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Euro-tunnel flexiplus bouncing / bumping ordinary travelers

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Traveled out Tuesday 08:20 and all going well, went through passport control etc and we were lined up ready for our departure and the earlier train was loading.

Then presumably the FlexiPlus (all very obvious) were loaded on to our train and then we were halted and an announcement that we'd have to be loaded on to the 08:50 due to no room.

Ok for sure might not have all the correct detail but had me checking and would seem that FlexiPlus could well take priority over bog standard travelers.

I don't usually travel at Peak Season so this might be a common occurrence, but there again Euro-Tunnel are promoting the hell out of FlexiPlus and their new terminals currently.

I'm 99% sure that ET would not give a definitive answer if asked, and further Googling does enforce how people can just turn up and get on, so people will be bumped.

Just a tad irksome as a Frequent Traveler you can still get bumped.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I`m pretty certain we would have been subject to the same issue last Sunday evening. It was stated that all trains were running 30 mins late due to unexpectedly high demand (Really did no one clock that once the world cup final was over people would be on the move again?)

However we had a blue badge holder (who was feeling and looking rather poorly) with us and as we were waiting in the car park at Calais in sight of the loading staff they took pity on us, came over and told us to board the train currently loading. We were last on board, passing whole lanes still full of the letter before ours. My husband was curious as to what might have happened so walked along a few carriages on the lower level then came back through the top level. There were a lot of flexiplus cars in those last carriages along with a few cars from both the preceding 2 letters to ours!

We had originally been booked on a much earlier crossing but due to unforeseeable issues we had phoned up and changed onto later train (later than we wanted because earlier ones were all full) We had therefore actually arrived a good 2 hours before our crossing.

I have no idea if any of this is reflected in the train equivalent of the boarding pass, but I can`t see how it could be and am therefore very grateful to those staff who perhaps noticed we had a problem.

But who knows how it all works! Puzzled
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
That's the point of Flexi plus vs the cheapo fares...isn't it? If I had paid for flexi plus and didn't get a space I would be mightily cheesed off.
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For the astronomical amount they get charged I should hope people do get bumped.

The boarding procedure and train time seem all over the shop anyhow. Last time we got bumped onto a slightly earlier train on arrival but ended up departing the same time as originally scheduled.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ES don't always prioritise Flexi-Plus travellers. When travelling last Friday i had a FP ticket and got stopped at the top of the ramp down to the train and made to wait for the next train. Not sure if the earlier train was full as didn't get any explanation.

When i finally got on the train and was inching into place i had a call on my mobile, which prompted an abusive ES employer to yell at me. He threatened to call the police because i was using my phone illegally. My protests that there were no signs saying phone use on the train was prohibited was met with a "being- on - this- train - is - the -same -as being - on - a road- stupid" response.
To make matters worse i then referred to him as a knob which my children heard so got an ear bashing from the OH as well.
Crying or Very sad
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
@Jonathan Bell,
Quote:

To make matters worse i then referred to him as a knob which my children heard so got an ear bashing from the OH as well.



Laughing
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Jonathan Bell, Laughing Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Laughing If you think about it, the only way ET could possibly honour their undertaking to FP passengers is by giving them priority - which when bookings are heavy will mean bumping others. It's one of those moments when furring up your arteries by stressing and fuming will achieve SFA! Zen!
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
pam w wrote:
stressing and fuming will achieve SFA! Zen!

You try telling that to my missus. The randomness really winds her up.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
And furs up her arteries.... it's really worth trying NOT to let yourself stress about events over which you have no control. If you practice on the small stuff (such as having to wait in a queue when heading off on a nice holiday, or the woman in front being annoyingly slow to get started when the traffic lights go green) it's easier to cope with the really difficult events. wink
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@pam w must be absolutely right here (both about the "bumping" and not getting stressed).

The only thing you can do is make sure you are among the very first of your letter to head round to the boarding lanes to give yourself the largest chance of being loaded onto the intended train rather than being bumped.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Jonathan Bell, Laughing Laughing
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
stressing and fuming will achieve SFA! Zen!

Or get a FP ticket?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
The should be able to model FP expected demand and make allowances for it.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@ringingmaster, I expect they do...but a model is not reality
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I must be the only person who prefers ferry crossings.
Yea it takes longer, but its all part of the holiday.

As for the chunnel. Well they paid more for their ticket.
What do the T&C say about it? are flexi guaranteed a place on the available train? do normal tickets say your not guaranteed to travel on the train you booked for?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Flexiplus says you will be placed on the next available departure, but it does not say you are guaranteed to be on the next train.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Mr.Egg wrote:
I must be the only person who prefers ferry crossings.
Yea it takes longer, but its all part of the holiday.

I think "part of the holiday" is stretching it a bit but yeah it has some plusses and we still consider both options. The tunnel is great when everything goes smoothly though and I like the shortened journey and lack of faff.

Mr.Egg wrote:
As for the chunnel. Well they paid more for their ticket.
What do the T&C say about it? are flexi guaranteed a place on the available train? do normal tickets say your not guaranteed to travel on the train you booked for?

All it says is "Upon arrival you will be placed on the next available departure" for Flexiplus so no guarantees. But clearly having paid the premium you would be miffed if it wasn't fairly soon. For normal tickets if you arrive 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time you will be put on your scheduled departure. As discussed departure times seem to move around a little and if you get held up in security/passport control you can end up on a different departure. It's never an exact science.
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We've been bumped to an earlier departure on occasions, so it can work both ways. Possible that booked cars don't arrive, and they fill up the train as much as possible before departure, leaving some space for late arrivals? It's rare to be hanging around for too long, unless there's a mechanical issue.
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