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Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd.

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Reviews Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd.

Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd. Reviews (89)

Our ref: [redacted]
 
26 February 2016
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[redacted]
 

Dear [redacted]
This letter is in response to your inquiry with the Revdex.com reference [redacted]
 
I was so sorry to read that your cousin had recently passed away, please accept my sincere condolences. I appreciate that this must be a very difficult time for you.
 
I completely understand your frustrations regarding your refund claim, it should have been 100% clear as to what the procedure was going to be. So please accept my apologies that this wasn’t the case.
 
I have contacted our Refunds team directly and as a gesture of good will I have asked them to fully refund your non-refundable ticket. The refund team have logged this request with claim reference [redacted] This claim is now being calculated and once completed, will be processed back to the original form of payment used to purchase your ticket.
 
Please note that refund claim can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to be completed and that it might be another card statement before the refund is applied.
 
Once again, please accept my sincere apologies for your recent experience with us.
 
Kind Regards,
 


Mary-** K[redacted]
Customer Relations Executive
[redacted]

Our ref: [redacted]

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05 February 2015
 
 
[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
 
Dear [redacted]
 
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me on 04 February with regard to your complaint to us.
 
I do wish to apologise once again for your disappointment due to the delay to your flight from [redacted] As you know, this was due to the severe weather conditions disrupting the ground handling services. I am of course sorry that this delay resulted in you missing your connecting flight to [redacted].
 
I appreciate this experience was far from ideal for you and I regret you incurred out of pocket expenses upon arrival into [redacted]. As discussed, this is not something we can reimburse or compensate you for, as these costs are considered consequential and we don’t issue compensation for delays caused by adverse weather.
 
Given your disappointment with your experience however, I have offered you and your three travelling companions, $125.00 worth of Virgin Atlantic vouchers each. These vouchers can be used towards the price of a Virgin Atlantic flight (including all Little Red and codeshare services); a future Virgin Holiday; on-board duty free goods, or added extras such as upgrades, excess baggage or extra legroom seating. 
 
[redacted], I’m glad I was able to discuss this with you and I’m happy you are able to accept our goodwill gesture. Please don’t hesitate to contact me again should you need a letter of confirmation to help with any travel insurance claims you make.
 
Kind regards
 
 
 
[redacted]
Customer Relations Executive

Complaint: [redacted]
I am replying to the message I received from the business. I have sent in the letters to them address but have added more info they requested as it was a transit flight. SO if anything is wrong with the form please contact me to ask any info or clarify something. Please expedite my process so I can hopefully receive my compensation earlier.
 
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Our ref: [redacted]
 
24 November 2014
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[redacted]
 

Dear [redacted],
 
This letter is in reply to your query with the Revdex.com ref #[redacted].
 
Ms [redacted], I’m so sorry to learn that you were denied boarding for your flight from [redacted] to [redacted] via [redacted]. I do understand how upsetting this must have been for you.
 
As part of Virgin Atlantic’s Conditions of Carriage, it is the passengers responsibility to ensure they have the correct travel documents. If a passenger is denied travel or entry to a country, the airline shall not be liable for the consequences.
 
This is a common condition across many airlines worldwide. You can view the Conditions of Carriage on the Virgin Atlantic website, under Article 13. Please see the link below.
 
[redacted]
Our airport ground staff are highly trained on matters of passports and visa requirements, and we cannot challenge their decision on this matter. The penalties for allowing a passenger on board without the correct visa or valid passport can be quite substantial for both us as an airline and for yourself upon landing. You may have been refused entry into the country, and because of this, it is very important that the ground staff are vigilant about matters concerning visa and passport validity.
 
With regards to your request for a refund, we must refer you to contact [redacted] Airways directly. As your ticket was issued on [redacted] Air ticket stock, [redacted] Airways will need to assist with the entirety of the ticket not only their portion of the itinerary.
 
I am sorry that I could not reply more positively on this matter.
 
With Kind Regards,
 
[redacted]

Our ref: 1[redacted]
 
25 August 2014
 

[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
 
[redacted]
Thank you for your further correspondence to the Revdex.com reference [redacted]
 
As previously advised, all passengers wishing to make an application for delay or cancellation compensation can do so by completing in full the ‘EU Compensation Application Form’ which can be printed from the website
www.virginatlantic.com/euclaimapplication
Once the application has been logged a response will be sent directly to you from our Customer Relations team working on EU applications.
 
I am sorry we haven’t lived up to your expectation and I really do acknowledge your disappointment. [redacted]l, I hope I have explained everything for you. Once again, my sincere apologies for the concerns you had.
 
Kind Regards,
 

[redacted]
Customer Relations US

Our ref: [redacted]
 
05 February 2015
face="Arial">
 

[redacted]
 
[redacted]
 

Dear [redacted]
 
Thank you for your email which has been forwarded to this office for a response.
 
