Hello All,
I have noticed an issue with how fares are being calculated for children when used with a Family and Friends Railcard with Thameslink and Southeastern, and trying to take advantage of their child promotional rates.
The background to noticing this problem is as follows. My wife and I along with our 2 young children regularly travel from Harpenden to Folkestone Central in the summer months. We have a Family and Friends Railcard. To save money we split ticket the journey. A super off peak return from Harpenden to St. Pancras. Then another Super off peak return from St. Pancras to Folkestone central.
Thameslink and Southeastern both have promotions for travelling with children. With Southeastern it’s £1 per journey, and Thameslink it’s £2. When combined with the railcard that £1/£2 fare only applies to one of the children. That’s stated here in the Southeastern T&C’s:
On 24th May we travelled to Folkestone and the fares for Southeastern and Thameslink were calculated correctly. However, when we took the same journey on 30th May, the fares for both operators had increased. I noticed that it was the child fares that increased. The promotional £1/2 fares had been completely dropped. Instead of 1 x £1/£2 child promotional fare and 1 x Child Family and Friends fare, it was now charging 2 x Child Family and Friends. I've attached images of the e-Tickets.
If I dropped the Family and Friends railcard, then it would correctly apply the 2 x £1/£2 promotional rates.
I have raised it with both Southeastern and Thameslink and they agree the fare was calculated incorrectly and I was over charged. They’ve refunded the difference. However, the fare calculation issues are still present on the website and in their apps. Any tickets where the Family and Friends railcard is applied are not having the promotional £1/£2 rates also applied. I have contacted them both again and they are investigating. But I’ve not had much feedback from them in relation to it.
I don’t know if the same issue would be present if I purchased the tickets from a ticket office or one of the machines at the station. I would’ve thought quite a few people would start to notice this issue now.
It’s frustrating as I’m looking to visit Brighton this weekend, and Thameslink are still not including the £2 child fare when I apply the railcard. With the current situation I will need to make the journey and then put in a refund request.
Are ticket prices calculated centrally? It seems strange (to me) that the calculation for both fares would change on the same day, for both operators, and continue to be incorrect going forward.
If anyone can offer any thoughts as to what’s going on here I’d appreciate it.
Thanks in advance…
I have noticed an issue with how fares are being calculated for children when used with a Family and Friends Railcard with Thameslink and Southeastern, and trying to take advantage of their child promotional rates.
The background to noticing this problem is as follows. My wife and I along with our 2 young children regularly travel from Harpenden to Folkestone Central in the summer months. We have a Family and Friends Railcard. To save money we split ticket the journey. A super off peak return from Harpenden to St. Pancras. Then another Super off peak return from St. Pancras to Folkestone central.
Thameslink and Southeastern both have promotions for travelling with children. With Southeastern it’s £1 per journey, and Thameslink it’s £2. When combined with the railcard that £1/£2 fare only applies to one of the children. That’s stated here in the Southeastern T&C’s:
The Thameslink T&C's aren't as clear, but Thameslink have confirmed it is the same validity as Southeastern.
On 24th May we travelled to Folkestone and the fares for Southeastern and Thameslink were calculated correctly. However, when we took the same journey on 30th May, the fares for both operators had increased. I noticed that it was the child fares that increased. The promotional £1/2 fares had been completely dropped. Instead of 1 x £1/£2 child promotional fare and 1 x Child Family and Friends fare, it was now charging 2 x Child Family and Friends. I've attached images of the e-Tickets.
If I dropped the Family and Friends railcard, then it would correctly apply the 2 x £1/£2 promotional rates.
I have raised it with both Southeastern and Thameslink and they agree the fare was calculated incorrectly and I was over charged. They’ve refunded the difference. However, the fare calculation issues are still present on the website and in their apps. Any tickets where the Family and Friends railcard is applied are not having the promotional £1/£2 rates also applied. I have contacted them both again and they are investigating. But I’ve not had much feedback from them in relation to it.
I don’t know if the same issue would be present if I purchased the tickets from a ticket office or one of the machines at the station. I would’ve thought quite a few people would start to notice this issue now.
It’s frustrating as I’m looking to visit Brighton this weekend, and Thameslink are still not including the £2 child fare when I apply the railcard. With the current situation I will need to make the journey and then put in a refund request.
Are ticket prices calculated centrally? It seems strange (to me) that the calculation for both fares would change on the same day, for both operators, and continue to be incorrect going forward.
If anyone can offer any thoughts as to what’s going on here I’d appreciate it.
Thanks in advance…
