Train operators - as greedy as bankers!

October 4 2009 , Written by thediversetraveller Published on #administration fees, #Department for Transport, #First Great Western, #London Paddington, #London Paddington station, #Ola Fagbohun, #Oxford, #rail, #Rail transport, #refund, #train fares, #train tickets, #Transport, #Travel News

My blood is boiling. Why? Train operator, First Great Western.

It's bad enough that I can rarely find any of the cheap advance tickets despite booking up to 14 days in advance, but today I have been a victim of another of their scams - the administrative fee.

Two days ago, I booked a return ticket to Oxford for tomorrow from London Paddington, total cost £30.

I phoned this morning to change the date, only to be told by Heena, I would be charged £20 to make the change i.e £10 on both legs.

Fury, then deep breathing to calm myself.

"£20 for what"? I asked

Pause! "Administrative fee Heena responded".

"What"! "How much would it cost if I cancelled the ticket instead of changing"?

"£10 each leg". "But since your return leg costs less than £10, we can't give you a refund. Your refund will only be £14 for the outward journey".

Oh, there was much I wanted to say to her, but I didn't because 1) it would have been lost on her and 2) she was only working to a script. It was no point getting annoyed with her, it wasn't her fault.

It was the greedy train operator First Great Western.

I had no choice, I had to take £14 or lose £30.

But a £10 admin fee - what kind of administration are they doing on my tickets? It the operator, the time it took for me to pause to keep from going off on her, to cancel my ticket. My refund would be with me in 10 working days. Oh this just gets better, "Why?" I asked not expecting anything more than - "That's what the script says". Heena responded with "I don't know, I can give you the address so you can write to head office."

Once again, I took several deep breathes.

I think train operators belong in the depth of hatred alongside the high street banks who have been charging people willy-nilly. Just like these banks, train operators are charging us excessively, then taking as long as they can get away with before giving s our refunds.

The bankers may be the current attention for our hate for giving us a global recession, but as far as I am concerned the greedy train operators are a little step behind them.

Deep breath!

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