I am so sorry to learn of the concerns experienced with regard to the provision of your Kosher meals on your recent flights with us.
 
I understand that you had requested the meals prior to your travel, but regrettably, we didn’t have details of this in your booking. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing exactly what went wrong and can only presume that the request didn’t register successfully.
 
Since we need a minimum of 48 hrs prior to departure to meet with your request, it wasn’t possible for us provide the meals on your outward flights.
 
From your reservation, I can see that our staff at JFK airport added a request for Kosher meals on your return flights from [redacted] on 07 January and onward to [redacted] 08 January. However, there was a date change made to your flights to 13 and 14 January, and it seems that the request wasn’t transferred over to your new flights; for this reason your meals weren’t ordered. Please accept my apologies for this breakdown in service.
 
I’ve forwarded the details of this matter on to the relevant managers for their attention and appropriate action.
 
Just for your information, on future flights you can book and check any special meals on our website after you have made a reservation under ‘manage your flights’ section.
 
We really do want to give our customers the very best experience when they fly with us and it’s such a shame that we let you down this time with the delivery of your meals. I know I can’t change what happened but as a gesture, by way of an apology, I would like to offer you 18,000 Flying Club miles. I've had a look through our system, but can't find a Flying Club account for you. If you are not a member, I would suggest that you register on line at www.virgin-atlantic.com/flyingclub. Then just let me have your membership number and I will credit the offered miles.
 
Also, the miles for your recent flights with us 18,567 miles would be added to the account, giving you a balance of 36,567 miles. This is sufficient for a return Economy Class ticket on our New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington or Atlanta routes.
 
[redacted] I realise you’ve been left with a poor impression of on your first trip with us. I can only hope that given another opportunity in the future that we’ll be able to change this impression to a more positive experience for you.
 
Kind regards
 

[redacted]
 
Customer Relations

Our Customer Relations team who are handling this concern have sent the following email directly to Ms [redacted].

lang="EN-GB">Our ref: [redacted]
22 June 2015
 
Ms [redacted]
 
Dear Ms [redacted]
 
Thank you for your email. I was very concerned to hear about the issues that you encountered when travelling from [redacted] recently. I’m very sorry that you missed your connecting flight with ourselves to [redacted]. I appreciate how frustrating this must have been for you.
 
Considering the difficult situation you were in, it’s very upsetting to hear that the agent you spoke to was not more considerate. Our agents are trained to the highest level of customer service and are expected to be as warm and helpful as possible. I must admit to feeling very shocked at the treatment you have described.
 
Please be assured that we take matters like this very seriously. I have contacted our management team and made them aware of your comments. They will investigate this matter with the agent and try to make sure that similar situations do not occur again.
 
Having looked at your booking, unfortunately your ticket is non-refundable. Due to the terms and conditions of your ticket, we are unable to refund this back to you as you missed your connection due to another carrier.  We can only offer you a partial refund of the taxes that you paid, but unfortunately not the fare.
 
If you require a full refund, I must refer you to your travel insurance for reimbursement. Alternatively, your unused ticket is valid for 12 months, until May 2016. You would have to pay the change fee, but you would still be able to use your ticket. If you would like to organise the re-use of your ticket, please call our reservations team on [redacted].
 
I really would like to make amends for the disappointing experience you have had with us Ms [redacted]. I would like to offer you 8000 Flying Club miles if you would care to join our frequent flyer programme. Miles can be used towards upgrades and discounts off future flights.
 
However your miles do not have to be spent solely with ourselves. You can use them with our partner airlines and hotels, and with other services such as Virgin Wines and the Eurostar. If you would like to take advantage of this then please visit;
[redacted]
 
Once you have done this, can you please email me back with your account number and I will add these miles in for you as soon as possible. I understand that we have not met your expectations on this occasion. However I truly hope that we can welcome you onboard again in the future. We would love the chance to give you the service you deserve.
 
Warm regards
 
[redacted]
Customer Relations Executive

lang="EN-GB">Our ref: [redacted]
 
10 March 2015
 
 
[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
 
 
Dear Ms [redacted]
 
This letter is response to your inquiry with the Revdex.com reference [redacted].  
 
I’m sorry to learn that you had reason to complain about Virgin Atlantic on this occasion. We pride ourselves on our high levels of customer service and it’s, of course, vital that we deliver this from the time a reservation is made through to the time a customer arrives at their destination. Therefore, it is disappointing that you feel we’ve let her down in that respect.
 
I certainly appreciate how frustrating it must have been for you to discover the fares had been reduced substantially for the tickets she had purchased. However, our fares are determined by a number of factors including, but not limited to, travel dates, booking dates, flexibility, restrictions and forecasted demand. At the time you made her reservation, the lowest fare available was offered for her travel dates.
 
