Virgin Australia Reviews 

On Friday 30th May 2025, I set out for what should have been a simple round-trip journey from Brisbane to Bundaberg — a short domestic flight scheduled to depart at 8:00 AM and return the same day at 3:50 PM. A friend had booked our tickets together, and I left home at 6:30 AM to ensure I arrived early.

At 7:00 AM, I was already at Brisbane Airport. My friend used the self-check-in machine to print our boarding passes. Then we went to LINK AIRWAYS counter and was checked-in again. However, when we reached the security checkpoint, my work bag — containing tools like a tape measure and laser distance device — triggered multiple scans. While there was nothing illegal, the scrutiny delayed me significantly.

By the time I reached the gate — around 7:35 AM — the boarding door was already closed. My friend had boarded, but I was denied entry, even though the plane had not left. The gate closure window was clearly far too short, giving passengers little room for minor delays. This, I now believe, was the first of many deliberate traps.

Since I had no choice but to get to Bundaberg, I quickly booked another flight on my phone — Qantas, departing at 11:20 AM. My mobile boarding pass clearly showed Gate 6. I waited there until around 10:00 AM when I left briefly to use the restroom. That’s when, by sheer chance, I noticed on a display board that my gate had changed to Gate 1. Finding Gate 1 was a struggle. It's in an obscure location, near an escalator, with minimal signage. A staff member finally pointed me toward it. No announcement. No notification. If I hadn’t seen that screen, I would have missed my second flight too. I later learned from airport staff at Bundaberg that gate miscommunication like this “happens all the time.”

I made it to Bundaberg — barely — and thought my troubles were over. But then came the real shock. When I returned to the airport for my 3:50 PM flight back to Brisbane, I was told I couldn’t board. My return ticket had been cancelled.

The reason? First, they claimed it was because I had missed my morning flight. Then, they said it was because I had not checked in properly. Both excuses fell apart under scrutiny. My friend and I had checked in the same way — together — and he had no problems. Staff at Bundaberg seemed confused and evasive. Eventually, after I began raising my voice in frustration, they changed their story multiple times and even tried to blame me for not arriving 30 minutes before departure — again, a lie, as I had arrived together with my friend.

I was forced to spend the night in Bundaberg, book a hotel room, and purchase another flight for Saturday morning. While some Bundaberg airport staff were kind (they even tried to put me on another Qantas flight, but were denied), no one would take responsibility. I was told the flight — although booked through Virgin Australia — was actually operated by Link Airways.

The next day in Brisbane, I went to Virgin’s counter. Before I even explained my situation, they told me “We don’t fly to Bundaberg — go see Link Airways,” and pointed me toward an unmanned booth.

It was pure pass-the-buck behavior.

While arguing at the gate Friday afternoon, I witnessed another passenger being denied boarding with the same excuse — “You’re too late.” She was visibly upset but had no recourse.

Even my friend told me his flight had only ten passengers. It makes me wonder — are they deliberately closing gates early to sell extra tickets or avoid flying near-empty planes?

This experience was costly, humiliating, and suspicious at best. It feels like a system designed to confuse and penalize passengers — with hidden gates, misleading boarding passes, inconsistent rules, and zero accountability.

✅
Gate 6 was misleadingly quiet and hard to find.

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Gate 1 was buried and unmarked — easy to miss.

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Boarding passes showed outdated or false info.

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No announcements or alerts were made.

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Excuses changed constantly.

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Tickets were canceled without my consent.

I’ll be filing formal complaints with regulators and contacting media, but in the meantime — if you ever fly Virgin or Link Airways, double-check everything, and don’t assume your boarding pass is correct.

And don’t stay silent if this happens to you

Thanks to those who helped me along the way — including the airport staff who showed kindness — but this is not how any traveler should be treated.

The flight attendant on the Melbourne flight was remarkably pleasant and made people laugh at his jokes! It's rare, keep recruiting nice people Virgin!

Having flown around the world Virgin Australia continually punches above it's weight when it comes to providing excellent service at a decent price.

Prices are fantastic, flights are on time and service is above the price point.

Cramped, packed and poor service.
No better than Jetstar.
Flew Perth - Melbourne and was not even offered a glass of water

Virgin Australia are hopeless. Don’t fly with them!

First, I booked a ticket from Cairns to Broome via Perth. They then cancelled the Perth flight and re-routed me via Sydney, Perth, then onto Broome. They very kindly upgraded me on the Cairns to Sydney and Sydney to Perth legs. I was excited! Then at check-un, downgraded me again.

I tried to check in my luggage all the way to Broome as per the downgraded ticket. They couldn’t do it- only to Perth. A catalogue of errors! And the check-in staff were really rude, blaming everybody for the above (mostly me), except Virgin. Will never fly any Virgin airline again. How can they be so incompetent multiple times and rude on top?

