Virgin Reward Flights - Change to refund policy?

Just about to push the button and book a reward flight for 2021

I noticed that the fare restrictions now say that the miles and taxes would be refunded in the event of me cancelling the flight, but not the carrier applied surcharges (the bulk of the fare)

Is this new? I've already had to cancel two reward flights this year and got everything back, all the cash and the miles

Wondering if I missed this change and it's been around for a while or if Virgin have only recently added this policy

Thanks, Linda

Can you post the text that said that? Might help in deciphering!

Section 4.2.1 here: https://www.virginatlantic.com/us/en/fo ... miles.html covers the refunds.

It's ambiguously worded as it only mentions the £30 / $50 fee for cancellation. It does state that the miles are refunded, but no mention either way about the YQ (carrier imposed surcharges). I was under the impression that you got everything back, less the £30 / $50 fee. There was a time when the fee was waived for FC Gold members - certainly in the case of date changes, as opposed to cancellation. This was stopped some time ago though.

A few years ago I had to cancel an Upper Class reward ticket (as a lowly Flying Club Silver member) and got everything back, less the £30 fee. The refund was pretty prompt too - but we won't go there given the current situation re: refunds...!

Section 4.2.1 here: https://www.virginatlantic.com/us/en/fo ... miles.html covers the refunds.

It's ambiguously worded as it only mentions the £30 / $50 fee for cancellation. It does state that the miles are refunded, but no mention either way about the YQ (carrier imposed surcharges). I was under the impression that you got everything back, less the £30 / $50 fee. There was a time when the fee was waived for FC Gold members - certainly in the case of date changes, as opposed to cancellation. This was stopped some time ago though.

A few years ago I had to cancel an Upper Class reward ticket (as a lowly Flying Club Silver member) and got everything back, less the £30 fee. The refund was pretty prompt too - but we won't go there given the current situation re: refunds...!

Yes, my own recent experience of a cancelled flight confirmed that all miles, taxes and carrier imposed surcharges are refunded. And no £30 fee. My miles were back in my account within seconds but I'm on day 64 of waiting for the 90 day refund window to close...then I'm on to VS again for my money

Paul

Yes in the past, I have always got everything back when I’ve cancelled a reward flight but there appears to be new fare conditions now

The exact wording is as follows

Taxes and surcharges, unused government and airport taxes will be refunded, carrier imposed surcharges will NOT be refunded

Out or a £630 fare, over £400 is carrier imposed surcharges so it doesn’t look like they will refund them

I’ve never noticed this in the fare conditions before so I think it might be new?

I’m not sure that would stand up to legal scrutiny. Stating on the one hand that “carrier imposed surcharges will not be refunded” but on the other that “taxes and surcharges will be refunded” is ambiguous to say the least.

Nonetheless if this is a new development it’s extremely unwelcome and has been introduced in a very underhand way.

Maybe one for Raffles to investigate on headforpoints?

I’m sure I would have noticed it before
No matter what class of reward flight I looked at, it clearly states changes permitted but that the flight was non-refundable
I’ve always enjoyed the fact that reward flights were fully refundable so this is indeed an unwelcome change

This the exact wording of 4.2.1

4.2.1 Once Reward tickets are issued, you may amend your travel date, route or class of service prior to travel for an amendment fee of £30 for changes to international flights originating in the UK, US$50 for changes to international flights originating in the US or local currency equivalent of US$50 for changes to flights originating in any other region. Where the Reward is a Companion Reward and the person travelling on the paying ticket changes his or her flight or class of travel, the Companion Reward may be similarly amended for the same amendment fees, subject to availability of seats and the provisions of section 4.4 of these Flying Club Terms

Once tickets for a Reward Booking are issued, no name changes are allowed. If for any reason a flight Reward is cancelled by the Member outside 24 hours of departure, 100% of the Miles will be re-credited to the Member’s account. A cancellation fee of £30 for changes to flights originating in the UK, US$50 for changes to flights originating in the US or local currency equivalent of US$50 for changes to flights originating in any other region will apply.

No mention of retaining the carrier surchages. Mind no mention of refunding the proper taxes and fees either ...

Indeed, no mention either way in the FC T&Cs.

But Linda’s right, it does state quite clearly that carrier imposed surcharges won’t be refunded in the Fare Rules you can click on (but hardly anyone does) before paying for a reward flight.

Question is - is this a new development, hastily and sneakily brought in to ease the Covid cashflow crisis? Or has it always been the case, no-one’s ever noticed before and VS has never enforced it?

Indeed, no mention either way in the FC T&Cs.

But Linda’s right, it does state quite clearly that carrier imposed surcharges won’t be refunded in the Fare Rules you can click on (but hardly anyone does) before paying for a reward flight.

Question is - is this a new development, hastily and sneakily brought in to ease the Covid cashflow crisis? Or has it always been the case, no-one’s ever noticed before and VS has never enforced it?

I’m sure I would have noticed it had it always been there. I am always super cautious of T&Cs!
I booked another flight a little over a month ago and it wasn’t worded in this way then so I think this is a new restriction to reward seat bookings

For what it’s worth I asked VS via whatsapp. After 4 days this, regrettably, was their reply:

It's lovely to see you are apart of our Flying Club!. . We do not refund the YQ tax on a ticket. I hope this helps!

Linda, Gumshoe,

You could possibly explore Waybackmachine https://archive.org/web --- its an internet archive that shows what websites looked like historically, you type in Virgin Atlantic, play with dates and hopefully they have archived the page you require ......

Just posted on the refund thread. I have just booked 2 UC tickets for next year and asked specifically about this issue. The agent was quite clear that in the event of having to cancel you would receive all miles and money back less the £30 per person admin fee.
Hope this helps
Michael

I know I've semi resurrected this thread but thought it was worth doing.

I’ve just done a dummy reward booking and the T&Cs state that the carrier imposed surcharge will be refunded (along with all miles, taxes and other surcharges) and the only charge I can spot is the £30 admin fee.