Throughout the year, airlines will increase/decrease fares or put out a promotion. When this happens, other airlines tend to follow suit. Due to market forces, it is necessary for us to adjust our fares to stay competitive. This normally happens with little or no notice; therefore, we are rarely in a position to inform you, in advance, of any fare changes.
 
In this case we found it necessary to reduce fares. At other times we may need to increase them. In the same way that we cannot refund the difference in fare, we would not ask a customer to pay extra for any increase in fares after they have booked and paid for their ticket.
 
When a customer books early, they are gaining an advantage over other customers in that they are holding onto the seats they want for the dates of travel they want. Presumably when they book they are happy with the price and associated conditions. This means that the seats are not available for anyone else to purchase and also means that the airline is not in a position to charge a higher price for those seats at a later date should the demand for the flight increase.
 
As I’m sure you can understand, it would not be viable for airlines to offer refunds to customers who book early but who find their flights are later on made available at a lower price. If we did the effect would be that all seats would only ever be sold at the lowest available price. Airlines already have very slim or negative margins and such a policy, were it to be implemented, would be commercially disastrous.
 
With the above in mind, I’m afraid we would not be able to offer a partial refund of her fare or of the Flying Club miles she used for her tickets. I understand that this won’t be the answer that she was looking for, but I do hope she can now appreciate why a little more.
 
Thank you again for contacting Virgin Atlantic, and should you require any further information then please don’t hesitate to let me know.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
[redacted]
Customer Relations Executive
 
 
Customer Relations
[redacted]
Customer Relations Fax: [redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]

Thanks for reply but I am concerned about my refund amount. I spend almost $1100.00 for another ticket/lodging etc. I am seeking full reimbursement of my loss.
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:The response is simply untrue.  My family did arrive at the check in desk in time.  We arrived more than one hour before departure.  I saw the check in agent hesitate to check us in.  Rather than proceeding to check us in in his computer he made phone calls, I believe to the gate, and then did nothing, stalled and then told my family we were too late.  We were standing at the counter for more than 15 minutes at this point.
I also overheard another agent telling the gate that another family would have to accept the fact that none of their seats would be together on this overseas flight.  That this family could either sit apart or get off the plane.  It seemed apparent that there was more than one error made on the part of the airline due to overbooking this flight. My family's arrival time was not the source of the issue here, the source is your booking policy and customer service.  
While I appreciate your offer to pick up some of our expenses, I am curious as to why there was no such offer when my entire family was stranded at the airport on October 1st.  We had to get on a flight the next day and there was no consideration for the transportation, hotel and meal charges we were incurring to do this.   
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Thank you very much for understanding my concern  it is reassuring to hear that the airline will not seat a child without an adult  thank you for seating us together. Part of the issue with this is that we had bought these tickets in 2014 when this was not a concern for us, but had to move the dates to these. 
In in the future I will consider that this is part of the policy if this airline when booking flights. Perhaps the airline could also rethink this particular new 'industry standard', since a plane is not like a train or bus where we can just get there early and grab seats together. But, that is up to the airline.
 
Thank You
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Copy of email sent from US Customer Relations [redacted]
Response from Baggage Services - Reference [redacted]
Dear [redacted]
Thank...

you for reaching out to us again regarding your damaged bag.
The handling of our customers' baggage is, of course, a top priority, and the experience you had is not a typical one.  We do our best to ensure your bags reach their final destination intact; but, with both manual and automated processes in place, irregularities may occur.  I am sorry that you had problems this time around.
I would be happy to authorize reimbursement in the amount of $75, as requested.
We want to make sure you receive the payment that’s due to you as soon as possible. To arrange this, please click on the link below to create a profile, enter your bank details and redeem your payment invitation.
Redeem your payment invitation 
Or you can copy the following URL and paste it into your web browser.
[redacted]
 Thank you for giving me the chance to apologize for what happened.  I’m certain your next journey with us will be seamless and without incident!
Yours sincerely
Kathleen [redacted]
Virgin Atlantic
Baggage Services

Review: On September 30, 2013, I booked a round trip flight for my daughter who is attending [redacted]. The cost was 622.65 pounds, or approximately $998. The initial flight was subsequently cancelled. I called on November 7 to confirm that I would be able to receive a full refund. I was told yes. Then I said that my [redacted] was no longer active. The representative I spoke with ([redacted]) assured me that once their billing office discovered that, they would be able to provide the refund on a second, active credit card. When I called back later to request the refund, I was told that they could only refund the money to the original card, even though it is no longer active.Desired Settlement: As I was promised, I would like a refund of the full amount as a check or to the replacement credit card.

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

20 November 2013

Dear Mr [redacted]

Thank you for your letter regarding your refund.

I am sorry that you remain unhappy, I have spoken with our refunds department and we are only able to provide the refund to the original form of payment the card company or bank will then out the refund on your appropriate card or account, if you have alternative card or account with that company.

Often if you do not have a card or account with them they will then issue the payment to yourself which would be agreed by them.

