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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Rebecca Smithers

Why won’t LNER send me the code to pick up my train tickets?

Enter a code to collect a paid-for ticket … if only you knew it!
Enter a code into a machine at the station to collect a paid-for ticket … if only you knew it! Photograph: Alamy

It seems pretty straightforward but Virgin East Coast call centres and staff have failed to provide a solution (or to phone back or respond to emails and complaints). On 13 June I booked tickets on my phone for my wife and her friend to travel from London to Skipton on 15 July, returning on 20 July. I have booked thousands of pounds worth of tickets in this way over the years.

I later realised I hadn’t been sent the code I needed to pick up the tickets from a machine at the station. I phoned Virgin East Coast (and was put through to many different people over the course of an hour) but still failed to get the code or a means of printing my own.

The line is being taken over by LNER on the 24 June but (presumably) my “contract” is with Virgin East Coast. Why is it so difficult?

FN, Oxford

You had further emails from LNER saying that nothing more could be done. However, after our intervention you received a phone call from its customer relations team, which miraculously provided the code numbers you were seeking. It seems extraordinary in this age of technological development that you were left high and dry like this. It did not explain what happened, but says only: “LNER is committed to delivering a consistently excellent experience. We can confirm that this matter has now been resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.”

We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions: http://gu.com/letters-terms

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