Holiday air miles rip-off

Hello,

I called Virgin holidays to discuss a week in Barbados departing next Sat (sounds good so far). As I'm a member of the flying club I asked the sales consultant to confirm that I'd earn miles with the holiday and she said yes so I booked and paid over the phone. It turns out though the economy class of the plane ticket is N and the flying club have subsequently told me that I will not earn miles. Needless to say I'm very upset as I wouldn't have booked the holiday if I'd known. I've since had loads of rubbish/unhelpful conversations with the service centre in India who's only response is sorry but they can do nothing about my problem. Various people there have also promised that a manager will call me back (hasn't happened). I'm gutted!

Any advice or tips? I feel like a bought an orange, paid, got home and found out I was given a lemon. Surely they should change the class of the ticket if that's what I was sold?

Hello,

I used VH for our Christmas Holidays and I am sure the Class of Ticket was an H. I have got miles and Tier points.

Was this a promo deal through the paper or web site?

I think the main issue you now face is that you depart next Saturday. So you need to move fast. I suggest you fax VH now and explain the situation. Explain very clearly what you want them to do to resolve the issue. Also explain that you consider their promise of miles an verbal clause in the contract between you, and that they are about to breech contract. Give a time limit for their response.

Also suggest you send it to a specific person at VH. A person with a name. Ring up and ask for the MD's secretary and send it to him or her. If they will not put you through get the MD's name and fax number, send it then ring to confirm it has been received.

A holiday is important. So keep in mind that your aim is to get satisfaction, but to also enjoy your holiday. At the end of they day keep it in proportion, and remember they are just a few miles (yes I know they have a value)

If however you have not got satisfaction before you leave write another letter and fax it saying that you still intend going on the holiday to allow them to perform the remainder of the contract apart from the miles promise and that by doing so you are limiting their damage exposure to just the area of dispute (ie the miles). However also explain that in no way does your going on holiday indicate that you have accepted the removal of the miles promised from the contract.

Ulktimately I believe you have a simple sale of goods/contract claim that could be persued in small claims. However lets hope it doesn't get to that. If you are an honest looking person, I think you have every chance of winning. Above all keep your cool - you win huge points doing that - Assertive not aggressive.

We have a number of members here who are in the legal field and they may care to add to / correct what I have said.

Sorry to double post

PS - write a diary of events now. You will not remember it later if push comes to shove and that would weaken your case - people believe people with good documentation

Originally posted by ryans02
Hello,

I called Virgin holidays to discuss a week in Barbados departing next Sat (sounds good so far). As I'm a member of the flying club I asked the sales consultant to confirm that I'd earn miles with the holiday and she said yes so I booked and paid over the phone. It turns out though the economy class of the plane ticket is N and the flying club have subsequently told me that I will not earn miles. Needless to say I'm very upset as I wouldn't have booked the holiday if I'd known. I've since had loads of rubbish/unhelpful conversations with the service centre in India who's only response is sorry but they can do nothing about my problem. Various people there have also promised that a manager will call me back (hasn't happened). I'm gutted!

Any advice or tips? I feel like a bought an orange, paid, got home and found out I was given a lemon. Surely they should change the class of the ticket if that's what I was sold?

Seems pretty straightforward to me - you were advised wrongly by the agent and sold something that was not what you asked for. I'm sure it's a genuine mistake but the law is certainly on your side, especially as you know what you want and are able to see straightaway that's it's incorrect.

As for escalation past talking to someone reading from a script in India, I'm afraid I don't know. Anyone?

David.

[HighFlyer]

Im not a legal eagle (where's our Jason when you need him!) but the only problem i forsee if you go down the legal route is trying to prove (other than word of mouth) that you were definately offered miles earning fares

But ... before it all gets to that stage, write to VS explaining your issues and see what sort of written response you can get from them. They usually do a cracking job at customer services and if you explain that your only after what you were orginally promised (miles earning fares) then its relatively simple for them to credit you the miles you were due.

I would strongly advise this route of action before any other. Addresses can be found for VS on the VA website under the contact us section.

Unprovable word of mouth is common - IME judges are pretty good at cutting through the c$3P and seeing if someone is probably telling the truth. It was this thought that prompted my "be well documented" suggestions. However as you very rightly say lets hope it doesn't come to that.

Re contacting VS - Do you think they would be able to help with what is essentially a booking complaint when the booking was taken by an agent (VH in this case)?

[HighFlyer]

Re contacting VS - Do you think they would be able to help with what is essentially a booking complaint when the booking was taken by an agent (VH in this case)?

note to self: Read things properly first!

I would write to VH in that case, they have a customer services department - i know as i have made a complaint before - so its worth writing to them for their take on it.

I would write to Flying Club, as while the booking is VH, the miles creditation is a VA/FC issue.

Then i would write to Virgin at Crawley, particularly to SRB's office for a response.

Include copies of all letters in each correspondance. If you cover all angles you are less likely to get the 'its not our problem contact these people' remark as they can see you have already been down that route.

Simple, effective letter writing done in a plain but non-offensive way is often the easiest way to a clear resolution.

I would try the above and see what the response is.

Originally posted by HighFlyer

Re contacting VS - Do you think they would be able to help with what is essentially a booking complaint when the booking was taken by an agent (VH in this case)?

note to self: Read things properly first!

UhHu. Too much apple pie and custard was it?;)

Agree on the rest though - 3 way angle very subtle tactic[y]s

One of these ways must work!!!!!!!