Only in the event of the card company refusing to accept the payment from us can we look into alternatives.

I am sorry for any conflicting information that you have been provided with and I my apologies for not being able to resolve this to your satisfaction.

Kind regards

Customer Relations

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:I called in to ask the question about the refund. I was explicitly told by the Virgin Atlantic customer support representative ([redacted]) that I would be able to receive a refund directly. I relied upon what I was told.

Review: I am writing in regard to a problem that was originally booked Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Flight [redacted]

2/20/15

Delayed Baggage Ticket # [redacted] That flight itself was horrible. Flight Attendants were dishing out wine like it was water. The plane smelled of alcohol. Not only was it a very long and uncomfortable international journey, but one of my pieces of luggage was delayed. It contained my coat, shoes and toiletries, amongst other things. I needed the toiletries for obvious reasons after the international flights and being in airports for 20+ hours time. When talking to the representatives in the airport and via phone, I was guaranteed a refund for the exact items that I had mentioned to them. All were necessities.

Virgin Atlantic will not cover my costs for a hair product that was needed. They did indeed determine that the item was from a hair salon but still won't reimburse. They also won't give me costs incurred for a coat for the 40 degree weather that I arrived to (my original one was in the delayed luggage) and calls made to the airline from my phone to try to get some info on where/when my luggage was to arrive. The place that I purchased the coat from used a 3rd party vendor to ring the transactions through. It is not my fault that was how they did their business. I needed a coat and it was the only shop close by where I could get something quickly! It was freezing and ** misplaced my luggage!!

It was very embarrassing to see that Virgin would not fully cover the items that they said they would, all being necessities and none were out of policy. Short changing the customer for their own poor service is unacceptable in today's day and age.

Something to also note, I was at the counter in [redacted], there was a man next to me who had a similar problem - yet it was his WHEELCHAIR that they did not put on the plane. The older gentleman was trying to explain to the useless agent that he had checked in with enough time as well because he COULDN'T WALK.

This is such embarrassing service practices and definitely a poor showing from their reps.Desired Settlement: My out of pocket amount is $575.28 and Virgin claims they are only reimbursing me for $356.41. I am seeking the balance of $218.87 ($575.28 total costs less Virgin payment of $356.41).

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

11 April 2015

Dear [redacted]

I understand you have contacted the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) in regards to your mishandled luggage.

As previously advised, we will be happy to review the claim if you are able to provide us with itemised receipts from the places you had visited. Our settlement $356.41 was posted on 8th April to your nominated address.

You advised you were going to seek further compensation from [redacted] regarding the mishandling of your luggage.

Once again Ms [redacted], if you are able to provide itemised receipts for the purchases made whilst you were without your luggage we will be happy to review your claim.

Receipts can be submitted to Customer Relations via:

Email: [redacted]

Fax: [redacted]

Or Regular Mail:

Virgin Atlantic Airways, Baggage Services

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Baggage Services Manager

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: travelers misplace actual receipts. The date and time and stores that the items were purchased from are well in my guidelines for replacing the items. I had my credit card statement which showed the items were purchased in between the other ones that Virgin has covered.

Review: I booked flight thru orbitz.com and I had return flight booked.I fly iad to bom and on way back from [redacted] I was late at security at airport because of long line.I almost was there at gate and attendent from virgin atlantic started yelling at me and was behaving bad.his name was [redacted].He did not let me board flight so I had to get here anyhow since I had court date to attend.After getting another flight I got into united states and contacted virgin atlantaic and was beign told that I was drunk so they refuced me to board flight wich is lie.I asked them for refund 6 times and denied.I want them to proove me or show me any evidance that I was drunk and my behaviour was bad.If they can not I want my refund.My booking ref was [redacted]Also last email I recived from them had ref number which was Our ref: [redacted]Worst service I ever had...and you guys are not even last for my future booking unless you get back to me with one good reasone to choose your flight next timeDesired Settlement: I will take total refund of my booking via cheque or provide me another trip.And something for all this hassel I been thru with theme.

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

02 April 2014

Mr Keyur Patel

35 Johns Dr

Enola, PA 17025

Dear Mr Patel

This letter is in response to your inquiry with the Revdex.com.

I understand this concern has been raised by you with our Customer Relations team who have thoroughly reviewed your concerns and done their best to respond accordingly to all the points raised.

A copy of the response from my colleague is below for your reference.

Mr Patel, I understand that we have not resolved this entirely to your satisfaction and apologise for being unable to do more to help this time.

Sincerely,

Mary-Jo Keane

Customer Relations US

21 March 2014

Mr Keyur Patel

[email protected]

Dear Mr Patel

Thank you for taking the time to speak with my colleague [redacted] regarding your recent experience when due to travel from [redacted]

I appreciate you would like a refund of your ticket in light of having been unable to travel. I understand you have advised my colleague that the reason you were not permitted to travel was primarily due to a hold up at immigration. I note you also advised that our staff became irate with you due to the time running out to board the flight.

