Anyone else frustrated with retro claims?? I've been waiting 10 months!!

[chris!]

Hey guys

On a number of occassions, I've had to raise retro claims when points from partner airlines haven't posted. I'm yet to have a good experience with retro@ ... they barely respond, and when they do it's with the wrong information!

My current worst case is a claim I first submitted 10 months ago. It's for a VX flight that I upgraded from Main Cabin to Main Cabin Select at check-in. Apparently when that happens, VX change the fare class to an ineligible fare class but you should still earn points/status credits on the original fare.

I first wrote to retro@ about this in April. No response.

I then wrote again in May. No response.

I tried again in October. No response.

And then again in January. No response.

I eventually wrote to platinum@ this week and finally received a response about another claim (a similar situation - an August flight where I upgraded from MCS to First - where no response had been received from retro@). They've conveniently ignored my reference to the March flight.

They told me: "I have checked your e-Ticket and can confirm that your original fare class was Main Cabin Select. However, in order to investigate your request further we require the fare class represented as a letter, for example Z or Q. You may contact your Travel Agent or Virgin America in order to confirm your original fare class. As we have no access to Virgin Americas reservation system, we must submit your details manually for their verification. Once we know your original fare class we will be able to investigate your request further."

So I called Virgin America and waited on hold for about 45 minutes. They eventually told me they don't have access to that information for older flights, that I'd have to write to Guest Services and would receive a response within 30 days.

Arrghh!!! I'm really frustrated with Virgin. I've wasted a chunk of time and still haven't really gotten anywhere for something that should be relatively simple. It - rightly or wrongly - tarnishes my feelings about the whole brand.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can get this resolved without wasting more time? I normally wouldn't pursue, but feel I've wasted too my time to give up!

 

[nickykim]

I've had two totally different experiences

A Delta flight to LAX, on to JFK and back - sorted within a month (even thought Delta had credited points to their program which I had specifically asked them not to do)

A Malaysian Airlines flight to Frankfurt - no progress after 3.5 months but with the assistance of the Virgin rep on the forum it was sorted.

I had provided all the requested detail in both cases. It would appear that the delay was with getting Malaysian Airlines to respond to a request for information by Virgin. I often book via a third party website and Velocity cannot be preselected when booking.

Good luck.

Nicky

 

[mickeyc747]

[h=3]Be thankful you are not Booked on Virgin Galactic

How to earn with Virgin Galactic[/h]

1. Check availability and book through any Virgin Galactic channel.
2. Contact Velocity on [email protected] with a proof of purchase.
3. Allow up to 4 weeks for the Velocity Points to land in your Account.

• Velocity members can retrospectively earn Points Velocity members who purchase a Pioneer seat reservation on a Virgin Galactic Sub-Orbital Flight will not have Velocity Points credited to their Velocity account until the Sub-Orbital Flight travel has been completed.

 

[anat0l]

Try sending a private message (PM) to Virgin Australia and see if they can help.

It was the only way I could get head way on my retro claim last year after waiting about 4 months for my MH flight to credit.


I'd act fast because most mileage claims could become "invalid" if not claimed within 12 months of flight.

 

[chris!]

Virgin Australia replied quickly to my post and I've PMed the details. Hopefully they'll be able to resolve the issue.

I do find it exceptionally frustrating that that's what it takes, though! What did people do before forums and social media existed?!?

 

[ng100]

I've also had a pretty poor response. This week I finally received SC + points for flights last September. Those were flights that had my Velocity number in at time of booking and were actually codeshare with VA. I had to send scans of boarding passes and wait >2 months.

 

[djchuckles]

Same situation - waiting on SC and points from a Virgin Atlantic flight - we double checked at check in and Velocity number was on booking/boarding cards. The flight two weeks later with Singapore credited within days

 

[chris!]

FYI - the points were promptly credited to my account on Friday after PMing the Virgin rep on the board.

A good result in the end ... but very disappointing Virgin don't have the procedures in place to avoid a lot of frustration and wasted time.

 

[anat0l]

FYI - the points were promptly credited to my account on Friday after PMing the Virgin rep on the board.

A good result in the end ... but very disappointing Virgin don't have the procedures in place to avoid a lot of frustration and wasted time.

Good result indeed. Yes, I do find it's a shame that it had to come this far.

I suppose a normal person (without the help of AFF) would simply call Virgin and get it sorted. Not sure how successful that might be, but definitely an idea.

 

[chris!]

Did try the calling thing twice: first time was told to retro@ was the only way to discuss the issue, second time was told someone would get back to me. No one did...

 

[dayton]

I'm also absolutely infuriated with Virgin Australia.

I submitted an email to Velocity retro claims 7 weeks ago to claim points for a Hawaiian airlines flight (which should take a maximum of 6 weeks based on their website) and received no reply.

I then called Velocity and had a person look into it for me who said they were going to call me back on the same day. They never called me back so I called again yesterday and waited for 20 minutes to get through, then another 10 minutes on hold while they tried to sort it out, then they told me I was going to have to be put through to a resolutions department. I said no I've reported the issue and I'm on a mobile phone, could you please look after it for me and he said ok no worries, my names Richard and I'll take this on board personally and call you back today.

That's two employees that have promised to call back and neither have. Absolutely terrible service.

 

[jjsyd]

Yep... always a problem. I've had major dramas with getting points for flights on VX and NZ in the past and have just submitted yet another claim for a DJ operated flight which hasn't posted. The last one I find quite funny because the VS operated sectors posted within 2 days yet the points from DJ are nowhere to be seen.

Fingers crossed everything will get better when their systems are aligned.

 

[cssaus]

It might be worth while getting in touch with the Airline Customer Advocate office. Check the following link:

http://www.airlinecustomeradvocate.com.au/General/ACACustomerCharter.aspx

 

[I hate Alan]

The good news is finding this thread and finding out its not just me, the bad news is thinking I got many months more waiting a head! When I tried to enter the details on the website it says "already allocated" but the flights ain't there. Both flights that haven't posted are flex flights I changed, whether that has a bearing?

 

[jjsyd]

The good news is finding this thread and finding out its not just me, the bad news is thinking I got many months more waiting a head! When I tried to enter the details on the website it says "already allocated" but the flights ain't there. Both flights that haven't posted are flex flights I changed, whether that has a bearing?

Could have some bearing... Or it cold just be that the wind was blowing in the wrong direction.

Interestingly I received an update that they're checking with VS to verify my travel for the DJ flight which didn't post.

 

[dayton]

Could have some bearing... Or it cold just be that the wind was blowing in the wrong direction.

Interestingly I received an update that they're checking with VS to verify my travel for the DJ flight which didn't post.

Amazingly 2 days after my last contact with Virgin the points have appeared in my account! Nice work Richard, or Virgin Australia (on this forum who I also contacted).

 

[cssaus]

What I find infuriating is that even when you supply a copy of your e-ticket and boarding pass VA say they still need to check with their partner....huh???? Excuse my ignorance, but what more is needed as proof of travel?

 

[oz_mark]

What I find infuriating is that even when you supply a copy of your e-ticket and boarding pass VA say they still need to check with their partner....huh???? Excuse my ignorance, but what more is needed as proof of travel?

Check on fare class, check to make sure you haven't creditted anthor program, etc.

 

[cssaus]

Check on fare class, check to make sure you haven't creditted anthor program, etc.

In my case the class was printed on the boarding pass (I Class) and the boarding pass also shows my velocity number.

 

[n17]

Been waiting since May for VS to post SC & Points for a flight to the UK