View Full Version : First post - advice needed on National Express compensation
Hi all,
This is my first post, so if someone could help me out, then it'd be much appreciated.
Right, so...
I embarked upon what I thought would be a budget weekend to see a friend in London this weekend, having managed to procure coach tickets on the National Express coaches for £1 each way. That was - although a little cramped and uncomfortable - fine, and I set off this afternoon to get my return back up north, only to find that the underground was running less than smoothly.
As a result, I had to get a cab (for £30) from Wimbledon to Victoria bus station which, due to the Sunday traffic, and the fact that there was an accident right in front of us, which the driver had to stop for, didn't arrive on time. I had already phoned National Express to inform them of my plight, and thought that they may have shown some degree of sympathy (owing to the fact that everything that could contrived to work against me), but they didn't, instead telling me that I'd have to pay £39 to change my ticket to one at 00.30 tomorrow MORNING, and that there was nothing else that they could do.
I thought I might get some more sense from speaking face to face with someone at Victoria coach station, but they were equally rude, obnoxious and unwilling to help in any way. I couldn't believe that this company could have these rude, unsympathetic, emotionally devoid people working for them. I mean, I know it's not exactly the worst situation anyone's ever been in, but it's a right pain being stuck somewhere without a ticket, and, I know that if I were in their position, I would have tried a lot harder to help out.
It soon dawned on me that I'd have to trek to King's Cross, and pay a full fare on the train (as, weirdly, I didn't fancy sticking around and paying £39 to get home at five in the morning). Another £4 on the tube fair, £84 back to Wakefield on the train (where I am now, using the complimentary (rather slow) WiFi), and, to add insult to metaphorical injury, I couldn't use my Young Person's Railcard, as I left it at home (I was supposed to be going on the bus, you see).
I have had nothing but rudeness directed towards me, and I have been nothing but pleasant and courteous, even though I'm about £120 out of pocket, as I accept it's not necessarily National Express's fault, per se. I've got the receipts for my various misadventures, and will be calling the complaints line in the morning, and wanting some compensation for the fact that I've now been saddled with a £120 bill, had a diatribe of abuse from people, and am utterly, utterly annoyed. All because a car in front of a taxi I was in crashed. Eugh.
Has anyone had a similar situation, and would you expect me to get any positive response from my claim?
Thanks, in advance,
Matthew.
uktyler
19-04-2009, 5:01 PM
Has anyone had a similar situation, and would you expect me to get any positive response from my claim?
I don't think you stand a chance to be honest, its not their fault you missed your coach, why should they pay you £120?
I'm not saying they necessarily should pay me £120, but I am saying that I've had bad service from the moment I phoned them up and politely asked what they could do for me, if anything. I didn't even get a 'Sorry, there's nothing we can do...'; it was 'You can change your ticket to one tomorrow for £39.'
Same from the person in the office; not an ounce of pleasantness. Very rude and ignorant.
chalkie99
19-04-2009, 5:10 PM
You only have one chance ................
........... and that is No Chance!
Put it down to experience and allow for the unexpected and delays next time.
uktyler
19-04-2009, 5:13 PM
You could chance it and write them a letter of complaint, but I can't see you getting out of them, except for your return coach journey refunded if you are lucky.
Horace
19-04-2009, 5:18 PM
The £1 tickets are issued to be used on specific coaches at specific times, unfortunately you did not allow yourself adequate time to get your coach despite ringing ahead to say that you would be late, unfortunately they cannot hold the coach for you.
In the past, I have missed my coach from Victoria to Birmingham - I only did it once and was forced to pay £39 for a new ticket, but it was my own fault for missing the coach in the first place. The only time you are likely to get compensation from them is if they have cancelled the coach or if you have been waiting at the stop and the coach has gone sailing past. On the occasion when my airport coach was cancelled National Express paid for a cab to take me and b/f from Stockwell to Gatwick, also when the coach sailed past us on another occasion National Express reimbursed us for a cab to chase the coach which we eventually managed to get on in Wandsworth.
Rather than ringing them and screaming down the phone, perhaps you could write them a polite letter and prevail on their good nature to reimburse you? If you are polite you might get somewhere - I am not saying that you will because you were late for your coach and the onus is on you to get there on time.
isplumm
19-04-2009, 5:19 PM
Hi,
Not sure what comp you are looking for?
