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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

315 replies

chocoLit · 16/12/2015 15:26

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.

OP posts:
ihatevirginmobile · 16/12/2015 20:57

Welllllll.....I think you can guess from my name - Virgin aren't my favourite company either...
After a year of being messed about I am more or less finally free.
Although they have sent me another bill...(and they wondered why I cancelled my direct debit and refused to set up a new one).
Which I have no intention of paying seeing as the last person I spoke to (finally someone who could do customer services) after apologising for how shit they had been, etc etc and knocking various amounts off my bill after yet another fuck up just wrote the whole thing off...and told me to ignore any more requests for payment. I am wondering of the balliffs will eventually turn up....wouldn't surprise me...
After at one point nearly daily phone calls to them sometimes a couple of times a day (their customer service is truly shit) - I almost miss talking to them. I wake up in the morning and think do I need to chase Virgin today?
(And I have been told they (Virgin Mobile) will call me back countless times but they never actually have... ever....)
Sorry OP - get your money back and go with another company - any other company - they can't possibly be as bad as Virgin. At least with another company you won't turn up for your flights and find they have booked you on ones going to Australia or ones on the 31st Sept or something ... and if they have they are more likely to be able to just deal with it ...

jellyfrizz · 16/12/2015 20:58

choco YANBU. I can't believe other posters think it's fine to take money for something you can't deliver.

LyndaNotLinda · 16/12/2015 21:09

Alice - a shop doesn't take your money unless they have the goods. Virgin took the OP's cash and then decided that they weren't prepared to sell her the holiday at that price.

I don't care how long the bank takes. It's not the OP's fault - it's Virgin's

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 21:18

Lyndanotlinda. You make no sense. You don't care how long the banks take its virgins fault? VH have said they will make a refund. Is it Virgins fault if the bank takes 7-10 days to refund it.

I know from taking customers money on a card machine in the past that when you refund it to the card it doesn't always go back immediately. It can take a few days. Was that the company I was working for to blame? No.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 16/12/2015 21:23

Considering that you can transfer money and it leaves your account immediately, I can't see a reason why the same shouldn't apply in reverse and you should have the money refunded straight away.

If it was me, I would worry about the delay and that would be the thing is hat would spoil Christmas, because if they stick to the 7-10 working days, it'll be after Christmas by the time it hits the account again.

Obviously too, if it was to be the surprise for the DC, that's spoiled now, or at least, may well be. That's a lot of money and it would certainly worry me considerably.

I hope you can resolve it OP.

LyndaNotLinda · 16/12/2015 21:27

Don't be so patronising. The OP bought something for a price. After she'd paid, the vendor decided they didn't want to sell her what she'd paid for at the price they agreed and decided they wanted to charge her around 30% more. So she said she didn't want it any more.

At that point, she should get her money back.

I really don't think it's relevant how long the banks take to process refunds. As I said, the issue is of VH's making, not the OP's.

But In any event, she paid on a debit card, meaning that VH would have had her money immediately. There's fuck all reason why they can't make a BACS transfer.

It's utterly crap to hide behind bank processing time. In any case, why should that be the OP's problem rather than that of the party that changed the terms of the agreement?

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 21:30

Foxyloxy. The reason I was always given by the card merchants was that it was to do with Anti money laundering regulations.

Another point people have missed (although some have pointed it out) is that there are only a finite number of seats at a discounted price. These will be sold via many different routes on the Internet. So they may have been sold
By another outlet - perhaps one that is not Virgin.
It's not like selling a car where you go to the showroom, pay, and take it away. It is far more complex. I would guess that VH has to by the seats off VA just like any other holiday company so you pay for your holiday and then when they try to book the seat has sold.

It's no ones fault. It's just bad luck.

MetalMidget · 16/12/2015 21:34

This does seem utterly bonkers - I would have thought that if you'd clicked 'pay', and the money had come out of your account, then legally the transaction was complete and a contract entered. I don't see how you can click buy, have your money taken, then be told that what you've bought has just gone up in price and you need to pay extra. :/

And aren't bank processing times normally 2-3 days?

Alice1983 · 16/12/2015 21:35

Lynda, Virgin have to take the money first as they are selling Flight Seats on Live Availability with Cancellation Charges and not a Bag that they can see available in front of their eyes in a Shop.
Foxyloxy, yes I know stupid ayeeee. Thats the say the Banks work..its not Virgin.

tobysmum77 · 16/12/2015 21:37

I think it's out of order but yabu to be 'at your wits end'. You are going to get the money back.

