Virgin Australia will refund approximately 61,000 passengers after discovering a pricing error that led to overcharges on itinerary changes between April 2020 and March 2025.
The airline identified the issue during system testing, revealing that 0.1% of bookings were affected. The average refund is $55, with some customers receiving up to $200.
A Virgin spokesperson stated, “We recently found that in some instances… bookings were repriced in a way that does not align with our policy and we are refunding all impacted guests for that amount.”
Virgin has engaged Deloitte Australia to assist with the refund process and established a 70-person taskforce. Eligible customers will be contacted directly and have 12 months to lodge a claim. Unclaimed refunds will be donated to charity.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been informed and is assessing the airline’s response.
This development follows Virgin Australia’s recent sale of a 25% stake to Qatar Airways, aiming to expand international routes and enhance competition. The partnership is expected to contribute $3 billion to the Australian economy over five years.
Australian Airports Association chief executive Simon Westaway commented, “This deal is a major win for the aviation industry and the Australian flying public.”