In light of your comments I have been in contact with the airport duty manager at [redacted] to request a full explanation as to why you were denied travel. They have advised that you were behaving as though under the influence of alcohol and in an abusive manner towards a member of ground staff whilst they were trying to ensure you had completed the appropriate immigration paperwork.

You were the last passenger due to board, Mr Patel and as I’m sure you’ll appreciate we do need to ensure we adhere to our departure schedules in order to prevent inconvenience to our customers, the airport and other airlines due to use [redacted] airport during this time.

As per the rules of your ticket, should a customer behave in a manner which is deemed to risk safety or be offensive to our ground staff, refusal of travel may occur. These rules form the terms and conditions agreed at the time of making your booking. I appreciate you state you were not under the influence of alcohol however I must advise that this was not the sole reason you were denied travel, Mr Patel.

You were also noted to have insulted a member of our ground staff when completing your immigration paperwork. This behaviour was also noted by the airport immigration teams at [redacted] airport. In light of this, as per the rules of your ticket you were denied travel. I have copied the applicable condition of carriage which applies in this instance:

7.1 Right to refuse carriage

We may decide to refuse to carry you and/or your Baggage (even if you hold a valid Ticket) if one or more of the following has happened or we reasonably believe might happen:

7.1.4 you use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behave in a threatening, abusive or insulting manner to ground staff or members of the crew prior to or during boarding the aircraft or disembarkation from a connecting flight;

I understand you do not agree to this being the reason for you being denied travel, Mr Patel however as I’m sure you’ll appreciate should such an instance be reported our ground staff and also immigration may refuse the customer travel.

Now, I appreciate you would like a refund of the fare paid for your flight. I’m afraid any refund processed would be in line with the rules of your ticket. You would not be eligible for a full refund on this occasion as the reason for your refusal to travel was within your own control and in line with the terms and conditions of your ticket.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/customer-service/ticket-... />
Should you wish to consider the option of a refund, may I suggest completing a refund quote via our website. You will then be provided with a quote of the amount due and can decide whether you would like to confirm your refund.

Alternatively, you are welcome to speak with a member of our customer services team who can look into the options available if you are able to use the remaining sector of your ticket. However should you opt to do so, please keep in mind that any fees due to rebook your travel will apply.

I realise this isn’t the response you were hoping for Mr Patel however I hope we will have the pleasure of welcoming you on board for your future flights.

Kind regards

Kelly Young

Customer Relations Executive

Consumer

Response:

Review: 9993145

I am rejecting this response because:i was told to fill out refund request quote form and after filling it out

Still I havent recived proper response and was beign told no refund.

Review: I was traveling with my family of 4 members. On the day of travel at the check-in counter I was informed that one person's travel document was missing. The airline representative told us to take the next day's flight which was flying with several vacant seats. The travel date was updated to the next day for the entire family. However, when the flight date was updated, we were not informed that this qualified for a change fee, nor were we asked to pay any change fee at the time of flight change. The next day when I reached the airport check-in counter I was asked to pay a change fee without which I was not allowed to travel. Before making any kind of date changes it is the responsibility of the airline staff to inform about any applicable fees. I received 4 emails about travel time change from the airline prior to my flight which did not incur any fees. This should be no different. I explained to the virgin atlantic representative at the counter that I did not request for a flight change. It was advised to us by the airline staff. If we were informed about a change fee then three of the family members would have traveled on the 7th and an attempt to get the missing travel document for the fourth person would have been made if the change fee was discussed at the time the flight changes were made or even if the payment was requested at the same time the flight changes were made. The representative acknowledged his mistake and requested me to contact customer relations for a refund. After the incident I even checked my e-ticket if there was any mention of a change fee but there was no mention of this. Rules cannot arbitrarily be applied with informing the customer. The whole incident has left a bad taste as I was traveling to India to attend my father's memorial service and the incident only caused more grief.Desired Settlement: Refund the change fee amount of $1200.

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

10 February 2014

Mrs Rashmi Gupta

10632 Mine Ct

Cupertino, CA 95014

Dear Mrs Gupta

This email is in response to your inquiry with the Revdex.com.

I see that you have already been in touch with one of my colleagues under Customer Relations file reference [redacted]

I would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us again. I appreciate that this was a difficult time to be travelling to your father’s memorial service. I sincerely apologise for any upset caused and offer our sincere condolences.

Having looked at your booking I can see that you were denied boarding as a passenger in your party did not have the required documents to travel. As the rules of the ticket you have purchased do incur a date change fee to be applied, the date of the ticket was changed, and the charge would need to be applied. I’m afraid that I’ll have to politely decline your request for a refund on this occasion.

