Virgin Australia chargeback

lady1964

We have flights booked on Virgin Australia which we’d booked last year. Clearly, we now can’t use the flights and as I’d received an email a few weeks ago telling me that due to us having booked prior to April 2020, we can only get a flight credit, no other option available, we applied to my credit card provider for a chargeback, which is being processed as we speak with a potential 12 week timeframe.
Today, I’ve received an email from VA advising of a change to our flights. I have two options: accept the change or call. When I call the UK 0800 number, it tells me the office is closed and works on Australia time, which I already knew.
What would anyone’s advice be? Do I just ignore the email, do I call when they’re open to explain what I’ve set in motion or something else?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

sheramber

What is the change?
Is it still the same flight number as the original?

lady1964

Original flights were Friday to Monday Sydney to Hobart return, new flights are Thursday to Tuesday return, so 24 hour changes both ways.

Same flight numbers.

nickykim

Just a note that the reason the only option is a flight credit is because Virgin Australia is under administration.  The process of finding a buyer is well underway but there is at present no option for a refund (I am owed my return flight Melbourne to Perth).  A chargeback is the most likely channel for getting your money back.

lady1964

nickykim said:

Just a note that the reason the only option is a flight credit is because Virgin Australia is under administration.  The process of finding a buyer is well underway but there is at present no option for a refund (I am owed my return flight Melbourne to Perth).  A chargeback is the most likely channel for getting your money back.

Thanks, yes I know, laughably though the conditional flight credit we’re able to get has to be used by 30/9/20; our flights aren’t due to be flown until 2/10/20!
Ive just checked my account and it appears VA have disputed the chargeback so I’m on hold to Barclaycard now to discuss.

nickykim

I think that after 30/9 the flight credit will still be available but Virgin has changed how you can use it.  None of this can be finalised until the new owners actually take over.  I would have thought that you would be covered for chargeback when a business cannot supply the goods / services due to entering administration.  Although I do know that the credit card conditions are country and card type specific.  Good luck.  Please make it to Aus at some stage...

lady1964

nickykim said:

I think that after 30/9 the flight credit will still be available but Virgin has changed how you can use it.  None of this can be finalised until the new owners actually take over.  I would have thought that you would be covered for chargeback when a business cannot supply the goods / services due to entering administration.  Although I do know that the credit card conditions are country and card type specific.  Good luck.  Please make it to Aus at some stage...

Thank you, I’ve sent Barclaycard further evidence to help with our chargeback request. We will get to Australia as soon as we can as our DD lives there, which was the reason for our visit.