgin Blue Flight Cancellation (Poor) Experience

[dajop]

Had travel insurance of course - never go without it. Claim is in. However I've got a bad feeling they won't cover it. Letter from DJ says it was "due to engineering requirements".

Was that the original cancelled flight or the delayed rebooked flight? With the flight you were rebooked on to - would that have made the connection if it had arrived on time? The delays to the actual flight you took (30mins on tarmac, and circling sydney) sound very much ATC related - not engineering - which may give you something to argue with the insurance company if they give you a hard time. In any event, good luck.

 

[drron]

Use the multi-quote button (next to the quote button) -- makes this a whole lot easier.

I always wondered what that little blue and green thingy was.:shock:
Anyway to get OT instead of OT.For the OP-you only got to the desk to be rebooked about the time of scheduled departure.Crazydave has told you automatic booking cant be done so obviously you were very close to being last to be rebooked so really I cant see where DJ did an almighty wrong.Certainly they arent the only airline to cancel flights-they all do it domestically.
Again i just want to reiterate what happened to mrsdrron a month ago with DJ at MEL.The QF flight from DPO was~90 minutes late.Had to collect bag and go to the other side of terminal.Reached the DJ desk at~T-25.She had her QF BP to show(with her WP status-might at least have convinced agent she might have been telling the truth).The transit time of 2 hours was not changeable as she was on first flight from DPO for the day and only 1 DJ flight MEL-MCY.However unlike TT she was able to checkin and get to gate just in time to board and her bag was first off at MCY.
So DJ MEL agents can certainly give good service.

 

[AdMEL]

AdMEL,

Whilst I understand your pain there are always two sides to these stories.

Personally if a flight is cancelled 30 or 60 min before departure I would not expect the airline to ring me as I would already be at the airport.

1. It is always a good idea to check the boards as soon as possible but you probably already know that now :!:
2. You were late at the gate though, as best I can workout, still in time for the theoretical last boarding call.
3. Yes, DJ should have automatically rebooked you.
4. Had they done so you may still have been on the same flight as they will not bump people to accommodate those who are delayed. It is better that a few are delayed than everyone is delayed.
5. I say this as from your profile it appears you have no status with DJ.

From where I am sitting I believe at the very least it is a shared responsibility at worst through to DJ having no case to answer at all.

straitman,

If a flight is cancelled 30 min before departure, I agree entirely that there is no need to call/contact me, as I should be at the airport.

However, in the case of 60 min, I disagree. Given I had checked in using OLCI and had carry on luggage only, I see no reason to be at the airport any earlier than 30 min prior to either a DJ or QF flight when QF and DJ do not commence boarding until 20 min prior to the flight (if they're running on time). One of the key reasons for paying a higher price to fly DJ or QF is the convenience of not having to be at the airport at least an hour before a flight and then sitting around waiting at the airport. I have never known a fllight to leave early!

Had I been called or sms'd and advised the flight had been cancelled and the next available flight was 4 hours later, I wouldn't have left home. Even if I was on my way, I could have turned back, rather than having parked the car and been stuck at the airport.

As far as I am concerned, I paid to fly on a particular flight (contractual arrangement) and if, for whatever reason DJ cannot provide the service I paid for, they have broken their contract and should go out of their way to at the very least contact me and make alternative arrangements.

I acknowledge that if I was too late that I would miss the fllight, but that was not the case (I was at the gates 15 min. before the flight, which would normally mean they would be half way through boarding).

Will definitely make sure I check the board in future though!

 

[dajop]

,As far as I am concerned, I paid to fly on a particular flight (contractual arrangement) and if, for whatever reason DJ cannot provide the service I paid for, they have broken their contract and should go out of their way to at the very least contact me and make alternative arrangements.

Actually, not meaning this to be critical fo your comment, but one thing I have learnt on AFF, ist that the contractual arrangement is not for a particular flight at all.

From Virgin Blue T&C, which are similar to most other airlines (including non LCC airlines):

8. The Guest acknowledges that the Carrier may need to cancel or delay and reschedule flights or services due to industrial action, landing restrictions, airport loading restrictions, unsuitable weather conditions, technical problems, operational reasons, or any event beyond the Carrier's reasonable control, and scheduled flight times or destinations are not guaranteed. To the extent permitted by applicable laws, the Carrier will in no circumstances be liable for any Losses which a Guest may incur as a result of any such delayed or rescheduled flight or service

 

[drron]

straitman,

If a flight is cancelled 30 min before departure, I agree entirely that there is no need to call/contact me, as I should be at the airport.

