Flexi Fares, Not So Much!

[VMAN]

I am not sure if a thread has been posted before on Flexi Fares being unflexible.

I am on a 5PM flight from Sydney next Wednesday and want to change to 6.30 flight.

On the VA website it is showing Flexi ticket at $198.00 which is what I paid for my original Flexi fare.

I go onto the "Manage Your Booking" page to move the flight. It is here that it wants me to pay $249.00 for to move, meaning I need to cough up another $50.00.


My question,WHY! I bought a Flexi ticket. If VA are selling this same ticket to any Joe Public, why are you stinging me to change when I am Flexi? Chargin fees for flight changes are for Saver fares. It Just doesn't make sense to me. :evil:

I buy Flexi tickets all the time to have convenience even though I rarely utilise it. The time that I do, I am stung.

Surely if this is how VA are going to operate, I might as well just buy Saver fares and pay the difference only when needed.

Message to VA, I am a loyal, long term frequent flyer who believes overall you are doing a top job. Why would you want to blatently rip me off?
I could understand that if the flight was dearer but in this case it is not!

I am curious to know if this is an oddity on my side or if others out there are finding the same?

 

[yohy?!]

Whilst the fare may be flexible should you change to a flight where the flexi fare costs more then i believe it's within the fare conditions that you pay the difference.

If you want a flexible fare where the cost is the same across all flights across the day then that would be premium/business.

I believe this is the same for QF also.

 

[VMAN]

Whilst the fare may be flexible should you change to a flight where the flexi fare costs more then i believe it's within the fare conditions that you pay the difference.

If you want a flexible fare where the cost is the same across all flights across the day then that would be premium/business.

I believe this is the same for QF also.

I have no problem paying more if the fare is dearer. I do object having to pay more when the fare is being adveertised cheaper, as is the case I am experiencing

I think you are missing the point that was making as I was not complaining on the increase because the price went up, I had an issue as the price was the same and I am being charged extra anyway

 

[MarkD]

I have no problem paying more if the fare is dearer. I do object having to pay more when the fare is being adveertised cheaper, as is the case I am experiencing

I think you are missing the point that was making as I was not complaining on the increase because the price went up, I had an issue as the price was the same and I am being charged extra anyway

Seems strange, wonder why you can book a new seat for $51 less than changing to same flight. I see your point.
Maybe a phone call to platinum help number is in order for you, would probably be the easiest quickest solution

 

[markis10]

Must be a bug, there is no fee for changing a flexi.

 

[koonyaflyer]

I am not sure if a thread has been posted before on Flexi Fares being unflexible.

I am on a 5PM flight from Sydney next Wednesday and want to change to 6.30 flight.

On the VA website it is showing Flexi ticket at $198.00 which is what I paid for my original Flexi fare.

I had exactly the same experience with a Flexi Fare I changed by phone. I was not happy, as I could see a fare for the same price as my fare, but it was explained to me that it was not the fare price, but the fare bucket. I was not able to move to a lower fare bucket, which is what the "same price" fare was. I had to move up to the next fare bucket....another $50!

My issue is that the average punter cannot see the fare bucket....all we can see is a Flexi fare at $xx...the same as we paid for the original purchase.

I still think the flexi fare works out cheaper for changes, but I am not happy with the fact that I have to pay more than someone who buys a flexible fare on that day.

 

[moa999]

What else has bugged me (as a newly matched DJ Plat taking my first flights.

The Flexi Cancel fee is more than Saver
View All | Virgin Australia
$80 vs $60
So I pay more for flexibility and yet they charge me more to cancel.

The Flexi 'Summary' makes no mention of fare changes
View All Fares | Virgin Australia
"This is our fully flexible economy fare. There is no fee to change the time and date of your flight and this fare is refundable in most circumstances, at an applicable fee up to 24 hours after departure. " Is shown below
(Also the applicable fee link doesn't work)

Flexi - Food and Drinks included - not what you think...
Food and drinks included.^
^ Advertised food and drink offerings may not be available on all flights. Where possible, a suitable alternative will be provided.
CSM said food for Premium Economy and Flexi, others had to pay
Sitting in Seat 3A had heard the passengers in Premium being told they could order what they wanted off the menu. Assumed the same.
Asked for a banana bread (don't its average) and a bundaberg ginger beer - $9 thanks
Seemingly the flexi menu is something different... was never offered to me.

Oh well - live and learn

 

[maninblack]

I changed some flexi tickets recently and there was no additional charge so the OP's situation seems odd. The $80 cancellation fee is a rort and I have already sent off a letter about that little piece of scumbagedness.

