Virgin Travelstore to close

[rob@rar.org.uk]

In case you've not seenthe latest news, the Virgin Travelstore is to close. Info here.

Regards

Rob

 

[TraceyL]

 

[trpscooby]

pertaining to the virgin travelstore???

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

That link seems to be broken. Try this instead.

Regards

Rob

 

[mmtdevlin]

eeeek! we're booked for next May with Virgin Holidays, but the booking has been made and a £600 deposit paid to virgintravelstore via their call centre.

What is the likelyhood that our booking will be cancelled?

(mmmmmhh worried now!)

Martina

 

[SimonV]

All current bookings should be unaffected, but it is my understanding that no new bookings will be made.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I'm sure that Simon is correct. Remember, VTS has not gone bankrupt, they've just decided that they don't want run that that business any more.

Regards

Rob

 

[Night-train]

Will this have any effect on bookings made through Virgin Holidays? Is Travelstore a separate operation?

 

[UKDEB]

Yes, Night-train, it's separate. Travelstore is Virgin's Travel Agency outlet which it bought a couple of years ago (previously Worldwide Travel).

We've booked through them many times (and through Worldwide previously) and we've had some great deals.

 

[mmtdevlin]

SimonV/Rob, your both right. I phoned at 8.30am this morning and was told exactly that - basically they will just be transferring our business to another Virgin operation .. more than likely virgin holidays. Our bookings still stand - nothing changes and they are going to be sending out letters with telephone numbers to existing clients with all this info.

Martina

 

[KayleeUK]

That is such a shame

I am glad everyones bookings still stand.

 

[chunkster20uk]

Thanks for posting Rob.

A friend of mine is the Tech-Editor on v-flyer website and told me this yesterday and I got busy and didn't post, sorry.

 

[UKDEB]

I'm still receiving emails from Virgin Travelstore and we have been able to get telephone quotes from them in the past couple of days. Has Virgin had a change of heart?

 

[mmtdevlin]

Hi, no - I received this letter from them last week!

Dear Madam

You may have read in the press that The Virgin Atlantic Group has recently announced changes regarding the operation of Virgin Travelstore and I felt as an existing customer it is important that I write and reassure you regarding these changes.

The past few years has seen considerable change within the UK travel industry and to continue the future success of the Virgin Atlantic group, we have decided to withdraw from the travel agency sector to concentrate upon expanding the Virgin Atlantic route network.

Unfortunately no new bookings will be able to be made from 27th August via our retail shops, and from 28th September via our call centre. We will however be maintaining a back office support function for a much longer period and as an existing customer of Virgin Travelstore I would like to assure you that you will continue to receive the full travel agency service in support of your booking.

Your booking continues to be fully protected by ABTA and other regulatory bodies, all payments should be made in the normal manner and tickets will be sent to you no later than 10 days before departure.

I would like to thankyou very much for booking with Virgin Travelstore and should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact a member of our customer service team on 0870 787 4139.

Yours sincerely

Peter Davies
Managing Director



The booking isn't automatically being transferred to Virgin Holidays as I had initially thought.

Martina