Virgin Trains thought a tandem folded in half.

ColdDish

Hi,

i'll keep it simple:

Virgin trains.
Booked ticket for a tandem bike.
Told train could carry tandem bike
Found out train could not carry tandem bike
recorded customer service telling me a tandem is a bike that folds in half.
Virgin refused to refund ticket.
Spent 1 week of phone calls before virgin refunded ticket. (£23)
Phone calls cost me £100. I was told I would get this back.
Letter today Ref 4-1984671 from virgin state their are not liable for the expenses of forcing them to admit they made a mistake and issue a refund. They have no offices and only the booking agents on a 0871 number can issue a refund.


I'd like to take them to small claims, does anyone have advice? Pleae note they have now refunded the ticket but it took me £100 in phone calls and a week for them to do it.

thx

hopefulfooluk

Write back to them and say that unless they reimburse your phone calls you will go to the media.

Watch cheque arrive on your doorstep the following week, I would bet

jd87

Virgin told you the bike folds in half?

It's your bike, surely you know whether it does or not???

Rolandtheroadie

jd87 wrote: »

Virgin told you the bike folds in half?

It's your bike, surely you know whether it does or not???

Yes, they do know it doesnt. Virgin trains thought it did.

olly300

Your options are:
1. http://www.passengerfocus.org.uk/
2. the media
3. the courts

Personally 2 than 3 is the best option as hopefulfooluk indicates.

Oh and I don't argue with companies on the phone I send them recorded delivery letters much easier to use when you need to use a regulator or take them to court.

skiddlydiddly

If you try and get them to pay your call charges they will probably say "on your bike".

Altarf

ColdDish wrote: »

Told train could carry tandem bike
Found out train could not carry tandem bike

How did you find this out, since their website says they do?

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/trains/assisted-travel-bikes/ and quoting from there

"Travelling with a bike? Well, our trains have racks for up to 4 bikes or 2 tandems (but not penny farthings). It's free but because space is at a premium, do remember to book a reservation for your bike in advance."

ColdDish wrote: »

Phone calls cost me £100. I was told I would get this back.

Did they tell you that you would get the cost of your phone calls back, or £100 back. From a BT line you would have had to have been on the phone 16.5 hours to run up £100 bill.

And did you not notice that their customer relations team has an 0845 number or even an 0121 number if you go via saynoto0870.com?

dannymccann

saynoto0870.com

This website is a godsend to anyone calling a big company these days

Altarf

Yes, it is also amazing the number of people who have not heard of Google

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=virgin+trains+bike&l=1

jd82

The OP should have found this site a lot sooner, would have saved them a lot of money!

ColdDish

In answer to your questions/assumptions:

1. They sold me a ticket and told me it was on a virgin trains pendelino when in fact it was east midlands. They then sold me the same ticket AGAIN <----. When I specifically asked for a virgin pendelino.
2. It was more than 16.5 hours from a mobile on a 0845 number.
3. I was told by the ticketing staff that customer relations cant refund the ticket. I have to tget the ticketting team to tell customer relations the authorisation code for the refund.
4. It took a week for them to admit they didnt know what a tandem actually was.
5. More than aware of saynoto0870 but I had to talk to the sales staff directly. whats done is done.

Ill contact them again by letter on Monday, ive alreay told them I will take them to court and now Ill tell them ill contact the media.