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

[civinod]

Hi All,

I currently have a J redemption booking for SYD - LAX via BRI (Could get the direct flight at the time). Reservation is for June 5 2017.

Received an email this morning saying the original flight June 5.has shifted to SYD - LAX direct June 1.

I already have a return booked for June 7 (different booking).

Gave Velocity a call and said that June 1 was not suitable. I needed either June 4 or 5. Nothing else was suitable. I explained that I had paid my money, points had been deducted and the booking was made a couple of months ago. Their response was that seats were not available on my specified dates only June 1.

You can imagine I was less than happy and did explain that it was not my doing that they had decided to cancel the flight. It was not up to me to fit in with their revised plans. I had a confirmed reservation and it was up to them to supply what I had paid for. After going through these points a few times we were getting nowhere (THANKS VIRGIN).

My only alternative was economy or maybe PE. No thanks.

In the end the operative told me they would see what they could do and get back to me in a week or so. A fob off tactic if I have ever seen one. (In the meantime a new itinerary has been sent to me with June 1 flight).

Very poor and Virgin/Velocity have not heard the last from me.

Any thoughts from anyone?

 

[im.daniel]

That's a bit cough from VA. Good on you for holding your ground. I personally think it should be up to them to at least open up a reward seat on your desired travel date to accommodate this change, and would also be pushing this with much consternation.

I look forward to hearing a positive outcome. Good luck!

 

[Blackswan]

I'd make a complaint with the Airline Consumer Advocate;

Home

 

[JohnK]

And airlines are still able to treat passengers anyway they feel like it.

Hold your ground and look for alternatives yourself and ask to be rebooked on the alternatives.

 

[Deleted member]

Try Qantas ! .

 

[vetrade]

I sympathise with your dilemma but since the BNE - LAX flight has, in fact, been cancelled it is within the Ts & Cs for Virgin to change their flight schedules and put you on on the next available BNE - LAX flight; especially since there are no J rewards available for flights via SYD or MEL on the 5th June (or 4th or 3rd either).

I doubt that Virgin will make a seat available for you on another flight on the date you want, no matter how much you complain.

I'd start looking for alternatives with other airlines but I realise that you may not find any that suit your needs.

 

[TheInsider]

I sympathise with your dilemma but since the BNE - LAX flight has, in fact, been cancelled it is within the Ts & Cs for Virgin to change their flight schedules and put you on on the next available BNE - LAX flight; especially since there are no J rewards available for flights via SYD or MEL on the 5th June (or 4th or 3rd either).

I doubt that Virgin will make a seat available for you on another flight on the date you want, no matter how much you complain.

I'd start looking for alternatives with other airlines but I realise that you may not find any that suit your needs.

What a load of cough. Virgin can easily book the OP back into J on their preferred flight. They can force book, do an involuntary reroute, or plenty of other options.

 

[JohnK]

I sympathise with your dilemma but since the BNE - LAX flight has, in fact, been cancelled it is within the Ts & Cs for Virgin to change their flight schedules and put you on on the next available BNE - LAX flight; especially since there are no J rewards available for flights via SYD or MEL on the 5th June (or 4th or 3rd either).

Respectfully disagree. A flight 4 days earlier is not acceptable. Virgin cancelled a flight? Provide the customer a suitable alrernative on the same day even if Virgin lose money on their stuff up.

Airlines have it way too easy and people continue to accept rubbish service which is how they get away with it.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

My understanding (I could be wrong) is as the flight involves travel to or from the USA the carrier has DOT obligations to get you to your destination on a suitable alternative flight (within x hours) - or rebook you on another carrier in the same or higher cabin at their expense.

 

[bam71]

I dont think that applies ex Aus though - MORE than happy to stand corrected there however!

 

[Ansett]

That is pretty poor I wouldn't be waiting for weeks for them to come back I would be back on the phone and escalating the issue and pushing to fly on the same day even if it is via an alternative departure point and or airline.

 

[vetrade]

What a load of cough. Virgin can easily book the OP back into J on their preferred flight. They can force book, do an involuntary reroute, or plenty of other options.

What Virgin can do and what they will do may well be totally different. I was merely pointing out what they probably will do, not what I think they should do. There is a world of difference (from the airline's perspective) between a cancelled flight and being involuntarily bumped. So what is really cough is your ability to read and understand plain English without (apparently) jumping to the conclusion that I was taking sides with Virgin.

 

[quokka77]

As Mattg suggested, out the complaint in writing to the airline consumer advocate. Then ring back, state the problem, state that you've made the complaint, and if you still get nothing, ask to speak to a supervisor. Take notes in the call for your record. You can also look at the Dept of Transport angle to see if they have jurisdiction.

 

[Pleb Status]

This is a pretty poor effort by VA. I cannot see how anyone could agree that a four day shift is acceptable, particularly when VA are also the operating airline for the flight.

With the flight being in June 2017, at least the OP has plenty of time to argue their case....

 

[PLANT]

Mmmm a points redemption flight..... Those terms and conditions.... MIGHT be in virgin's favour here.... What's exactly in the fine print.
It does suck though and would pursue the avenues suggested sooner than later.
Record everything on paper.
This due to the APRIL change in schedule announced the other day?

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Hi civinod,

Could you please P.M. me with your reservation details and we'll investigate for you.

Many thanks,
Velocity Team

 

[Dannyism]

I'll be interested to see the outcome of this, my advice would be to not give up and be polite but unrelentingly firm. Can certainly sympathise, I imagine most people can. I'm doing MEL-BNE-LAX in May/June 17 though I'm not affected by the schedule changes. Good luck.

EDIT: There you go. VFF on to it, that's good. However, I've noticed a lot of service quality inconsistencies from VA over the last 6 months.

 

[serfty]

VA7 on Mondays has been cancelled from April going forward to allow for some MEL siervices.

VA23 via MEL that day (June 5th) and the direct VA1 ex SYD are showing 7's in all revenue business categories.

The seat map for VA23 has NO seat allocated, while ony twp seats are allocated on VA

I cannot understand why they simply could not move the OP to one of those services, even if booked on an award.

Most other carries would do this with no issues when it is their own operational changes that are causing such a disruption.

 

[JohnPhelan]

VA23 via MEL that day (June 5th) and the direct VA1 ex SYD are showing 7's in all revenue business categories.

I cannot understand why they simply could not move the OP to one of those services, even if booked on an award.

The problem seems to be that the OP is on an award ticket, and there is no award availability in J on the other services that day. But that's ridiculous. VA changed the schedules - the onus is on them to make one of the revenue J seats available as an award.

 

[docjames]

I'd advise HUACA as an initial approach.

I'd settle for nothing less than a J seat on a flight of your choosing.