Southern - Gatwick Tickets Easement?

[Central Trains]

How does Southern stand on advance tickets with regard to delayed flights from Gatwick Airport - do they have an easement like other ToCs pls?

 

[island]

Southern does not have any such easement. Nor does any other TOC besides FTPE as far as I know.

If your advance ticket is route 07777 AP SOUTHERN ONLY, you have chosen to collect your tickets from a ticket machine, you have not collected the tickets and do not do so, and you purchased from the Southern website, Southern will refund the ticket on request. Of course, you will still need to buy a walk-up ticket to travel.

 

[tsr]

If ample time has been left between the flight's scheduled arrival and the train's scheduled departure, and there has been a significant problem with the flight which the airline has detailed in a letter (this is often done for passengers, mainly for insurance claims), then it is worth presenting said letter to the Gatwick Airport Station Welcome Desk to see if they can assist. It will not always be possible, but it is worth asking.

 

[gordonthemoron]

where would you obtain such a letter?

 

[Clip]

where would you obtain such a letter?

The carrier you flew with would be a good start.

But when dealing with an issue like this it is imperative that you have the right travel insurance which would cover you for delayed flights and onward rail services so you can claim from them.

Oh and enough money to purchase a walk up ticket to claim back.

 

[tony6499]

If ample time has been left between the flight's scheduled arrival and the train's scheduled departure, and there has been a significant problem with the flight which the airline has detailed in a letter (this is often done for passengers, mainly for insurance claims), then it is worth presenting said letter to the Gatwick Airport Station Welcome Desk to see if they can assist. It will not always be possible, but it is worth asking.

This is done from the Airline days after the event, it wouldn't be any good at the time as there would be nobody to write and verify one.

The number of Advance tickets I've seen over the years from Gatwick on the wrong trains is immense, each one has the usual excuse and why the rules shouldn't apply to them.

 

[Timster83]

The number of Advance tickets I've seen over the years from Gatwick on the wrong trains is immense, each one has the usual excuse and why the rules shouldn't apply to them.

Do you think particular scenario represents a "valid" excuse? To clarify, I do mean valid in the eyes of the everyday person as opposed to valid as per the terms and conditions of the ticket.

As a passenger, I would feel hard done by if a) I had already been delayed by an amount of time exceeding the leeway I had allowed myself and b) I was then asked to buy a full price ticket.

Of course - it goes without saying that someone buying an advance timed at 3pm, because it's cheaper than one leaving at 8am when their flight arrives, do not have any reasonable excuse.

 

[najaB]

This is done from the Airline days after the event, it wouldn't be any good at the time as there would be nobody to write and verify one.

This isn't always the case, I once received such a letter while sitting in the departure lounge while waiting for my delayed flight.

 

[Flamingo]

I know some ticket office staff strongly advise passengers not to buy advance tickets when coming from airports. Maybe RJ can advise .

 

[richw]

I know some ticket office staff strongly advise passengers not to buy advance tickets when coming from airports. Maybe RJ can advise .

I was given this advise at Truro a few years ago. They sold me an off peak return instead which was only £6 more expensive.
My plane was so delayed I had to wait for the peak period to end- I should have arrived 5 hours before peak started!

 

[tony6499]

Do you think particular scenario represents a "valid" excuse? To clarify, I do mean valid in the eyes of the everyday person as opposed to valid as per the terms and conditions of the ticket.

As a passenger, I would feel hard done by if a) I had already been delayed by an amount of time exceeding the leeway I had allowed myself and b) I was then asked to buy a full price ticket.

Of course - it goes without saying that someone buying an advance timed at 3pm, because it's cheaper than one leaving at 8am when their flight arrives, do not have any reasonable excuse.

A plane delay is nothing to do with the railway, someone buys a cheap advance ticket for a specific train after arriving off a flight is asking for trouble. It's not like the Anytime fares to Croydon/Clapham Junction/London are that much more expensive anyway

 

[Flamingo]

I've had two males on advance tickets Gatwick-Swindon for 12 hours previous saying their flight was delayed 8 hours. They did not appreciate me pointing out to them that this would have meant their tickets were four hours out of date if their flight had been on time. They refused to pay, but wrote in to complain about how rude and unreasonable I was.

My boss, rather than forwarding their details to Revenue, sent them an apology (and I presume vouchers), and told me to use my discretion with all airline passengers. I now assume every advance ticket is coming from an airport.

 

[yorkie]

A plane delay is nothing to do with the railway, someone buys a cheap advance ticket for a specific train after arriving off a flight is asking for trouble. It's not like the Anytime fares to Croydon/Clapham Junction/London are that much more expensive anyway

It's certainly true that we don't have proper integrated transport in this country. However it doesn't really create a great impression to visitors does it?

Not everyone who arrives in Gatwick is only going as far as those places either.

It's not unreasonable for there to be an expectation that Southern might have a policy similar to TPE's.

 

[rmt4ever]

Would never buy advance tickets for a airport journey after a flight. Your flight could be early even and bags delivered ridiculously quidkly and no queue at immigration. The you are forced with maybe half hour or an hour to get your booked train, with dozens going in the meantime.... It's a bit bloody extreme just to save a few quid.

 

[tony6499]

It's certainly true that we don't have proper integrated transport in this country. However it doesn't really create a great impression to visitors does it?

Not everyone who arrives in Gatwick is only going as far as those places either.

It's not unreasonable for there to be an expectation that Southern might have a policy similar to TPE's.

Advance tickets are used to fill gaps in a particular flow hence their availability on certain trains only, an anytime/off peak ticket to/from Gatwick is treated very fairly with the easements in conditions of use and in this respect Southern do have a very fair policy towards airport passengers.

