Virgin [initial] FAIL [ Rectified with new reaccomodation policy]

[MarcB]

Yes, there are which is where so much confusion seems to have come from

Can you post a link to them? That might assist in understanding what should be available.

 

[vetrade]

Can you post a link to them? That might assist in understanding what should be available.

https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/TermsConditions/

People often believe that they should automatically have revenue fares directly substituted for reward fares in the case of flight cancellations but 16.2.8 makes it clear the discretion is entirely with VA. The general expectation from VA's point of view is that if a reward booking is subsequently not available it will be replaced by the next available equivalent reward redemption. In this particular case the trouble arose because there were no rewards available which suited the OP.

 

[farstar]

https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/TermsConditions/

People often believe that they should automatically have revenue fares directly substituted for reward fares in the case of flight cancellations but 16.2.8 makes it clear the discretion is entirely with VA. The general expectation from VA's point of view is that if a reward booking is subsequently not available it will be replaced by the next available equivalent reward redemption. In this particular case the trouble arose because there were no rewards available which suited the OP.

Courts will only allow contracts that are not one sided, so if VA can do what ever they like by the terms and conditions it is likely to be unlawful and the courts will not enforce it.

 

[vetrade]

Courts will only allow contracts that are not one sided, so if VA can do what ever they like by the terms and conditions it is likely to be unlawful and the courts will not enforce it.

Yeah, good luck with that argument but anyone who tried it would have to have more $$ than sense because it is doomed to fail. For starters contracts are often one sided - that's just the nature of them. Agreed terms and proper disclosure are what's primarily relevant. In this case there is disclosure by VA (their Ts &Cs are readily available for anyone to read before they book a flight). So anyone who does book a reward flight with VA agrees to those terms (offer and acceptance) - if they don't like them they have the option of finding another way of getting to LAX, but after the event they can't hold that they didn't agree to the terms or that there was inadequate disclosure.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Thank you all for your support.

What was not possible before has suddenly come to be.

I now have a seat SYD - LAX June 5 thanks to the Virgin people that monitor this site.

Am I being cynical or would it not have happened without posting on AFF.

Surely this should have been the result from the beginning.

I think the corporates have a lot to answer for when they try and treat us as fools. Whatever happened to good old customer service and responsibility.

What else did Virgin offer you aside from a direct flight?

I mean, besides the expected refund on the additional taxes you paid, extra points/status credits you've paid for but missed and the hassle of wasting your time. What's the compensation?

On a side note, I'm not sure it's 'corporates' who did this. It's likely reservations/cs who made the initial call and uninformed decision to try and move you.

 

[Pleb Status]

Courts will only allow contracts that are not one sided, so if VA can do what ever they like by the terms and conditions it is likely to be unlawful and the courts will not enforce it.

Most consumer contracts are extremely one sided (to the company of course) and the lack of competition means the consumer has to accept the contracts anyway. I doubt I would accept any of the consumer contracts I have signed if I actually had a chance to negotiate the terms and conditions.

 

[JohnK]

Yeah, good luck with that argument but anyone who tried it would have to have more $$ than sense because it is doomed to fail.

Don't place too much emphasis on terms and conditions. They are rubbish.

If I book award flights outbound 05 October and inbound 07 October and Virgin cancels outbound flight they can't offer me a flight 4 days earlier because I would need 4 extra nights accommodation? They also can't offer a flight 4 days later because I'd miss the return flight.

Common sense should prevail at all times not trying to screw the customer wherever possible.

 

[vetrade]

Don't place too much emphasis on terms and conditions. They are rubbish.

If I book award flights outbound 05 October and inbound 07 October and Virgin cancels outbound flight they can't offer me a flight 4 days earlier because I would need 4 extra nights accommodation? They also can't offer a flight 4 days later because I'd miss the return flight.

Common sense should prevail at all times not trying to screw the customer wherever possible.

By what logic can you suggest the Ts & C's are "rubbish"? They are the rules that VA has set governing under what conditions passengers can fly with them so they are the ONLY thing you can place any "emphasis" on, John K. No one is forced to book flights with VA.

You can't insist that VA conform with what you regard as moral or ethical or common sense behaviour; once there is acceptance of VA's conditions by the passenger (i.e. by the mere fact of booking a flight) the ethical argument is only relevant if VA's behaviour falls outside those conditions. The very reason that VA (or any other airline) has Ts & Cs is so that they can control and manage their operations with the flexibility they deem necessary. You have to differentiate between VA's legal obligations and its ethical ones.

Your hypothetical scenario of 5th & 7th October flights ignores VA's options under 16.2.8; if there is no alternate reward availability when a flight is cancelled VA could (please note I am not saying "should") just cancel that part of the itinerary (and return half the points) and leave the pax with just the return reward flight; in which case the whole commentary about an extra 4 night's accommodation etc. becomes a moot point. It could then be up to the pax to find an alternate outbound alternative e.g. a revenue fare with VA or another airline. The passenger has alternatives other than a reward seat even though that is what he originally booked.

 

[JohnK]

The passenger has alternatives other than a reward seat even though that is what he originally booked.

Screwing the customer doesn't offer many alternatives.

Have you seen what last minute one way flights cost?