Our flight went down in price - can I ask for the difference?

[minniecarousel]

After months of waiting to see IF Virgin America would definitely fly from San Francisco to Orlando, it finally got confirmed in July (I had paid for 4 RTs back in March!) Now I see that the cost of the RT flights have gone from $444 to $300 each! I've heard that some airlines will issue credit when the fare goes down like that.

Has anyone had any luck with that? With VA Airlines?

 

[dparksfan]

My experience with Virgin is that they charge for this, which all I wanted was for them to honor the lower price, but they told me I would be charged for the change. Other airlines give credits, VA didn't give me one. I love this airline, but this was a BIG drawback with booking with them..

 

[dparksfan]

Lol...I just noticed you're in Danville, hi neighbor

 

[Tara]

After months of waiting to see IF Virgin America would definitely fly from San Francisco to Orlando, it finally got confirmed in July (I had paid for 4 RTs back in March!) Now I see that the cost of the RT flights have gone from $444 to $300 each! I've heard that some airlines will issue credit when the fare goes down like that.

Has anyone had any luck with that? With VA Airlines?

No, with VA what you'd have to do is cancel and rebook at the lower fare, but you'll incur their change fees, which will wipe out your savings anyway.

My experience with Virgin is that they charge for this, which all I wanted was for them to honor the lower price, but they told me I would be charged for the change. Other airlines give credits, VA didn't give me one. I love this airline, but this was a BIG drawback with booking with them..

Very, very few airlines will give you credit without a penalty if your fare drops. Southwest does. Honestly, maybe there are 1 or 2 others that do this as well, but I can't even name them. "All I wanted was for them to honor the lower price" - that makes it sound like it's such a small request. I understand why you might feel this way about it, but what you really wanted them to do was ignore their change policies. Why would they do that?

 

[bumbershoot]

I understand why you might feel this way about it, but what you really wanted them to do was ignore their change policies. Why would they do that?

They are a new airline with a really interesting way of thinking; Richard Branson certainly isn't a normal typical boring airline owner.

They SHOULD have gone along with SW, JB, Alaska (yes they have a policy and even webpages to do it automatically), and I believe AirTran, since, IMO, THOSE are their closest competition. But instead they charge a big change fee, they charge for the FIRST checked bag, and it's hard hard hard to justify using them with all of that, even though they are an awesome airline otherwise.


No, VA doesn't let you get a new discount unless you pay the change fee. So with them, do NOT check again once you've booked at a rate you're happy with! I'm sorry you didn't know that before.

 

[Tara]

So with them, do NOT check again once you've booked at a rate you're happy with!

This is sage advice! If you can't change without great cost, book and never look back!

 

[sam_gordon]

How much is the change fee? If it's $75, you're still saving $$$. Heck, if it's $130 you're still saving $$$.

 

[kaytieeldr]

They are a new airline with a really interesting way of thinking; Richard Branson certainly isn't a normal typical boring airline owner.

While Virgin America is new, the parent company - Virgin - is not.

They're simply/apparently in line with most other major carriers regarding credits on nonrefundable fares. I don't know about Alaska Air's credit policy, but to the best of my knowledge, credits on JetBlue require contacting an agent; and AirTran charges $75 (unless, of course, there was a 1 second or more schedule change ). VA isn't in competition with these airlines. They primarily fly cross-country.

 

[Jestocost]

How much is the change fee? If it's $75, you're still saving $$$. Heck, if it's $130 you're still saving $$$.

For most airlines the fee is $150.

 

[Inkmahm]

Very, very few airlines will give you credit without a penalty if your fare drops. Southwest does. Honestly, maybe there are 1 or 2 others that do this as well, but I can't even name them. "All I wanted was for them to honor the lower price" - that makes it sound like it's such a small request. I understand why you might feel this way about it, but what you really wanted them to do was ignore their change policies. Why would they do that?

Airtran is another airline that will give you a credit for the difference if your airfare decreases after you buy it. The credit has to be used within 1 year from the original date of purchase of the ticket. Why would they do it? Good customer service that generates loyal customers for them (like me).

 

[bumbershoot]

While Virgin America is new, the parent company - Virgin - is not.

They're simply/apparently in line with most other major carriers regarding credits on nonrefundable fares. I don't know about Alaska Air's credit policy, but to the best of my knowledge, credits on JetBlue require contacting an agent; and AirTran charges $75 (unless, of course, there was a 1 second or more schedule change ). VA isn't in competition with these airlines. They primarily fly cross-country.

