Eurotunnel

BANKER

We are due to travel to France at the end of April for one week to look after our grandchild. This is obviously not now going to be possible. Eurotunnel have contacted us telling us that at present all trains are running as normal but that France are restricting access. They are prepared to lets us rebook ( we have no future plans to travel) but have not offered a refund. Where do we stand?

bc1975

Hi - I just posted this reply to a similar question elsewhere. Thoughts as follows:

I’m also trying to get a refund from EuroTunnel but they don’t make it easy.

The “Conditions of Carriage”, section 3.3 deals with the situation where carriage is not possible within a reasonable time frame. Clause 3.3.3 states customers can reject an offer of rebooking and should be able get a refund in accordance with 3.3.2 (cancel & refund).

Clause 9.2.5 (limit of EuroTunnel liability where access to tunnel is suspended in whole or in part) also acknowledges that 3.3 still applies, ie you should still get a refund even if you aren’t covered for any additional damages you might have suffered. 

So my view is that a refund should be offered, but in reality I’ve had to call them, submit an online form, wait a week, and I just now received an impersonal reply saying the matter would be “escalated” to the customer relations department which would take a further three weeks.

My next step will be to show these terms to my credit card provider and ask them to do a chargeback - automatically debit EuroTunnel and refund the full amount, on the basis that they are in breach of their own terms and are not responding in a timely manner. 

It’s unfortunate that Eurotunnel have chosen to handle the situation in this way but, regardless, I believe customers should be legally entitled to a refund.