Euston First Class Lounge Dispute

[AlterEgo]

Just entered the VTWC Lounge at Euston. As I entered, there's a really upset guy arguing with the two women managing the entrance.

It seems as though he has a First Anytime/Off Peak Return, as he says "I got a month to use this ticket". He has presented an inactivated mobile ticket to the staff and asked to be allowed in. They seem to have activated the ticket when it was presented to them. He is angry because he says he intends to claim a full refund on the ticket, which he cannot now that it is activated, and that the lounge staff don't know their own policy.

We can all probably agree he's taking the p***, but is there any loophole which means he's technically in the right here?

 

[transportphoto]

It would be hard to enforce on the equivalent paper ticket, but I feel activating an mTicket is fair game on using the lounge. Would it not, however, remain active for the rest of the validity?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

It would be hard to enforce on the equivalent paper ticket, but I feel activating an mTicket is fair game on using the lounge. Would it not, however, remain active for the rest of the validity?

Once activated it is classed as "used" so a refund for not using it will not be possible.

But if he isn't using the ticket and wanting a full refund, why does he think he can use the lounge? If he isn't using the ticket he isn't a passenger and has none of the benefits that go along with that ticket.

I hope his coffee and cookie where worth whatever he has lost out on!!

Although Virgin being as pro-active as they are, will probably refund him anyway as a goodwill gesture if he makes enough fuss on twitter etc.

 

[AlterEgo]

It would be hard to enforce on the equivalent paper ticket, but I feel activating an mTicket is fair game on using the lounge. Would it not, however, remain active for the rest of the validity?

I understand it would only remain active for the rest of that day, unless anyone can correct me on that. (Yes, I know, BoJ...)

He didn't seem to want to travel though; he wanted to refund his ticket in full. Which is exceptionally cheeky.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

It is very cheeky because in theory, going along with his logic he could every month buy a return first ticket and just use the outward portion then use the lounge with his unused m-ticket for a month then claim a refund and do it all again.

 

[Harbouring]

It is very cheeky because in theory, going along with his logic he could every month buy a return first ticket and just use the outward portion then use the lounge with his unused m-ticket for a month then claim a refund and do it all again.

If you're going to do that it makes more sense to get a paper ticket.

 

[[.n]]

There's an underlying question(s) here surely;

1) Where at Euston should you have to activate the ticket - my feeling is when having either to a) go through a gate to access the platform your train is at, or b) on the platform (I think there are some ungated platforms) before boarding your train. This allows for being at the station and deciding not to travel - e.g. delays

2) Are TOC employees allowed to activate a ticket? I have a vague idea that it must be the passenger who activates the ticket?

 

[AlterEgo]

There's an underlying question(s) here surely;

1) Where at Euston should you have to activate the ticket - my feeling is when having either to a) go through a gate to access the platform your train is at, or b) on the platform (I think there are some ungated platforms) before boarding your train. This allows for being at the station and deciding not to travel - e.g. delays

2) Are TOC employees allowed to activate a ticket? I have a vague idea that it must be the passenger who activates the ticket?

These are the technicalities I am probing at. I can't seem to find any official guidance at all on it - all the mobile-fulfilled tickets I purchase are bargain bin advances so I've never actually activated a ticket before or read the blurb.

 

[paddington]

Reminds me of the German guy who dined on Lufthansa 36 times by changing his flexible ticket then eventually cancelling it for a refund. Lufthansa sued him for 1980 euros and won.

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/reise/ma...gratis-essen-in-der-business-lounge-1.2024046

At least the Lufthansa business lounge at MUC has some offerings, VTWC lounges are barely worth going to.

Apparently an airline passenger in China successfully did this every day for 300 days, and the airline couldn't do anything about it plus had to fully refund him. But all reports in English lead back to this source http://web.archive.org/web/20140123234003/http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2014/01/22/95.html which simply says their source was a Weibo (like a Tweet).

 

[philthetube]

Foe all we know he may have done it before and they may have recognised him.

 

[Gareth Marston]

There's an underlying question(s) here surely;



2) Are TOC employees allowed to activate a ticket? I have a vague idea that it must be the passenger who activates the ticket?

Ive done quite a few usually people who think they have bought a TOD and are trying to collect it with their e mail confirmation for their M ticket! Activating it whilst showing them how to is active queue management! Its usually accompanied by protests of " I didn't select that option"