Consumer rights in relation to taxis

la531983

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I suspect that those two early train services were the only trains that could get OP to the airport in time.  If that was the case, an overnight stay at or near the airport would have been prudent.  At that time of year it's foreseeable that rail services would be delayed or cancelled.

There cant be many places that have a train to Manchester Airport at 0605, then one 14 minutes later, and then the next is not for a substantial period of time afterwards which causes a flight to be missed.

Maybe the OP was already cutting it fine to begin with, which is never advisable.

PHK

It is astonishing how late people leave things.

Half a lifetime ago, I worked briefly for a wedding hire business. You would be amazed how many wedding attendees plan to fly in just before the wedding. Even international flights which are often delayed. Then the bride is upset because sister/dad misses part or all of the wedding. 

MyRealNameToo

PHK said:

It is astonishing how late people leave things.

Half a lifetime ago, I worked briefly for a wedding hire business. You would be amazed how many wedding attendees plan to fly in just before the wedding. Even international flights which are often delayed. Then the bride is upset because sister/dad misses part or all of the wedding. 

In fairness, for weddings I have more sympathy. Yes Im sure having a destination wedding is great and all, nearly guaranteed blue skies for the photos etc but it puts a mountain of costs on all the other attendees. A couple of years ago we were invited to weddings in Australia, India, Barbados, Mexico, Italy and South Africa within 12 months of each other. Had we gone to them all with flights, transfers, hotels etc for a couple of nights that would have been our annual holiday budget blown (if not more).  Thankfully they were mainly distant relatives so politely declined most. 

Pollycat

la531983 said:

Pollycat said:

Xerxes59 said:

 If a patient received notice of an operation date but no surgeon turned up at the date and time scheduled, there would be hell to pay.

Irrelevant. Poor analogy.
What time was your flight?

Time of flight isnt particular helpful unless we know how long the train journey was.

Im hoping this isnt a case that the initial train only got the OP to the bag drop desk only half an hour before it closed....

So 2 vital pieces of information missing from the original post...

TELLIT01

If nothing else, this story shows the importance of building a lot of slack into timings if there is a fixed time e.g. flight at the end of the chain.

Pollycat

TELLIT01 said:

If nothing else, this story shows the importance of building a lot of slack into timings if there is a fixed time e.g. flight at the end of the chain.

And people will still cut it too fine.

eskbanker

TELLIT01 said:

If nothing else, this story shows the importance of building a lot of slack into timings if there is a fixed time e.g. flight at the end of the chain.

OP booked a taxi for 05:15 for a 5-10 minute journey to the station ahead of trains at 06:05 or 06:19, so would already seem well aware of the need to build lots of slack into timings!

la531983

eskbanker said:

TELLIT01 said:

If nothing else, this story shows the importance of building a lot of slack into timings if there is a fixed time e.g. flight at the end of the chain.

OP booked a taxi for 05:15 for a 5-10 minute journey to the station ahead of trains at 06:05 or 06:19, so would already seem well aware of the need to build lots of slack into timings!

This is clearly a station with a high density service to Manchester Airport so it follows the train after that would have gone by 06:40 at latest, if getting that train meant he missed the flight totally then I respectfully disagree with you.

Random stations in the sticks dont have 2 trains to Manchester Airport at that time of day and then nothing for hours afterwards. Sadly, AI has provided to give me an answer to what station it could have been based on the times given.

eskbanker

la531983 said:

eskbanker said:

TELLIT01 said:

If nothing else, this story shows the importance of building a lot of slack into timings if there is a fixed time e.g. flight at the end of the chain.

OP booked a taxi for 05:15 for a 5-10 minute journey to the station ahead of trains at 06:05 or 06:19, so would already seem well aware of the need to build lots of slack into timings!

This is clearly a station with a high density service to Manchester Airport so it follows the train after that would have gone by 06:40 at latest, if getting that train meant he missed the flight totally then I respectfully disagree with you.

Random stations in the sticks dont have 2 trains to Manchester Airport at that time of day and then nothing for hours afterwards.

My point is that, based on what OP has shared thus far, they've clearly demonstrated an understanding of the need for plenty of slack - there has subsequently been plenty of speculation about whether there was enough slack built into the railway part of the journey, and your assumptions (and those of others) may be correct, but we don't know that yet.

born_again

la531983 said:

Pollycat said:

Xerxes59 said:

 If a patient received notice of an operation date but no surgeon turned up at the date and time scheduled, there would be hell to pay.

Irrelevant. Poor analogy.
What time was your flight?

Time of flight isnt particular helpful unless we know how long the train journey was.

Im hoping this isnt a case that the initial train only got the OP to the bag drop desk only half an hour before it closed....

Trains run pretty much 24/7 to manchester airport from many locations.