TPE not having a good night with the public relations View attachment 75425 View attachment 75426 View attachment 75427 View attachment 75428 View attachment 75429
“I bought a discounted ticket that I knew was non-refundable. Now that I don’t want it, I want a refund. If you say no, your a bad company”TPE not having a good night with the public relations View attachment 75425 View attachment 75426 View attachment 75427 View attachment 75428 View attachment 75429
These idiots can’t have it all their own way. If you get a cheap ticket, it comes with strings attached. If you want to flexibility to refund, buy a flexible ticket. Life is about choices. Some people like to blame everyone else when their choices don’t work out the way they wanted.
TPE not having a good night with the public relations View attachment 75425 View attachment 75426 View attachment 75427 View attachment 75428 View attachment 75429
These idiots can’t have it all their own way. If you get a cheap ticket, it comes with strings attached.
When the hell did £77 become a "cheap ticket?"
.......... so anyone with an AP ticket can probably sit tight safe in the knowledge at least one of their booked trains won't run. In which case they're automatically entitled to a refund.......
As the train is cancelled they have to refund it as per the usual T&Cs.I'm in a situation with TPE refusing to refund an Advance ticket. However one of my booked trains has now been cancelled. If they refuse a refund, given their dreadful attitude as evidenced above, I'll be commencing legal proceedings. Not having any messing around from them anymore.
This is actually true; they are indeed not allowed to. The train companies collectively (i.e. ATOC trading as RDG) are stopping them.PS It really pees me off when companies say "we cannot" give a refund.
They can, at any time and for any reason, nobody is stopping them. What they mean is "we will not".
LNER are offering credit notes for the value of advance tickets, which is better than many other TOC'sAs the train is cancelled they have to refund it as per the usual T&Cs.
This is actually true; they are indeed not allowed to. The train companies collectively (i.e. ATOC trading as RDG) are stopping them.
There is a major issue with that, but there are so many complexities I am unsure of the legal and contractual position.LNER are offering credit notes for the value of advance tickets, which is better than many other TOC's
This is actually true; they are indeed not allowed to. The train companies collectively (i.e. ATOC trading as RDG) are stopping them.
Under normal circumstances that’s perfectly reasonable. It would be a) to ensure consistency of terms across the industry, so customers always know what the position is, and b) it’s to stop one TOC breaking ranks and forcing a domino effect on the industry.Really? I think I've heard everything now!
There is a major issue with that, but there are so many complexities I am unsure of the legal and contractual position.
It's unclearif LNER are allowed to do what they are doing. Or, if they are, then perhaps RDG are acting incorrectly.
Either way, something is seriously wrong there. I won't say much more on this subject as to who is right and wrong until the situation becomes clearer as I have heard several different concerns about this bizarre situation.
The combined actions of LNER and RDG are causing loss of reputation and increased harm to retailers (who are already in a terrible situation). It would be 'interesting' to say the least, if it went to court.
LNER as a TOC or LNER as a retailer? I think you mean the latter, not the former, and that is a major problem.To be fair LNER are putting their customers interests first
Yes, but surely all customers should be treated equally.Without customers no LNER and no Retailer
I think what they have done sounds like a potential case of an abuse of a dominant market position.LNER are backed into a corner and cannot win whatever they do
Abuse of a dominant market position could take the following forms:
- Establishing unfair tradition conditions in the market through creating distorted purchase or selling prices
- Limiting product rates and development as a whole to the disadvantage of consumers
- Placing other competitors and organisations at a competitive disadvantage by creating dissimilar conditions to equivalent transactions with other parties
- Tarnishing contracts with other parties through making the conclusion subject to acceptance by the other parties of supplementary obligations, which in fact have no actual connection to the subject of the contract.
I can't imagine there is any mechanism for that, surely?! The credit notes appear to go into the coffers of LNER the retailer, rather than the TOC that would have relieved the revenue.I assume the retailers will be able to hold on to the commission if LNER give credit notes
It absolutely is! And RDG should officially mandate this as an agreed practice, in my opinionI'm an LNER (TOC and retailer) customer, who stands to benefit from these arrangements. I agree that in remotely normal circumstances this would be a deeply problematic position but, right now, it feels to me a customer-centric way of responding to a completely abnormal event.
To be clear, RDG won't be accusing LNER of abusing a dominant market position; I am saying that it is my opinion that the actions of LNER look to me like a potential abuse of a dominant market position.Rather than worrying how they are abusing a dominant position, perhaps RDG could turn their mind to how they can facilitate something similar across the network, supporting government policy and without taking even more of a lump out of intermediaries.
OK but how isn't it an abuse of a dominant market position? They are not allowing other retailers to offer the same as they are. Other retailers are banned from doing this.I generally respect the views of @yorkie and his focus on the paying customer of the railway. On this one, though, I think he's called it wrong.
Yes many train companies will be in an absolutely terrible position right now, which is presumably why the train companies (collectively) are not prepared to allow retailers to issue refunds on Advance fares (except LNER as a retailer are defying that by offering refunds)For context, I went to my local station at lunchtime the other day to get a refund on my (6 week) season. That will have cost LNER about £500. The other 3 people in the queue were getting refunds on annuals bought around Christmas. I reckon we cost LNER the thick end of £20k in one 5 minute burst.
Yes many train companies will be in an absolutely terrible position right now, which is why the train companies (collectively) are not allowing retailers to issue refunds on Advance fares (except LNER as a retailer are defying that by offering refunds)
If they were a third party retailer they would have been, but as they're a TOC, they will get away with it for sure.What is the latest with Southeastern? Have they been reprimanded?
"Hi Neil, that's not possible for advance tickets. We're expecting some news on advance refunds today, so please keep an eye on our tweets"
That produces an error, saying it can't be found?See https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...se-agreements-suspended-for-6-months.202509/; refunds are now available for all Advance fares.
Try this one:That produces an error, saying it can't be found?
Try adding 'Freepost' to this address?TPE's website allowed me a full refund for all bar one upcoming/non-travelling ticket... said I had to post it. Not worth it for a quid particularly as I don't have any stamps!
Could be - wasn't on their wesbite - but done not mean they don't have one of courseI believe the Freepost address for ticket refunds is "FREEPOST FIRST TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS"