Refund on flights where passengers are not not allowed to enter destination country?

robertlagrant

My family and I have Virgin flights to South Africa in December. I and our children are no longer eligible to enter South Africa by current South African rules.
Is there any way to get a full refund on the flight?
Failing that, what's the latest we can wait before requesting a voucher, to avoid the situation where we get a voucher and then the flight is cancelled, but we can't get a refund because we already got a voucher?

Thanks!

mattyprice4004

If flights run but you’re not eligible to enter the country, you won’t get a refund or a voucher - you’ll be classed as a no show.
Immigration restrictions aren’t the fault or doing of the airline, so unfortunately they don’t have to offer you anything if you can’t travel. 

robertlagrant

mattyprice4004 said:

If flights run but you’re not eligible to enter the country, you won’t get a refund or a voucher - you’ll be classed as a no show.
Immigration restrictions aren’t the fault or doing of the airline, so unfortunately they don’t have to offer you anything if you can’t travel. 

To be clear, the eligibility is down to Covid, not any visa restrictions or anything like that. They aren't allowing non-South Africans in at the moment for leisure.

bradders1983

Government restrictions are the same as immigration restrictions in this case.

In essense its exactly the same: the SA government will simply cancel all leisure visas and not issue new ones.

robertlagrant

Thank you. Does this become insurance fodder?

Aylesbury_Duck

Yes, speak to your insurer to see if you're covered under these circumstances.

CKhalvashi

This will be an insurance issue if you are eligible under your policy.

This is due to visa/immigration restrictions. You need a valid visa which you and your children do not have.

If the flight goes, you have no rights to a refund. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can enter the destination country, and while I agree this is not your fault, it isn't Virgin's fault either.

pony12

I once called a helpline and they ask me about some verification and refunded me.

Caz3121

pony12 said:

I once called a helpline and they ask me about some verification and refunded me.

was your situation the same as the OPs? - Virgin Atlantic flight operating but country with restrictions?
if not your post is likely not relevant to this thread

bradders1983

Caz3121 said:

pony12 said:

I once called a helpline and they ask me about some verification and refunded me.

was your situation the same as the OPs? - Virgin Atlantic flight operating but country with restrictions?
if not your post is likely not relevant to this thread

Looks like a spammer judging by post history.