Virgin Business bookings and Economy only aircraft. - warning to young players

[Vic]

Just want to share my experience with booking a return business class flight with Virgin, to a destination (Mackay) that requires a connection in Brisbane. Booked using business flyer..
One leg MacKay-Brisbane was originally operated by an F100 - economy only. I sucked it up for convenient flight timing reasons.
Flight is next week and I checked my booking today - the aircraft has changed to something with Business. There are business seats available for sale., there are business awards available on the flight.

My E-ticket for the leg in question says Economy Cabin, Business

So I called to see about either being put into business, as paid, or to use one of my complimentary platinum upgrades.

Apparently, I'm in economy, according to the Phillipines call centre and I cannot use a platinum upgrade because I'm on a Lite fare.
Yes, google says that the fare basis, "LZLT0", the LT means Lite, despite the "L" fare basis.

The best part - I have an email offering me the chance to bid for an upgrade... WTAF
Paid business is $380 on the leg, seriously considering booking that and having two seats.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Joking perhaps? A second seat will lead to the auto-cancellation of one of your bookings, as duplicates aren’t alllowed. Unfortunately they can cancel the one you want to keep!

 

[AIRwin]

Does the original fare allow a full refund?

 

[SYD]

Does the original fare allow a full refund?

or just change?

 

[muppet]

What was the original fare?

If it allows free changes or free cancellations, just ask them to reticket it in business.

The call centre might need specific instructions to reticket it vs “put me in business”

 

[Vic]

Have just done a second call and authored an email to business flyer after looking in detail.
I have a cancelation fee - no free refund. They want over $500 in cancelation fee for a $1400 total fare.
ADL-MKY-ADL when booking was routed via BNE. Therefore two "legs" ADL-MKY, MKY-ADL from a lgic point of view, but clearly not from a VA booking point of view. Selected the business fare on both, with MKY-BNE being on an F100.
Call centre has told me the MKY-BNE leg is a separate segment. Ok yes, this is their system and how it works technically. Doesn't mean their system is good.

I forgot an old lesson I previously knew never book a return with VA. At least I could have cancelled only the ADL-MKY with less of a penalty. I wonder if I can cancel MKY-BNE separate to BNE-ADL...

This was booked via the business flyer portal. As it turns, based on dummy booking today, that business flyer does not even tell you a leg is in economy. The only way to know is if you select seats. even on the normal website there is no warning that the leg will book into a Lite fare.
The email and attached itinerary and travel reservation do not mention Lite fare conditions, and do not connect the fare basis to a lite fare.

Yes, kind of joking about booking another seat - it would be cheaper to bid for an upgrade. Did have a laugh about the idea of trying to scan two BPs when getting on the plane.

So what are the tips for young players and old players with bad memories?

1. Try to avoid return bookings on VA at all cost - domestically at least.
2. Business Flyer portal does not let you know there is an economy leg - do seat selection if in doubt.
3. Business fares will book as Lite fares where there is an economy cabin for multi-leg segments

@muppet the original fares from itinerary - yes, says economy cabin, yes has the fare basis, also says the fare type is Business.

ADL-MKY ---------------------- MKY-ADL
----

I'm happy to share my email to business flyer, if anyone has a burning desire to read it. It was mostly factual perhaps some emotion. I did say this feels deceptive.

Screenshots from dummy booking:
Business flyer - no mention of economy cabin - you need to know your aircraft.


Normal website - economy cabin mentioned, no mention of being a Lite fare before paying.

 

[muppet]

Honestly. I don’t know. I never assumed a different fare basis would apply to each segment for a ticket booked direct with the airline. I know travel agents sometimes do it it, but a business fare on virginaustralia.com should have those T&Cs cor the entire trip, not just the one segment.