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Delay repay advice: delayed LNER service meant missed ScotRail connection

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I write to ask for thoughts on a Delay Repay claim made last week. For context, I was travelling on the return part of a Sheffield-Newcraighall Off Peak return, bought through my work travel agent. I travelled from Sheffield to Doncaster on an on-time service. I had a Seatfrog upgrade for the LNER service so used the online chat function to ask how to proceed with the claim.

On 8th April I sent this email to LNER customer service:

Good morning,

On Thursday 6th April 2023 I was booked to take the following service:

16:10 LNER from Doncaster to Edinburgh
then connecting to
19:43 ScotRail from Edinburgh to Newcraighall, timetabled arrival 19:54

The 16:10 service arrived into Edinburgh at 19:51. I took the next ScotRail service, arriving at Newcraighall at 20:56.

As I arrived at Newcraighall more than 60 minutes later than booked I understand I am entitled to half the cost of the attached off-peak return ticket. I also had a Seatfrog upgrade (attached) for the 16:10 service. I used the online chat function to ask how to claim Seatfrog delay repay and was advised to send this email.



Yesterday evening I received three emails in the space of 15 minutes from LNER:

Email 1: a "thank you for contacting us" email with a link to enter bank details for the claim, but no information on how much would be repaid etc.
Email 2, 10 minutes later:

Thank you for getting in touch with us at London North Eastern Railway.
We are sorry to hear that your journey was affected by delays to our service and appreciate that it can affect your day.

I am sorry to inform you that we cant compensate you for you Seat Frog upgrade we can only compensate you for your delay, on that day of travel there is not anything in our records involving your claim.

We’ve taken a look at your case and are pleased to inform you that a BACS payment to the value of has been raised and will be with you in the next 14 working days.
Our records tell us that your train was delayed by 2 minutes on 6 April 2023 from Sheffield - Newcraighall and, in keeping with our Passenger’s Charter, we’re committed to compensating every LNER customer who is more than 30 minutes late to their destination station because their train is delayed or is cancelled.

There’s no need to reply to this email, we’ll get your compensation to you automatically and any other correspondence could delay payment, but if you haven’t received it within 14 working days, please do get in touch.


Email 3, five minutes later:

Thank you for contacting LNER on 08/04/2023
After reviewing your correspondence, we have determined ScotRail are responsible for your experience. We have forwarded on all the relevant details so that their Customer Services can investigate and respond to you accordingly.
If you would like to contact them directly, please find the details below:



There are two things here. One, LNER say that I cannot get a partial refund for the Seatfrog upgrade, which contradicts Seatfrog's website. Two, LNER appear to want to pass on responsibillity for paying Delay Repay to Scotrail, even though had the LNER service been on time my journey would not have been delayed.

Before I respond to the email(s) I wanted to ask this group for some advice. In particular, are LNER correct, no Seatfrog partial refund and it is Scotrail's responsibility? How is best to reply? I unfortunately do not have screenshots from Realtimetrains to show that the services were indeed delayed. The times quoted in my original email are the times as were shown on Realtimetrains. I wish I'd screenshotted it!

Thanks all if you made it this far!
 
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AlterEgo

Verified Rep - Wingin' It! Paul Lucas
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You're right and they are wrong. The Seatfrog upgrade is part of your ticket and they are responsible for the whole journey delay. I have had many problems with LNER trying to pay delay repay and they seem absolutely incompetent with sending claims to the wrong company. The best way to get hold of them is actually on Twitter which is how I sorted it.
 

30907

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Someone is pretty confused here, and I don't mean you :)

It is certainly NOT Scotrail's responsibility, and your delay was 62 not 2 minutes.

I would first check the BACS payment and see if they have in fact refunded the upgrade, and if not chase them for it.
 
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The best way to get hold of them is actually on Twitter which is how I sorted it
Sadly I don't twitter, email it is.
I would first check the BACS payment and see if they have in fact refunded the upgrade, and if not chase them for it.
I'll sign up per the link in the first email. I'll also write a reply asking them to show their working (and, I suppose, copy in ScotRail customer service since they've been dragged into this too).

Thanks very much, I knew it couldn't be right!
 

Haywain

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Did you apply for DR through the online portal AND send the email? It looks rather like you are getting emails from separate requests.
 

lachlan

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I had problems with LNER before. They blamed GWR for the delay (I think the original GWR I meant to take was delayed, but because my LNER was delayed I missed the connection and ended up on a GWR that ran on time), then refused to acknowledge my split ticket and paid me just for the LNER leg. Their customer service went quiet when I quoted their own charter. The issue was only resolved when I phoned them.

I would try calling them as it may get things moving quicker
 

Skiddaw

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For what it is worth, I had a similar delay repay Seatfrog issue with Avanti a while back. After a succession of email/chat function tennis I lost the will to live and gave up on it.
 

robbeech

Established Member
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For what it is worth, I had a similar delay repay Seatfrog issue with Avanti a while back. After a succession of email/chat function tennis I lost the will to live and gave up on it.
This is what these operators rely on. Most people don’t claim in the first place but out of those that do, if you can thin them out even further by replying with utter drivel you can do well.
 
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try calling them as it may get things moving quicker

I agree but as they've brought ScotRail into the mix by passing the case over I felt an email reply, cc ScotRail customer service for courtesy, was the best response. If that draws a blank I will call and ask them to read back my email, in which I point out the delayed times and link to their own Delay Repay website, to me and then explain how it's still not their problem...

This is what these operators rely on. Most people don’t claim in the first place
There was no usual announcement about Delay Repay as we got towards Edinburgh (bear in mind the train was already about 42 minutes late by this point). The family of five visiting from the USA seated next to me were very happy when I told them they could claim money back!
 
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An update: LNER have sent a payment but which corresponds to a 30-59 minute delay. Argh. I'm out of the country just now so have sent an email asking when the balance (plus the seatfrog cost) will be paid, and will call when I return to the UK next week.
 
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Final update: a phone call to lner customer service (which included a very long pause while the chap worked out what happened and did the math) and I’ve been refunded the correct amount plus the seatfrog cost.

I had problems with LNER before. They blamed GWR for the delay (I think the original GWR I meant to take was delayed, but because my LNER was delayed I missed the connection and ended up on a GWR that ran on time), then refused to acknowledge my split ticket and paid me just for the LNER leg. Their customer service went quiet when I quoted their own charter. The issue was only resolved when I phoned them.

I would try calling them as it may get things moving quicker

The last sentence is wise advice, I should have heeded it last month!
 
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