 

[markis10]

If you click on the fare when booking, then the conditions you get:

Flexi | Virgin Australia

Flight Change Fee
Any fare difference

The fare difference will arise if you are trying to do it over the phone, as the call centre has different fares to online, however there will be no fare difference if you make the change online - assuming you can see the same fare!

 

[oz_mark]

The fare difference will arise if you are trying to do it over the phone, as the call centre has different fares to online, however there will be no fare difference if you make the change online - assuming you can see the same fare!

This page sort of suggests that in the case of Flexi fares, there may not be a fare difference in using the GCC:

View All | Virgin Australia

Guest Contact Centre Fare Difference^^ (GCC fares are higher than Internet fares)​

$15​

No Fare Difference​

No Fare Difference​

No Fare Difference​

 

[markis10]

This page sort of suggests that in the case of Flexi fares, there may not be a fare difference in using the GCC:

View All | Virgin Australia

Guest Contact Centre Fare Difference^^ (GCC fares are higher than Internet fares)​

$15​

No Fare Difference ​

No Fare Difference​

No Fare Difference​

In that case there is definitely an issue, I would suggest to those affected that feedback should be provided so it gets fixed!

 

[maninblack]

I am finding out that Virgin and Velocity's rules,policies and so on are just all over the shop

 

[pauly7]

I am finding out that Virgin and Velocity's rules,policies and so on are just all over the shop

Is it the actual rules and policies etc that are the problem or the fact the staff don't know them... There has been a lot of change maybe VA needs to train them more?

 

[VA FF]

I recently had booked a fare to perth and used a Comp Upgrade for it to Business, I had to end up changing to the later flight and even though the fare was about $100 more expensive it was moved to the later time without charge, the business upgrade also transferred across and I had no issues, no extra fees or anything...

Maybe it just depends on who you get through to...

 

[day-heg]

On more than one occasion, I've had to change a flight on a Saver fare ticket.

I've managed to visit the Customer Service desk in a Lounge in advance of the flights on all these occasions, and the Angels have moved me every time, no questions asked, no fee paid. It seems they have a lot of discretion to help out elite status pax.

I know that's not practicable every time, but if you can while transiting on a previous flight (or even a specific trip to the airport), it's for sure the best way.

 

[MarkD]

Changed a saver fare from 8.30pm to 2pm today, was told flight is full so system has given you a middle seat, I said no worries, just SYD-BNE, and happy to get home 6 hrs earlier. She printed BP, gave me a grin and said and emergency row aisle just opened up got 14C. this occured at 1.10pm, for a 2pm departure


They probably do it so we are not sitting in the lounge for hours and hours drinking them dry. I would have had quite a few by now, and still have 2 hrs left, but I am happily at home, and have been for 2 hrs

 

[maninblack]

Is it the actual rules and policies etc that are the problem or the fact the staff don't know them... There has been a lot of change maybe VA needs to train them more?

In my experience it is both. In my relatively short time as a Virgin customer and Velocity member I have had many puzzling and irregular and inconsistent experiences None of them have been terribly important though.

 

[juliusg]

I've had some good and bad recent experiences - I am a new convert, RED on way to PLAT the hard way, by flying every week. New work means new flights, which I why I am not a Status Match (I have no status!)

GOOD: Customer Service desk changed a flight to earlier, on the cheap Saver fare.

BAD: Flexi yesterday to Melb; passenger next to me given food but not me. Didn't say anything (wanted to be SURE the ticket was FLEXI) and then: F.A. doing the sell thing asks the row if anyone wants anything and flicks on. By that stage, I wanted to BUY a water!

BAD: Down from Brissie, offered the free tray, rejected it then asked for a water when the pay guy came along. Asked to pay, gave him a $10 bill, said he would be back with change and didn't. Collected change at the exit door.

SO: Probably will not select Flexi anymore, prefer to pay a $60 slug and not get the strange fare bucket thing. For those not aware, the Flexi 'change flight' option <can> sometimes demand a higher fare which you pay, even though 'Saver' fares are on sale for the very same flight.

Go figure. But still a fan of the new V.A.

 

[simongr]

Just changed a flight from SYD-PER-SYD to MEL-PER-SYD and had to stump up $150 to get into a higher fare bucket... Fair enough for lateish changes...

 

[lazybones1987]

Just changed a flight from SYD-PER-SYD to MEL-PER-SYD and had to stump up $150 to get into a higher fare bucket... Fair enough for lateish changes...

Doesn't that count as a cancellation since you are changing the routes involved?