THEY ARE SO TIGHT ON LUGGAGE (But not with everyone).
FIRST FLIGHT - We were told that both our carry-on bag and computer bag had to weigh 7kg combined. Instead of trying to shuffle my carry-on to my checked bag I just paid the $120.
SECOND FLIGHT - We went out and bought luggage at Costco ($200) and paid to check in the bag. We put our carry-on inside the large suitcase and checked it.
THIRD FLIGHT - My wife's suitcase was 1 kg over and we were made to move around the weight to our other luggage. Couldn't she allow 1kg over? Also we put our luggage tags on the top handle. She ripped them off and put them on the side handle. I asked if she could please re-print my tag so that it was more secure than a ripped off one being re-attached. She said that that would not be environmentally friendly and that she wouldn't print it. I asked another person and I said that I didn't want my luggage lost and he said that we don't lose much luggage. I didn't want my luggage to be part of "not much" category. All around no one was pleasant. Compare that to staying at Marriott hotel and you are treated like you are their best customer. NEVER AGAIN WILL I FLY VIRGIN. I'D RATHER WALK.
Oh yeah, they only offer coffee or water. Pop is extra. How cheap can you be!

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the handling of a recent travel experience with Virgin Australia, which left both my daughter and I extremely disappointed and inconvenienced.

We had paid for extra legroom seats on our flight, valuing the comfort this upgrade would provide. However, due to a delay on our connecting flight, we were removed from our original second flight—even though we arrived at the gate before it was closed. We were told the system had automatically removed us and rebooked us onto the next available flight, without our consent or proper explanation.

Unfortunately, this rebooked flight was then delayed by a further hour and a half, resulting in a total delay of over three and a half hours. To make matters worse, the new seats we were assigned were at the very back of the aircraft, had no reclining function, and no window—completely opposite to what we had originally paid extra for.

I was told the seat refund would be automatically applied and when I followed up the refund for the seat upgrade, I was told that I should have taken out travel insurance to be eligible. This response is both disappointing and unacceptable. Customers should not be expected to pay additional fees or purchase insurance in order to be treated fairly or to receive a refund for a service that was not provided.

The lack of empathy, responsibility, and reasonable resolution from Virgin Australia in this situation is deeply concerning. At no stage was this outcome due to our error—we were at the gate on time, ready to board. The decision to offload us was made by your operations team, and we were given no suitable alternative or compensation.

Zero Stars.

I am writing to express my disappointment with how my recent baggage issue was handled on my flight to Perth.

Virgin Australia’s staff advised me to checkin my carry on. At the check-in counter they said they will placing a fragile tag on my baggage which would ensure extra care. Based on this advice from Virgin Australia staff, I proceeded to check in my bag.

Unfortunately, my luggage was returned to me with a massive hole and damaged belongings inside. According to Kimvherly from Virgin Australia, the images I provided were dismissed as "general wear and tear" A conclusion I find both inaccurate and dismissive.

What is particularly frustrating is the response I received, which completely ignored the context of the advice I was given at check-in and shifted all responsibility onto me. While I understand Virgin Australia’s Conditions of Carriage, there was a clear failure in staff communication and a complete absence of empathy in their response.

Kimvherly‘s current stance reflects poorly on Virgin Australia’s commitment to customer service and trust. This experience was not only disappointing but unacceptable from an airline that claims to value its passengers. I totally understand why Virgin Australia has such bad feedback from their passengers.

I strongly urge Virgin Australia to handle customer baggage with care and to ensure staff provide accurate, responsible advice Especially when it directly affects customer decisions.

Hands down rather fly with Jetstar any day.

Review of Virgin Australia Customer Service:

I am incredibly disappointed with the handling of my recent issue regarding the Family Pooling setup with Virgin Australia. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this matter, it has become clear that the company’s approach to customer service is overly reliant on scripted responses, with little room for flexibility or understanding of unique customer situations.

I escalated my case directly to Lisa Burquest, the Chief People Officer, in hopes that someone in a senior position would take ownership of the issue. Unfortunately, it seems my concern was passed along without receiving the necessary attention or care. This highlights not just a lack of effective customer service but also a clear absence of accountability from senior management. It's disappointing to see such a lack of involvement from someone at this level.

While I understand that policies and procedures are important, they should not come at the expense of providing fair and thoughtful resolutions. In my case, the focus on adhering strictly to terms and conditions only highlighted the absence of a customer-centric mindset.

I also found it particularly frustrating that not a single representative took the initiative to follow up with a phone call to discuss the matter in detail. This lack of communication left me feeling undervalued as a customer, and the rigid, impersonal approach to resolving my issue was far from what I expected from a company I have been loyal to for some time.

Virgin Australia could benefit greatly from prioritising customer satisfaction, empathy, and tailored solutions—especially in situations where the resolution should be straightforward. In my experience, there has been a clear lack of concern for ensuring a positive outcome, which is unfortunate given the potential impact such situations can have on a customer’s trust and loyalty.

Hopefully, this feedback can help improve customer service practices going forward. Customers want to feel heard, valued, and supported—not just like a number in the system.

