Virgin Atlantic's Shocking Customer Service Fiasco: A Vacation Ruined!

A Disastrous Vacation Experience

My wife and I planned a trip to London and Paris using points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Virgin Atlantic for our flights. The itinerary included a flight from Washington, D.C., to London, the Eurostar train to Paris, and a return flight on Air France from Paris to Washington.

The Cancellation Chaos

On the morning of our departure, we received a flight cancellation notice. I immediately contacted Virgin customer service and spoke to a representative who rebooked us on a British Airways flight for the same day. However, I received an email without a locator number, prompting me to call back. The next representative informed me that the British Airways flight was unavailable and promised that the original representative would call me within 60 minutes to confirm another flight.

The Frustrating Wait

Despite my attempts to follow up over a five-hour period, I never received the promised call back. I have documented evidence of my calls and the time spent on the phone. Virgin offered to rebook us on a flight two days later, but the costs for our hotels and Eurostar were significantly higher, and my wife could only take her vacation on the planned days. I sought a refund of the Virgin Atlantic points that were transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards.

The Airline's Responsibility

Unfortunately, Virgin Atlantic seemed to mishandle the situation. They should have refunded our points without delay. Ultimately, it doesn't matter why your flight was canceled; when an airline cancels, you are entitled to your money or points back.

Resolution and Acknowledgment of Failure

After contacting Virgin Atlantic on your behalf, a representative acknowledged multiple failures in customer service. They credited back your points, provided a flight voucher for the inconvenience, and reimbursed you for the nonrefundable Eurostar tickets lost due to the cancellation.

Christopher Elliott is the author of The Unauthorized Travel Manual and founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that assists consumers in resolving their issues. For help, you can email him at chris@elliott.org or visit his site.