LNER Family Return - missing a child

[ianBR]

Hello

I've got an LNER Family Return (2 Adult, 2 Children) ticket this week for a group of relatives travelling York -> London for £99 return

One of the children is from a different household and self isolating so won't be able to travel.

Is the ticket still valid if missing a child?

What are the best options to resolve if so?....

- Try appealing to LNER customer service in advance?
- Claim refund under the Covid policy and then rebook (now a LOT more expensive!!)?
- Risk travelling anyway (what would any excess fare be under that scenario)


It does seem slightly bonkers that any single child families would have to pay so much more than 2 child families if you must travel with 2 children to get these fares.


Thanks

 

[Haywain]

It does seem slightly bonkers that any single child families would have to pay so much more than 2 child families if you must travel with 2 children to get these fares.

Imagine how people without children must feel.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Is it possibly the same price for the family ticket if there are 2 adults/1 child or 2 adults/2 children?

I've a feeling that the Avanti Family tickets are, but I'm not sure.

 

[30907]

From the LNER website: "One ticket covers travel for up to two adults and four children up to 15 years old all for the same great price."

I assume therefore that there is no problem.

Amazing what search engines can throw up in 10 seconds.

 

[CrispyUK]

It looks like the LNER Family Return tickets are a fixed price regardless of the family size (subject to a minimum of 1 adult + 1 child, and a maximum of 2 adults and 4 children).

Given this and the fact you’re still meeting the family definition with 1 booked child missing, you’d like to think this wouldn’t be a problem given the circumstances. However there is the following item in the Terms & Conditions:

13. The full group must travel together for the entire journey, on both the outward and return journey, on the trains specified on their tickets and in the seats stated. Customers travelling on different trains to the ones reserved, or travelling as part of a different group size, will have to purchase new undiscounted tickets at the full Standard Anytime fare onboard, as if no ticket is held.

 

[Paul Kelly]

You'd think it would be OK but doubt is cast due to the very odd way LNER have implemented these fares as 8 different ticket types - a separate one for every valid combination of adults and children, rather than just one ticket type with a variable number of passengers. I always presumed this is due to a limitation in the journey planner software their website uses and that it can't handle tickets that allow a variable number of passengers. But I don't know for sure.

If there really was just one ticket type then I'd agree there is unequivocally no problem. But as it stands, the ticket the OP has purchased is explicitly valid for 2 adults and 2 children only.

 

[Merseysider]

It couldn’t hurt to drop LNER a Tweet asking for confirmation you’ll be able to use the ticket given the circumstances, especially if you mention the family ticket is the same price regardless of group size.

I doubt you’d have been the first person to ask them.

 

[Bayum]

From the LNER website: "One ticket covers travel for up to two adults and four children up to 15 years old all for the same great price."

I assume therefore that there is no problem.

Amazing what search engines can throw up in 10 seconds.

However, you and I both know that what some TOCs post on their website can be misconstrued by on train staff, those in stations etc.

 

[Ianno87]

Imagine how people without children must feel.

They have a Two Together Railcard for them.

 

[Merseysider]

They have a Two Together Railcard for them.

Assuming they have a friend

Family tickets entice those onto the railway who would otherwise drive. It’s extra revenue.