Eurostar/Trainline

[Bijgc]

Hello all,

I'm trying to resolve an issue with Trainline (sorry, there was a TopCashback offer...) and Eurostar. I purchased a fully flexible Business Premier ticket from London to Paris, wanted to change it, so altered it through their website. They downgraded it to Standard Premier, but did not provide any refund of the Business Premier fare. When I pointed this out, they told me that as I now held a Standard Premier ticket, it was no-longer refundable or amendable and have closed all complaints. I've complained through their website, escalated it with Trainline and complained to Eurostar (although I don't think Eurostar are at fault here) and no-one is budging.

Neither Eurostar not Trainline are available for complaint through the Rail Ombudsman. Who can I whinge at now, and can anyone give me hope that a route by which the Business Premier ticket will be restored?

Thanks!

 

[spag23]

wanted to change it

Not my field of expertise, but I am sure the actual experts will need to know exactly what you wanted to change; day, time, class, destination??

 

[Adam Williams]

How did you pay? I think you should consider a chargeback or section 75 claim. Note that Trainline will ban you from purchasing tickets via them once you do this.

 

[AlterEgo]

Why was it downgraded? Was any reason given?

 

[Bijgc]

Ah, thanks all - I just wanted to change the departure time on the same day. The Eurostar ticket they sent me back came at Standard Premier class, to my surprise, with no reason given. They tell me that I purposefully selected this (I didn't, I wouldn't and there were no options for class selection on the website). In the complaints process they've suggested availability problems (it isn't an availability problem) and also told me I shouldn't have used the website to change this, none of which seems to make much sense. However, as a third party reseller, it seems my options for redress are limited. @AdamWilliams, thanks for the S75 suggestion, this may have to be it and I have few qualms about being blacklisted from Trainline for ever!...

 

[AdamWW]

Ah, thanks all - I just wanted to change the departure time on the same day. The Eurostar ticket they sent me back came at Standard Premier class, to my surprise, with no reason given. They tell me that I purposefully selected this (I didn't, I wouldn't and there were no options for class selection on the website). In the complaints process they've suggested availability problems (it isn't an availability problem) and also told me I shouldn't have used the website to change this, none of which seems to make much sense. However, as a third party reseller, it seems my options for redress are limited. @AdamWilliams, thanks for the S75 suggestion, this may have to be it and I have few qualms about being blacklisted from Trainline for ever!...

Might be worth pursuing with Eurostar - they may not be happy with a reseller acting like this.

 

[Mainline421]

I'm pretty sure you can modify third-party bookings on the Eurostar app. If you haven't already done so, try linking your ticket to a Club Eurostar account and see if that works. While it's true that Business Premier tickets can be used for other classes when there's limited availability, a non-refundable fare at that price point doesn't exist so it's strange it could be recorded in their system as such. One more reason not to use Trainline.

 

[island]

If you used a credit card make a section 75 claim.

 

[OLJR]

One of the big value points of Biz Prem is that they GUARANTEE to find you a seat on the train you want. They do not, however, guarantee that you will sit in Biz Prem. I used this myself the other day when I arrived at Rotterdam Station 3:22 before my booked train and 0:22 before the next one - they put me in Biz Prem. Most helpful...

In practice I think they hold back a few Biz Prem seats on every train just in case. So when the website shows no availability you might be better off just going to the station and changing there.

If Biz Prem is full they will look first to put you in Std Prem. If Std Prem is full then they will fid a seat for you in Std and boot somebody else off if they have to. If this happens, no refund is due because you used the ticket's flexibility. My guess is that this this is the rule they are referring to.

There are two possible cases:

(1) If you have already burnt the coupon and travelled then no refund is due - you have used the ticket's flexibility
(2) If you have NOT yet travelled your Biz Prem ticket should still be valid for travel in Biz Prem and you could in principle change it to another train - how you sort this out in practice though I am not sure and you could be vulnerable to computer says no.

If (2) applies I would first call and try and change the ticket to Biz Prem on another train later the same day (referring to the underlying flexibility) then turn up at the station for the train you want and change at the gate.

If that fails, a brief e-mail to the CEO stating the actions you require them to take may be in order.