Our ground staff are highly trained on matters of passports and visa requirements, and we cannot challenge their decision on this matter. The penalties for allowing a passenger on board without the correct visa or valid passport can be quite substantial for both us as an airline and for yourself upon landing. You may have been refused entry into the country, and because of this, it is very important that the ground staff are vigilant about matters concerning visa and passport validity.

When there is an issue concerning official travel documents, the responsibility must always lie with the passenger. We do state clearly on our websites, tickets, over the telephone and at the airport that passengers are fully responsible for making sure they hold the right documents.

As my colleague explained, all fares have different rules and degrees of flexibility. Generally, the higher the fare the fewer restrictions it has and vice versa. You purchased a fare with a restriction that included a change fee per ticket, and in accordance with industry guidelines, airlines must adhere to the rules on each individual ticket. This information would have been in the ticket rules when you purchased the tickets.

I know this is not the answer you were hoping for but I can only apologise for the inconvenience this has caused you.

We do hope in time that we will have the pleasure of welcoming you onboard in the future.

Kind Regards,

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Review: Our flight from [redacted] was delayed and we were stranded in [redacted] for 36 hours. We have incurred huge expenses in [redacted] during these 36 hours. When we finally landed in [redacted], our bags were delayed by 4 days. We had to buy clothes, toiletries, medicines etc during these 4 days. We had connecting flights from [redacted]-Goa and hotel bookings. We lost all of this money. Problem (service/ flight) Date: June 9, 2014 ([redacted] - [redacted])Purchase Date: March 7, 2014Payment Amount: $1650 x 3 = $4950.Payment Method: Credit Card - [redacted].Eticket Numbers:[redacted]Virgin Atlantic has been very smart and refuses to take any responsibility for this flight because they say that the flight was operated by [redacted] Airways. I have received Virgin Atlantic boarding pass for the [redacted] flight. My itinerary clearly says that the [redacted] flight is "VIRGIN ATLANTIC - VS 8017" "FLIGHT OPERATED BY 9W [redacted] AIRWAYS". We have paid money to Virgin Atlantic and they are responsible for all the damages and losses.Desired Settlement: We have lost money and incurred expenses. The amount is $2500 per person. We have also gone through a lot of pain and our vacation was completely ruined hence I seek damages of additional $2500 per person. $5000 per person. Total damages claimed. $5000 x 3 = $15000

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

14 July 2014

Mr [redacted]

Dear Mr [redacted]

RE: Your Revdex.com reference ID [redacted]

We have been contacted by the Revdex.com to review your concerns again, due to your continued disappointment. I of course wish to reiterate my sincere apologies for your experience when flying from San Francisco to [redacted] recently. Being delayed for any length of time is far from ideal and it’s upsetting to hear of the inconvenience caused to you and the losses and damages incurred as a result.

After personally speaking to you over the phone, I explained to you that as [redacted] Airways flight was delayed, you must contact them to investigate your concerns and respond with appropriate reimbursement/compensation. As [redacted] Airways was the operating carrier of your flight which was delayed, they should have fulfilled their obligation to provide you with care and assistance in [redacted] and they will also be responsible for you baggage claims, as they were the last operating carrier.

I appreciate you have been left confused as to who is responsible, because you were issued a Virgin Atlantic boarding pass at [redacted]. As I also explained to you, this was simply for your own convenience. We checked you all the way through to your final destination in [redacted], meaning you would not need to collect your bags at [redacted] and check them in again with [redacted] Airways. Also while your ticket listed your flight with [redacted] Airways as a VS flight number, the flight was still operated by [redacted] Airways and all complaints regarding their flight must be referred to them.

I have been in contact with [redacted] Airways regarding your claim and they have advised me that their colleague [redacted] will be handling this communication registered under the ref no [redacted]. They also promised you would receive a response by 15th July.

We ask that your complaint be referred to [redacted] Airways at all times. While we empathise with your concerns and upset, we are not able to offer you reimbursement of any losses, as Virgin Atlantic did not delay your journey.

I thank you for taking the time to contact us again [redacted] and I do hope my response further clarifies your concerns. I trust [redacted] Airways will provide you with a satisfactory response shortly.

Kind regards

Customer Relations Executive

Review: I wasn't allowed to board the flight from [redacted] to [redacted] on January 8th 2015 at 7:30am.

The reason I was given that there is a requirement of a transit visa for the connecting flights. This rule wasn't mentioned while booking the flight via the Virgin Atlantic website nor is it mentioned in there Rules, etc. for the connecting flight on the Virgin Atlantic website.

I think its a responsibility of the airline provider to notify the customer of this before booking the flight. As a customer we cannot know about the rules of transiting via various countries. And in this case it is not even a transit, but just a connecting flight from within the same airport (London LHR).

When I mentioned the above concerns with the customer care, they were unable to help me and said that they are not aware of the connecting flight rules.

On the other hand the people at the airport check-in counter were very much aware of this and they gave me the customer cr and said I will be refunded.

