National Express VENT

GreyPilgrim · 20 July 2009 at 4:23PM

Booked a ticket on line and since I'm need it for Friday, I didn't trust it getting here via post so I selected the "Collect" option.

Manchester Airport was a pick up location and since I work just round the corner I thought I'd select it and pick it up after work.

I even phoned the customer service line to check the opening and closing times, and the location of the desk.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Just been to collect it, only to find out it closed down 18 months ago, and now all tickets have to be collected from an affiliated travel agent for a £2.50 surcharge?

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Pollycat · 20 July 2009 at 4:33PM

No wonder you're mad. I'd be furious too.

GreyPilgrim · 20 July 2009 at 4:43PM

But you know they'll have covered their backsides with some very small print in the Terms and Conditions about such an event don't you.

I know it's only £2.50 but it's just another one of those drip-drip-drip 'screw the consumer' episodes that seem to plague our lives.

I don't hold much hope of getting a refund. Maybe I'll just sit at the back of the coach and do a poo under the seat before I reach my destination. Just to make me feel better.

(I'm joking, by the way. I think)

Pollycat · 20 July 2009 at 4:51PM

Even though it would probably not do any good, I'd write a short, unemotional letter of complaint to National Express and point out that one of their main points of customer contact and point of sale (website) is sadly out of date and that even their advisors aren't up to date with which offices are open.

Regards

GreyPilgrim · 20 July 2009 at 4:53PM

Yeah, just have. Kept it nice and factual and unemotional. We'll see what comes back.

Takoda · 20 July 2009 at 5:03PM

Couldn't you have downloaded an e ticket? Then printed it out?

Pollycat · 20 July 2009 at 5:13PM

Takoda wrote: »

Couldn't you have downloaded an e ticket? Then printed it out?

:doh:Why didn't I think of that? I've done it quite a few times in the past.

But it still doesn't excuse National Express having out-of-date information.

GreyPilgrim · 20 July 2009 at 7:47PM

Takoda wrote: »

Couldn't you have downloaded an e ticket? Then printed it out?

I normally do that with everything, but on the day the printer at work decided to break down, I took the collection option.

I had a rant to a completely innocent bystander on the way out of the station, and he said they offer a 'text your reference number to phone' service which I seem to have totally missed.

This would have been the better option in hindsight.

Takoda · 20 July 2009 at 8:05PM

That was bad luck.

chuckley · 20 July 2009 at 11:37PM

they cant advertise a ticket machine that doesnt exist???

im guessin they'l refund u the £2.50 and add in a travel voucher.

ThinkingOfLinking · 21 July 2009 at 3:47AM

I normally also opt for the text ticket option, at 25p each way. I hope they get back to you with an apology; given the amount of foreign tourists they also have using their services, they really don't want to risk leaving people stranded because they can't get their tickets, or defeat the object of offering cheap tickets by resulting in you needing to pay £2.50 to rectify THEIR mistake.