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Btline
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« on: June 01, 2012, 18:30:26 » |
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A commuter bought an advance ticket off East Coast's website to travel along the East Coast mainline. They were assigned to a table of 4. Being a solo traveller, they didn't want to deprive a family of the seats so attempted to get it changed. They tried the method on East Coast's booking engine where you move the man, but it kept yielding "error" despite other seats being available.
Frustrated and worried that the cheap fares would be snapped up, they bought the ticket. The then phoned East Coast up, who told them that they would have to travel to the station to get the reservation changed as they could only do Anytime and Off Peak over the phone. The commuter drove all the way to the station and went straight to the ticket office without picking up the tickets from the TVM▸ as they thought it would make the process easier.
However, the commuter was left completely stunned when the clerk said that it would coast TEN POUNDS to change the seat. Let's be clear, the service (and thus the fare) would be the same it would just be a new seat and could be done in a few clicks and 30 seconds.
The shocked commuter said: "Now I understand why there is an admin fee for changing an Advance booking but why on earth does it cost to change the actual seat? The reservation hadn't even been printed so it's not as if there would be an extra reservation floating around. It's classic rip off Britain at work! Of course, I politely declined, which did not surprise the clerk who -frankly- looked embarrassed to ask for the money."
Why is this the case? Surely a passenger focused railway would offer to help in situations like this by changing the seat free of charge, especially as it was the website's fault and it would be better for East Coast to have a freed up table?
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EBrown
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« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2012, 18:40:42 » |
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You appear to have forgotten to use "fleeced"  It's really not hard to change seat reservations and I've had a great experience with Virgin (although I have a special relationship with one of their staff), they change my (Advance Purchase) seat reservations regularly (by email) and are even friendly enough to put my name on the reservation system every time.  |
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Btline
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« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2012, 19:38:23 » |
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Well it appears East Coast, unlike Virgin, FLEECE their commuters. That's shocking.  |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2012, 20:14:42 » |
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On the other hand, the 'fleeced commuter' could have taken their seat at that table of four, and defied all attempts by any family wanting to sit round a table to remove them, on pain of being subject to a ranting article in the Daily Wail ...  Calm down, dear: think of your blood pressure.  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2012, 22:16:01 » |
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Not everybody travelling on a train is commuting somewhere.  |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2012, 22:34:36 » |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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EBrown
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« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2012, 22:54:55 » |
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This "article" seems to be missing a link to it's source. I've spent a rather long time "googling" this and cannot find one.
Care to share the source Btline or is this an exaggerated story you are telling?
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2012, 23:09:30 » |
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Btline - telling an exaggerated story??  I, too, couldn't find any credible source for this story, despite extensive google searches; hence my rather facetious responses to Btline's unattributed post here.  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Btline
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« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2012, 00:53:23 » |
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But this commuter wanted to move their seat so a family could sit down at the table. This "article" seems to be missing a link to it's source.
Who says this is an article? Why are you googling a "source" when there isn't one? Don't people think this is wrong? |
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caliwag
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« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2012, 04:07:56 » |
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EC plainly borrowing from the Ryanair book of ticketing rules.
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EBrown
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« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2012, 08:17:14 » |
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Who says this is an article? Why are you googling a "source" when there isn't one? You've clearly written it to look like an article. For me, it has lost all of its credibility. Btline - telling an exaggerated story?? |
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« Last Edit: June 02, 2012, 19:40:50 by EBrown »
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Btline
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« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2012, 20:22:50 » |
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Why is it the policy to charge ^10, or is it just East Coast?
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EBrown
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« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2012, 21:03:20 » |
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Why is it the policy to charge ^10, or is it just East Coast?
The policy is to charge ^10 for amendments to AP tickets. I have no doubt that many other TOCs▸ would do the same. This "fleeced commuter" should have sat in his seat, or moved to another seat. There is no point |
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Milky Bar Kid
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« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2012, 22:21:44 » |
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This topic of AP tickets again! rules are rules and any changes to a ticket is a 10 quid charge, and before you say why, because the fare could have been brought by someone else is the answer
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Btline
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« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2012, 22:32:53 » |
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This topic of AP tickets again! rules are rules and any changes to a ticket is a 10 quid charge, and before you say why, because the fare could have been brought by someone else is the answer
No they couldn't! Who else could have bought the fare? It's the same fare, but with a different seat. There is no disadvantage to the TOC▸ changing the reservation. It's a different kettle of fish to changing class or train. |
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