Privacy policy

Virgin Atlantic is based on a partnership with our customers and this extends to the way we handle your personal information. We make a point of working with our customers when it comes to their information privacy.

Here at Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited ("Virgin Atlantic"/"we"/"us") we are committed to protecting your privacy online as securely as we would our passenger information in our reservations and customer loyalty systems. You have control over the information we store about you and what types of information (if any) you would like to receive from us.

This Privacy Policy describes information that we collect about you; how we use and protect this information; and the choices you can make about how we use it.

We may collect information about you from a variety of sources, including information we collect from you directly; information we collect about you when you visit our site, use our services or contact us; and information we collect about you from other sources.

Information we collect directly from you:

• When making a flight booking we ask you for your name; contact details such as phone and e-mail; loyalty programme details (if applicable); credit card details, your meal preference and occasionally information pertaining to your health

• When making a flight booking we will ask for your name, date of birth and gender for the purpose of Secure Flight. Further information about Secure Flight and the Redress Policy.

• When managing your bookings, we provide you with the online facility to review and make certain amendments to your bookings including providing us with additional information

• When checking in online we ask you for name; date of birth; gender; contact details such as phone and email and frequent flyer details (if applicable).
  
• If you are flying on a route requiring an Advanced Passenger Information form, we also collect your passport number; the country your passport was issued in and the expiry date.
  
• When joining or using our Flying Club loyalty programme, we ask you for your name; contact details such as email and phone numbers; address and date of birth.

• When joining or using our Flying Co corporate loyalty programme, we ask you for your name; name of a secondary contact; names and membership numbers of existing Flying Club members, and names of new Flying Club members to be linked to the Flying Co account; contact details such as email and phone numbers; company name and address; country.

• You may be required to provide sensitive personal information about yourself or others, for example, your dietary requirements or health details (if applicable). We do not seek any other sensitive personal information online but if you provide us with any other sensitive personal information by telephone, email or by other means, we will treat that sensitive personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

• Virgin Atlantic Airways invites you to conduct an online text chat with one of our agents to help you complete your booking. By using this service you agree to the information you provide being shared with a carefully selected third party who manages this process on our behalf.
• When you use our website, details of the flights you’re looking to purchase and your email address may be collected as you fill in your details. If you don’t complete your booking, we may contact you (using the email details provided) in order to offer our assistance in case you were experiencing difficulties with our website.  This is an optional service and you can choose to opt-out from receiving this email at any time, by following the link at the foot of the communication.

• Telephone calls made to and from our Contact Centres may be recorded and monitored for the purpose of quality assurance, training, security and for business purposes.

Information we collect from other sources

In order to keep our customers information up to date as much as possible and the offers we make as relevant as possible, we may supplement it with information from other sources. This may include information such as home movers, interests and geographic profiles.

Customer research

We may use your information to gain your valuable feedback about your booking and travel experience.

To provide the services you want

We may use information we collect about you to provide the services you request and to manage our site and records as well as to help us improve these services to you.

So that we can keep you informed of important administrative or service messages, we need to use your information to contact you, even where you have told us you do not wish to receive direct marketing.

The following are examples of how we may use your information:

• When we process an airline ticket for you
• So that we are able to contact you, if we need more information or if there are any changes to our flights
• In order to update and/or amend your flight as requested and contact you if we need more information
• So that we can retrieve your booking for you and to check you in online
• To better manage your travel experience
• To help us service any post-flight queries
• To help us develop technology to better serve you in the future
• When you travel on a route requiring an Advanced Passenger Information form, we collect this additional information to comply with requirements for passenger entry to our destinations. This information will only be used for the specified purpose and it will not be given to any third party, except to the extent and for the purpose we may be required to do so by any law or for the fulfilment of this contract between us
• When using live chat to assist you
  

And, if you give us sensitive personal Information, you are giving your explicit consent for Virgin Atlantic to collect, process, disclose or transfer, and store it so we can fulfil your requirements or for safety reasons (e.g. using your dietary requirement Information for the specific purpose of providing you with a suitable in-flight meal).

Your sensitive personal information will not be disclosed to any third-parties (except to the extent and the purpose that Virgin Atlantic Airways may be required to do so by any law, legislation, enactment, safety reason, or for the fulfilment of this contract between us in order to satisfy your requirements, and to ensure that the disclosure is safe).

Marketing

We would like to be able to share with you information about other products and services, special offers, exclusive fares and other news, so that you can take advantage of the best we can offer. Of course, we will only use your information in this way where you have given us the OK to do so.

• From time-to-time, we may also use your details to keep you up to date about special offers and promotions via social media
• Where you have given us your consent Virgin Atlantic would like to keep in touch with you by post, phone and electronic mail with account updates, news, special offers and promotions
• We will never insist upon your consent in order for you to make a booking with us
• Where you have given us your consent other Virgin companies and our partners may also like to get in touch by post, phone and electronic mail about products and services which they think will interest you
• We may disclose your information to third parties, like data processing companies, who may provide marketing or other services on our behalf. This will only be done under strict contract with the third party
• Where you have provided your mobile number you may receive calls from us from an automated dialing system
• We will use the most recent consent you have given us, or the most specific consent, subject to the time it takes us to reflect these changes in our systems and/or processes
• We will try to ensure that customers do not receive duplicate communications even if you have given your consent to marketing to more than one Virgin company
• You may opt-out of direct marketing by us at any time by contacting us. You may also opt-out of any direct marketing by any other Virgin company by contacting them directly

Flying Club

By participating in Flying Club, we will collect and use the information you provide to Virgin Atlantic.