Here I see discrepancies in their way of making you buy ticket and then denying you to board the flight with incomplete information provided beforehand.

Since this was an issue which a consumer can be completely unaware of until he is provided with the information beforehand, I request a full refund of the ticket credited back to my account, since I did not cancel or revoke it myself; and was denied services as a result of incomplete/false information at the time of buying the services.Desired Settlement: Since this was an issue which a consumer can be completely unaware of until he is provided with the information beforehand, I request a full refund of the ticket credited back to my account, since I did not cancel or revoke it myself; and was denied services as a result of incomplete/false information at the time of buying the services.

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

20 January 2015

Dear [redacted]

This letter is in reply to your inquiry with the Revdex.com reference [redacted].

[redacted], I’m so sorry to learn that you were denied boarding for your flight from [redacted] due to now having the proper paperwork necessary to transit [redacted].

As part of Virgin Atlantic’s Conditions of Carriage, it is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure they have the correct travel documents. If a passenger is denied travel or entry to a country, the airline shall not be liable for the consequences.

This is a common Condition across many airlines worldwide. You can view the Conditions of Carriage on the Virgin Atlantic website, under Article 13. Please see the link below.

Our ground staff is highly trained on matters of passports and visa requirements, and we cannot challenge their decision on this matter. The penalties for allowing a passenger on board without the correct visa or valid passport can be quite substantial for both us as an airline and for yourself upon landing. You may have been refused entry into the country, and because of this, it is very important that the ground staff are vigilant about matters concerning visa and passport validity.

Having reviewed your reservation, I would like to confirm that a ticket is valid for 12 months from the original date of issue. The ticket may be used for travel and is valid until December 09, 2015. All travel would need to be completed prior to this date should you choose to utilize the ticket. There is a change fee of $150, plus any difference in fare should it apply as we would have to re-fare the entire trip to calculate this additional collection. You can rebook if you choose to do so by contacting our contact centre by calling [redacted].

I’m happy to offer you a gesture of goodwill and waive the $150 change penalty that applies to your ticket, however, I am not able to waive the difference in fare that would need to be collected should it apply.

As the fare you have purchased, is a non-refundable fare, you will need to contact the refunds department directly to confirm if any portion of your ticket can be refunded. Refunds can be contacted via email addressed to [redacted] or sent via mail to:

[redacted], thank you for giving me the chance to explain and apologize for what happened. I hope you are not discouraged from travelling with us again and that the next time you fly you will have a smoother, more enjoyable experience.