You paid £1 to go from London to Newcastle ... missed it .... then were told that the next free bus was at 00:30 (or was that the cheapest rate going?) & then eventually had to catch train home ...
You had a non-refundable, non-transferable, non-cancellable cheapo ticket - yet because you missed bus, you expect compo ...
As chalkie99 says ... put ito down to experience ... be there early!!
When I fly anywhere, I prefer to be there 2 hours before .... much rather be sat bored at airport, than panicing about missing flight ... if you'd aimed to be there an hour before, you'd have most likely made it!!
Mark
You could chance it and write them a letter of complaint, but I can't see you getting out of them, except for your return coach journey refunded if you are lucky.
Do you think they'll send the £1 cash or cheque? ;)
OP, do you really expect compensation for somebody being rude to you? From what you have described I can only assume that you lead a sheltered life, as no one was actually rude, they just did not make the language all 'pretty' for you.
Sue the driver of the car in front of the taxi, he is the one who caused all this (or whoever made the underground run less than smoothly)
You seem to want people to apologise to YOU for you missing your coach. It should be YOU apoligising to THEM for making the coach wait about for you (if indeed they did wait). If they didn't wait, it's all equal.
Rant at Internet people, we can take it, but I don't think you are going to get far with the bus company.
Lemonade Pockets
19-04-2009, 5:26 PM
I'm sorry but i don't think you can pin the blame on NE.
I would write a letter about the customer service you received, there is no excuse for people being rude. By all means explain the situation and the extra costs incurred. They might give you some vouchers as compensation. Appeal to their good nature
But I would steer clear of demanding a refund for taxi's train etc. All this will achieve is them putting you letter in the bin. As others have pointed out, the fact that you missed the coach you had a ticket for had absolutely nothing to do with them.
You could send a similar letter to TFL but again i doubt it will achieve anything especially if they were scheduled engineering works.
Horace
19-04-2009, 5:35 PM
I'm not saying they necessarily should pay me £120, but I am saying that I've had bad service from the moment I phoned them up and politely asked what they could do for me, if anything. I didn't even get a 'Sorry, there's nothing we can do...'; it was 'You can change your ticket to one tomorrow for £39.'
Same from the person in the office; not an ounce of pleasantness. Very rude and ignorant.
Why should they apologise for your tardiness? They gave you an option of changing your ticket for one tomorrow for £39. What's the problem with that, I have never found National Express staff to be rude.
1984ReturnsForReal
19-04-2009, 5:40 PM
Why should anyone pay anyone compensation for something thats not their fault?
As for being rude, was this before or after you tried to insist that National Express should recompense you for London Undergrounds mismanagement, your choice to get a taxi, forget your railcard, get another taxi & purchase a train ticket?
You have 2 chances:
1) Get £1 back of National Express less their cost of having to deal with such a request.
2) Try and get compensation off London Underground.
Either way really, you have NO case against National Express.
Why should they apologise for your tardiness? They gave you an option of changing your ticket for one tomorrow for £39. What's the problem with that, I have never found National Express staff to be rude.
I agree. The OP is confusing rudeness with someone telling him something that he does not want to hear. Big difference. Huge. ;)
1984ReturnsForReal
19-04-2009, 5:43 PM
By the way, was this the Demonstration Weekend?
If so did that contribute to London Undergrounds inability to provide a service or did someone simply decide to chuck themselves under a train?
Do you think they'll send the £1 cash or cheque? ;)
OP, do you really expect compensation for somebody being rude to you? From what you have described I can only assume that you lead a sheltered life, as no one was actually rude, they just did not make the language all 'pretty' for you.
No, I don't necessarily expect compensation for people being rude to me (I'm a teacher, for goodness' sake; I'd be minted if I got compensation every time someone was rude to me), I just expect to be treated like I'd treat someone, and that's what my letter - that some people helpfully suggested - will say.
I lead a sheltered life? How's that, then? Because I expect people who provide a service to be courteous? I don't need 'pretty' language, and I don't need patronising. But hey, thanks.
Oh, and a cheque would be fine.
