Off-Peak Return - e-ticket with 'mandatory reservation'

[Tetchytyke]

A weird one.

Booked an off-peak return from Manchester Airport to Halifax, and I've noted that outbound portion has "itinerary - mandatory reservations" listed. The ticket was bought from LNER via the app. The outbound is booked for a weekend, so the off-peak restrictions don't apply.

The return portion has "itinerary - optional reservations".

This is what the outbound portion shows:



I'm really just checking that this is definitely an error and won't cause me issues when I use the ticket?

 

[yorkie]

It's not correct; the reservation is optional.

This message is, I believe determined by the retailer, and they should not be making this statement, regardless of the reservation status of the train.

Some trains are in the data as reservations compulsory; this isn't correct but the companies concerned choose for it to be incorrect.

Companies who do this include LNER (all services), EMR & TPE (some services) and possibly others.

So there are two issues here:

• Misleading information provided by the retailer
• Incorrect data provided by the TOC

 

[Adam Williams]

My view is that E0006 (the field that contains the itinerary heading) should always be "Itinerary - Optional Reservations" for a walk-up, even if the selected itinerary involves timetabled services that have the mandatory reservation flag set.

The customer is not required to follow these reservations with a walk-up ticket (and - all this debate about TOCs misusing the timetable flag aside - even if it was genuinely a service where reservations are required, like a seated Caledonian Sleeper leg, they could still ask the TOC or retailer to make new standalone/adhoc reservations and travel on the alternative service using their existing walk-up ticket and that would be an entirely valid thing to do), and the implementation here could mislead the passenger into thinking they actually have an Advance ticket.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Thanks both. I did wonder what may be causing it, and I do note that particular TPE service is listed as mandatory reservations. On the way back I'm also booked on TPE and, presumably, this doesn't have the mandatory reservation flag.

the implementation here could mislead the passenger into thinking they actually have an Advance ticket.

If I'm honest, I'm more worried that the implementation here could mislead the hired help at Piccadilly into thinking I have an advance ticket. Especially as I've booked a walk-up fare precisely because EasyJet flights from the IOM are not exactly renowned for their punctuality.

 

[Nunners]

My view is that E0006 (the field that contains the itinerary heading) should always be "Itinerary - Optional Reservations" for a walk-up, even if the selected itinerary involves timetabled services that have the mandatory reservation flag set.

The customer is not required to follow these reservations with a walk-up ticket (and - all this debate about TOCs misusing the timetable flag aside - even if it was genuinely a service where reservations are required, like a seated Caledonian Sleeper leg, they could still ask the TOC or retailer to make new standalone/adhoc reservations and travel on the alternative service using their existing walk-up ticket and that would be an entirely valid thing to do), and the implementation here could mislead the passenger into thinking they actually have an Advance ticket.

Do you know if it be possible to implement this, or would it be an accreditation failure?

Getting this sort of thing right would really help passengers understand train tickets - ticket flexibility is one of the main sources of confusion

 

[yorkie]

My view is that E0006 (the field that contains the itinerary heading) should always be "Itinerary - Optional Reservations" for a walk-up, even if the selected itinerary involves timetabled services that have the mandatory reservation flag set...

I agree; just checking, this is the retailers choice of wording is that right?

 

[Adam Williams]

I agree; just checking, this is the retailers choice of wording is that right?

Yeah, the spec doesn't stipulate doing what they're doing (in my opinion) and yes, it's down to the retailer to generate the E-Ticket and choose the text to display in accordance with RDG's specifications [or, well - Vix in this case I imagine, as LNER's supplier rather than LNER themselves]

 

[Haywain]

it's down to the retailer to generate the E-Ticket and choose the text to display in accordance with RDG's specifications [or, well - Vix in this case I imagine, as LNER's supplier rather than LNER themselves]

Vix do what LNER wants them to do - they don't supply anyone else. I wonder if in this case the same wording is generated for all tickets, and so it follows the preferred option for LNER services.

 

[yorkie]

Vix do what LNER wants them to do - they don't supply anyone else. I wonder if in this case the same wording is generated for all tickets, and so it follows the preferred option for LNER services.

Yes that seems likely.

LNER don't seem to expect people to use their website for journeys with other operators:

LNER Perks offers 10% discount off EMR onboard refreshments

Booked a ticket via LNER to travel to St Pancras with EMR next week. Just received an email from LNER looking forward to welcoming me onboard adding that as an LMS Perks member i can get 10% off food and drink during what is apparently "your LNER journey". Hope the EMR trolley operative is...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[signed]

Avanti also does have the reservation required flag, which makes the Interrail Planner App tell you to shell out £6 through ACPRail for a seat reservation that litterally is free and not mandatory

 

[Bungle965]

Avanti also does have the reservation required flag, which makes the Interrail Planner App tell you to shell out £6 through ACPRail for a seat reservation that litterally is free and not mandatory

There's many different avenues that someone can take rather than paying for a seat reservation through them.
X (Twitter) or email/phone customer service also availability is often available on the day to reserve.

 

[signed]

There's many different avenues that someone can take rather than paying for a seat reservation through them.

Indeed, but it's conspicuously missing from the app, I just got my seat bookings through GWR website since it's the easiest option