Virgin Atlantic released a post on Facebook yesterday about its refund process that yielded hundreds of replies from passengers who were furious after waiting for months to get their money back for canceled flights.
Virgin Atlantic was about to go under and demanded a bailout from the UK government that didn’t happen (read more here, here and here). The airline received a mini cash infusion (likely inadequate) earlier this month from Sir Richard and some other investors (read more here).
You can access Virgin Atlantic here.
Here’s the release from Virgin Atlantic:
Here are some replies:
- Refund requested on 13th April and was quoted up to 90 days. On the 90th day I was told 120 days. 120 days is up on 13th August, wonder what excuse I’ll be told then ? Obviously this will be taken into consideration next time I book flights.
- You cancelled my flight 12th May and I requested a refund, I had to pay for flights back on Delta! you tell me today it’s going to be 13th September that’s over 4 months, shameful abuse of your loyal customers.
- Would it not be better to make those people that are waiting up to 120 days for a refund your priority? That way, they might even consider booking with you again.
Conclusion
Let’s be very clear. The only issue that delays these valid refunds with all airlines is not the lack of employees to process them (how many seconds can it take to choose REFUND and press ENTER?) but lacking CASH reserves.
I guess that they hope to get enough cash in from new bookings (for flights that won’t often even take place) to pay for the past refunds.
There aren’t any other options than to allow weak airlines to collapse OR get owners to recapitalize them. Otherwise, we will have these huge zombie airlines with mountains of debt under which they eventually collapse.
I strongly advise anyone from buying any travel in advance right now. It is unclear when travel, transit, and entry bans are lifted, and what airlines will survive all this.
Where I am from that’s called an “interest-free loan”. Using COVID as an excuse, many companies are now enjoying interest-free loans courtesy of their customers – Acting as banks (though no bank would do that).
The credit card companies withheld money. Where are you from, incidentally?
Like you, I struggled to get my refund (of taxes from an award flight) and they also kept pushing me off. I worked both the email angle and the Twitter team. After trying to delay me a 3rd time, I complained mightily and they relented. I got refunded in late June.
Try Twitter. Also, why not complain to your credit card issuer?
Yet another reason to prefer Delta. I had two tickets that got totally messed up due to the COVID cancellations but a 5 minute Twitter chat got them cancelled and the refund was on my card faster than ever. I think it was the next day.
Delta didn’t have every single one of its flights cancelled, and money from credit card transactions Withheld, though…. Now, imagine if that had have happened. Do you think it still would have taken you 5 minutes?
Agree that it would not have.
Which seems like good reasons to fly Delta? Like, I tried to avoid LATAM Argentina when I lived there because their financial chaos led to occasional problems.