Watch out if using Best Fare feature on NRE website

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

To be honest, I wouldn't assume that you are right from that answer.  For me only says "we'll give you the money back and that way we'll keep you quiet"...  The admin fee is in a way just an extra payment they've taken, they're keeping the money from the tickets!!

And in my opinion, the admin fee would be the only money they shouldn't refund you even if you were right!!!

Anyway, we are as we were when this post started...   

I think a lot of this goes on - TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) using 'goodwill' as the reason for giving refunds, instead of addressing the interpretation of Terms & Conditions.

There are a lot of different interpretations of the various rules and regulations out there and I suspect ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) do not wish to see legal challenges setting a precedent. I, however, being a bit anal, would rather there was clarity and unambiguity. Dishing out 'goodwill' payments to those who shout loudest is all well and good but they do not come with any clarification as to the correct enforcement of a particular rule.

bigdaz's complaint is a case in point;

In light of the circumstances I would be happy to reimburse you for the admin fee.....

No admission that CrossCountry is in the wrong, nor a dismissal of the complaint because the passenger is wrong. I'd rather the TOC gave and explained it's opinion of the rules and then, if they were in the wrong, give the necessary refund.

We have the worst of all worlds at the moment. Staff on the ground (or on the phone) say one thing, which may be right, may be wrong. Customer interprets the rules differently and complains, TOC neither admits or denies liability and instead makes a 'goodwill' payment. So no clarification, no precedent and the likelihood that passengers will continue to be bamboozled.

[readytostart]

Just to let you know, at XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) the customer relations department deal with both ticket sales and comments and complaints, concentration on a different area each week, so could actually be the same person supplying you with duff information that processed the rail voucher payment!

[JayMac]

And unless somebody from 'Swindon', ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here),... tells me otherwise,

Well, I wait with bated breath for a reply from ATOC to my email.

Bumping this thread at the risk of reopening the can of worms but I've just recieved an email from ATOC. At 0415 in the morning as well!

Unusually it comes with a copyright warning (  ) so I can't quote it here in full, lest I or the forum administrators end up in court!

No real definitive answer to the points I raised as to whether it is allowed to exchange an Advance to split walk-ups and whether that being told it is not by a ticket office is against published rules. Just a re-hash of the published restrictions in the NRCoC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage) and the T&Cs that come with an Advance Purchase ticket. Final line of the reply states that any refund is up to the individual TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company), and this would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Thanks, ATOC. Still clear as mud! 

[Ollie]

Seems clear enough to me, as far as ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) are concerned officially no refund is due, but if a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) wants to do it, it's their choice.