Unfair fee to correct rescheduled flight mistake

Jsew

I’m looking for some advice as I seem to be going round in circles. I’ve booked flights for my family of 5 from Manchester to Chicago via Atlanta with Virgin. I booked through mytrip.com and got a great price. So far so good.

A few days ago, I received notification from mytrip that the Virgin Atlantic flights have been rescheduled and I’m being offered alternatives. The outbound flights are fine, but the return flight now has only THREE MINUTES connection time between the flight arriving in Atlanta from Chicago and the flight to Manchester departing. This is unrealistic by anybody’s standards.

Having spoken with Virgin CS, they told me that there are plenty of alternatives, but only the agent (mytrip) can make the change. I called mytrip to be told that they will charge £175 admin fee to make any changes.

I don’t see why I should be out of pocket for a situation I have not created. Any advice? Should I just do nothing and accept the impossible flights they have proposed? When we inevitably miss the connection, would Virgin be under obligation to accommodate us in Atlanta until the next flight? Thanks

Voyager2002

I can only suggest that you ask Mytrip what they will do when you miss the impossible connection that they have chosen for you. And if you paid by credit card, ask the card company as well (flights with a three-minute connection are "not fit for purpose"...).

Nick_C

Have you been through ticketed from MAN to ORD and back on the same ticket number?

UK to ORD via ATL is a very unusual routing. Which airline is operating the domestic flights between ATL and ORD? Are either of the flights code shares?

Jsew

It is through ticketed with Virgin. The Manchester to Atlanta flights are operated by Virgin. The domestic connections to ORD are operated by Delta. The routing hasn’t changed, so I have no complaints about that - the price was good, so I took it. My only problem is now being asked to pay an admin fee to correct the fact that they’ve changed to impossible connection timings. Thanks.

Nick_C

If you are through ticketed then at least you know you will get home. But I can see you being stuck overnight in Atlanta. I can't see Delta being very helpful when your agent has booked you into flights where it is impossible to make the connection.

Could you cancel and rebook at the same price with a different agent?

I can see you may end up having to find a hotel in ATL at short notice otherwise, possibly at your own expense.

bagand96

If it is all through ticketed on the same itinerary then you should be re-booked onto an alternative flight at no cost. As you say, 3 minutes is a stupid connection.

Have you been explicit with mytrip that you need to change your flights because of the schedule change and not just because you want to? It would appear that whoever you've spoken to hasn't really grasped the situation properly.

You could try escalating with mytrip and see if you can get anyone who speaks some more sense. Or speak to Virgin again and ask their advice.

When you log onto your booking on the Virgin website does it show all the flights with the 3 minute connection?

Nick_C

OP. Have you contacted them again since their comment on Trust Pilot?

CKhalvashi

Nick_C wrote: »

Have you been through ticketed from MAN to ORD and back on the same ticket number?

UK to ORD via ATL is a very unusual routing. Which airline is operating the domestic flights between ATL and ORD? Are either of the flights code shares?

It’ll likely be Delta, as they are the partner for Virgin in the US.

I thought the routing was weird too, but it may be cheaper for whatever reason.

3 minutes connection is not fit for purpose (I have a day in somewhere next month as i deemed 55 minites too tight, althoughI need to re-check bags in), so it may be worth arguing this point with the agency.

Nick_C

Just spent half an hour reading Trust Pilot Reviews.

I would advise OP to cancel for a full refund, involve the Credit Card Issuer, and rebook directly with an airline.

OPs problem simply should not arise, but a few My Trip customers report the same thing.

E-travel (same company) also has bad reviews.

steve1500

For Man to ORD via Atlanta is a very weird route.

Are Lingus MAN - DUB- ORD?

Not sure if AA still fly direct fm MAN to ORD

If you have any Avios then that could reduce the cost

jpsartre

Jsew wrote: »

It is through ticketed with Virgin. The Manchester to Atlanta flights are operated by Virgin. The domestic connections to ORD are operated by Delta.

You currently do not have a valid ticket since you have an illegal connection. You will not be allowed to board in ORD unless you get your ticket re-issued with a legal connection.