Curious as to what the acceptable level of compensation should be for a 9hr delay on VA1 from 21MAY19 SYD-LAX.
Scheduled to depart at 0930 and departed at 1900 after a day in the lounge waiting due to ongoing engineering issues, rolling delays and a change of crew. Missed connections to the East Coast, events that evening and meetings the next day due to an involuntary night in LA as a result of the late arrival.
Virgin provided a handout to all pax offering a $100 travel bank credit OR 10,000 Velocity points.
Curious as to whether you all think that's acceptable compensation or whether I should be pushing for more?
I was a business class pax and a Velocity Plat if you think that makes any difference?
The amount of compensation will depend on what class you were flying and how much the airlines wishes to keep your business, i.e. your status level. Around 2 years ago I was caught up in the Listeria problems in LAX. Basically Listeria contamination was found in the caterers facility. Unfortunately VA's contingency plan was to bring in a bucket of curry chicken. As I ordered vegetarian meals, there was literally no onboard catering for me. All the crew could do was bring junk food; chips, chocolate, biscuits, etc. Yes it was appalling, but better than Listeria poisoning! Fortunately I was warned about the problem at check-in and ate in the lounge, but I was looking forward to the in-flight meals as they are such a high quality. I was flying Business and am a Platinum flyer. After complaining, I received 50,000 points. Thus I think you should receive more than 10K.
Sounds like a terrible inconvenience! Were you able to engage any travel insurance benefits to compensate? (Although I also believe that $100 does not compensate for what you went through)
What exactly will the OP claim on travel insurance? What monetary loss was suffered? The lounge supplied the food and presumably Virgin paid for the hotel.
Last editedby anonymous at May 28, 2019, 12:44 PM.
Depends on the travel insurance but a quick google with TID- $200 for >6h and less than 12h... may not be worth it depending on the policy excess. If there were other associated costs or you had a $0 excess then might as well although still may not be worth the stress/time
Delayed this year on QF Sydney to Singapore then London for 7 hours. Travelling in F as a paid fare and P status. Complained and told no compo because we are all about safety! Really annoyed as in UK you get 600 euro. The system over here really needs a shake up so when the carrier stuffs up and inconveniences/ disadvantages their customer that they offer appropriate compe
What I hate is ‘weather’ related delays and the inability to refund.
Jetstar cancelled my SYD-MEL 6pm due heavy winds and best could do was the 10pm the following night. I said no thanks as I could burn Virgin points on the 8am the following morning, so either refund or even credit shell but they wouldn’t budge.
Thanks to all for your feedback - I really appreciate your insight.
The delay was engineering, we pushed back from the gate and halfway through the safety demo there was an onboard power failure and suspected smoke alert in the cargo hold from a powerbank/battery packed into luggage. As a result a return to the gate was required and we disembarked. After 4hrs in the lounge on the ground, the ground crew ushered us back to the gate to board at which point when the boarding started the pilots and cabin crew felt they were being "rushed" by the airline and therefore declared themselves unfit for duty and decided to no longer operate the flight on safety concerns. The airline then needed to call another set of crew and this took the extra 4hrs to result in the 9hr delay. Throughout this process little information was provided about the new departure time and the missed connections so that passengers could coordinate changing any plans may have arranged. I decided to be proactive and called the Platinum line for alternative options I was told I would just have to "wait until the airline decides the flight will proceed or cancel the flight as the flight is still pending and not yet confirmed to depart before we can look at other airlines or other options for you".
I totally appreciate these things happen and prefer safety concerns happen on the ground than in the air. I just felt a $100/10k points compensation was a a poor effort of service recovery in the face of such a long delay, more-so for a business class passenger/Platinum member.
Re insurance, there is provision for a small monetary compensation of $50 however I feel that it is the airline's responsibility to make a better effort at service recovery. Virgin rebooked my connection arriving into NY 24hrs later on the same flight the next day and only after putting firm pressure on the ground staff on arrival, they did provide an airport hotel however this was not offered to many others, only those who were around the service desk when I was pushing them on it. So there was no financial cost to me other than the soft cost of missed business meetings and loss of productivity (I am a small business owner as am in NY for business development).
I will get in touch with the Platinum Velocity team and request a higher amount of points - thanks again for your feedback.
My SureSave insurance offers the below:
Waiting around allowance
After you’ve been delayed from departing by more than six hours, we’ll pay you a $50 allowance for each primary traveller# for each full or partial 12-hour period after that. You can use this allowance to cover meals, internet connection, cheap romantic novels – or anything else you choose to spend it on. You don’t need to provide us with any receipts for this allowance.
Being "rushed?" That's one reason I like many Asian airlines: the staff in such a situation would depart as soon as possible, not go home after having a fit.
Being "rushed?" That's one reason I like many Asian airlines: the staff in such a situation would depart as soon as possible, not go home after having a fit.
