Review Time
⭐ 1 Star
Elderly Heart Patient Denied Boarding Despite Valid Visa
On 21 January 2026, my 67-year-old mother-in-law was denied boarding on a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Queenstown despite holding a valid New Zealand tourist visa.
At check-in, it was clearly communicated that she held a valid visa. However, staff focused on an ETA requirement, which does not apply to Indian passport holders who already hold a valid NZ visa. The interaction felt rushed and no meaningful escalation was offered.
Virgin later claimed we arrived “approximately two minutes before check-in closing.” This does not reflect our experience. We were at the counter around 7:50am — approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes before scheduled boarding — and other members of our party were processed during that time.
The impact was severe. My mother-in-law is a heart patient and her essential medication was in checked luggage. The distress caused was significant, and my wife and children were left in tears at the very start of our holiday.
Despite escalating the matter formally, the airline has denied responsibility, relying solely on internal reports.
This experience was deeply disappointing, particularly in the way an elderly, medically vulnerable passenger was treated.
My flight from Hobart to Sydney was canceled due to an engine malfunction. I’m not talking about a minor delay. There were police and firefighters on the tarmac, and we were kept stuck inside the plane while it was investigated. All the passengers (who didn't live in Tasminia) were then stranded in Tasmania overnight with zero assistance.
Virgin Australia provided no hotel, no food voucher, no refund, and no real guidance. Hobart Airport closes at night (as many Australian airports do), leaving us to fend for ourselves. Their taxi voucher app didn’t work, no taxis would accept it, and we had no choice but to pay out of pocket for accommodation and transportation.
Because of this cancellation, I missed my connecting international flight to New Zealand. Despite repeatedly explaining that this was entirely caused by their aircraft malfunction, Virgin Australia was unwilling and frankly rude about covering any of those losses.
I filed for reimbursement in mid-November. After TWO MONTHS, I finally received a response saying they would only reimburse hotel, part of food, and nothing else. Not the Uber costs (because their vouchers failed), not additional food (have they looked at how expensive airport food is $30 doesn't cover 3 meals) not my missed international flight, and not even a refund for the original Hobart–Sydney ticket.
The flight was delayed by 1.5 hours, and a faulty light made it impossible to sleep during the six-hour journey. We nearly ran out of food, and due to the delay, we missed breakfast and were extra hungry. The in-flight entertainment only worked occasionally. To top it all off, they lost our bags filled with our belongings, despite the fact that we were on the same plane as before. It’s baffling how a flight can be delayed when it’s already there.
I was scheduled to fly from one city to another, connecting to an international flight the same day. At the check-in counter, I was asked for a visa to enter my destination country, which is not required for tourism. I explained this, mentioning my flight itinerary, but the staff member was unyielding and insisted on the visa, leading me to miss my connection. I had to buy a new ticket at a much higher price with another airline. The staff from that airline even informed the original airline of the mistake, but it made no difference. The new airline was very accommodating, and I had no issues boarding their flight or passing through immigration. I've been trying to get a refund for the mishap, but the original airline maintains they were correct, leaving me feeling frustrated and considering legal action due to their unprofessional conduct. I will avoid this airline in the future.
I've faced this issue twice: after selecting my seats well in advance, I was assigned to less desirable seats as soon as online check-in opened. The airline seems to disregard seat selections unless you're a premium customer. On my second trip with family, we were scattered in different seats. They claimed the flight was full and couldn't accommodate changes, despite several exit-row seats being available. Those seats ended up occupied by staff instead. So much for their claimed 'operational reasons.' Now, if I have to fly with this airline, I won't bother selecting seats—they'll just relocate you wherever they want.
I've faced this problem twice now: after selecting my seats ahead of time, I was assigned to much less desirable seats as soon as online check-in began. It appears that the company doesn't respect seat selections unless you're a premium customer. On my second trip with family, we were separated and placed in different seats. They claimed the flight was full and couldn't make any changes, even though there were several exit-row seats available. Those seats were taken by the staff instead. So much for their 'operational reasons.' Now, if I have to fly with this airline, I won't even bother selecting seats—they'll just move you wherever they want. If I'm traveling with family, I will avoid this airline altogether.
I had quite a mediocre experience. My Sunday morning flight wasn't full, so I was bumped to the next and then the following flight. I ended up traveling all day for a journey that was supposed to take just 4 hours. Everything felt disrupted. If I didn't need to be home early, I wouldn't have booked the early morning flight.
I received a text informing me that my flight was canceled just 3 hours before departure. It was rescheduled for 7 hours later, and I was downgraded from my original economy class. I'm still trying to get a refund for that.
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