Rewards Lounge Pass Problems at King's Cross First Class Lounge

[Bungle73]

They didn't even check I was entitled to be in there for some reason, and the place was nearly empty. I wasn't even travelling; I had a Lounge Pass.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I just had a run in with a member of staff on entering the KGX FC Lounge. She wanted to know where I was travelling and when I said I wasn't (I had a pass) she insisted on taking it off me! She insisted she had to. Is this right? It doesn't seem right to me. I shall get onto customer services.

 

[pjnathanail]

It isn't right at all. You should be able to use it in all the lounges accross the network. I print several off just in case!

 

[Bungle73]

She also started questioning me about had I been in there yesterday - which I had - and was it the same pass. I've been the lounge several times an never been confronted like that. I didn't like her attitude at all. I feel a complaint is order. I've spent a total of several hundred pounds with East Coast and I am only using rewards that I'm entitled to.

 

[Butts]

She also started questioning me about had I been in there yesterday - which I had - and was it the same pass. I've been the lounge several times an never been confronted like that. I didn't like her attitude at all. I feel a complaint is order. I've spent a total of several hundred pounds with East Coast and I am only using rewards that I'm entitled to.

I'm not suprised you are annoyed - this is probably a case of "the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing" - definitely one for the overdue East Coast Directors Forum whenever it reappears.

 

[Bungle73]

When I protested to her that I shouldn't have to give it up because it was supposed to be valid all day she said she'd "remember" me if I wanted to re-enter. What use is that if another member of staff takes over, or I don't come back until much later in the day, or I want to use it in another lounge later in the day? Anyway I just fired off a message to customer services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
EC are trying to claim you can't use the Lounge if you're not travelling!

@bungle2010 Hi Graham, the First Class lounge is for those who are intending to travel on that day.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Full conversation:

@eastcoastuk Can you confirm you do not have to relinquish a Rewards Day Pass on entering a FC Lounge if one is not travelling?

@bungle2010 Are you able to provide any more details?

@eastcoastuk Went into KGX lounge with day pass. Staff insisted on taking it off me because I wasn't travelling.

Then nothing....

@eastcoastuk So you don't have an answer?

@bungle2010 Hi Graham, the First Class lounge is for those who are intending to travel on that day.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

@eastcoastuk Um no. Where does it say in the Rewards T&C that you have to be travelling?? It does not.

@eastcoastuk What it says is "Use anytime you want, whichever operator you’re travelling with".

@bungle2010 If you contact our Web Support team 08457225111, they will be able to provide more details.

So they are trying to avoid the issue.....

@eastcoastuk I don't want to speak 2 ws team.I want you to show me where it states that you have to be travelling 2 use a Day Pass

 

[calc7]

Go get 'em!

Classic stingy EC.

 

[Bungle73]

Maybe I should threaten them with a complaint to the ASA?

 

[calc7]

Maybe I should threaten them with a complaint to the ASA?

Not sure if this is possible as it's a "complimentary" reward? Someone more knowledgeable will be able to confirm.

 

[Bungle73]

Not sure if this is possible as it's a "complimentary" reward? Someone more knowledgeable will be able to confirm.

It's not really complimentary though is it, as it is a reward that has to be earned through purchasing tickets through their website.

 

[barrykas]

Sounds to me like the Lounge Host (or whatever East Coast call them) has got confused between the conditions of the Rewards Lounge Pass (which is explicitly valid in as many Lounges, and for as many visits, as you want on the day on the pass) and the paid for Lounge Supplement, which is only valid for one visit to one Lounge, and requires you to present a "relevant" ticket.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[Bungle73]

Do you think a complaint to Passenger Focus would do any good?

I will wait to see what response I get from the message I sent to Customer Services last night.

 

[bb21]

I will wait for a proper response from Customer Service first before getting in touch with Passenger Focus, or you will probably just be told the same thing.

 

[island]

Passenger Focus will be a dead loss. The ASA is a better idea, but not much better mind you.

 

[ainsworth74]

Forgive me but isn't this a bit of storm in a teacup? I mean this needs chasing up with customer services, but to be jumping towards the ASA and PF before East Coast customer relations have had a chance to respond? It seems a bit much.