However, in the case of 60 min, I disagree. Given I had checked in using OLCI and had carry on luggage only, I see no reason to be at the airport any earlier than 30 min prior to either a DJ or QF flight when QF and DJ do not commence boarding until 20 min prior to the flight (if they're running on time). One of the key reasons for paying a higher price to fly DJ or QF is the convenience of not having to be at the airport at least an hour before a flight and then sitting around waiting at the airport. I have never known a fllight to leave early!

Had I been called or sms'd and advised the flight had been cancelled and the next available flight was 4 hours later, I wouldn't have left home. Even if I was on my way, I could have turned back, rather than having parked the car and been stuck at the airport.

As far as I am concerned, I paid to fly on a particular flight (contractual arrangement) and if, for whatever reason DJ cannot provide the service I paid for, they have broken their contract and should go out of their way to at the very least contact me and make alternative arrangements.

I acknowledge that if I was too late that I would miss the fllight, but that was not the case (I was at the gates 15 min. before the flight, which would normally mean they would be half way through boarding).

Will definitely make sure I check the board in future though!

Sorry but you obviously havent read their T&Cs-

8. The Guest acknowledges that the Carrier may need to cancel or delay and reschedule flights or services due to industrial action, landing restrictions, airport loading restrictions, unsuitable weather conditions, technical problems, operational reasons, or any event beyond the Carrier's reasonable control, and scheduled flight times or destinations are not guaranteed. To the extent permitted by applicable laws, the Carrier will in no circumstances be liable for any Losses which a Guest may incur as a result of any such delayed or rescheduled flight or service.

And you probably also breached another clause-

4.Guests travelling domestically may check in on-line at www.virginblue.com.au, but must arrive at the airport at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.

Sorry Dajop my computer is playing funny tricks on me-your post wasnt there before my reply but was after it posted.

 

[k_sheep]

Was that the original cancelled flight or the delayed rebooked flight? With the flight you were rebooked on to - would that have made the connection if it had arrived on time? The delays to the actual flight you took (30mins on tarmac, and circling sydney) sound very much ATC related - not engineering - which may give you something to argue with the insurance company if they give you a hard time. In any event, good luck.

Original was cancelled. The rebooked flight was the delayed one.

Thanks for the luck - hopefully it'll go well!

 

[dajop]

Sorry Dajop my computer is playing funny tricks on me-your post wasnt there before my reply but was after it posted.

No need to apologise, good to have two independent parties reaching the same conclusion.

 

[AdMEL]

Received a rather lengthy e-mail yesterday (18/3) from Virgin Guest Relations in response to my complaint lodged 8/3. Firstly, the 10 day response is not bad - 8 bus. days, which is a little over the 5 days their website states prior to submitting the complaint and significantly less than the 21 days it says after submitting.

Response was very (overly) apologetic and after some apologies stated that Virgin Blue has compensation guidelines in place to ensure all our valued guests are offered fair and equitable recompense (News to me!). It goes on to say that although it may not have been discussed at the time, a flight credit to the value of $190 AUD (basically a credit equal to the cost of the fares, less the credit card surcharge and carbon offset), has been created on your booking reference! Pretty generous! Downside (there's always a downside!) is it can only be used to purchase tickets via the phone contact centre, with the extra $15 per flight charged (e-mail made specific mention), so if any more than one segment booked, credit quickly eroded by fees!

Although response was apologetic and refund provided, response did not address (no mention at all) my main concern that I wasn't contacted on cancellation of the fllight, nor the fact that the flight wasn't shown on the departure board. Hopefully their new booking system (as mentioned in this thread by one or two Virgin employees) will provide the functionallity to automatically sms all guests if a flight is cancelled and automatically re-book guests onto the next avaialble flight.

It does seem there are few holes in their procedures and staff training.

As a couple of members pointed out above, I didn't read the t&c's thoroughly (who does?) and have learnt something!

I'll finish by saying that I've flown Virgin Blue many times and have always thought their service was pretty good (although, as I think I mentioned, hadn't had to deal with a cancelled flight before).

 

[k_sheep]

...
Had travel insurance of course - never go without it. Claim is in. However I've got a bad feeling they won't cover it. Letter from DJ says it was "due to engineering requirements".

Just for anyone who was waiting with baited breath on this issue (ha!) just a follow up, I got my travel insurance refund last week.

 

[ozimax]

As a couple of members pointed out above, I didn't read the t&c's thoroughly (who does?) and have learnt something!

No normal, employed person has the time to read the T&C.

 

[harvyk]

No normal, employed person has the time to read the T&C.

And that's exactly what they rely on...

There was a company recently whom placed in the clause that they owned your soul, which they could claim at any time...

It was an april 1st joke, but they also did it to prove a point...

 

[ozimax]

And that's exactly what they rely on...

There was a company recently whom placed in the clause that they owned your soul, which they could claim at any time...

It was an april 1st joke, but they also did it to prove a point...

This is true, taking advantage of the lazy, which includes me.