Change & No-Go at National Express over flexible ticket refund

theguardian.com:

I was very interested to read last month’s letter about National Express refusing a full refund of a “flexible” ticket. I have a similar issue. When I bought a ticket from Heathrow to Southampton, I paid £5 extra for the Change & Go add-on, which promises “complete flexibility” if you miss your departure.

I did miss my departure, but when I tried to transfer my ticket to the next available coach, the agent insisted Change & Go was only valid for changes made to bookings before departure. I had to buy another ticket, and was charged £10 more than if I’d bought on the app.

MR, Southampton

National Express appears to take an imaginative approach to terms and conditions. Last month, it told a customer who had to cancel a “fully flexible” ticket that the £144 supplement he had paid for extra luggage was non-refundable.

The ticket terms made no mention of the exemption, but only after I pointed this out did the company backtrack and agree to reimburse extra luggage fees in future.

The small print in your case is equally unambiguous. A Change & Go allows travellers to switch for free to a later departure if they miss their coach. However, you were only refunded and offered a voucher for a free ride after I again confronted National Express. It says: “The passenger should have been allowed to travel and was advised incorrectly. We have apologised and provided a full refund. We have also issued a reminder to staff at Heathrow about the terms of Change & Go.”

KF of London was encouraged to read National Express’s pledge last month that extra luggage supplements will now be included in refunds of a flexible ticket. She had paid £32 in luggage fees, but when she had to cancel her journey and applied for a refund online, the website stated