Virgin Holidays

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Hi everyone,

I'm after some advice or help please.

We have a holiday booked with Virgin Holidays for February next year which is all paid for on a credit card (which is now paid off). My wife wants to cancel the holiday now and under normal circumstances she would be able to cancel and get her money back, minus the deposit. However, Virgin are not currently refunding anyone apparently even though in the terms and conditions it says they would do. So, is there anyone else we can contact to try and get the money back from Virgin? Perhaps a small claims court?

Due to a mix up/mis-communication with our insurance company we currently have no travel insurance. The holiday was originally booked for May 2020 but we re-booked it to February next year as the insurance company said we could move it but then once re-booked they told us we weren't covered because it was over a year since we originally paid so we cancelled that as it was worthless.

I know we can claim back off the credit card company if need be under section 75 of the consumer credit act but will that cover us if we just cancel ourselves?

Sorry for all the questions but just really don't know what to do for the best but don't want to lose thousands of pounds.

Thank you.

jonesMUFCforever

If the trip takes place and it is safe to travel - if you cancel you will lose  money. My advice is not to cancel anything now and see how the land lies next year.
As you have agreed to the re-booking I don't see you would have any hope of winning a Small Claims case now - if you had insisted on a refund on the original booking you could have made a chargeback  or a S75 or a court  case.
Any holiday insurance you take out now will not cover you for any Covid 19 issues.

bradders1983

"However, Virgin are not currently refunding anyone apparently even though in the terms and conditions it says they would do"

Yes, if you asked for it. But you asked for it to be rescheduled.

Westin

Agree with the others.  

Whilst not ideal I feel you will just need to wait and show extra patience for a refund on the holiday balance (minus deposit).  They are likely still running a very much reduced service with probably offices still closed or with very few employees working.  What work is being done is probably based on urgency of departure date and with all flights currently cancelled I suspect the work is great.

The small courts avenue will not speed up the process or I suspect any attempt at a s75 claim.  I can see little other option than to wait a while longer.

Alan_Bowen

Virgin have indicated that their finances mean refunds are expected to take 100 days from the request. Providing they don't deny a refund, a section 75 claim will not be accepted, courts are effectively closed, so it is a waiting game. You will lose the deposit as it is your choice to cancel at this stage but you should get back the largest proportion of the cost, even if you have to wait over 3 months for it.

Bear1957

I asked for a refund for a Disney Trip this April on 30th March and was told full refund in under 45 days. ( we are now 42 days later).
I received Email today,  in essence they are trying to get everyone their refunds but very busy and can’t give any estimate of when we will get our money back!!!!!!

What to do next ?????

I am concerned we are being played.

Ganga

Bear1957 said:

I asked for a refund for a Disney Trip this April on 30th March and was told full refund in under 45 days. ( we are now 42 days later).
I received Email today,  in essence they are trying to get everyone their refunds but very busy and can’t give any estimate of when we will get our money back!!!!!!

What to do next ?????

I am concerned we are being played.

I suspect you will just have to wait , with so many people having to stay at home rather than working in their office it will be a bit of a lottery working thru the list of people wanting refunds.

Bear1957

Have just WhatsApp them asking -  how many refunds have they given ? and get a standard reply saying, in essence don’t bother us unless you want to rebook.
no indication of timescale or updates.

mototurkey

Hi there , my family and I had our £6000 package holiday to Florida on 1st may cancelled  by virgin holidays due to covid 19 . I have managed to eventually contact them by phone and they have reluctantly offered me a refund . they have told me that i will have to wait up to 90 days for my refund due to high demand of requests even though they managed to find the time to send me a voucher almost instantly when i did not request one .When i asked why they were not following the 14 day refund period stated by the law and if my consumer rights and the 14 day refund laws did not apply in this instance , I was told to go to the ABTA website where their claims of unprecedented refund requests and delays are backed up, they imply that the travel agents are within their rights to ignore the law and customers consumer rights . I, and many other virgin holiday customers  feel that virgin is holding onto customers money to prop up their struggling company . my family and i have our own financial problems  at the moment including the insecurity of my job and struggling with bills . When will the government step in to help vulnerable customers like my family and demand that virgin holidays and other such law flouting travel agents pay up within the set 14 day period ? i feel helpless and anxious about this situation . can anyone  help me ?

Ben Batchelor

photome

mototurkey said:

Hi there , my family and I had our £6000 package holiday to Florida on 1st may cancelled  by virgin holidays due to covid 19 . I have managed to eventually contact them by phone and they have reluctantly offered me a refund . they have told me that i will have to wait up to 90 days for my refund due to high demand of requests even though they managed to find the time to send me a voucher almost instantly when i did not request one .When i asked why they were not following the 14 day refund period stated by the law and if my consumer rights and the 14 day refund laws did not apply in this instance , I was told to go to the ABTA website where their claims of unprecedented refund requests and delays are backed up, they imply that the travel agents are within their rights to ignore the law and customers consumer rights . I, and many other virgin holiday customers  feel that virgin is holding onto customers money to prop up their struggling company . my family and i have our own financial problems  at the moment including the insecurity of my job and struggling with bills . When will the government step in to help vulnerable customers like my family and demand that virgin holidays and other such law flouting travel agents pay up within the set 14 day period ? i feel helpless and anxious about this situation . can anyone  help me ?

Ben Batchelor

If they have agreed to a refund , then there isn’t much else you can do, you have to accept the exceptional circumstances. Can you imagine how many refunds they are processing, coupled with the probable shortage of staff


Just seen you have posted the same thing in 11 different places, was that necessary , you haven’t helped yourself as they are now being marked as spam

Ganga

mototurkey said:

Hi there , my family and I had our £6000 package holiday to Florida on 1st may cancelled  by virgin holidays due to covid 19 . I have managed to eventually contact them by phone and they have reluctantly offered me a refund . they have told me that i will have to wait up to 90 days for my refund due to high demand of requests even though they managed to find the time to send me a voucher almost instantly when i did not request one .When i asked why they were not following the 14 day refund period stated by the law and if my consumer rights and the 14 day refund laws did not apply in this instance , I was told to go to the ABTA website where their claims of unprecedented refund requests and delays are backed up, they imply that the travel agents are within their rights to ignore the law and customers consumer rights . I, and many other virgin holiday customers  feel that virgin is holding onto customers money to prop up their struggling company . my family and i have our own financial problems  at the moment including the insecurity of my job and struggling with bills . When will the government step in to help vulnerable customers like my family and demand that virgin holidays and other such law flouting travel agents pay up within the set 14 day period ? i feel helpless and anxious about this situation . can anyone  help me ?

Ben Batchelor

No offence but if the holiday had gone ahead you would still not have had the money to help with your financial worries and bills