To whom it may concern, So we ran a bit late due to perth traffic which was 10 mins past the boarding time. Went to the counter and the staff asked for the passport and were talking among each other whether they can fit our check in baggage in the plain as we are late to boarding. Then the unpleasant, bully lady named fransesca came to the counter and started screaming at me for no reason saying our luggage will go in the next flight which is tomorrow if we dont drop the luggage in the weight machine instantly. We had four heavy 23 kg check in bags and 2 7 kg carry on's with us. She then raised her voice more loud and repeatedly said "Do you want to put your luggage orelse it will not go." . When I said you dont have to be this rude and asked her name, she got more grumpy and screamed her name and position outloud and said do whatever you can do. Yes it was our fault coming late and it was okay if we were not allowed to board the plain. But seriously do we pay this hefty amount (approx $1700)to be treated like a piece of crap in the airport by bullies like this customer service manager Francesca who doesnt know how to talk to people? She should go back to school and learn manners first before doing this job. Its a shame for a company like virgin australia to allow thiis type of behavior from its ground team as her attitude showed that the company cannot do anything against her.

Late on Sunday night (09/03/2025) during Cyclone Alfred, we travelled on the 1st available flight home to Brisbane with many worries. However our flight attendant Allie was very kind and comforting on flight VA711. Thank you so much Allie….you helped us to feel safe and cared for on our uncertain journey. 💕

Gate was change without any notice Apparently they don't have my email address to notify but my tickets were sent to my email So missed flight Had to book a flight for the next day accidentally left an expensive drink bottle on plane went to lost property to collect to be told it was thrown out First and last time will be flying with Virgin

Excellent customer service. Virgin offered rescheduling of flights without charge from early in the week (due to the impending cyclone in QLD). Very helpful and efficient on the phone and flights changed with no issue. Also they were clearly advertising it on their website. I checked the Qantas website at the same time and there was no mention of them being willing to change or of an issue. Thank you, I’ll definitely be booking Virgin in the future.

I tried to check-in online but the website kept giving error messages. I was running late but still arrived 30 minutes befor the flight. WhenI got to the desk I found that my seat had been assigned to Virgin Airline staff to be being moved to the same destination. They would not change this back, instead I was routed through another airport to my destination taking 3 hours (and an extra tranfer) causing me to miss a client meeting. I have had problems with this airline before and only took this flight becaise the timing suited me! Never again.

Worst airline ever. No wonder they went under, and STILL doing their same poor service. Their own system delays and lack of staff, causing delays which ended up missing my flight and no consideration. I had to pay for a new ticket but never again with them. These guys are just here to rip you off and take your money. I would strongly suggest avoid dealing with then, especially if don't want to get ripped off.

Worst airline I've ever travelled with, you feel like cow being hearded on the back of a cattle truck. The last flight they had 1 toilet upfront dedicated just for the first 2 rows of first class and the other 33 rows had to use 2 toilets down the back, I had use the toilet when I came out they were pushing the food trolleys up the aisle and they wouldn't allow me to get past sine I was in the 3 row I had to stand waiting at the back for over 20 minutes for them to finish so I could go back to my seat. At the end of the flight the fattest rudest airline host stood between the 3 row preventing anyone from trying to get of until the first 2 rows had departed of the plane. They are absolutely shit and I would not even recommend them to my worst enemies to use. Avoid this at all costs.

Super unhelpful. I think Singapore Air should cancel their alliance with VA, I’m not sure a Singapore ff gets any benefit whatsoever

Virgin abandoned my pet cat half way through a trip from Sydney to port hedland with no notice. Never use them, they have lost me as a customer. I have complained formally. 10 days to respond apparently meanwhile my cat is spending the weekend alone in a cattery. Ha’s almost 19. The equivalent of 96 in human years. Virgin if you see this please contact me.

Greedy company. I accidentally booked for 10 Feb instead of 10 March. $150 for the pleasure of changing. I explained to them that this was a mistake (both dates are on a Monday), further I showed that my wife was booked on the 10 March flight meaning that I had proof that it was genuine mistake.

Flight Melbourne to Sydney a few months ago. First we were loaded on to one plane,, then told we needed to disembark and get on another because of an issue with the plane. We then get on another plane, and taxi out, and for some reason, we wait on the tarmac for hours, until finally told we won't be leaving that night, and we'll have to get a flight next day. We're told Virgin won't book any of us a hotel, but they'll reimburse us (I think it was up to about $120, approx), but when we tried calling hotels, none had vacancies - including none of the hotels near Sydney airport. Having had no success in finding a hotel with a room, and not knowing what else to do, thought we'd go back to the airport, and go to the Virgin desk. Saw some other passengers on the flight who told us to go to the Virgin desk as they were booking people into hotel/s. So, went back there and they gave us a booking confirmation for a room at a hotel close to the airport. We get a taxi there, and go reception, to find most of the passengers from our flight crowded into reception. Guy at reception seems to have no idea what to do, and there's no clear communication, but it seems that it will be pot luck as to who gets a room. Nowhere else to go, so we wait for hours at reception, until at 3am, we're told we're not going to get a room. So, many of us end up trying to sleep in the reception area, without even access to a toilet. Contact Virgin and they blame hotel. Hotel blames Virgin. Virgin refuse any compensation because we were not 'out of pocket'. Despite the fact that, because we didn't get any room for the night, Virgin did not have to pay the cost of a room. Virgin are a disgusting company. But I suppose Jetstar are just as bad, so what do you do?