@rthompson’s situation is one to flag for @AmyPereira and @JodiBird.
1 Like
That sounds like a good way for Virgin to absolve themselves of liability for the Future Flight Credits @rthompson . It may be worth raising a business complaint about this with the ACCC. They’re unlikely to address your case specifically, but if it is a systemic issue that is in breach of law they might respond.
Otherwise, Slater and Gordon have been collecting information from people for a potential class action for a couple of years, so it may be worth registering your details with them as well.
4 Likes
I had the same experience. My flights to the US were cancelled due to covid. I got travel bank credit. And… somehow when I used it, there were NO flights available… unless I opted not to use the travel credit.
VERY shady.
3 Likes
Welcome to the Community @alex.aumann
Thanks for adding your experience.
It appears they may be allocating a maximum number of seats on each flight for voucher purchases similarly to how airlines treat frequent flyer award availability.
Have you contacted Slater and Gordon and the ACCC per @JodiBird’s previous post? It may not provide satisfaction now or ever but when problems are not formally reported they ‘did not happen’ at the end of the day if any party is able to take it further, reducing the dossier of ‘bad behaviour’ and potentially enabling the defence to produce more favourable statistics for their side.
3 Likes
Welcome to the community @alex.aumann.
It might be worth ringing Virgin Australia Guest Contact Centre on 13 67 89 to see if the flights you are trying to book are ‘Eligible Travel’ for Travel Bank Credits… Seat may be not be on Virgin flight, but on a partner airline such as United Airlines.
1 Like
Be sure to wade through all of the related Virgin T&C pages prior to engaging with Virgin.
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/about-us/policies/legal/travel-bank-terms/
The T&C imply if does not explicitly indicate a UA flight should be eligible per
a) Flights operated by Virgin Australia and its partner airlines. Valid for Economy and Business class fares in all fare classes.
but there might be more I missed.
1 Like
It appears there is. Travel Banks can be in the form of ‘Future Flight Credits’ or ‘Standard Credits’. For Future Flight Credits see
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/about-us/policies/legal/future-flight-credit-terms/
Eligible Travel for Future Flight Credits is:
and excludes redeeming ‘on codeshare flights or flights operated by other airlines, with the exception of selected flights operated by Alliance Airlines on behalf of Virgin Australia to and from Brisbane’.
As indicated on the Virgin Website,
I would be calling them to see if the proposed booking qualifies as ‘Eligible Travel’ for the type of credit that you have. If they are eligible, I would then be asking whether there are the number of seats available when you wish to travel. This is particularly the case when the website also states:
d. While there are seats available for booking using Future Flight credits on all Virgin Australia operated flights, the number of seats available for Future Credit fares is limited and may sell out quickly so we recommend you book early. In the event Future Credit fares for your preferred flight are sold out, you can select another travel date or you can pay for your flight using another form of payment (such as Velocity Points, a Standard credit or your credit/debit card).
1 Like
Pre Covid from 2013 onwards I had travel bank credits over different periods with all 3 of the larger carriers (Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin). As best as I can remember they were all cash credits in the travel bank. For higher level full fare or business travel the value in the bank equaled the original purchase price less any CC fees. For others the value reflected the T&Cs in place for the fare type.
Even back then all 3 appeared to limit the fare options when looking to spend the banked dollars. Experience with Virgin even pre Covid was one needed to advise the use of credits before seats were offered. There was always a difference between the offers available on the same flights if using the bank or paying without. Demonstrated by searching using two different devices connected through independent internet connections and different ISP’s.
3 Likes
I know I had several years to use it but $500 of my Virgin Future Flight credit will expire end of this year 2023 and can only be used according to Virgin for bookings till the end of the year. Is there any updates on what can be done? Can it be extended either with payment or reduction in credit with a well worded communique to the right person or company?
Or the only way is to book a flight before the end of the year?
I’ve read Redeem travel credits and will contact customer service as well.
There is no harm in asking if they will extend the expiry date of the future flight credits.
However it is unlikely they will make an expiry date extension as one has had some time to use the credits. It is most likely that the
Virgin are possibly less reluctant to extend as the future flight credits aren’t a result of their business, but the previous airline owner which went bankrupt. These credits were issued as part of the negotiated sale of the liquidated assets of the former owners. If the liquidated assets weren’t sold, every consumer with a cancelled flight would not have been issued credits and would have done their dough.
Welcome to the community @SoniaJ
You are not the only one to relate flight credits don’t always work out as one might expect. Hopefully when you had time to look to the prior posts in this topic the following post resonated.
Sometime past
A seperate class action against Qantas has progressed.
To note:
P.S.
It’s a common problem that airfares today are on average more expensive for the same class than previously. Where the original flight was purchased for less than the full not discounted air fare it’s unlikely one will find equivalent value in another flight. That one needs to select flight credits before viewing the available flights for a future booking appears to limit the available pricing to more expensive options - fewer discounted fares or lesser value options. As you note less expensive fares can often be found if not using the flight credits. The fare pricing structures available when you first booked are not carried forward with the credit.
2 Likes
Separately to the topic and articles @mark_m linked
For clarity the Virgin Airline of today is not the one you may have purchased your ticket from. Virgin went into administration and was sold to Bain Capital, a corporate raider company from the US, in late 2020. None of my following text applies if you purchased your tickets after that sale
At the end of the day whatever was offered including vouchers was goodwill rather than legally required. When any company goes into administration or is otherwise sold anyone holding an undelivered product or service becomes an unsecured creditor and whatever they may receive is at the behest of the administrator, new owner, or terms of the sale being with or without liabilities.
2 Likes
