What if: entitled to excess but staff physically cannot sell it

[MrJeeves]

This is based off a scenario that's happened in the last 30 mins, but with some fare details changed* to make the topic more fun.

I hold a Travel Agent Discounted ticket from Birmingham Stations to Burgess Hill, route via High Wycombe.

I arrive at Coventry station, starting short, and wish to excess my ticket to Via Kensington Olympia to allow me to use Avanti towards London.

Ticket Office staff at Coventry cannot excess the ticket as they cannot use a Travel Agents Discount. Knowing that I'm entitled to a change of route excess while on board, I enter the platform anyway and board the train.

I ask the train manager if I can excess the ticket with them. They give it a go, but show me that their mobile phone won't let them use a TAD discount (a red no entry symbol appears next to the selected discount).

I know I'm entitled to a change of route excess here, but noone seems to be able to issue it. I assume the passenger should be permitted to travel despite this as it's not their fault. In reality, Avanti should allow any discounts when excessing a ticket (either on board or at a station), of course.

* I held a ticket from Coventry, which means the KPA routed fare costs less than the via HWY fare, hence I am automatically entitled to travel on the cheaper route.

 

[Haywain]

If that had been me, you'd have been issued the excess (in your semi-hypothetical scenario), even if the excess coupon didn't reflect the correct discount code. Where there's a will, there's a way!

 

[MrJeeves]

If that had been me, you'd have paid the excess (in your semi-hypothetical scenario), even if the excess coupon didn't reflect the correct discount code. Where there's a will, there's a way!

Some other manual discounting?

 

[Haywain]

Some other manual discounting?

Yep. Excesses are such that there pretty much always needs to be a manual override, which means you can do most things.

 

[Birmingham]

* I held a ticket from Coventry, which means the KPA routed fare costs less than the via HWY fare, hence I am automatically entitled to travel on the cheaper route.

How did this go down at Coventry gateline? I would have thought they'd take some persuasion to let you in on a via HWY ticket?

 

[MrJeeves]

How did this go down at Coventry gateline? I would have thought they'd take some persuasion to let you in on a via HWY ticket?

Well I'd have to get from Coventry to High Wycombe somehow on that ticket, and it wouldn't be teleportation!

 

[P Binnersley]

How did this go down at Coventry gateline? I would have thought they'd take some persuasion to let you in on a via HWY ticket?

It wouldn't be a problem. Its a permitted route and there are Coventry - London via High Wycombe fares.

If the ticket isn't to or from Coventry the barriers probably won't open, but the staff are good and will let you through.

 

[MrJeeves]

The only reason that I buy that ticket to Coventry is to allow me to use the WCML if I feel like it.

I'd usually break my journey at Leamington, but this gives me the choice of a bus to Coventry and the WCML, or a bus to Leamington Spa and the Chilterns.

While people may say I could buy the KPA fare and excess it to High Wycombe instead, I'd rather do it this way around to save situations like this happening instead of relying on the cheaper route rule for the sake of 25p (or 12.5p if I choose to excess one way).

 

[fandroid]

How did this go down at Coventry gateline? I would have thought they'd take some persuasion to let you in on a via HWY ticket?

Quite straightforward trip. Take a southbound CrossCountry service and change to Chiltern at either Leamington Spa or Banbury.

 

[RJ]

The ticket office computer I use has no issue with applying a TAD discount or using it for an excess. It's curious that there was any problem at all given the tickets are issued in the normal way like any railcard discount is and this is corroborated by the internal Knowledgebase entry.

 

[Adam Williams]

The ticket office computer I use has no issue with applying a TAD discount or using it for an excess. It's curious that there was any problem at all given the tickets are issued in the normal way like any railcard discount is and this is corroborated by the internal Knowledgebase entry.

Some staff TISs seem to much more restrictive than others.

I can't understand preventing it being used to sell new tickets or issue excesses, though it's fair to say that due to the nature of the discount I suppose it's very rare that you would be asked to sell the discounted tickets in a ticket office setting.

 

[MrJeeves]

The ticket office computer I use has no issue with applying a TAD discount or using it for an excess. It's curious that there was any problem at all given the tickets are issued in the normal way like any railcard discount is and this is corroborated by the internal Knowledgebase entry.

Indeed. Avanti ticket offices use tablets which appear to use software similar to that of on board staff, so I do wonder if they have similar restrictions as to what they can sell just like on board.

I think the idea of blocking discounts for on board sales is a bit ridiculous though. What if my ticket machine wasn't working and I couldn't collect my ToD? I do buy TAD discounted tickets myself, but I'd like to think I could buy them from a ticket office if I needed.

 

[Haywain]

What if my ticket machine wasn't working and I couldn't collect my ToD?

Avanti use a TIS supplied by TTK, and this should be able to issue your ToD either at a ticket office or on board.

 

[alistairlees]

I've bought TAD-discounted tickets at Charing Cross station (I had to tell them what to do!) and also excessed a TAD-discounted ticket on a Southeastern train (the guard just dealt with it like a perfectly normal request - it was an over-distance excess). I've tried to buy a TAD-discounted ticket at Llandudno station but, even with an explaation ("it's just a railcard discount, code TAD, here's the authority") it completely blew their minds, they had to seek supervisory assistance (from Llandudno Junction?), and it all took so long with no sign of a result as they were on the phone discussing it that I gave up and left. I think all this shows is that some people are willing / helpful / able, and some aren't and it's a lottery as to which you get with anything outside the norm.

 

[LowLevel]

You've inspired me to check my ticket machine later to see if it will allow me to do this

 

[alex17595]

I tried this on my ticket machine (mtis I think) and it had no problem offering the excess.

 

[Adam Williams]

and it all took so long with no sign of a result as they were on the phone discussing it that I gave up and left. I think all this shows is that some people are willing / helpful / able, and some aren't and it's a lottery as to which you get with anything outside the norm.

Leamington weren't interested in trying, despite an explanation. Just point blank refused.

I then bought it in front of them and gave them a ToD collection code and they couldn't even print that. Disappointing experience all round. TVM did it without any fuss.

Would very much agree it depends on how willing the staff are to help.