National Express charged twice

pinkhaze

Hi

My son returned from Portugal on the weekend. His flight was due to take off at 3.50pm and land at 6.40pm but was cancelled. He got a later flight, about 8.00pm, and landed at Heathrow at about 10.30pm.

Him and his pals had booked returned coach tickets with National Express for £22 and the original departure was 9.00pm. Because of the cancelled flight they missed their coach. The driver would not let them on a later coach unless they all paid £39 each, which they did, there was 9 of them so National Express made £351. this coach then left at 01.00am.

On their website it states:

"If you miss the coach you are booked on, through no fault of National Express or Eurolines, and you do not amend your seat before the time of departure, then your ticket will no longer be valid and you will not be entitled to a refund.

However, for customers travelling from airports, we do try to help as much as we can. Under normal circumstances we will try to accommodate you on a later departure, subject to seats being available. But we are under no obligation to do this.

Our advice when booking is always to book on a service at least 1 hour 30 minutes after you are due to land. Then, if your plane arrives on time or early, and you are in time to catch an earlier coach, we will be happy for you to travel on an earlier departure, subject to seat availability.

Please note that an amendment fee will be charged by the agent/office making the amendment"

As you can see from above, National Express are quite happy for you to catch an earlier coach than booked if there are seats available, but it appears they do not allow this if you are late because of a cancelled flight.

I have emailed them requesting that my son's fee be refunded but as yet I have had no reply.

Does anybody have any suggestions or advice before I telephone National Express?

Any advice would be much appeciated.

Thank you

Quentin

On what grounds have you requested a refund - the ts + cs you quote clearly say:

you will not be entitled to a refund

So all you can do is ask nicely and say would they like to make a goodwill offer - but if they refuse you will have to swallow it.

pinkhaze

Quentin, the grounds I asked for a refund are:

However, for customers travelling from airports, we do try to help as much as we can. Under normal circumstances we will try to accommodate you on a later departure, subject to seats being available.

There were seats available on the later departure as they were all able to be seated.

shellsuit

pinkhaze wrote: »

Quentin, the grounds I asked for a refund are:

However, for customers travelling from airports, we do try to help as much as we can. Under normal circumstances we will try to accommodate you on a later departure, subject to seats being available.

There were seats available on the later departure as they were all able to be seated.

But we are under no obligation to do this.


Which means that they don't have to if they don't want to.

They didn't, so that should be the end of it.

travelgran

If he wants a refund shouldn't he be sorting it himself, albeit with your advice? How old is he?

pinkhaze

Shellsuit, thanks for your response but I am after help and advice. I have obviously interpreted the meaning of the paragraph.

Travelgran, thank you for your response. He is 18 and several of his pals are looking into it and so I thought I would too. If you have nothing helpful and constructive to say, then say nothing is best.

This site is for help and advice and I would be most grateful if there is anybody who can give this.

shellsuit

What help and advice can anyone else give if it is there in black and white that they have done nothing wrong?

pinkhaze

shellsuit wrote: »

What help and advice can anyone else give if it is there in black and white that they have done nothing wrong?

However, for customers travelling from airports, we do try to help as much as we can. Under normal circumstances we will try to accommodate you on a later departure, subject to seats being available.

You have obviously not read or understood the paragraph I, and you, have highlighted.

As I have said, I am after help and advice to see if my son can claim this money back. As you have nothing constructive or helpful to add then I suggest you go elsewhere with your negative and unhelpful responses.

If no-one can help, so be it, but don't waste my time or yours. I do not want a debate, I would like help and advice.

spiro

Claim on his travel insurance, unfortunately the excess will probably exceed the amount.

Pelican_eats_pigeon

Hi, my sister travels NX all the time and frequently manages to get refunds after missing buses due to her own scattiness and having to rebook, I would think NX are likely to refund the charge in this case if they have done so in hers.

However if they refuse there is little you can do about it.

pinkhaze

Spiro, thanks for your response. Unfortunately, you are right, the excess will exceed the amount he is claiming.

Pelican, thank you. How did she do this? was it by letter or email?