Kind Regards,

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Review: Thursday, August 15th, 201321:15 Scheduled to depart [redacted] on [redacted]Flight was listed as Delayed Virgin staff gave no information about when it would actually leave.We waited in the departure lounge with little or no information until we were finally asked to board the plane at 22:30.Friday, August 16th, 2013Aug 15th 22:30 Aug 16th 02:30We sat in our seats (with seatbelts fastened) on the tarmac while mechanics attempted to fix a problem with the steering. Believing the problem was fixed, the pilot began to taxi. He then announced that he could not steer the plane and that we would be returning to the gate.Ground staff told us we would be shuttled over to nearby [redacted] where they had arranged for us to spend the remainder of the night. Apparently, more parts were needed which had to come from [redacted] the following day. 02:30 disembarked the plane and collected our baggage.03:45 arrived at the hotel. Asked for late check out because we were exhausted were told by hotel staff that had not been arranged by Virgin.11:30 checked out and headed back to the airport with the intent of getting on the first available flight back to [redacted]. (Upon checking out of the hotel we were informed that Virgin had arranged for late check-out, however, this had not been communicated to us, so we were unaware of the change.)12:00 15:30 waited at check in. NO INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE UNTIL AROUND 15:15 WHEN WE FOUND OUT FROM OTHER PASSENGERS THAT THE PLANE CARRYING OUR PARTS IN FROM LONDON WAS ALSO DELAYED, AND THAT IT DIDNT EVEN HAVE ALL THE PARTS NEEDED.While waiting, it seemed as though the ground staff had little or no information on how and when we would depart. Instead of communicating directly with the crowd of 300+ passengers (i.e. via PA system, or even a megaphone) one or two Virgin employees would appear sporadically and address small groups with pieces of information, then disappear.During this time, our fellow passengers were growing more and more frustrated as we were not being told anything helpful regarding our departure. Indeed, the ground staff also seemed to be frustrated as they were being bombarded with questions for which they apparently had no answers.While we were waiting I asked if it would be possible for us to be seated in Premium Economy when we eventually were ready to leave. I was told this would not be possible as if we did this for you, we would have to do it for everybody that asks. I stressed that they should do it for everyone that asks, as long as seats are available, as we have been through so much already and are exhausted. I asked to see a supervisor and [redacted] came over. She repeated that she could not upgrade our seats and walked away. In the meantime, my suitcase had been damaged and I had to file a damage report. The stewardess that I spoke to (I did not get her name, but her skirt was too tight and the tops of her stockings were visible she looked a complete mess) reluctantly took the information and (I presume) filed the report after first challenging me about the tape that I had applied to the wheel of the suitcase, in an attempt to fix it.Ironically, later, when we were waiting in the departure lounge, that same stewardess found me and asked me to come to the desk to speak to [redacted] who, silently and matter-of-factly, reassigned myself and my daughter to Premium Economy seats! Perhaps she only just received word to do whatever she could to make the passengers more comfortable unfortunately because of our treatment prior to this, it was a hollow prize and quite frankly felt like too little, too late.Saturday, August 17th, 201302:30 finally departed on [redacted]13:00 arrived in [redacted] (local time)I have tried to account for all relevant events that took place in this 30 hour period for us while we waited for our flight. However, I would also like to address what happened to the people on the ** side, who were expecting us. Here is some background on why we were making the trip in the first place.My mother celebrated her 80th birthday on August 17th, 2013. Several months ago, she declared that her dream would be for me (her only remaining child) and her grand-daughter Lily, both living in the States, to come over and celebrate with her. She spent several months saving up for our fares. In addition, my other daughter (who lives in Turkey) was coordinating her travel so she could meet up with us in [redacted] upon our arrival. Mums favorite activity is going to the races at [redacted], so she laid on a minibus and invited friends and family from all over to join her at the races on August 17th. She had a lavish picnic planned which she had catered (from [redacted]). When it became clear that we would not arrive in time for the celebration, she cancelled the party. She was truly heartbroken that we werent there with her and that all her plans amounted to nothing.I will be submitting receipts for reimbursement as follows, but did not want to delay getting my message across while the facts are still fresh in my mind:Food for the party amounting to over [redacted]Driver wasted trips from [redacted] to [redacted] approx. [redacted] miles [redacted]Cancelled Mini-bus [redacted] (unrefundable)In SummaryMums 80th birthday party was cancelled and she was heartbrokenWe missed my oldest daughter who was flying in from TurkeySpent 30+ hours in and around [redacted] airport (including 5 hours on the runway)Lost 2 vacation daysOut of pocket [redacted]Filed Baggage Claim Ref: [redacted] on August 26th so far unansweredThe only way we could be enticed to fly Virgin to the ** again, is if we were offered complimentary tickets!Desired Settlement: In order for us to feel vindicated, we would require a full refund for the two round trip tickets from [redacted] to [redacted]. Alternatively, two replacement round trip tickets would be acceptable.

Business

Response:

Our ref: [redacted]

Review: I previously sent a compensation request for my delayed flight. I received the letter today after more than a month of sending it to you. The ref number is [redacted]. departure date was 16th jan 2014. it said my flight to [redacted] was delayed and they had to put me on a different flight. they said that I reached here at 1.07 on the 17th which ins't true as I reached [redacted] around 3am. the connecting flight to [redacted] was missed and they put me and my family, [redacted] and [redacted] on another flight to [redacted] and we were than told that we would be supplied with a bus ride to [redacted] and we reached [redacted] around 3am. I want my compensation and nothing else. I'm tired of the long waiting times and if possible, just send them to me via [redacted].Desired Settlement: I would like compensation via [redacted] as its faster and I don't want to wait a long time for a cheque to come in.

Business

Response:

Mr [redacted]

Dear Mr [redacted]

Thank you for sending your ** Compensation Application Form. We have now reviewed your claim in relation to the following flight:

Booking Reference

Flight Number

Scheduled Date of departure

Departure airport

Arrival Airport

16 January 2014

We regret to advise that we have declined your claim on the grounds that this flight arrived at its destination within 3 hours of its scheduled arrival time and is therefore not eligible for ** Compensation.

The scheduled arrival time of the flight was 17.55 on 16 January 2014 and the actual arrival time was19.26 on 16 January 2014, making a total delay into [redacted] of 1 hour and 31 minutes.

However I do understand that this delay then caused you to miss your connecting flight [redacted] to [redacted]. That said; I can see we were able to rebook you on to the [redacted] departing the same evening in a bid to minimise the overall disruption to your journey.

Although I understand this new flight was also delayed, you still arrived into New York less than three hours delayed.

Your original scheduled time of arrival into New York based on your initial flight was due to have been 22.25. And your actual time of arrival on the newly rebooked flight was 01.07, making a total arrival delay in to New York of 2 hours and 42 minutes.

** Compensation is only applicable to flights affected by delays on arrival in excess of 3 hours.

We offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by the disruption to your flight and any disappointment this decision brings.

Yours sincerely

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

do you mean the flight was delayed and I got a fligjt to new jersey and had to take a 2ish hour bus to [redacted]. what time did the flight assigned to me reach new jersey? im pretty sure that you mean my flight reached new jersey around 1 oclock and a few mins.

Sincerely,

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