Sorry, this story is a long one and to be honest I am fuming with the company and will not accept this treatment, not only do I want a full refund of the ticket price but I want a letter of apology to my wife for the treatment she experienced.
I have posted this same story on a different forum but sadly not received any advice yet and hope members of this forum might be able to help
Can I ask please for your help and advise on this matter. Even please tell me if I am "flogging a dead donkey" and wasting my time.
Sunday 14th June 2009 my wife had to travel from one location to another, for various reasons she chose to travel on National Express coaches. She had to be at her destination because our son (at boarding school) was having an operation the next morning and wanted he mum to be with him (understandably, he is a little nervous and frightened). Anyway, her journey involved a transfer at Heathrow from one coach to another, with the first leg uneventful and she reported it was quite relaxing.
On arrival at Heathrow she located the next coach, loaded her baggage and took her seat. Several minutes later the coach left. Within minutes of leaving the coach broke down, they spent some time while the driver and mechanic spoke on the telephone. It resulted in the coach returning to the depot. On arrival the driver asked the passengers to disembark. But not to go to far as he needed to get on the road (I suspect he was running short of driver hours). My wife TOLD the driver she needed to go to the bathroom and would be back shortly. On her return to the bay where she disembarked (no more than 5 minutes) she recognised another women off the same coach who informed her that the coach had left.
Obviously my wife did not believe this initially as all of her belongings for the week were on the bus. Within seconds the realisation set in and she was mortified, she was panicking and worried about how she could get to see our son before the Monday morning. Now I will explain, my wife is a very nervous person who panics at the simplest thing, she can get tearful very easily. The other lady (the only thing my wife and this other lady have in common was they were on the same coach and both left behind, other than this they do not know each other, nor are they friends/family.) told my wife to follow her and she will sort it. Nervously my wife followed into the main bus depot to explain their plight. It was then they were both told, sorry, you have missed it, you did not answer to tanoy calls so the driver left. They claim to have made 5 tanoy announcements. Despite the two women being stranded and the coach leaving only seconds before National they refused to contact the driver to tell him to return. At this moment my wife became visibly upset and the other women lost her temper, shouting ranting and raving, using abusive language. At was at this time my wife called me for help, all i had was the internet and a phone. Naturally I tried to call the Heathrow office but as it the normal with everything its all central. So was put through to someone in Birmingham. I explained my wife’s issue and he said he would assist, investigate and call me back immediately. It was after this call my wife called me back to tell me the other women had assaulted a member of staff by going behind the counter and grabbing her by the throat and that the police had been called. I advised her to stay well away and not to associate herself with this women because they my think you know each other and refuse you to travel. A couple of moments later a second member of staff approached my wife to ask her destination saying she could getting on a second coach due to leaving shortly that way they will drop her off a close as possible to her destination. After 45 minute the central office had not called so I called them, I asked for the individual and was transferred, kept on hold for 15 minutes, before I hung up and tried again, this time transferred to him immediately. To my horror he said due to the assault on his member of staff my wife was not allowed to travel and was being arrested for abusive language. I couldn’t believe my ears and did become slightly agitated and frustrated thanking him using the following "well thanks for sod all, if this is they way you treat paying customers then I will never use your service again" I rang my wife back to find out the police had attended and spoke to her, they escorted the other lady off the premises saying she was banned form travelling and to wait for her boyfriend to collect her. For my wife she was told that she had been unfortunate and because the tanoy system does not work in the toilet she missed her bus, but because of the other persons actions you too are banned from travelling. The police were frustrated for her and offered to help get her to a tube to get into central London to catch a train. They gave her their details to allow her to use them if she wishes to complain. One even said, if she was his partner he would have driven to the location himself to speak to them.
On speaking to my wife after she boarded a train and has settled down it was then she told me, the lady who was assaulted was the manager and has instructed all her staff not to speak to my wife. When she attempted to ask for help this manager held her hand up to my wife’s face and walked away. She then spoke to the other women that had offered to help get her on a second coach, but this women said she was able to transfer her but her manager had cancelled it, tell all the staff not to help her as she was a friend of this women and will be arrested.
After I had calmed down but still frustrated I called the central office again to ask what they intend to do with unaccompanied baggage? (which in my opinion in today’s world is a security risk and should never be allowed to happen, I don’t care if it’s a plane, coach or train) They said this was normal practice and I would need to speak to someone in a different office then they attempted to transfer me. A few moments later I was told the other office refused to speak to me for being abusive and swearing, remember all I said was "thanks for sod all" I understand I will have come across as agitated, but to claim I was abusive and offensive is down right slander. Then the guy told me, once her luggage can be identified by the driver they will unload it and leave it somewhere.
Thankfully a friend was able to be at the location of drop off and collected her bags, he spoke to the driver explained what had happened. His response I found was unbelievable. This is not my words, but words of their drivers (who was not the one at Heathrow, they had swapped en-route.) "Oh not again, the bloody staff at Heathrow are always doing this, they don’t understand basic English and as soon as someone shows frustration or gets upset, they always call to police and say they were swearing. I was witness an old lady whose luggage had gone missing, the lady was hard of hearing and was shouting, so loud those around her could hear her words clearly and felt sorry. The staff refused to help her, called to police saying she was using foul and threatening behaviour, the lady must have been 80 and no one heard any language other than her asking for help and advice. The Police arrived and were going to take to word of the staff and escort the lady away, until other member of public and drivers intervened informing the police of what actually occurred. Even then the staff refused to talk to her, demanding the police remove her as she was being racist." This I couldn’t believe, any other time I would have said never, no way would someone treat a lady like that. But having experienced the incident yesterday I can now see it happening and I hate to say it, but I think it is disgusting that people act this way and get away with it.
