Refund of Taxi Fare by Train Operator??

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silvasava
silvasava Posts: 4,433 Forumite
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in Public transport & cycling
I'll try to be as brief as possible! On Tuesday my DH, Son and a friend arrived from along haul flight to Gatwick. Unfortunately due to industrial action there was no train running to our destination. I asked at the information desk how we could get to Portsmouth and was told to go to Brighton and then on from there. We arrived in Brighton and on enquiring there we were told the only available route was to return to Gatwick change for Guildford and then to Portsmouth!!
By this time we were totally shattered (friend is 82l and could not face such an extended journey so we negotiated with a taxi in Brighton to take us home.
Does anyone have any info if we can claim for the taxi fare given we were given wrong information at Gatwick?
Small victories - sometimes they are all you can hope for but sometimes they are all you need - be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
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  • Keep_pedalling
    Keep_pedalling Posts: 16,628 Forumite
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    Had you actually purchased tickets in advance?
  • silvasava
    silvasava Posts: 4,433 Forumite
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    Yes - we bought return tickets.
    Small victories - sometimes they are all you can hope for but sometimes they are all you need - be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,323 Forumite
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    I'm sorry, know they were tired but how could anyone expect an airport to know which trains travelled where from which station. They deal in airflight. Not trains. Particularly if there was industrial action.

    I don't think you can hold them responsible for this. The people to ask were British Rail (phone call).
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,181 Forumite
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    deannatrois wrote: »
    I'm sorry, know they were tired but how could anyone expect an airport to know which trains travelled where from which station. They deal in airflight. Not trains. Particularly if there was industrial action.

    I don't think you can hold them responsible for this. The people to ask were British Rail (phone call).
    I assumed the OP asked at the railway station information desk, but I could be wrong.
  • Altarf
    Altarf Posts: 2,916 Forumite
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    edited 30 April 2016 at 12:43PM
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    deannatrois wrote: »
    The people to ask were British Rail (phone call).

    Maybe if you were still in 1997.
    silvasava wrote: »
    Does anyone have any info if we can claim for the taxi fare given we were given wrong information at Gatwick?

    Although we know you were given the wrong information as getting anyone involved with the railways to actually give a damn when there is disruption is impossible, unless you can prove it then you stand little chance.
  • silvasava
    silvasava Posts: 4,433 Forumite
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    Just to clarify - we asked at the information desk at the station platform! It was the person at the rail desk who gave us the information.
    No - I would not expect the airline desk to have information about rail connections.
    Small victories - sometimes they are all you can hope for but sometimes they are all you need - be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
  • jb66
    jb66 Posts: 1,705 Forumite
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    How can you prove you were told this?
  • silvasava
    silvasava Posts: 4,433 Forumite
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    Well - four people with luggage after a long haul flight surely wouldn't have bothered to travel to Brighton on a whim and I wouldn't have thought it was necessary for the rail information desk to have written their instructions down for us to have to prove what they said.
    Small victories - sometimes they are all you can hope for but sometimes they are all you need - be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
  • yorkie2
    yorkie2 Posts: 1,595 Forumite
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    silvasava wrote: »
    Does anyone have any info if we can claim for the taxi fare given we were given wrong information at Gatwick?
    If you had travelled by rail, you would have had a case for delay compensation.

    As you chose to abandon your journey, you can get a refund on your rail tickets, but I don't see how you can claim compensation on the cost of the taxi.

    I'd complain about the wrong info though. What time did you arrive at Gatwick rail station?
  • nearlyrich
    nearlyrich Posts: 13,698 Forumite
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    Virgin trains paid for a taxi in London to get me to a destination that would have been doable by tube if my train from Manchester had not been delayed by over an hour, they also refunded half of the fare. If you contact the train company they might surprise you, it's worth asking.
    Free impartial debt advice from: National Debtline or Stepchange[/CENTER]
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