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Title: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: Lee on March 26, 2008, 15:40:02 From the MTLS Forum (link below) :
http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7df6dcec56590959f75ac9eba1113c4&topic=214.msg592#msg592 Quote from: eurotraveller On Monday this week I travelled on the 07.22 from Pewsey to Paddington to leave myself enough time to get the 10.28 Eurostar to Paris. (I did the 08.10 once but I got the Eurostar with 5 minutes to spare!), anyway, I have done this trip for the past year or so and always get my tickets on line. On Monday however, the ticket collecter decided that my 'Saver Return' was not valid on that train and hit me with a ^55.00 excess fare!! I told him that I travelled on this very train every two weeks for the past year and always got a Saver Return. His response was "Well I havent seen you before!!" So that makes me a liar then!!!!! Unfortunately I had left all my other tickets (which had been checked) in my Paris flat. I did go to Customer Services and she gave me a form to fill in. As I am still waiting (Since July 2006) for a ^20 refund (less the ^10 handling fee) I cant be bothered even attempting to take it any further!! I suppose with the financial situation FGW are in they need all the Excess and Penalty fares they can get!!!!! Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: vacman on March 26, 2008, 22:23:42 From the MTLS Forum (link below) : A saver wouldn't be valid on that train!!!!!!!http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7df6dcec56590959f75ac9eba1113c4&topic=214.msg592#msg592 Quote from: eurotraveller On Monday this week I travelled on the 07.22 from Pewsey to Paddington to leave myself enough time to get the 10.28 Eurostar to Paris. (I did the 08.10 once but I got the Eurostar with 5 minutes to spare!), anyway, I have done this trip for the past year or so and always get my tickets on line. On Monday however, the ticket collecter decided that my 'Saver Return' was not valid on that train and hit me with a ^55.00 excess fare!! I told him that I travelled on this very train every two weeks for the past year and always got a Saver Return. His response was "Well I havent seen you before!!" So that makes me a liar then!!!!! Unfortunately I had left all my other tickets (which had been checked) in my Paris flat. I did go to Customer Services and she gave me a form to fill in. As I am still waiting (Since July 2006) for a ^20 refund (less the ^10 handling fee) I cant be bothered even attempting to take it any further!! I suppose with the financial situation FGW are in they need all the Excess and Penalty fares they can get!!!!! Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: Lee on March 26, 2008, 22:27:33 From the MTLS Forum (link below) : A saver wouldn't be valid on that train!!!!!!!http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7df6dcec56590959f75ac9eba1113c4&topic=214.msg592#msg592 Quote from: eurotraveller On Monday this week I travelled on the 07.22 from Pewsey to Paddington to leave myself enough time to get the 10.28 Eurostar to Paris. (I did the 08.10 once but I got the Eurostar with 5 minutes to spare!), anyway, I have done this trip for the past year or so and always get my tickets on line. On Monday however, the ticket collecter decided that my 'Saver Return' was not valid on that train and hit me with a ^55.00 excess fare!! I told him that I travelled on this very train every two weeks for the past year and always got a Saver Return. His response was "Well I havent seen you before!!" So that makes me a liar then!!!!! Unfortunately I had left all my other tickets (which had been checked) in my Paris flat. I did go to Customer Services and she gave me a form to fill in. As I am still waiting (Since July 2006) for a ^20 refund (less the ^10 handling fee) I cant be bothered even attempting to take it any further!! I suppose with the financial situation FGW are in they need all the Excess and Penalty fares they can get!!!!! An interesting reply has been posted to the original MTLS forum post (link below.) http://moretrainlessstrain.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7df6dcec56590959f75ac9eba1113c4&topic=214.msg592#msg592 Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: John R on March 26, 2008, 23:10:42 Well I have to say my initial thought was "is it or isn't it valid?", which the respondent confirmed. As it isn't then I've no sympathy. Doing the journey every couple of weeks, he or she ought to know.
Then I thought "Paris flat". Either Eurotraveller is a business traveller, and presumably claiming expenses or if not then am I going to shed any tears for someone being excessed for not having a valid ticket who can afford a flat in Paris. Finally I thought of the London International CIV fare, which presumably brings the cost down to around the Saver fare. Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: devonian on March 27, 2008, 05:50:52 Financial situation???
Just had a look at Firsts figures and they are doing very nicely! Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: Tim on March 27, 2008, 09:20:44 Having got away with something before isn't a justification for doing it again. You were not unlucky to be caught this time, rather you were lucky not to have been caught on previous occasions.
For future trips, I would recomend buying a CIV "Eurohigh saver" to "London International". It will cost about the same as a saver, has no restrictions, includes a cross-London tube journey and if FGW are late and you miss your connection, Eurostar are obliged to put you on their next service at no extra charge. Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: Lee on March 27, 2008, 10:12:09 Having got away with something before isn't a justification for doing it again. You were not unlucky to be caught this time, rather you were lucky not to have been caught on previous occasions. For future trips, I would recomend buying a CIV "Eurohigh saver" to "London International". It will cost about the same as a saver, has no restrictions, includes a cross-London tube journey and if FGW are late and you miss your connection, Eurostar are obliged to put you on their next service at no extra charge. I'm not sure whether eurotraveller visits this site. Maybe an idea to also post this on the MTLS forum, given that it is a direct reply to him? Title: Re: MTLS Forum Post - Penalty Fares Post by: swlines on March 28, 2008, 08:05:54 For international travel - check out seat61.com. Very good site.
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