Potential problem with XC Advance fare

[yorkie]

You can, however, immediately log back into the website and change your seat reservations- free of charge- online using the seat selector, even if your ticket was the last one in the quota.

Ah, useful to know, thanks

 

[Starmill]

So somebody in the (twitter) office can unilaterally decide to rescind the strict rules which are imposed when you purchased the Advance tickets can they?

It sounds to me like these twitter teams need taking to task about the 'advice' they are giving out!

If I had posted something questioning the capability and authority, of the media team of staff employed by a train company, or worse expressed that they should be 'taken to task' about doing their job without any basis in fact or evidence, I would definitely have been pulled up on it as nonsense.

But because you're a train driver, that means you can do that, does it?

 

[455driver]

If I had posted something questioning the capability and authority, of the media team of staff employed by a train company, or worse expressed that they should be 'taken to task' about doing their job without any basis in fact or evidence, I would definitely have been pulled up on it as nonsense.

But because you're a train driver, that means you can do that, does it?

What are the basic rules about Advance tickets and starting and finishing short?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What are the basic rules about Advance tickets and starting and finishing short?

That you can't. But if someone with the authority to do so allows you to do something on the railway, you can do it.

If the Twitter team do not have the authority to do that, then they should not do it (you never, for example, see them suggesting people travel on booking confirmations having been unable to get the tickets). But I suspect they actually do have that authority for certain matters.

Whether they *should* have that authority is an entirely separate discussion. The only thing of relevance to this case is whether they *do* or not.

 

[Jonfun]

The Twitter team are generally very good. This is a good example of why they're useful, solving problems before they happen. Someone encounters a potential problem, it's a hassle trying to email Customer Relations to ask so just turns up on the day and assumes everything will be okay. Revenue staff object, grief for the staff, grief for the passenger. Now, passenger tweets the team, gets a response within minutes, so if anyone does question it someone's made the decision to allow it and nobody suffers any aggro. Sorted.

 

[yorkie]

What are the basic rules about Advance tickets and starting and finishing short?

The T&Cs say it's not permitted, however following some well-publicised negative news stories, the rail industry has a policy of allowing it, except if there is a clear attempt to buy a cheaper fare.

 

[gray1404]

Are the Twitter teams customer relations staff, given that's who they are communicating with, the TOCs customers.

 

[Jonfun]

With XC they're a dedicated team, couldn't speak for other TOCs.