Booked Flight and car through virgin - Car not provided

[shadrach]

Hi all, I hope this is the right place for this post.

Long story short, I booked flights from ZQN to BNE with Virgin on their website. I also took up the offer to book a hire car. This was also booked on Virgin's website, but it was with Europcar and paid in full upfront to get the cheaper price.

Virgin's affiliated? agency Rocket Travel took the payment. Anyway, the flight was cancelled at the last minute due to weather.

Was (after chasing around) able to get on another flight 2 days later. When I rang Europecar to tell them, they said they couldn't change the booking pick up date....apparently their system can't do it as it was booked through Rocket Travel and that we can't have the car due to the change.

Rang Rocket Travel, they said all they can do is ask Europecar to give a refund, as they also can't do anything. Rocket said after checking with Europecar, nope can't do anything.

We can't get the car at all and we won't be getting any money back due to Europecar's cancellation policy.

Finally reached out to Virgin Customer Care with all details and they have now come back with the excuse that as the flight was disrupted due to weather (out of their control) they can't/won't help either. So we booked our flights and car via virgin, but I'm out of pocket and without the car we paid for.

So I'm reaching out to you all for your thoughts as to what if anything else we can/should do? It just seems wrong. I will be making an insurance claim....is that all i can do?

Just don't want this to happen to anyone else, as i think it must happen reasonably regularly.

 

[SeaWolf]

I will be making an insurance claim....is that all i can do?

Pretty much. You'd get the same outcome if you'd booked them separately or through a travel agent as well.
From Europcar's perspective the flight is nothing to do with them and while booking a rental car and a flight at the same time makes it sort of feel like the two should be interconnected, they aren't. All you're doing is booking two things at the same time. The result is that from Europcar's perspective you're trying to make a change to an inflexible booking, the reason why doesn't matter.

So, this is definitely a situation that travel insurance is for.

 

[Rayesfeg]

This situation happened to a colleague not so long ago - though for an overseas booking. It is a tricky case. I think you should push back to Virgin on this one.

at the same time makes it sort of feel like the two should be interconnected, they aren't.

While SeaWolf is technically correct, as a consumer it is pretty reasonable and fair to expect that a car booking - or any other ancillary service, that you have booked and paid for through the airline at the same time as you booked flights, to at least 'link up' in some way.

At any time throughout the booking was it made clear to you that this is a completely separate booking and service to your Virgin flight? Probably not, and I suspect it is buried deep in the T&Cs.
From a consumer perspective, this seems unfair on you that the airline will facilitate a booking (and make profit from it even if it is in the T&Cs), but when the airline changes/cancels your flight (albeit due to circumstances outside of their control) you are left out of pocket.

My colleague pushed back on this response with the airline at the time (Not sure which airline) and after some chasing, they facilitated the refund. Good luck, keep us posted with what you decide to do.

 

[shadrach]

Thx to you both for your replies. Seems like everything is very much stacked against the consumer. Just wondering if it is even possible to avoid this in any way? Book direct with the car company perhaps and don't pay upfront? Even then in this situation I would imagine finding another car at short notice could be difficult and likely a lot more expensive?

Anyway, I've just submitted my insurance claim. Will wait and see what happens.

 

[jase05]

Thx to you both for your replies. Seems like everything is very much stacked against the consumer. Just wondering if it is even possible to avoid this in any way? Book direct with the car company perhaps and don't pay upfront? Even then in this situation I would imagine finding another car at short notice could be difficult and likely a lot more expensive?

Anyway, I've just submitted my insurance claim. Will wait and see what happens.

As a rule I always book hire cars seperately and direct with the company. And I always choose rates that offer free cancellations or allow changes

 

[ferntree]

As a rule I always book hire cars seperately and direct with the company. And I always choose rates that offer free cancellations or allow changes

I agree. Always book flights direct with the airline, accommodation direct with hotel, cars direct woth the hire company and tours with the tour company. Maybe a bit more of an effort but gives you more control and flexibility.

 

[shadrach]

As a rule I always book hire cars seperately and direct with the company. And I always choose rates that offer free cancellations or allow changes

That's what I usually do also for the reasons you state. Was stupidly tempted by the extra velocity points booking the car through Virgin and mistakenly thought all would be good going through them. Lesson learned. I've flown a bit but don't often hire cars. Good to know though that it is possible to have as you say some control and flexibility and therefore peace of mind.

 

[shadrach]

I agree. Always book flights direct with the airline, accommodation direct with hotel, cars direct woth the hire company and tours with the tour company. Maybe a bit more of an effort but gives you more control and flexibility.

Yep, thanks ferntree. I will be taking your advice and jase05's as well going forward.
Just hope my insurance company doesn't come up with an excuse not to pay.

 

[SeaWolf]

Worth keeping in mind that even if you had booked directly with Europcar, this probably still would have happened if you'd booked a non-cancellable and inflexible rate. The same thing happens with hotels as well, if you get stuck overnight and can't make it to your destination and you're on a non-refundable booking then you'll just forfeit the night that you missed at the hotel unfortunately.

I've had it happen to me where I've booked a prepaid hotel rate and then had my flight cancelled and arrived a day late.

 

[Rayesfeg]

Yep, thanks ferntree. I will be taking your advice and jase05's as well going forward.
Just hope my insurance company doesn't come up with an excuse not to pay.

Please let us know how you get on with insurance, and if they decline your claim do let us know what reasoning they give?

 

[Happy Dude]

What a PITA. I've never used the hire car or hotel add on options when booking a flight. Not likely to use Rocket now either.

 

[tdimdad]

That's what I usually do also for the reasons you state. Was stupidly tempted by the extra velocity points booking the car through Virgin and mistakenly thought all would be good going through them. Lesson learned. I've flown a bit but don't often hire cars. Good to know though that it is possible to have as you say some control and flexibility and therefore peace of mind.

You would earn points on Europcar also when booking directly. Though, if VFF had some kind of a promo for extra points, then it might be tempting to book through them. The same with all car rentals that come with FF points.

 

[shadrach]

Please let us know how you get on with insurance, and if they decline your claim do let us know what reasoning they give?

We finally got approval from the insurance company. So that's a relief.

On another note, we were 2 hours into our Virgin flight home (BNE to ZQN) when the captain said they were turning around back to BNE due to a technical issue. Couldn't believe it! At least they put us up in a CBD hotel with cab charge and a little money for meals and new flight next day. So all's well that ends well.

 

[bcworld]

On another note, we were 2 hours into our Virgin flight home (BNE to ZQN) when the captain said they were turning around back to BNE due to a technical issue. Couldn't believe it!

Hope the real reason wasn't the same as another recently very delayed flight to ZQN...the first officer was not trained / certified to land at ZQN so they had to return to MEL!

 

[dajop]

I've had it happen to me where I've booked a prepaid hotel rate and then had my flight cancelled and arrived a day late.

These days with hotels, difficult to avoid at all. Many major hotel chains, even for changeable/refundable type rates have restrictions that enforce cancellation penalties for cancellations made after 23:59 on the day before, 2 days before or sometimes even 3 days before arrival.

Although some hotels do exercise some good judgement if you haven't prepaid, by not enforcing penalties if you cancel due to flight delays, particularly if an airport hotel (where if it's weather related, might well be able to sell your room anyway).