Refused boarding on Virgin Atlantic as credit card was not present

Nettan

I hope someone can offer some advice here:
I have just had the most unbelievable experience when trying to check in to my flight to New York last week
Upon arrival at Heathrow Airport, I was told I was unable to check in, and subsequently fly, as the credit card the trip was booked on was not present.
This was a business trip, and it was paid for by a company card, which is often used for such expenses and is obviously not available for me to take with me when travelling.

Not at any point during the booking process was I made expressly aware that I had to have the credit card with me. Had I known I would have used another card.
This ticket was booked on November 20th 2018, and I paid £445.42 to travel to New York on January 8th, with a return to London on January 13th.

I was told by check in staff to contact customer services.

I called customer services from the airport, and the lady I spoke to was most helpful, but could not help with 1. Verifying that I was actually the passenger and that this was not a fraudulent booking in any way and 2. Transfer the payment on to my credit card which I asked to do. I was told that normally there were ways to help passengers with this sort of problem (I can’t believe I am the only one this happens to!), but “they” were refusing to help with this problem any more – I have no idea why.

Instead I was told I had to book a brand new ticket, and my existing booking would be cancelled. I would in principle have had no problem with this had it meant that I could simply re-book my original ticket at the same price, but apparently this was not possible. In I was told that I was unable to travel on my exciting booking due to the credit card not being present, this despite me being a silver flying club member with ID, proof of address etc. available.
As I was 3 hours away from take-off at that point and going to New York on this flight was an absolute must, I had no option. I was told a like for like booking would cost me close to £1000! This was obviously not something I could agree to, so the solution was to pretty much deplete my airmiles account in order to get another return flight to New York booked on the same flights as previous booking.
I have now had a refund for the original flight - and I am £145 short!!!! Also that does not change the fact that this whole thing could have been avoided with a bit of customer service from Virgin Atlantic’s side
The new flight cost me £399,32 + 27500 miles. These are airmiles I was saving up for a special trip. And now they’re gone.

Seriously out of pocket - really annoyed and willing to pursue this to the end of the earth to get some *&^^%$%$£ justice here!

Any advice? What to do next?

Help..

bradders1983

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/prepare-to-fly/conditions-of-carriage/article-7.html

Were they merely asking to prove you were the named person on the ticket as per the last line of 7.1.20?

woolythoughts

I have over 1000 flights with virgin and I have NEVER been asked for the credit card I booked with when I check in.

Was there something "odd" about how you booked it?

Surely the name on the booking matches your passport?

eDicky

This can and sometimes does happen with any airline when payment for a booking (direct with the airline) is made with a card that's not in the passenger's name.

However, in my experience, when there's such a requirement the opportunity is also given to produce photographic evidence of the card in advance.

Westin

Like #3 I frequently fly VS and have never been asked to produce a credit card at check-in when flying with them. Once with BA many years back.

Given this was not a late booking, I find this very strange. The funds should have cleared on the reservation well in advance of your flight. Have you checked with your company finance department that the card remains valid? Was the debit for the amount actually taken and paid on this card? Has your finance department flagged up any fraudulent transactions on the card which may have inadvertently led to the charge being challenged and reversed?

As a Silver FF member I am surprised that they did not contact you in advance if the booking was flagged up as an issue. Also that they would not accept another payment form from you at the airport based on the original ticket value.

Nettan

Name matches passport. Nothing illegal, sober as a judge (9 am!!), had plenty of ID on me, did not refuse to cooperate with anything at all, was pleasant and polite and extremely non abusive to everyone I came in to contact with - there was, to my mind, no reasons in the entire world they could have refused me the way they did. I am completely baffled. I presented ticket and passport, and they told me they could not check me in.

There was nothing odd when I booked the flight, it was just booked on a corporate business card, not my own.

Nettan

The card was and is valid, the ticket was paid for as it should be, I'm a Silver flyer as well, and had absolutely no comms from Virgin re. my booking or anything being amiss. I only found out when I was at the airport and I could not check in. I was not allowed to check in online either, but that's happened before and did not set off any warnings for me.

Nettan

which I could have done had i been made aware in advance that this would be required.. I was not - hence this whole sorry mess.

jpsartre

BA has the sae rule although I've only ever been asked to show my card once. BA do say in their confirmation emails that if the cardholder is travelling, they must bring the card used for verification.

Jumblebumble

What happens if your card has been stolen and the credit card issuers have given you a new number?
Why did Virgin not allow you to pay for the existing booking there and then?

If this were a consumer flight I would sue Virgin in small claims court under unfair contract leglisation and they would heve to tell a district judge why they did not help as they seemed to have entered into the contract on the basis it was not your card !
JumbleBumble

Caz3121

was the original booking made direct with Virgin? (no third party involved)