Timeline for Bus failed to pick us up; must the operator refund our taxi fare?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
20 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Aug 15, 2022 at 5:37 | comment | added | user25730 | We had this happen in Sydney with a private shuttle (they said they mistook 6pm for 6am, and wouldn't send a shuttle out to get us as they said they were all about to go home for the day). Tried to get them to reimburse taxi fair and food (this was a fair few years ago when we didn't use cards, and had budgeted for food at the airport, but had to spend that money on a taxi instead), instead they wanted us to accept half the price of the shuttle (saying "we did take you to your destination after all"). They stopped replying to emails after that. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 17:48 | comment | added | Psychonaut | @Tor-EinarJarnbjo: The ticket (including seat reservation) was for the specific bus that failed to stop. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 17:06 | history | became hot network question | |||
| Jul 22, 2022 at 15:00 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackTravel/status/1550495891743727622 | ||
| Jul 22, 2022 at 13:43 | comment | added | Tor-Einar Jarnbjo | Did you already have a ticket and reservation for specifically this departure in advance or just an open ticket valid for the route, but not for a specific departure? | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 13:37 | comment | added | Hilmar | In this case both your and the operator's interpretation are "reasonable" and "defensible" so if push comes to shove that would have to be decided by a court or equivalent. I suggest contacting a local lawyer and let them have a look at it. You may have a chance here, since potentially there was "gross negligence" by the operator involved . Feel free to move or repost on law.stackexchange.com | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 10:45 | comment | added | Relaxed | That said, their response is a little surprising. If they chose to provide it, I am pretty sure a taxi could in fact be considered “comparable conditions”. In other words, you may not be entitled to it but the regulation certainly doesn't prevent them from providing it and their terms and conditions are irrelevant. Obviously, none of this constitutes an excuse for being unreachable and unable to provide an alternative. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 10:24 | comment | added | Traveller | Sounds like you’d have more success making a claim under your travel insurance | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 10:18 | answer | added | Relaxed | timeline score: 23 | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:55 | comment | added | Relaxed | If you look at the EU page, you will see the rules even foresee having to wait for up to 2 days and being only entitled to minimal assistance (cheap accommodation, no compensation like that for delay in air travel). In other words, you have a right to eventually be brought to Bratislava, not to demand that the operator pulls all stops to bring you there fast. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:50 | comment | added | Relaxed | I don't think "under comparable conditions at no extra cost and at the earliest opportunity" would obviously cover a taxi. If you think about air transport, it basically means rebooking you on the next plane. Also, this is really an obligation for the operator to find a solution. You may get some mileage out of their negligence and the fact nobody was reachable but the idea is that they must figure out a reasonable alternative, not that you can choose whatever you want and demand they pay for it. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:50 | history | edited | Psychonaut | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:49 | comment | added | Psychonaut | I interpret it as meaning that the EU rights apply to any bus route whose termini are at least 250 km apart, even if you ride only for a short segment of that route. Regardless, the rule doesn't apply in my case, since both my segment and the total length of the route are less than 250 km. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:43 | history | edited | Psychonaut | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:42 | comment | added | Giacomo Catenazzi | I interpret "service" as the part you pay, so short distance. In my opinion it doesn't matter if the bus is doing a long distance travel if you do only a short trip. I interpret that if you book with them a long journey, it doesn't matter if every bus trip is "short", it matter just start and destination. But maybe I'm wrong. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:40 | history | edited | Psychonaut | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:34 | comment | added | Psychonaut | @GiacomoCatenazzi Ah, I had assumed that the bus came from somewhere far away, but checking the timetable now I see it originated at Vienna Hauptbahnhof. I'll edit the question accordingly. | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:24 | comment | added | Giacomo Catenazzi | Note about EU bus passenger rights: mainly apply to regular long-distance bus and coach services and * Long-distance means that the scheduled distance of the service, not your individual trip, is 250 km or more* which it is not your case. You may get some more than 7 EUR by telling they lacked information and contact point. Then you can go legal (so off-topic in this site). I think the T&C, chapter 17 is clearly non-enforceable. You have a ticket so a contract, and it is illegal to tell that professional part can cancel without penalties (and that it is your task to ask reimbursement). | |
| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:13 | history | edited | Psychonaut | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 22, 2022 at 9:04 | history | asked | Psychonaut | CC BY-SA 4.0 |