 

[Flamingo]

It's certainly true that we don't have proper integrated transport in this country. However it doesn't really create a great impression to visitors does it?

Not everyone who arrives in Gatwick is only going as far as those places either.

It's not unreasonable for there to be an expectation that Southern might have a policy similar to TPE's.

In my experience, it is not visitors who are using Advance tickets, but residents (often non-national, but living here) coming from holidays/leisure trips. Indeed, tourists are often more likely to have purchased a more expensive ticket than required.

 

[yorkie]

Advance tickets are used to fill gaps in a particular flow hence their availability on certain trains only...

I'm not sure what you mean by this, can you clarify?

an anytime/off peak ticket to/from Gatwick is treated very fairly with the easements in conditions of use and in this respect Southern do have a very fair policy towards airport passengers.

What "easements" do you refer to?

 

[tony6499]

I'm not sure what you mean by this, can you clarify?

What "easements" do you refer to?

Advance tickets from any destination not just Gatwick are valid on certain trains and definitely not in the peaks, if you suddenly say Advance are now valid on any trains then you would overcrowd already overcrowded trains. Advance tickets are sold on trains where it is known there is plenty of spare capacity, all TOCS do this.

Off Peak tickets such as Savers are valid on any train at any time from Gatwick which is a considerable easement and a very fair policy to airline passengers as well as all the travel concessions to the airport workers.

What would you do to make the airline/train interaction more friendly then ?

 

[island]

Advance tickets from any destination not just Gatwick are valid on certain trains and definitely not in the peaks

Sorry, what? Of course there are advance tickets valid in "the peaks", which I am taking to mean "times at which off-peak tickets are not valid".

 

[yorkie]

Advance tickets from any destination not just Gatwick are valid on certain trains and definitely not in the peaks

That's not true.

if you suddenly say Advance are now valid on any trains then you would overcrowd already overcrowded trains. Advance tickets are sold on trains where it is known there is plenty of spare capacity, all TOCS do this.

That isn't what the OP is asking, nor what I'm proposing.

TransPennine Express allow passengers to take the next available train if their flight is delayed (by up to 3 hours).

Off Peak tickets such as Savers are valid on any train at any time from Gatwick which is a considerable easement and a very fair policy to airline passengers as well as all the travel concessions to the airport workers.

Off Peak Returns (SVRs) aren't available between all stations and Gatwick though, so some passengers may have to buy full price singles (at only 10p less than a full price return!) if they can't use Advance singles.

What would you do to make the airline/train interaction more friendly then ?

Adopt TPEs policy (though I'd made the procedure a bit less arduous!)

 

[Tetchytyke]

Advance tickets from any destination not just Gatwick are valid on certain trains and definitely not in the peaks, if you suddenly say Advance are now valid on any trains then you would overcrowd already overcrowded trains. Advance tickets are sold on trains where it is known there is plenty of spare capacity, all TOCS do this.

Huh?

Advance tickets are sold for specific trains. You're right in that these tickets are quota-controlled, and that the quotas are bigger on quieter trains, but that's all you're right about.

Advance ticket quotas are very much available for peak trains. I regularly catch the 1730 Kings Cross to Newcastle using one of these tickets.

What would you do to make the airline/train interaction more friendly then ?

I'd do what TPE do, allowing you to catch the next train if you miss your train due to a flight delay.

Though it's not just an airline problem. I've missed my booked train before now (ironically on my way TO the airport) because Stagecoach Newcastle think their bus timetable is merely advisory. I understand the reasons why, but it hardly screams "use public transport" does it?

 

[tony6499]

Huh?

Advance ticket quotas are very much available for peak trains. I regularly catch the 1730 Kings Cross to Newcastle using one of these tickets.
?

What airport does that serve ? There are no advance tickets sold to/from Gatwick on Southern services in the peaks originating in the TOC area.

@yorkie
How would allowing a passenger to use a Advance ticket 3 hours later be organised and policed for Gatwick arrivals ? As you know the Gatwick - London portion of Advance tickets to further flung arrivals is not train specific so if someone arrived later than meant and arrived at say Euston for Manchester how would that be organised so they could travel ?

I know on major disruptions that restrictions are dropped for advance tickets but I don't know how anything more can be done, you buy a cheap ticket you get what you pay for.

If I arrived at an Easyjet check in at Gatwick an hour late because of a train delay will they fly me on their next flight ?

If I arrived at a BA check in with a fully flexible ticket would they put me on the next flight available ?

 

[Tetchytyke]

What airport does that serve ? There are no advance tickets sold to/from Gatwick on Southern services in the peaks originating in the TOC area.

That isn't what you said at all.

How would allowing a passenger to use a Advance ticket 3 hours later be organised and policed for Gatwick arrivals ?

TPE manage it.

 

[Flamingo]

it's pretty common at Reading to get people coming up asking can they board as they are early/late on their Advance ticket, as they had traveled around from Gatwick on the first available service, and their reserved train from Reading is (usually) not for hours.

 

[tony6499]

That isn't what you said at all.



TPE manage it.

You stated Kings X , I thought we were on about Gatwick, apologies for confusion.

So how will Virgin manage this at Euston as a lot advances are for destinations far in advance of Gatwick to London ? Perhaps you could tell everyone how TPE manage this ?

 

[PermitToTravel]

I seem to recall reading that the ticket office at Manchester Airport appropriately endorse tickets.

 

[Tetchytyke]

With TPE you have to get the ticket office to endorse before travel, otherwise it is not valid.