My Complaints

I've sent this letter to Virgin Trains today. Let's see if they respond and what they've got to say for themselves.

Dear Sir/Madam

To say I was dissatisfied with the service provided, prior to and during my, return journey from Penryn Cornwall to Stone-on-Trent on 10/06/06, and back on the 16/06/06, would be an understatement.

I continually checked your website for discounted tickets for the five weeks prior to taking my journey. On none of these occasions were there any discounted ticket for the 10/06 or on 09/06 or the 08/06. I was therefore forced to purchase the Std Saver for £73.50. That’s almost £20 more than I’ve paid in the past. I was then upset to find this ticket did not even feature a seat reservation. I called up the customer helpline to see if something could be done about this; the last thing I would want on a 7 hour journey is to stand. The advice I was given by the operator was to turn up early to get on the train first. How very helpful. I tried to complain at this point via your website only for my e-mail complaint to be rejected and returned twice.

I followed the train instructions on the ticket arriving in Truro at 11:30 with a forty minute wait until my train to Birmingham at 12:14. Fortunately I checked the departures list before leaving the station. The 12:14 train did not exist. I was able to run over the platform and get a train to Plymouth and change there for Birmingham. Neither of these trains were more than half full so why were there no discount tickets?

Thankfully the journey was smooth from then on. This could not be said of the journey back. Where the 10:49 from Wolverhampton was over an hour late. With no seat reservation I ended up switching seats three times in a carriage with no air conditioning.

I think you would agree that I have not a reasonable level of good service and would expect to compensated for the considerable inconvenience I have suffered.


Yours faithfully

David Paul Nixon.

Quote of the Day: "When an actor comes to me and wants to discuss his character, I say, 'It's in the script.' If he says, But what's my motivation?, I say, 'Your salary.' ~ Alfred Hitchcock