Avanti West Coast - Advance Ticket Refund

Mairena

I have a return Advance Ticket booked for the 1st/2nd April. When I go on the Avanti website to refund (as I understand refunds are now applicable) it won't allow me to claim. Has anyone else experienced this or found an alternative way to obtain a refund?

higueron

I have exactly the same issue why dont they update their website to allow refunds it would make it much simpler I have a friend who booked an advance ticket through trainline and he got a refund straight away through the trainline website / app

bagand96

If you'd read the Coronavirus help page on the Avanti website https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/help/coronavirus-travel-information then you'd see there is a form to fill out to claim refunds for Advance bookings...

"If you purchased an Advance ticket, don’t have an account with us, or experience any other issues using My Account, then please complete the following web form. Make sure you include your booking reference as these claims are processed manually."
https://avantiwestcoast.custhelp.com/app/ask

David_Drummond

I too have advance tickets booked for April 2 and I have also filled in this silly form well over a week ago. I initially got an automated response saying they were snowed under with requests for refunds and they would get back to me in due course. I am wondering (cynically) if Avanti is really hoping that if April 2nd comes and goes and I do not travel they can then wriggle out of the need to refund my tickets on the grounds that I did not show up and take the train!

Their phone line is impossible to get through on and there's no other way of actually talking with a human being.....

As far as I am concerned, the fact that their website currently states that they WILL refund advance tickets as a result of the COVID 19 crisis (tickets that are normally non-refundable because they are bought at discount price), then this gives me some leverage and proof to get a refund later.  But if they then say, for example, that they never actually received my request for a refund, what can I do? As someone else said here, they should just alter their website immediately and activate the refund button for everyone's account.

When this is over, I will never book through the Avanti site again. The Train Line sounds a far better and more honest option.
Any thoughts?

Alan_Bowen

National Rail have agreed with all operators that refunds should be given as we are all under a 'do not travel' notice. I have completed a form for Avanti and LNER but I am not expecting miracles, as they have indicated these will have to be processed by hand and I suspect they have very few staff working in the office at present. If you buy an Advance ticket and cannot travel the usual rule is that the money is lost, so please have a little patience

bagand96

I know it might be frustrating, but patience is a virtue now more than ever.  There's no conspiracy here.  Alan is completely right, the way things have played out the rail operators (and supermarkets, airlines, travel agents, insurance companies etc etc) are experiencing a massive increase in the amount of customers needing to interact with them.  All at a time where their capacity to deal with customers has taken a huge blow (sickness, social distancing etc).

Be patient.  You've had an acknowledgement.  You're in the system.  Enjoy the Trainline's booking fees in the future....

mattyprice4004

David_Drummond said:

I too have advance tickets booked for April 2 and I have also filled in this silly form well over a week ago. I initially got an automated response saying they were snowed under with requests for refunds and they would get back to me in due course. I am wondering (cynically) if Avanti is really hoping that if April 2nd comes and goes and I do not travel they can then wriggle out of the need to refund my tickets on the grounds that I did not show up and take the train!

You have an automated confirmation that they have your request - they're just understandably snowed under. Leave it with them, and they'll refund in due course - it'll just take time because there'll be tens of thousands to do before yours.  

I think calling it a 'silly form' shows that you're being slightly unreasonable - as a person who has done admin work in the past, it speeds things up exponentially if you have all of a customer's data on one form in front of you to work off. Not really too much to ask, is it... 

David_Drummond

UPDATE - I finally had an email from Avanti confirming my full refund! YAY! I must wait 28 days for it to be re-credited back to my credit card but otherwise, it's all agreed. I take back everything I said.