Return Journeys: Charter-based Compensation Claims (not a request for assistance)

[Ivo]

I have been trying to discern something in relation to compensation claims in relation to TOCs' charters. This has come about because a claim I put in fairly recently (not otherwise mentioned on the forum) was rejected.

Using FGW's HSTs as an example, a journey qualifies for compensation if it involves a delay of a minimum of 60 minutes. However, this time is only applicable to one leg of the journey. So if a person is 45 minutes late in one direction, and then 45 minutes late on his return journey, he is due no compensation according to the FGW charter even though the overall delay in relation to the one "contract" between the company and customer (i.e. the one return journey) is 50% greater than the usual minimum.

Is this really fair? Whether it is or not, is there any reason for this to be the case? And has anyone else ever lost out for this reason?

 

[route:oxford]

Is this really fair?

Yes

Whether it is or not, is there any reason for this to be the case?

There has to be a cut-off point somewhere, and although it is a return ticket, it is clearly two separate end to end journeys.

And has anyone else ever lost out for this reason?

No, I've always acquainted myself with the rules before making a claim.

 

[Oliver]

I

Using FGW's HSTs as an example, a journey qualifies for compensation if it involves a delay of a minimum of 60 minutes. However, this time is only applicable to one leg of the journey. So if a person is 45 minutes late in one direction, and then 45 minutes late on his return journey, he is due no compensation according to the FGW charter even though the overall delay in relation to the one "contract" between the company and customer (i.e. the one return journey) is 50% greater than the usual minimum.

Is this really fair? Whether it is or not, is there any reason for this to be the case? And has anyone else ever lost out for this reason?

Yes, why not? If a return journey is one "contract" it could be argued that if your train was 110 minutes late in one direction and on-time on the other on average you were only 55 minutes late, so deserved nothing.