Virgin Atlantic refuse refund

[silver_age]

I don't know about everybody else, but if my flight goes but I can't because of restrictions, they rebook me. So they still have to take me another day. For that reason it surely makes sense to cancel the flight rather than run it empty and still have to take all those passengers on another flight.

[Cabbie]

Originally Posted by silver_age

I suppose we’ll find out in the coming weeks. When are VA’s direct flights to Orlando scheduled to start up again? Does anyone know?

See more...

Currently February 5th.

However, unless the CDC decided to include MCO in it's list of approved airports for international travellers (or Aliens as they would say) then flights won't resume.

-Steve

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by silver_age

I don't know about everybody else, but if my flight goes but I can't because of restrictions, they rebook me. So they still have to take me another day. For that reason it surely makes sense to cancel the flight rather than run it empty and still have to take all those passengers on another flight.

See more...

If they allow you to rebook, then you've no longer paid for a seat on that flight, you've paid for a seat on a different flight. If the seats are not paid for, then I agree the airline may be better off not operating that flight, much the same calculation they make in normal times for quiet flights.

Apologies, I wasn't clear that I was more referring to the underlying T&C's rather than the special allowances many airlines have made for covid. In which case if the airline cancels they owe you a refund, but many passengers won't be entitled to a refund if they cancel because of the class of ticket they booked in the first place. Thus if the airline flies they get paid for the seats (occupied or not), if they don't fly they owe a refund. It is in these circumstances that I can see them flying fairly empty flights, but I take the point those circumstances are mostly superseded by special covid allowances at the moment.

I have however seen at least one story of somebody not going on their flight because of the restrictions, expecting a refund only to be told the airline was sticking to the original T&C's, the flight went and they effectively cancelled.

[silver_age]

Fair enough. I admit I was looking at it from the point of view of people who have booked in the last few days like me and have all the various covid guarantees in place. I guess some people could have booked the same flight as me but done it maybe 9 months ago when there were no such guarantees in place.

[lizzie145]

Originally Posted by silver_age

I don't know about everybody else, but if my flight goes but I can't because of restrictions, they rebook me. So they still have to take me another day. For that reason it surely makes sense to cancel the flight rather than run it empty and still have to take all those passengers on another flight.

See more...

it would depend on the restrictions.

At the time the OP booked, pre covid, then insurance may have covered the flight but they were not able to travel as the ESTA may have been cancelled.
However the flight departed so that is not VAs problem (unlike earlier in the year) and they offered an open ticket .

We do not know how many passengers were on the flight and it could have been full of cargo especially if the only flight that week.