1984ReturnsForReal
19-04-2009, 5:50 PM
No, I don't necessarily expect compensation for people being rude to me (I'm a teacher, for goodness' sake; I'd be minted if I got compensation every time someone was rude to me), I just expect to be treated like I'd treat someone, and that's what my letter - that some people helpfully suggested - will say.
I lead a sheltered life? How's that, then? Because I expect people who provide a service to be courteous? I don't need 'pretty' language, and I don't need patronising. But hey, thanks.
Oh, and a cheque would be fine.
mcb12
Then your letter to NE should be about someone being rude to you.
What your actions financially cost you is of no relevence at all.
No, I don't necessarily expect compensation for people being rude to me (I'm a teacher, for goodness' sake; I'd be minted if I got compensation every time someone was rude to me), I just expect to be treated like I'd treat someone, and that's what my letter - that some people helpfully suggested - will say.
I lead a sheltered life? How's that, then? Because I expect people who provide a service to be courteous? I don't need 'pretty' language, and I don't need patronising. But hey, thanks.
Oh, and a cheque would be fine.
If you are a teacher then surely you should be well acquainted with advance planning and time management? National Express did not make you late.
If you do not want compensation, why have you titled your thread First post - advice needed on National Express compensation?
mcb12
Then your letter to NE should be about someone being rude to you.
What your actions financially cost you is of no relevence at all.
Yeah, it will be - that's the most annoying thing about it. I don't resent paying for travel, but I do resent being spoken down to by some smarmy jumped up so and so.
I'm not saying they necessarily should pay me £120, but I am saying that I've had bad service from the moment I phoned them up and politely asked what they could do for me, if anything. I didn't even get a 'Sorry, there's nothing we can do...'; it was 'You can change your ticket to one tomorrow for £39.'
You asked and they told you what to do.
The underground has engineering works during the weekends, you should of checked before travelling.
Yeah, it will be - that's the most annoying thing about it. I don't resent paying for travel, but I do resent being spoken down to by some smarmy jumped up so and so.
Who probably resents being spoken down to by ditto.
Whether you get rudeness or not from customer service personnel usually depend on how you approach them.
1984ReturnsForReal
19-04-2009, 6:04 PM
Yeah, it will be - that's the most annoying thing about it. I don't resent paying for travel, but I do resent being spoken down to by some smarmy jumped up so and so.
Personally I would still resent it BUT I would realise its nothing to do with NE but my own personal failure. I always leave an hour or two spare if travelling through any city if having to be somewhere is time dependent.
Its amazing how much having a beer or 2 at a train station or airport pub can save you.
If you really want to send a letter in do it but its of little use without the name of the person involved.
Expect to get one back saying they have "received further training".
It wont really achieve anything other than wasting more of your time.
Probably best to put it down to experience.
If you are a teacher then surely you should be well acquainted with advance planning and time management? National Express did not make you late.
If you do not want compensation, why have you titled your thread First post - advice needed on National Express compensation?
Well, turning up at Wimbledon with over an hour spare to do a journey which wouldn't usually take more than, say, 20 minutes is advance planning, I'd say. Granted, checking to see if the trains aren't running isn't, but I shall make sure that they are in the future. It never occurred to me that I'd need to.
Compensation would be wonderful, but I don't necessarily expect it. I put that as the title because it's what the post is about. Is there any need to merely pick holes in what I've said? I think not. Do something more productive with your Sunday afternoon.
I thought I'd post on here to see what people thought, and wondered whether I had a case; not a session of verbal jousting with you. Now we clearly are 'mid joust', though, I must say, it's a lot of fun.
Who probably resents being spoken down to by ditto.
Whether you get rudeness or not from customer service personnel usually depend on how you approach them.
Correct. Usually, it does. I've worked in retail and a call centre before, and I know what it's like to get an rude customer, so I always make sure I'm not one, regardless of whether I'm annoyed about something or not.
Horace
19-04-2009, 7:19 PM
Oh don't expect to receive a cheque from them either, they will give you an NE travel voucher instead.
Somerset
19-04-2009, 7:57 PM
If you write a letter of complaint ( about the rudeness ) you might get a generic meaningless response apologising - hardly worth the effort.
Btw, NE do sometimes 'hold' coaches - it happened to one I was on, but I think they felt liable ie a lass was on a NE coach which was late and needed to 'connect' with the one I was on, for onward travel.
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