Rail ticket compensation

yb202

Hi everyone, I have a question I'm hoping someone can shed some light on. I was supposed to take a flight from Luton last Friday. The check in started at 10.00 am with the flight itself leaving at 12.05. I purchased a return train ticket from the national express website. The ticket was from Leeds to Luton airport parkway and included a change at London Kings Cross. I was supposed to be at Luton by 9.00 am. There was no snow that day, but the train got stuck (service provider was East Coast) as the break cables were frozen apparently. We waited there for over two hours until they managed to get another train in to pull ours to the nearest station. Then I had to wait for the next train to London Kings cross. I ended up at my destination at 11.55 and effectively missed my flight.
I rebooked the flight for the next day with easy jet, incurring a charge of £43 and spent the night in a hotel (£39) . I tried to take the flight the next day but it was cancelled due to snow and easy jet sent me home (I’ve requested a refund from them which I hope will be hassle free.) In order to get home however, I had to amend my return ticket as it was dated for the 29th of December (which is when I would have returned). The change cost me a further £63.

What I would like to know is what I can claim compensation for exactly? I’m aware that East coast has a delay repay scheme, but can I claim for all my rail costs i.e. the original return ticket and the amendment, or will they only refund that section of the journey? I don’t have travel insurance so can’t claim from them.

yb202

Also, does anyone know where I can find out exactly how long that trip was delayed by? I've seen websites showing delays for other lines but can't seem to find any information for East Coast. Thanks for any help.

bagand96

I am not sure what they are liable or not liable for. However, you should write/email to their customer services outlining what happened to you on the journey to Luton, and the consequences of you being late (flight missed, and therefore having to return home early).

At the very least I would expect them to refund the ammendment charge for the return ticket. You may find they will do more. Generally I have found whenever I contact customer services at train operators, I have a reasonable outcome (although never had to complain to East Coast).

martinbuckley

Its all on their website - it took me three clicks to find it:

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/about-us/passengers-charter1/Delay-Repay/

lucylucky

"I don’t have travel insurance so can’t claim from them."

Always worth having travel insurance, considering how cheap it can be.

I know that doesn't help you now but worth buying for the future.

yb202

Thanks for the info. I've checked east coast's site already but was not sure if the ammeded ticket was included in "100% of the cost of a return ticket (i.e. both ways, not just one way)."

fimonkey

lucylucky wrote: »

"I don’t have travel insurance so can’t claim from them."

Always worth having travel insurance, considering how cheap it can be.

I know that doesn't help you now but worth buying for the future.

But LOADS of travel insurance policies do not cover trips that are in the UK, so beware when purchasing and check your policy carefully!!

Also most travel insurance includes stupid excesses that aren't per claim, but per person, or per part of the claim - so again chack that out beforehand!

My recent example - flight cancellation followed by the next flight delayed by 7 hours with flymaybe from Leeds to Southampton. Not covered by travel insurance (Direct travel silver policy) as journey origin and destination were in UK. If it was covered by travel insurance there was a £75 excess PER PERSON for the flight cancellation - nothing at all about being able to reclaim for extra stuff spent on meals at the airport etc.

fimonkey

Thanks cityboy also replied to your post on the other thread .. Have you personal experience of trying to get the airlines to honour that though? How was it for you?

I found you need an infintie amount of time and patience and letter writing skills, emails will go unanswered, of course post is undeliverable/severly delayed - most people give up and write it off as the time spent pursuing it is more than its worth (talking from personal experience)

fimonkey

Cityboy wrote: »

Travel insurance won't cover you for items reclaimable from the airline such as meals/refreshments whilst waiting for a delayed flight as they are covered under Article 9 Right to Care in this: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004R0261:EN:HTML

Number 12 of the link you posted
.."(12) The trouble and inconvenience to passengers caused by cancellation of flights should also be reduced. This should be achieved by inducing carriers to inform passengers of cancellations before the scheduled time of departure and in addition to offer them reasonable re-routing, so that the passengers can make other arrangements. Air carriers should compensate passengers if they fail to do this, except when the cancellation occurs in extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken."

Its their get-out clause and it works every time!!!!

timbo58

None of the railway TOCs will consider claims for any consequential loss unless you can prove them to have been negligent.
However, most give a 100% refund for that part of the journey if the delay is an hour or more, that being said, they don't have to give any refund if it's outside of their reasonable control.

lucylucky

fimonkey wrote: »

But LOADS of travel insurance policies do not cover trips that are in the UK, so beware when purchasing and check your policy carefully!!

Also most travel insurance includes stupid excesses that aren't per claim, but per person, or per part of the claim - so again chack that out beforehand!

My recent example - flight cancellation followed by the next flight delayed by 7 hours with flymaybe from Leeds to Southampton. Not covered by travel insurance (Direct travel silver policy) as journey origin and destination were in UK. If it was covered by travel insurance there was a £75 excess PER PERSON for the flight cancellation - nothing at all about being able to reclaim for extra stuff spent on meals at the airport etc.

Always read the small print and choose wisely.;)