From what the replacement crew had told me, the original crew were being "rushed" to depart so they could stay within their duty hours (22hrs or something of the like). The aircraft had been sitting on the ground without air conditioning for 5hrs so I am told their concern also had to do the catering which was no longer refrigerated had spoiled and could be a health risk.
Were your connecting flights on the same ticket? Travel insurance, dependent on the policy, may be able to help (if it makes provisions for delays). Unless you incurred direct costs as a result (which you didn't) then it may be unlikely they would upgrade any cash offer, but I am sure they would (should) be able to do more with the points they offered you. I don't have experience of VA, but assuming a rough equivalence to other Airlines earning schemes, then I would have thought 10k is pretty weak.
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Compensation for 9hr delay on VA1 21MAY19
VA_flyer
VA_flyer
Member since 10 Aug 2016
Total posts 9
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Stephen D
Stephen D
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 12 Nov 2017
Total posts 42
The amount of compensation will depend on what class you were flying and how much the airlines wishes to keep your business, i.e. your status level. Around 2 years ago I was caught up in the Listeria problems in LAX. Basically Listeria contamination was found in the caterers facility. Unfortunately VA's contingency plan was to bring in a bucket of curry chicken. As I ordered vegetarian meals, there was literally no onboard catering for me. All the crew could do was bring junk food; chips, chocolate, biscuits, etc. Yes it was appalling, but better than Listeria poisoning! Fortunately I was warned about the problem at check-in and ate in the lounge, but I was looking forward to the in-flight meals as they are such a high quality. I was flying Business and am a Platinum flyer. After complaining, I received 50,000 points. Thus I think you should receive more than 10K.
DiveTravel
DiveTravel
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 19 Feb 2016
Total posts 15
Sounds like a terrible inconvenience! Were you able to engage any travel insurance benefits to compensate? (Although I also believe that $100 does not compensate for what you went through)
johnaboxall
johnaboxall
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 24 Aug 2011
Total posts 384
It could happen to any airline. I'd be wanting 30k points. And hit up your travel insurance.
anonymous
anonymous
Member since 24 Dec 2013
Total posts 159
What exactly will the OP claim on travel insurance? What monetary loss was suffered? The lounge supplied the food and presumably Virgin paid for the hotel.
Jobeki
Jobeki
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 03 May 2019
Total posts 6
Depends on the travel insurance but a quick google with TID- $200 for >6h and less than 12h... may not be worth it depending on the policy excess. If there were other associated costs or you had a $0 excess then might as well although still may not be worth the stress/time
Saab34
Saab34
Member since 08 Sep 2018
Total posts 12
Last year was delayed BNE-LAX 11am to 9pm (well was worse for me as I connected from Melbourne on the 6am), and they have us 20k points.
obanpointer
obanpointer
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 08 Jun 2014
Total posts 318
Delayed this year on QF Sydney to Singapore then London for 7 hours. Travelling in F as a paid fare and P status. Complained and told no compo because we are all about safety! Really annoyed as in UK you get 600 euro. The system over here really needs a shake up so when the carrier stuffs up and inconveniences/ disadvantages their customer that they offer appropriate compe
Saab34
Saab34
Member since 08 Sep 2018
Total posts 12
What I hate is ‘weather’ related delays and the inability to refund.
VA_flyer
VA_flyer
Member since 10 Aug 2016
Total posts 9
Thanks to all for your feedback - I really appreciate your insight.
My SureSave insurance offers the below:
Waiting around allowance
After you’ve been delayed from departing by more than six hours, we’ll pay you a $50 allowance for each primary traveller# for each full or partial 12-hour period after that. You can use this allowance to cover meals, internet connection, cheap romantic novels – or anything else you choose to spend it on. You don’t need to provide us with any receipts for this allowance.
Traveller14
Traveller14
Member since 17 Sep 2015
Total posts 73
Being "rushed?" That's one reason I like many Asian airlines: the staff in such a situation would depart as soon as possible, not go home after having a fit.
VA_flyer
VA_flyer
Member since 10 Aug 2016
Total posts 9
From what the replacement crew had told me, the original crew were being "rushed" to depart so they could stay within their duty hours (22hrs or something of the like). The aircraft had been sitting on the ground without air conditioning for 5hrs so I am told their concern also had to do the catering which was no longer refrigerated had spoiled and could be a health risk.
Ourmanin
Ourmanin
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
Member since 08 Jun 2018
Total posts 144
Were your connecting flights on the same ticket? Travel insurance, dependent on the policy, may be able to help (if it makes provisions for delays). Unless you incurred direct costs as a result (which you didn't) then it may be unlikely they would upgrade any cash offer, but I am sure they would (should) be able to do more with the points they offered you. I don't have experience of VA, but assuming a rough equivalence to other Airlines earning schemes, then I would have thought 10k is pretty weak.