Train companies to support Thomas Cook customers
Written on 23 September 2019.
Train companies are relaxing ticket rules to help Thomas Cook customers affected by the company’s collapse.
Whether people were booked on specific services as part of their Thomas Cook package or had booked trains separately to get them to their holiday, train operators will let people catch the first available service with the original train operators they were due to travel with. Where people have booked tickets for holidays they will no longer be taking, people should contact their train operator to see if they can get a fee free refund.
In both instances, people will just need to demonstrate that they were a Thomas Cook customer, for example by showing a booking confirmation, e-ticket or boarding pass.
Billy Denyer, director of customer propositions at the Rail Delivery Group, said:
“The collapse of Thomas Cook is very sad news for the company’s customers and staff. Train companies understand that people returning from their holidays will just want to get home quickly and with as little stress as possible and are happy to help by relaxing normal ticket rules.”
Notes to editors
Q. What if I’ve got an Advance ticket and I’m now going to miss my train?
A. You’ll be able to catch the first available service with the operator with whom you were originally booked to travel. You’ll just need to show reasonable evidence that you’re a Thomas Cook customer – a booking confirmation or an e-ticket for example.
Q. What if I have an off-peak ticket but will now need to travel at peak time?
A. That’s fine. You can take the first available service with the operator on whose service you were originally booked. You’ll just need to show reasonable evidence that you’re a Thomas Cook customer – a booking confirmation or an e-ticket for example.
Q. What if I’ve bought an Advance ticket for a holiday that I’m no longer taking?
A. Speak to your operator to see if you can claim a fee free refund. If so, you’d just need to show reasonable evidence that you’re a Thomas Cook customer – a booking confirmation or an e-ticket for example. Alternatively, you can claim the cost of the ticket back from your travel insurer, or it will be covered by ATOL/ABTA.
Q. What if I bought my ticket through a third-party retailer?
A. You’ll need to speak to the company from which you bought the ticket.
Q. What if I get repatriated to a different airport?
A. You will need to buy a new ticket and claim this through ATOL/ABTA, your travel insurer or your credit card company.
Q. What if my journey involves more than one train company?
A. We’ll get you on the first available service with the train companies on whose services you were originally booked. You’ll just need to show reasonable evidence that you’re a Thomas Cook customer – a booking confirmation or an e-ticket for example.
Q. How long will these arrangements be in place for?
A. These arrangements will be in place until 6 October 2019, at which point they will be reviewed based on the latest information from the CAA.
