TOCs asked to accept Flybe passengers

[Djgr]

According to the Independent website:
https://www.independent.co.uk/trave...virus-outbreak-bust-latest-news-a9376421.html

A government spokesperson said: “We have asked bus and train operators to accept Flybe tickets and other airlines to offer reduced rescue fares to ensure passengers can make their journeys as smoothly as possible.

Should be interesting!

Moderator note: This thread is purely to discuss the fact that TOCs will be accepting Flybe passengers tickets and not to discuss anything else. There is a a separate Flybe collapses thread at https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/flybe-collapses.201521/

 

[DarloRich]

The TOCs could get a bit of free PR by carrying passengers home and offering interviews to redudant staff.

 

[221129]

As part of the failed rescue package the treasury was going to waive the Air Passenger Duty. How about putting the money that would have been foregone under this arrangement into a new deal for CrossCountry (most similar to Flybe in their coverage) instead? How much difference could that make?

Not a great deal tbh

 

[221129]

The TOCs could get a bit of free PR by carrying passengers home and offering interviews to redudant staff.

A lot of TOCs did that when Thomas Cook folded.

 

[leedstraindude]

That was for a two week period while the repatriation flights were going on. This is a completely different type airline and imo it’s unreasonable to expect TOCS to carry people for free for however many months people have bought tickets for.

 

[Ianno87]

That was for a two week period while the repatriation flights were going on. This is a completely different type airline and imo it’s unreasonable to expect TOCS to carry people for free for however many months people have bought tickets for.

Most Flybe passengers won't be "stranded" in the same way as Thomas Cook's were.

 

[DarloRich]

A lot of TOCs did that when Thomas Cook folded.

LNER have tweeted they will help Flybe passengers and staff

 

[221129]

LNER have tweeted they will help Flybe passengers and staff

As have Avanti West Coast.

 

[DarloRich]

As have Avanti West Coast.

good news.

 

[221129]

LNER have tweeted they will help Flybe passengers and staff

XC are taking Passengers until Sunday.

 

[noddingdonkey]

I guess the other difference with Thomas Cook is that FlyBe ran a lot of internal flights, for which passengers Mary be less likely to hold travel insurance?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

That was for a two week period while the repatriation flights were going on. This is a completely different type airline and imo it’s unreasonable to expect TOCS to carry people for free for however many months people have bought tickets for.

easyJet have a rescue fare of £65 for Flybe passengers for the rest of March.
Flybe had code-shares including one with Air France, so that's another option for some passengers.

 

[FQTV]

LNER have tweeted they will help Flybe passengers and staff

A company set up to support customers and staff of a failed part Virgin-owned operation steps in to support customers and staff of a failed part Virgin-owned operation then, I suppose....

 

[Djgr]

A company set up to support customers and staff of a failed part Virgin-owned operation steps in to support customers and staff of a failed part Virgin-owned operation then, I suppose....

When the going gets tough.....

 

[ainsworth74]

Strikes me that you're not going to see people stranded in the way they were when Thomas Cook collapsed (i.e. in a foreign country!) but it seems likely that there will be people who are currently away from home in the UK who now can't easily get back home. It would seem reasonable for a short period for TOCs to accept Flybe tickets to allow those people to get home without incurring significant extra costs. Perhaps say a week or so of ticket acceptance which should deal with the bulk of anyone who is stuck but without leaving the TOCs with an open ended liability that might stretch into months in the future!

 

[FQTV]

Strikes me that you're not going to see people stranded in the way they were when Thomas Cook collapsed (i.e. in a foreign country!) but it seems likely that there will be people who are currently away from home in the UK who now can't easily get back home. It would seem reasonable for a short period for TOCs to accept Flybe tickets to allow those people to get home without incurring significant extra costs. Perhaps say a week or so of ticket acceptance which should deal with the bulk of anyone who is stuck but without leaving the TOCs with an open ended liability that might stretch into months in the future!

