Refund for pre-asigned seats - Virgin Atlantic

I'm reaching the end of my rope with Virgin Atlantic and I'm hoping that someone can offer me some advice of the best way to proceed.

Back in January I pre-booked seats for our flight from Miami to London in August. When we checked in, our seats had been changed. On querying this, I was told that the seats we chose (extra leg room) were inoperable and that is why we had been moved. Fair enough. We were told that the refund had been processed already. When we get on the plane, people are sat in the allegedly inoperable seats. Cue much back and forthing with VA and myself with no satisfactory explanation for this given. What really is bothering me though, is that 3 months on, the refund has still not appeared. I've had several emails assuring me that it had already been processed, and then today received an email saying that they can't find details of the transaction and that I need to forward a receipt/bank statement so that they can process the refund. Which I have done. Based on previous experience though it will be at least a couple of weeks before I hear back from them. Do I just wait? Take it further? I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall here. How long does a company have to give a refund before they are breaking any rules?

Comments

  • steve1500
    steve1500 Posts: 1,458 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Threaten them with Smalls claims court
    Private Parking Tickets - Make sure you put your Subject Access Request in after 25th May 2018 - It's free & ask for everything, don't forget the DVLA :D
  • Teahfc
    Teahfc Posts: 1,468 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I would call them, you will get a name and contact and keep going higher until you get a result.
    "Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain."


    ''Money can't buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.''
  • Sounds like they overbooked the extra leg room seats

    Tweet Richard Branson @richardbranson and Virgin @Virgin

    Kick up a fuss on there
    Have a nice day :)
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Sounds like they overbooked the extra leg room seats

    Tweet Richard Branson @richardbranson and Virgin @Virgin

    Kick up a fuss on there

    I don't suppose he gives a damn now that he's sold his controlling share to KLM/Air France for £220 million ;)
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • I had this recently on a Thomas Cook flight. It had kicked us out of our assigned row 10 (extra legroom next to emergency exit) and put us on Row 11, cramped.

    Once I quietly mentioned to the cabin manager that sitting elderly people with sticks on an emergency exit row could be viewed as a breach of CAA regulation regarding people sitting in emergency rows, we got swapped :D
  • richardw
    richardw Posts: 19,459 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    Send a notice before starting an action in the small claims court to them giving 14 days notice if they don't refund the money.

    Otherwise they'll just fob you off.
    Posts are not advice and must not be relied upon.
  • Lincoln_Imp
    Lincoln_Imp Posts: 2,518 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I don't suppose he gives a damn now that he's sold his controlling share to KLM/Air France for £220 million ;)
    Ha probably not but no harm in trying ..Bad publicity and all that
    Have a nice day :)
  • malkie76
    malkie76 Posts: 6,170 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    cejr9 wrote: »
    When we get on the plane, people are sat in the allegedly inoperable seats. Cue much back and forthing with VA and myself with no satisfactory explanation for this given.

    It's likely that the seats were inoperable when you checked in, according to their systems, but then fixed by an engineer prior to your boarding. The seats were then probably given to people who checked in late and were at risk of being offloaded for a later flight.
    Legal team on standby
  • CM66
    CM66 Posts: 602 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    If you paid by credit card call the company and get them to do a chargeback, its probably quicker than waiting on Virgin by the sounds of it!
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