 

[All Line Rover]

The ASA are not there to deal with contractual disputes.

 

[Bungle73]

Thanks. I will wait (I was planning to anyway)

Forgive me but isn't this a bit of storm in a teacup? I mean this needs chasing up with customer services, but to be jumping towards the ASA and PF before East Coast customer relations have had a chance to respond? It seems a bit much.

I've already got a response from whoever is manning their Twitter feed, which I already posted. They now seem to be ignoring me btw, after trying to fob me off with the Web Support no (why would I want to speak to them??).

 

[island]

The ASA are not there to deal with contractual disputes.

No, but if EC is advertising something on its website that it is not willing/able to deliver, the ASA will look into it.

 

[ainsworth74]

I've already got a response from whoever is manning their Twitter feed, which I already posted. They now seem to be ignoring me btw, after trying to fob me off with the Web Support no (why would I want to speak to them??).

Have you tried emailing them or just Twitter? It strikes me that email would probably be a better option for an issue like this. Certainly I don't think this is a serious enough issue to be thinking about the ASA and PF after only twenty four hours and not having exhausted East Coasts own channels of communication.

 

[Bungle73]

Have you tried emailing them or just Twitter? It strikes me that email would probably be a better option for an issue like this. Certainly I don't think this is a serious enough issue to be thinking about the ASA and PF after only twenty four hours and not having exhausted East Coasts own channels of communication.

I sent a message to Customer Support last night through their website, but experience tells me that train companies take an age to respond such messages (weeks), so I then sent a message to their Twitter account to get a faster response. If their Twitter feed is not a reliable source of info about the company what use is it?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The thing is I have never, ever, been interrogated as to where I was going on entering a FC Lounge....until last night. All I asked the Twitter feed about was this business about confiscating the Pass....then they decided to stir things up more by replying with the message I posted previously.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
OK, guys clear something up for me. Some people on another forum are trying to read that the part that says "Use anytime you want, whichever operator you’re travelling with " to mean you have to be travelling to use the Lounge with a Pass. This is not the case is it?

 

[sheff1]

The T&Cs make no reference to any requirement to be travelling.

 

[Bungle73]

The T&Cs make no reference to any requirement to be travelling.

That's what I keep telling them, but they keep insisting that the text I quoted means that.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Still no reply from EC. Why are train companies sooooo slow at answering messages sent to them?

The "people" in the other forum are still insisting I am wrong to want to use the Lounge when I'm not travelling..........

 

[bb21]

The "people" in the other forum are still insisting I am wrong to want to use the Lounge when I'm not travelling..........

I trust you know who the real experts are.

 

[Bungle73]

I trust you know who the real experts are.

Indeed.

 

[Bungle73]

Just recieved the following from East Coast:

Thank you for your email received 10 October 2012 regarding your recent First Class experience.



I am sorry that you feel you have to contact us regarding the female member of staff you encountered in the First Class Lounge inside London King’s Cross station and apologise for any inconvenience or frustration this may have caused.



From the details you have provided I am unable to determine what the member of staff was trying to explain to you. In order to investigate this matter further I have formed a staff complaint on your behalf and forwarded the comments you have made to the manager responsible for the staff member you spoke with. I have instructed the manager to look into this incident and to deal with the outcome of the investigation appropriately.



I am sorry but I am unable to contact you with the outcome of our investigation. For reasons of confidentiality, we do not make any details, of our internal investigations or of actions taken, public. I can assure you however that we will take any necessary measures to prevent a similar situation occurring in the future.



Thank you for contacting East Coast and I hope that this experience will not deter you from using our services again in the future.



Yours sincerely



Simon Greenwood

Customer Relations Advisor

East Coast

I'm not sure what he means by "From the details you have provided I am unable to determine what the member of staff was trying to explain to you". I put down everything that happened; I'm not sure what else there is to know?

 

[Greenback]

I'm not sure what he means by "From the details you have provided I am unable to determine what the member of staff was trying to explain to you". I put down everything that happened; I'm not sure what else there is to know?

It is probably just their way of saying that she was in the wrong and didn't know what she was talking about!