Correct, and the thing to additionally bear in mind for folks booked on flybe flights across the Irish Sea, say, is that all the other carriers are experiencing significant reductions in demand, too, so hopefully there’ll be plenty of alternative, if slightly less convenient (eg Belfast International vs City), options even for these cross-water passengers.

 

[Spartacus]

Seems all quite surprising when TOCs are becoming increasingly reluctant to take passengers of other operators during disruption.

 

[Djgr]

Correct, and the thing to additionally bear in mind for folks booked on flybe flights across the Irish Sea, say, is that all the other carriers are experiencing significant reductions in demand, too, so hopefully there’ll be plenty of alternative, if slightly less convenient (eg Belfast International vs City), options even for these cross-water passengers.

Where's Boris' bridge when you need it?!

 

[Belperpete]

Seems all quite surprising when TOCs are becoming increasingly reluctant to take passengers of other operators during disruption.

This is a short-term arrangement for a limited number of passengers, as opposed to an open-ended commitment for potentially large numbers. Probably done for PR reasons- good publicity better than bad publicity that would be generated if they refused the government request and left people stranded.

 

[CC 72100]

As have Avanti West Coast.

It is all First Group TOCs for Thursday 5th March at least

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

TfW to accept Flybe passengers for a week from today and Avanti for today only with a valid flybe ticket or staff pass.

 

[Stigy]

SWR have announced they will carry FlyBe customers from Portsmouth/Southampton/Exeter to Waterloo.

 

[JN114]

It is all First Group TOCs for Thursday 5th March at least

Now up until close of play on the 12th.

https://twitter.com/gwrhelp/status/1235515014540341249?s=21

We are pleased to offer free travel to
@flybe
customers from today until the end of Thursday 12 March.

 

[robbeech]

As have Avanti West Coast.

Interestingly a colleague was behind a man at the Euston "gateline" this morning (post First Group announcement) and they were laughed at by staff and turned away. They had the relevant documentation and were eligible according to the rules. Is this a case of the message not getting through fast enough or the message getting there but the Euston gateline staff not being interested.
Another passenger has been charged by an Avanti guard this morning too, although i believe they have been in discussions about a refund.
I wish i were surprised.
Well played by all the TOCs that are offering this though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interestingly a colleague was behind a man at the Euston "gateline" this morning (post First Group announcement) and they were laughed at by staff and turned away.

The Euston barrier staff are out of control, aren't they? Why can't the TOC get control of them, or if they continue with their usual misconduct get rid of the problem ones?

Meanwhile, that's a TOC just thrown away the opportunity to get the business from the airlines.

 

[PTR 444]

So the TOCs that are accepting Flybe tickets, will this be indefinitely or will it only for a short period of time? (As I was due to travel on the 24th)

 

[Bletchleyite]

So the TOCs that are accepting Flybe tickets, will this be indefinitely or will it only for a short period of time? (As I was due to travel on the 24th)

Only for a few days in most cases I'm afraid.

 

[robbeech]

So the TOCs that are accepting Flybe tickets, will this be indefinitely or will it only for a short period of time? (As I was due to travel on the 24th)

I think it’s just enough time to help those who do not have sufficient time to make other plans. So a few days. Arguably now you know about this there is time to replan your journey on the 24th so whilst there may be more financial implications I think it seems relatively fair. Afterall, as we get told several times per day, chances are a lot of the domestic flights will have already been cheaper than the train tickets available at the point of purchase, let alone on the day of travel.

 

[Mag_seven]

I'm currently on a northbound LNER Anglo Scottish service and it is noticeably busier than you would expect for a Thursday early afternoon.

 

[Djgr]

The Euston barrier staff are out of control, aren't they? Why can't the TOC get control of them, or if they continue with their usual misconduct get rid of the problem ones?

Meanwhile, that's a TOC just thrown away the opportunity to get the business from the airlines.

Not really because, as we speak, there isn't really a domestic airline network in competition anymore.