Virgin Holidays have taken >£3k from account. Am at wits end

[chocoLit]

So would I be unreasonable for accusing Virgin Holidays for ruining Christmas?!?

We booked online last night. £3200. Paid full price. Flights & car hire for whole family. Dates Oct 2016. Holiday of a lifetime and not undertaken lightly.

An error message came up on screen asking us to call which I did this morning as soon as I could.

They're now claiming those flights don't exist anymore unless we pay them £1500 more.

OR for only £1k more they'll send us a different way with two stops instead of one.

As for the money, they won't return that sooner that 7-10 working days.

I feel like am being blackmailed here and almost at wits end.

Girl dealing was very pleasant but new to company so wasn't able to help much or any further.

Someone called 'Dave' is to be phoning me back but she's not sure when or what he's going to be able to do!!?

So, AIBU to turn up at Branston's door with the 3DC and have him explain why they're not getting their holiday!!!

Has anyone had this before? Any advice gratefully received.

Escalate as far as you can. Call centres are full of higher ups trying desperately not to take a call.

why does a holiday in october ruin christmas?

Bounce it all over twitter as well. and tell em that's what you're doing.

Out of order that.

this happened to us with virgin although we did not get as far as paying. When we rang it appeared that the flights were no longer available at that price, they wanted a grand more for three of us. We told them to piss off and took our custom elsewhere. Cheeky sods, we wondered at the time how common this was. I agree, escalate and insist you are paid the money back sooner if you want a refund. Why on earth do they want all of the money now anyway, it is 10 months away!

ariaba because they've had £3000 taken from their account ?

Arabia It's >£3k worth of worrying. And kids are involved here.

Causes me concern and upset which they're saying may not be fixed for 10working days.

£3000 that they happily spent so don't need for christmas, and it will be returned anyway

Oh shut up araiba. What's the bloody point of your goady comments to an OP who's already worried witless?

There's always one

Arabia it's MY £3k sitting in their account doing nothing but earning THEM interest and causing me concern.

I can't book anything else and I won't be blackmailed into paying a £1.7k difference.

I'm a bit confused - you booked and paid for a holiday, there was an error with the flight availability and you have been given the option to cancel or different flights at extra cost? I can see why you would be upset that what you booked is not available and that waiting for the refund is a problem but Virgin haven "taken" money from your account, why is Christmas ruined?

frustrating, but like araiba said, they haven't ruined christmas.

so when Dave calls you, ask for the 3k to be refunded asap

I'm sure they have caused a shit load of stress, but it isn't christmas money they have taken.

They've already told her it will take 7-10 days for a refund. Read the bloody thread ffs!

What outcome do you want - a refund or a holiday? Because it's not clear from your post. If you want a refund, ask for it and they have told you that it will take 7-10 working days. You don't need the money for Christmas obviously so you will have it back in plenty of time to book another holiday. Not are why it was necessary to pay the full cost this far in advance.

If you want this particular holiday, then you have to accept that the price has gone up while you have been investigating it and you either pay the increased amount or take your business elsewhere to somewhere which can accommodate your requirements.

They have taken money for a service that they are not supplying. If anyone else did that it would be theft. Why do they get to take her money then do a bait and switch? She can't book elsewhere now and is understandably a little cynical about them.

Sorry but I'm assuming you weren't expecting the full amount to be taken out or am I reading it wrong?

But it doesn't have anything to do with Christmas. Stop stressing wait for your refund and book in the new year.

I have read the thread, it's not very long..

The OP hasn't made clear what she wants to do. She has been told how long a refund will take but has she actually requested it yet?

escalate, tweet, keep records. Contact ABTA too and raise a complaint.

they won't be earning any interest worth anything, no-one does.

and the obvious check; as and when you do get your trip booked, the very next call is to the travel insurers to arrange that. Not relevant here but often forgotten when people book their own packages.

Twitter and Facebook. Share, share, share!

Araiba, just go away.

But it's 3k you agreed to give them? They haven't taken anything they weren't owed in the first place

Clearly you didn't need the money for Christmas else you wouldn't have booked a holiday the week previous, so just sit tight and get your refund, or pay the extra and change your flights. I get it's frustrating but it's hardly ruined Christmas.

Get all over Twitter and Facebook.
Disgraceful.

YANBU. If the flights weren't available they shouldn't have taken your money.
I'd be seething.
See what Dave has to say then be prepared to escalate.