Eurotunnel Outrage!!

Rudolph

A group of us (12 motorcycles) have just returned from a weekend trip to France via Eurotunnel. One person prebooked us with his credit card. All ok until Eurotunnel said that the crossing had already been used by one of our party earlier in the day. It had not, the person was with us and his return was used by persons unknown to us with a totally different registration number, also on a motorbike. We had the person who made the booking with us, with the credit card that he booked with.
We were then made to wait an hour whilst they manually checked names on a sheet to see if there was a duplicate. Eventually they said NON!! The options were to buy another ticket (Single 103 euros) or stay in France.
So somebody (with a fairly common surname) can mistakenly (or fraudulently) turn up at eurotunnel, with no credit card check, no registration match, board the train, (4 hours before the booked time) and leave you to pick up the bill. Can you believe that Eurotunnel accept no responsibility! It leaves you seething!

Rudolph

Meant to add that they said we should have kept our outward ticket "Hangar" and it was our fault that we didn't, this was told to us through a gap in the window of their office by a "manager" who refused to give his name. They don't tell you this at the time of departure.
Not that the amount you pay should make any difference to customer service, it will be one of the ferry companies who get our £960 next time!!

sturll

Since the other person had used your ticket could you have not used his ticket?

Id claim back through the credit card if it were me.

Rudolph

sturll wrote: »

Since the other person had used your ticket could you have not used his ticket?

Id claim back through the credit card if it were me.

You would have thought! but having manually checked through A4 sheets of names for an hour, they could not find the other person albeit a very common surname.
I'm not sure about the credit card as it will be billed at £80 as a single transaction. Is there recourse for under £100??
Eurotunnels idea of group travel for parties of under 15 is to book everybody individually on the same credit card at the same time to ensure that you all get on the same train. Even then, you take a chance that halfway through the booking process there may be a fare increase due to the "Sudden" popularity of the crossing. They really are a law unto themselves.

sturll

Rudolph wrote: »

You would have thought! but having manually checked through A4 sheets of names for an hour, they could not find the other person albeit a very common surname.
I'm not sure about the credit card as it will be billed at £80 as a single transaction. Is there recourse for under £100??
Eurotunnels idea of group travel for parties of under 15 is to book everybody individually on the same credit card at the same time to ensure that you all get on the same train. Even then, you take a chance that halfway through the booking process there may be a fare increase due to the "Sudden" popularity of the crossing. They really are a law unto themselves.

You might be right actually about it being £100, but i would call them anyway because essentially what has happened is that someone has used something without your consent paid for on your card. Perhaps they can claim back from Eurostar? I mean i don't know but its certainly worth giving them a call.

You could also try calling consumer direct http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ who will be able to advise you much better than most on here.

In addition i would write to customer services and make a complaint detailing what happened. There is no way should they get away with it and often you'll get a completely different response from customer services than you do from the people on the ground.

Failing all the above you could take them to court but with additional costs incurred its probably not worth it. But certainly register your complaint with whoever it is that regulates Euro Tunnel.

Rudolph

Just checked the ticket Hanger, nowhere on it does it say it has to be kept for the return journey.

Also, in their terms and conditions it states that if you arrive early you may be able to change your booking providing that you have the person and credit card that booked the original.
Clearly, the person earlier had neither.

Just phoned their Customer services who will not speak about it at all, it must be in writing which we are now doing.

Rudolph

Not heard back from them yet:mad:

kpbmk2

SO, just who was it that came into this country four hours previously, apparently with no documentation at all. In the days of hightened security it farcical. Why it appears a lot easier than strapping oneself to a lorries axels with trouser belt and laces and hanging on for grim death

Rudolph

Latest news is that the registration that Eurotunnel gave as having taken the earlier crossing related to a Fiat Ducato Van!!

Rudolph

Latest is that it appears that Eurotunnel are as miffed as we were about the incident.
They have told me that they are launching disciplinary action against the individual involved.
In the meantime they have refunded the additional cost paid and also the cost of the individuals original ticket. They will also give us a discount next time we book (if we book!!).
I think this is probably the best outcome we could have realistically achieved.
It was emailing their customer services that did the trick. They were very apologetic
Personally, I would be prepared to give them another shot. At least they eventually sorted it and there can't be many 'Bad Apples' like the one we encountered working there, hopefully he'll get his wrists slapped!

welshmoneylover

thanks for the update, was thinking about this thread the other day.