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 21:40

Lynda. It's not being patronising. And VH have offered a refund. Why is it their fault if it is the bank takes that long to refund.

Many companies will only refund via the method of payment. Money laundering regulations means that companies are wary of this - especially on sums of over £1000.

Indeed, VH may do the refund immediately. Once it has left their account how can it be their responsibility.

As I said in my previous post. It's not just VH selling that seat. It could be available to many other online holiday companies as well. And they may have bought the seats just before the OP pressed buy.

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 21:42

Alice1983. At last. Someone that understands how the system works and how it's not as simple as selling a stocked item on a shelf Wink

Viviennemary · 16/12/2015 21:43

Report them to Trading Standards and Abta. This is totally out of order. They should be named and shamed. Crooks.

Alice1983 · 16/12/2015 21:46

Do what Vivienne says and report back here Xmas Wink

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 21:49

Like it Alice. Oh. And I but the T's & C's cover all of this.

MuttonWasAGoose · 16/12/2015 22:01

Didn't the op clear the browser cookies and find the same price still on offer?

TheSecondViola · 16/12/2015 22:05

People are adding in a lot of intent etc that isn't there. There isn't someone watching you book and then saying, hey, what if we cancel it and try and charge more? That'd be fun. Its complex computer systems. Errors happen. Its not in virgins interests either, it costs them time and money to faff around doing refunds and fielding complaints. If they could have sold you what you wanted they would have done. It was an error.
Neither are they "hiding behind bank processes", there is nothing they can do about the bank and their methods. Again, it would be far easier and therefore cheaper for them to be able to push a button and give you s refund. They can't.

You can report them to whoever you like, but errors happen and there isn't much you can do about that.

jellyfrizz · 16/12/2015 22:07

Why not have systems that only take money if you can actually provide the service? Check seats - take money, rather than take money - check seats. Like cinemas.

SummerNights1986 · 16/12/2015 22:09

But In any event, she paid on a debit card, meaning that VH would have had her money immediately. There's fuck all reason why they can't make a BACS transfer

There is EVERY reason why they wouldn't make a BACS transfer! A company would never ever refund by BACS for something paid by card.

If they did refund by BACS and then in 2 weeks it was discovered that the original payment was fraudulent it would be Virgin that would be responsible for refunding the debit card that was used. And there'd be nothing they could do about the BACS transfer, which cannot be recalled.

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 22:11

Jellyfrizz. It's because VH have to buy the seat from VA. and if they cancel they are subject to cancellation fees - just like any other of VA's customers.

If they made the booking with the airline and then the end customer either cancelled the booking or their card was declined VH would be liable to those cancellation fees.

jellyfrizz · 16/12/2015 22:34

So VH check seats are available from VA - then take money? Why not Change name to Randomer Holidays if not actually part of VA and not able to provide seats on VA at agreed price.

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 22:38

Jelly - because not only are they 2 separate trading companies but also because the seats and prices are available to many other customers, not just VH

hefzi · 16/12/2015 22:38

OP, you hadn't booked, because you hadn't received the confirmation - it doesn't matter that you've filled in all the details and hit pay: you haven't booked until you receive the confirmation email, and you wrote in your OP that this hadn't happened because you got the error message telling you to ring. And yes, it's perfectly possible - especially given that you are booking multiple tickets, that that price tier had sold out - presumably, with DCs and booking in October, you were going for round half-term?

Anyway, you seem determined to go for ill intent on Virgin's part Confused

I've explained what you need to do to get your money back quicker, as have other PP, and we've explained that it's the merchant processing, not Virgin - but again, for whatever reason, it's not getting through. Perhaps you could contact the Mail or Express tomorrow and do a sad face article with them?

You seem to enjoy being irate about this, and not wanting to be assisted, so I will wish you a lovely Christmas and a speedy rebooking of your flight.

Alice1983 · 16/12/2015 22:41

Why would they want to change their name? I dont get it?

Ohbehave1 · 16/12/2015 22:42

Hefzi. I am with you on the reasons but that is unfair on the OP as I think she has understood the reasons why. Other posters on the other hand.....