Hull Leisure Return station availability

[mikeg]

On the Hull Trains website the following is shewn:

vailable only on the Hull Trains website, app and at station ticket offices, our Hull Leisure Return ticket provides discounted travel to Hull from Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Brough, Howden and Selby. Additional routes now include Howden to Selby, Doncaster to Retford, Doncaster to Grantham & Grantham to Retford

Yet when I went to Selby ticket office the clerk was physically unable to sell it. She was very apologetic and said that it hadn't been loaded on to their system and that this has been brought up internally by ticket office staff. I did note there was signs saying a new TIS was being installed, not sure if this had anything to do with it or was in fact related to the Customer Information System (half the departure boards were garbled or blank).

Does anyone think that it would be more worthwhile complaining to TPE (the operators of Selby station) or Hull Trains (the fare setter?). Luckily I'd left plenty of time so was able to quickly download the Hull Trains app and buy it that way. Does anyone know how it's set up in the Retail Control System and if this is an issue?

It's an excellent value fare so no real complaints but it is a shame it's restricted in how it's sold and that third party websites and TVMs can't sell it also. But it does say ticket offices should be able to. Also if a ticket office can sell it surely it'd be better if the TVM could too so that people aren't ripped off in one of the ticket office's many unplanned closures?

 

[alistairlees]

It’s set up to be retailed only by Hull Trains.

 

[Watershed]

It’s set up to be retailed only by Hull Trains.

Indeed. Perhaps they are so keen to retain 100% of the revenue (rather than 'losing' the sales commission - typically 4.5% for a third party retailer), that they would rather lose sales altogether from people who instead choose to get an interavailable fare.

Unfortunately it's a "dedicated" (i.e. operator specific) fare so they are free to impose whichever limitations they see fit for how it's sold.

 

[AlterEgo]

Indeed. Perhaps they are so keen to retain 100% of the revenue (rather than 'losing' the sales commission - typically 4.5% for a third party retailer), that they would rather lose sales altogether from people who instead choose to get an interavailable fare.

Unfortunately it's a "dedicated" (i.e. operator specific) fare so they are free to impose whichever limitations they see fit for how it's sold.

They still shouldn't advertise it can be sold at stations then.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I dropped our Pricing Manager an email and he's advised that Internet sales are limited to Hull Trains, but Northern (former RRNE side), LNER and TPE should all be able to sell them at their Ticket Offices. His suggestion was that TPE's now Ticket Office machines may be classed as an on-board system, which would explain the retailing issue.

That said, he also said that HT have got them configured so they can't sell them for TOD fulfilment!