Sorry to have gone on slightly, but I appeal to you all for advice and guidance.
Many thanks
I have posted this same story on a different forum but sadly not received any advice yet and hope members of this forum might be able to help
Can I ask please for your help and advise on this matter. Even please tell me if I am "flogging a dead donkey" and wasting my time.
Sunday 14th June 2009 my wife had to travel from one location to another, for various reasons she chose to travel on National Express coaches. She had to be at her destination because our son (at boarding school) was having an operation the next morning and wanted he mum to be with him (understandably, he is a little nervous and frightened). Anyway, her journey involved a transfer at Heathrow from one coach to another, with the first leg uneventful and she reported it was quite relaxing.
On arrival at Heathrow she located the next coach, loaded her baggage and took her seat. Several minutes later the coach left. Within minutes of leaving the coach broke down, they spent some time while the driver and mechanic spoke on the telephone. It resulted in the coach returning to the depot. On arrival the driver asked the passengers to disembark. But not to go to far as he needed to get on the road (I suspect he was running short of driver hours). My wife TOLD the driver she needed to go to the bathroom and would be back shortly. On her return to the bay where she disembarked (no more than 5 minutes) she recognised another women off the same coach who informed her that the coach had left.
Obviously my wife did not believe this initially as all of her belongings for the week were on the bus. Within seconds the realisation set in and she was mortified, she was panicking and worried about how she could get to see our son before the Monday morning. Now I will explain, my wife is a very nervous person who panics at the simplest thing, she can get tearful very easily. The other lady (the only thing my wife and this other lady have in common was they were on the same coach and both left behind, other than this they do not know each other, nor are they friends/family.) told my wife to follow her and she will sort it. Nervously my wife followed into the main bus depot to explain their plight. It was then they were both told, sorry, you have missed it, you did not answer to tanoy calls so the driver left. They claim to have made 5 tanoy announcements. Despite the two women being stranded and the coach leaving only seconds before National they refused to contact the driver to tell him to return. At this moment my wife became visibly upset and the other women lost her temper, shouting ranting and raving, using abusive language. At was at this time my wife called me for help, all i had was the internet and a phone. Naturally I tried to call the Heathrow office but as it the normal with everything its all central. So was put through to someone in Birmingham. I explained my wife’s issue and he said he would assist, investigate and call me back immediately. It was after this call my wife called me back to tell me the other women had assaulted a member of staff by going behind the counter and grabbing her by the throat and that the police had been called. I advised her to stay well away and not to associate herself with this women because they my think you know each other and refuse you to travel. A couple of moments later a second member of staff approached my wife to ask her destination saying she could getting on a second coach due to leaving shortly that way they will drop her off a close as possible to her destination. After 45 minute the central office had not called so I called them, I asked for the individual and was transferred, kept on hold for 15 minutes, before I hung up and tried again, this time transferred to him immediately. To my horror he said due to the assault on his member of staff my wife was not allowed to travel and was being arrested for abusive language. I couldn’t believe my ears and did become slightly agitated and frustrated thanking him using the following "well thanks for sod all, if this is they way you treat paying customers then I will never use your service again" I rang my wife back to find out the police had attended and spoke to her, they escorted the other lady off the premises saying she was banned form travelling and to wait for her boyfriend to collect her. For my wife she was told that she had been unfortunate and because the tanoy system does not work in the toilet she missed her bus, but because of the other persons actions you too are banned from travelling. The police were frustrated for her and offered to help get her to a tube to get into central London to catch a train. They gave her their details to allow her to use them if she wishes to complain. One even said, if she was his partner he would have driven to the location himself to speak to them.
On speaking to my wife after she boarded a train and has settled down it was then she told me, the lady who was assaulted was the manager and has instructed all her staff not to speak to my wife. When she attempted to ask for help this manager held her hand up to my wife’s face and walked away. She then spoke to the other women that had offered to help get her on a second coach, but this women said she was able to transfer her but her manager had cancelled it, tell all the staff not to help her as she was a friend of this women and will be arrested.
After I had calmed down but still frustrated I called the central office again to ask what they intend to do with unaccompanied baggage? (which in my opinion in today’s world is a security risk and should never be allowed to happen, I don’t care if it’s a plane, coach or train) They said this was normal practice and I would need to speak to someone in a different office then they attempted to transfer me. A few moments later I was told the other office refused to speak to me for being abusive and swearing, remember all I said was "thanks for sod all" I understand I will have come across as agitated, but to claim I was abusive and offensive is down right slander. Then the guy told me, once her luggage can be identified by the driver they will unload it and leave it somewhere.
Thankfully a friend was able to be at the location of drop off and collected her bags, he spoke to the driver explained what had happened. His response I found was unbelievable. This is not my words, but words of their drivers (who was not the one at Heathrow, they had swapped en-route.) "Oh not again, the bloody staff at Heathrow are always doing this, they don’t understand basic English and as soon as someone shows frustration or gets upset, they always call to police and say they were swearing. I was witness an old lady whose luggage had gone missing, the lady was hard of hearing and was shouting, so loud those around her could hear her words clearly and felt sorry. The staff refused to help her, called to police saying she was using foul and threatening behaviour, the lady must have been 80 and no one heard any language other than her asking for help and advice. The Police arrived and were going to take to word of the staff and escort the lady away, until other member of public and drivers intervened informing the police of what actually occurred. Even then the staff refused to talk to her, demanding the police remove her as she was being racist." This I couldn’t believe, any other time I would have said never, no way would someone treat a lady like that. But having experienced the incident yesterday I can now see it happening and I hate to say it, but I think it is disgusting that people act this way and get away with it.
Sorry to have gone on slightly, but I appeal to you all for advice and guidance.
Many thanks