Virgin Atlantic Refunds

alesupper

Hi All, our flight to San Francisco got cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis.   I have asked Virgin for a refund and they have told me that it will take up to 90 days to process and appear in my account.   This is totally disgusting behavior, especially at this time when people are being financially tested and the person who owns the company is a multi billionaire.   What I would like to know is it actually legal to make people wait this long for a refund?  Thanks in advance.

bradders1983

Just thank yourself lucky you are getting a cash refund instead of a voucher.

Caz3121

they have not said it will take 90 days, they have said it would take up to 90 days. I expect it will be a lot sooner but by saying that they stop people calling every couple of days to ask where their refund is.

bagand96

In normal circumstances that would be completely unacceptable.

But we're not in normal circumstances.  They are completely snowed under.  No airline's customer service teams will have the capacity to deal with every single customer, but that's whats having to happen now.  Also, like you and me, they are having to self isolate, social distance, work from home etc to their capacity to deal with customers will be severely reduced, at the worst possible time.

It's just the reality of the situation.  Normal has gone out of the window.

alesupper

bagand96 said:

In normal circumstances that would be completely unacceptable.

But we're not in normal circumstances.  They are completely snowed under.  No airline's customer service teams will have the capacity to deal with every single customer, but that's whats having to happen now.  Also, like you and me, they are having to self isolate, social distance, work from home etc to their capacity to deal with customers will be severely reduced, at the worst possible time.

It's just the reality of the situation.  Normal has gone out of the window.

I totally agree that these are far from normal times.   My cynical side suspected that refunding someone would involve clicking a button on a computer but maybe not!   I guess I'm just not liking Mr Branson right now because of how he has treated his staff in this crisis and I suspect that he is holding onto his customers money for as long as possible to earn interest, but hopefully not.

RachaelR

Hello.  I have a flight booked to USA on 6th May 2020.  Obviously now the lockdown has been extended to at least 7th May we are unable to go.  They are still selling seats on this flight, I presume because the USA border ban in only in effect until end of April.  Does anyone know how we should play this because if USA re-open their borders at end of April then the flight presumably will still go ahead, but as we are in lockdown we will be unable to fly anyway.  They say that bookings can be changed for flights up until end of November but can't find out if we did chance it and changed the flight until October and then this was still going on how we would stand.  Can anyone advise

Browntoa

Nobody knows what will happen or how long.

Let them cancel the flight in may if  the lockdown continues and either get a refund or rebook then.

Do nothing now 

Thrugelmir

RachaelR said:

 I presume because the USA border ban in only in effect until end of April.  Does anyone know how we should play this because if USA re-open their borders at end of April then the flight presumably will still go ahead, 

As an example. New York is to remain in lockdown until at least the 15th May. State Governors have the final say not Donald. Nor would I assume that international travel isn't going to be without some difficulty for some time. With severe restrictions and requirements in place. 

Alan_Bowen

Virgin's deadline has now expanded to 100 days from 90. I think we can all appreciate that with the offices closed and presumably staff at home not being able to process refunds, things will be difficult but 100 days? Anyway, Sir Richard Branson, who owns 51% is only worth £4.5 billion ( and pays no tax living in the Virgin Islands) and Delta Airlines who own the remainder only made a profit of $4 billion last year and have already had a bailout from the US government so I suppose we must all be grateful that refunds are coming at all.....

onesixfive

RachaelR said:

Hello.  I have a flight booked to USA on 6th May 2020.  Obviously now the lockdown has been extended to at least 7th May we are unable to go.  They are still selling seats on this flight, I presume because the USA border ban in only in effect until end of April.  Does anyone know how we should play this because if USA re-open their borders at end of April then the flight presumably will still go ahead, but as we are in lockdown we will be unable to fly anyway.  They say that bookings can be changed for flights up until end of November but can't find out if we did chance it and changed the flight until October and then this was still going on how we would stand.  Can anyone advise

Hi - we were due to travel 1st May with Virgin Holidays - we had an email 16th April asking did we want vouchers or a refund, we opted for a refund - they say they'll call us - as yet we have heard nothing.
If you booked with Virgin Atlantic, rather than Virgin Holidays (separate companies) I found this (albeit from the Sun!!) quite informative: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/11387307/virgin-atlantic-refund-cancellation-coronavirus/

kevlar123

Hi 
We are due to fly to Florida mid August with virgin Atlantic  we have to pay the balance of 4.5k by the 25th of may its a package holiday staying in the universal warter park hotel.
Should we still pay for it with everything thats going on as we dont think it will happen 
Thanks