Your data may from time to time be supplied to Virgin Group Companies, service partners, marketing partners (providing services on our behalf), other airlines and Flying Club partners (who may be located outside the EEA), data processing companies and other agents or contractors for the purpose of Flying Club programme fulfilment and customer analytics\market research analysis.

If you change your mind about your marketing preferences at any time, simply navigate to www.virgin-atlantic.com/flyingclub, log into your account and change your personal details, or contact your local Flying Club office.

This information we hold on you will not be given to any third party, except to the extent and for the purpose we may be required to do so by any law or for the fulfilment of this contract between us, or if 'We' are sold to another company.

We disclose information to:

Third party/service providers

We may occasionally use third party companies to manage collation, processing and storage of your personal information and sensitive personal information on our behalf. These companies are carefully selected and screened to ensure maximum protection of your security and privacy and are permitted to use the Information only in accordance with our instructions.

Transferring information to border control agencies

Please note that Virgin Atlantic and all other airlines are now required by law to give US Customs and other border control agencies access to certain passenger information. Accordingly, any such Advance Passenger Information - including sensitive personal information - that Virgin Atlantic holds about you and your travel arrangements may be disclosed to those agencies in the countries to which you are travelling. You understand and accept that if your information is disclosed to third parties outside the European Economic Area (the European Union plus, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein), those third parties may reside in territories which may not have suitable data protection provisions in place, but every effort will be made to ensure that your information is processed only for the purpose set out above, and for no other purposes.

Travel between the European Union and the United States

Certain travel and reservation information is transferred between the European Union and the United States in order to help US authorities prevent and combat terrorism and other serious transnational crimes.

Further information on travel between the European Union and United States

Your information security

We are committed to keeping personal information secure. We have appropriate technical, administrative and physical procedures in place to protect personal information from loss, misuse or alteration, and ensure it is only accessible by those who have a business need.

Payment online

What credit cards do we accept?

For online booking we accept most major credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club & JCB.

Is your credit card number secure online?

We use the latest SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology, which ensures that any communications between your computer and ourselves is unreadable by anyone else. Your details are communicated in a secure encrypted format and we can check that the information has not been tampered with in any way.

Most browsers have some type of indicator to let you know if you have established a secure connection. If you are not sure, then consult the help section of your browser. If your browser does not support SSL technology then we recommend that you update to the latest version. Virgin Atlantic also uses 3D Secure which is a new technical standard developed by Visa and MasterCard which aims to further secure 'Card Not Present' (CNP) transactions over the Internet. This is the payment industry's internet authentication standard which has been developed by the major card schemes. Visa has called their version of the scheme 'Verified by Visa' and MasterCard have called their equivalent initiative 'MasterCard SecureCode'. These are both collectively referred to as 3D Secure which is the on-line equivalent of 'chip and pin'.

Links to other Websites and their security and privacy policies

In our website we also provide links to other websites for your convenience and information. Please be aware that these sites may have different security and privacy policies and we have no control over and take no responsibility for any information submitted to these sites.

Our Privacy Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure that it reflects how we use your information. Any changes will be notified to you by updating this policy.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on 06 January 2015.

How to change your Personal Information

At any time you can choose to change your personal details, withdraw from our Flying Club or Flying Co loyalty programme, or subscribe to receive news and special offers from Virgin Atlantic.

a) If you have made an online booking
If after purchasing a flexible ticket online, you wish to request changes to your flight details, you can do this by contacting us.

b) If you have joined our loyalty programme Flying Club or Flying Co
To change your Flying Club details and preferences simply navigate to www.virginatlantic.com/flyingclub, log into your account and change your personal details online. To cancel your membership telephone the Flying Club helpline telephone number.

To change your Flying Co details simply navigate to www.virginatlantic.com/flyingco log into your account and change your company details online. To cancel your membership, please call the Flying Co helpline telephone number.

c) If you have subscribed to receive news, special offers and promotions from Virgin Atlantic via email, you can unsubscribe from receiving this information by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of each email sent.

If you wish to receive a copy of the information we hold about you

You are entitled to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

Simply submit a Subject Access Request by printing off, completing and sending in the below form:

Passengers and Flying Club or Flying Co Members request form

Please ensure you enclose the following with your completed request:

• A photocopy of your passport, or any other official document upon which your signature is present (or in the case of third party requests their official document and signature)

If you require Proof of Travel

We are happy to provide Proof of Travel letters as requested and without charge. Simply submit a signed written request as per the instructions available on the following information:

• Your full name - including any former names by which you may have been known
• Your full address - including any former address or addresses, at which you may have been resident at the time the booking was made
• Booking reference or flight number, route and date of travel
• A photocopy of any official document on which your name, address and usual signature appear - i.e. your Driving Licence or Passport

This security information is required to establish and confirm your identity, to ensure that consent is provided, and also ensure that Virgin Atlantic Airways only disclose information about any passenger with their consent; and may identify information pertaining to the appropriate passenger only.

Please send your request to us at the following address:

Customer Relations - Virgin Atlantic Airways

The VHQ
Fleming Way
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 9DF

Alternatively, the request and photocopy of your passport or driving licence may be faxed to us on 0844 209 8708.

Please contact us if you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or the information we hold about you by emailing Information.Security@fly.virgin.com