If it was me, I would go straight to V.A customer relations as they are the only people who can physically credit the miles to your account....

Best of Luck........[ii]

Thinking about it, you could plead that VH should only be booking EC seats in V class???

I am right in saying that V+H fares are specifically for VH only???

If this is the case, pursue you claim based on the fact that they should have used a V fare which is a 100% mileage earn - fare type.

Hi all,

Thanks for all your responses. Very helpful! Just had a lengthy conversation with the UK service centre (head office of service centres so they told me). Got the number from another thread on this site - 0871 22 3828. They were quite candid and engaging unlike the India site. Virgin rep I talked to said there was no way that they could credit me miles now but advised me to complain in writing. He didn't actually agree/disagree that I was mis-sold a product, played it quite cool with me. Apparently Virgin holidays don't advise on air miles as VA are a different company (tell that to the sales rep). He said they would need to investigate. He gave me an email address to complain but said it could take up to 28 days to get a response. Pleased I was able to talk to someone who would engage me but am still very, very, very unhappy at being sold something other than what I was told I was buying. I told him I would be happy for Virgin to pull the tapes to check on my original conversation with the sales consultant but for some reason he didn't seem too interested in that idea... He also said that I should have checked my class when I booked the holiday. I assumed when you ask a sales consultant if your class receives air miles and were told yes that that was confirming the class?

Anyway I'm going to send an email to UK service centre. I also have the email address of the customer relations dept (from another conversation). Do you think I should send to both? I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks,

Steve

I'd send a letter to the HQ AND also send the e-mails.

Steve - can I ask if you paid over the phone on a credit card? As this will afford you extra protection with the credit card company in case of dispute over what you asked for and what you received.

( Hoping it doesn't come to that of course.... )

Thanks,

David.

Letter to the big man I think is in order, cheating you out of your miles is no good for business.

[HighFlyer]

Ditto sending a letter, i always find it recieves better attention than an email, and definately write to SRB's office.

Moral of the story for the future is to ask them to check the specific fare code for the tickets they are booking you (I know its a bit late now). I booked two VH in 2003 and requested this information as i wanted to know for my own sake and curiosity, but also incase i wanted to upgrade (was booking PE) My booking agent had to come back to me to find out, but she did come good in the end!

I think you stand a good stead in saying that you did ask for confirmation that the tickets were of an elligible fare and had this confirmed to you, so take that to the big mans office and see what they have to say. It may take a while to get a response, but persevere with it!

I agree about a letter. It comes over as all together more serious. I suspect they were not interested about the tapes as they don't exist -not everything is taped. I would still diary everything just in case and go with highflys suggestion of several copy letters. Let them know how you feel about it now, and they have a chance to correct the situation, and maybe do something for all the worry and hassle you have had.

I noticed something you said about the booking class. I have to say that is a lame comment - how many people would know what miles are earned with each booking class. I am a VS fan and I don't!

Keep at 'em, and I hope it all sorts itself to your satisfaction.

I will post the email as well to the MD at Crawley and hopefully that will help. Yes I did book via my Egg card actually so maybe I can use this if necessary.

How do I go about getting SRB office address to fire him off a copy?

Will still have a good holiday but am very disappointed that Virgin misled me. Am trying to get my club status up to silver! Does that make much of a difference?

Thanks again guys. Brilliant forum this...

[HighFlyer]

How do I go about getting SRB office address to fire him off a copy?

Address sent to you VIA PM

Has anyone else ever heard of VH sending out an N class ticket for a Holiday booking - it would appear unusual and that woudl be one of the angles I woudl complain about - and secondly the call centres are always telling us "that yoru call may be recorded for training purposes" so have you asked if your was recorded.

I am assuming you have the acyual ticket in your hand?

Are there any VH staffers on the board who could confirm why an N class ticket has been issued when the standard is for V and miles allocation ( and isnt it just "the norm" that a VH ticket in economy on VS earns miles????)

Right. Emails and letters sent. One of the letters to SRB. Lets hope VH correct their mistake. Ticket in my hand and all paid for so I'm sort off at their mercy with regard to this unfortunately... I do hope it can be sorted as I feel I have been treated very shoddily!

Thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know how I get on.

Good luck and I hope it is all sorted by Saturday. Have a great trip though.

Originally posted by ryans02
Right. Emails and letters sent. One of the letters to SRB. Lets hope VH correct their mistake. Ticket in my hand and all paid for so I'm sort off at their mercy with regard to this unfortunately... I do hope it can be sorted as I feel I have been treated very shoddily!

Thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know how I get on.

Enjoy ryans02 - here's hoping for a satisfactory conclusion on your return:)

[ChuckC]

ryans02,
So sorry about all this mess, but you surely must feel better knowing that your friends on V-Flyer want to help and in fact, have already given you some very helpful input. You've already heard from some of our most respected members.

Originally posted by ryans02
I will post the email as well to the MD at Crawley and hopefully that will help.

Out of a concern for fairness, the mods ask that members hold off on posting copies of letters or e-mails to SRB/Crawley, etc. until a response is received, which we'd obviously want to see posted as well. This gives everyone the opportunity to evaluate VS objectively.

Best regards,
Chuck-

[preiffer]

Further to Chuck's points above, please ensure when posting any communications that names are left off - it's unfair on the originator unless they've approved of such posting.

Also, please consider if the response was confidential. If so, it should really not be posted on a public website...