I'm fully aware that VAt has existed for awhile. But they have branded themselves (repeatedly on their FB page) as being new and different and amazing. So they should act like it. Because by NOT offering us the same thing that SW and Alaska and JB and AT (I have repeatedly read here that they don't do the fee if you're not outright canceling) do, they are aligning themselves with the old, staid, and boring airlines. Which is the opposite of what they are.

Then again, their rewards program is just awful IMO. So those little perks (that help keep people loyal) are just ignored by them I guess. Despite their utter coolness in other ways.

They don't fly everywhere, not yet. But for those of us who fly where they fly, they ARE in competition with those others. The fares are often right in line with those airlines, they have sales around the same time, etc etc.

The OP is asking about her x-country, SFO to MCO, flight on VAm, so they are definitely getting into the x-country routes.

I was going to book with them to Orlando when they first announced the Orlando flights, but then they rescinded their "offer" of flying to Orlando...and about a week after I booked our flights they surprised me by re-announcing it.



Alaska's price guarantee that references price changes post-booking is the part on the *right* of this page. (the left is another aspect of it)

 

[minniecarousel]

OP here - Yeah, I shouldn't keep checking their website. But the flights disappeared for a few months, so I'm nervous. VA is starting this route on 10/6 and we fly on 10/10!

Non-stops are hard to come by to MCO, so we jumped on this. I thought they might lower the fare since the flights still have seats.

 

[minniecarousel]

Lol...I just noticed you're in Danville, hi neighbor

Hi Carol! we were in SR for 13 years. We're watching the smoke on Mt. Diablo right now. Wet winter + hot weather (finally!) = FIRE.

 

[can]

Ok, if I can ask this so I understand correctly. If I book a fare with SWA, and say in 6 weeks the fare goes down, I can go onto their website and get the lower priced fare with a credit for the difference than what I originally booked the airfare at? This credit would be in the form of a SWA credit only and be good up until the date I booked the original airfare? Thanks for your help, just want to be sure before I go ahead and book some fares.

 

[cccdisney]

Hi Carol! we were in SR for 13 years. We're watching the smoke on Mt. Diablo right now. Wet winter + hot weather (finally!) = FIRE.

Greetings from the other side of Mt. Diablo. I'm in Brentwood.

We are going to WDW from Nov. 18 - 27th. I really wanted to fly VA. I've flown them to S. Cal a few times and really enjoyed their flights. However their "sale" only goes through Nov 17th. It would cost us around $900 rt (EACH!) to fly VA on our dates!!
I still haven't booked my flights! I've been watching bing travel and they still say to wait before booking, so that's what I'm doing. The good prices have been staying right around $400 per person RT.

 

[Tara]

Ok, if I can ask this so I understand correctly. If I book a fare with SWA, and say in 6 weeks the fare goes down, I can go onto their website and get the lower priced fare with a credit for the difference than what I originally booked the airfare at? This credit would be in the form of a SWA credit only and be good up until the date I booked the original airfare? Thanks for your help, just want to be sure before I go ahead and book some fares.

Yes. The only other thing to note is that if you book after...January 28, 2011?...the credit for each ticket can only be used by that ticket holder. Credits have been transferable in the past (and will continue to be until that date in January when the rule changes). I'm currently sitting on about $75 in credit which I plan on using in October when the next window of dates opens for booking.

 

[MAH4546]

While Virgin America is new, the parent company - Virgin - is not.

Virgin America does not have a parent company. It is an independent airline that licenses the Virgin name.

U.S. law does not allow foreign airlines to own more than 25% stake in a U.S. carrier.

 

[sam_gordon]

For most airlines the fee is $150.

If I'm reading Virgin American's website correctly, the cancellation fee is $75 if done via the website. So OP would still save ~$65/ticket.

 

[TagsMissy]

They are a new airline with a really interesting way of thinking; Richard Branson certainly isn't a normal typical boring airline owner.

Virgin Airlines isn't new at all... it's just new to the US market within the past year or 2.

 

[Jaime4004]

Airtran is another airline that will give you a credit for the difference if your airfare decreases after you buy it. The credit has to be used within 1 year from the original date of purchase of the ticket. Why would they do it? Good customer service that generates loyal customers for them (like me).

Exactly why I only fly SWA, I'm very happy with their customer service. I am a SWA website stalker, always checking for my fares to go down (even though I only book originally if the fare is already decent). They pretty much also do and I'm left with a credit for the next trip!