Come on Robert, stop hiding behind ‘it’s the law’ mantra. You know full well that Brittany Ferries is doing what ever it can to survive as a business and you cannot blame them for offering alternatives to a refund, surely it’s better they keep going so you can use them again at some time in the future? If you really can’t make use of the voucher though then take the refund be it direct from BF themselves or your credit card company.
It is not a matter of hiding behind anything Tim. I have no objection whatsoever to Brittany Ferries offering alternatives to a refund, but that is not what they are doing. Their stance is that a voucher is the ONLY possibility and that this is the decision THEY have taken. The rules state that the choice MUST lie with the passenger between an alternative time/date of transportation and reimbursement.
Perhaps unusually, I am truly unable to make use of a voucher as the purpose of my intended journey was to visit my terminally ill sister-in-law. By the time I could use a voucher there will probably be no point in going anyway.
But that is all rather beside the point as far as I am concerned.
I have to keep to the rules, whether I find those rules convenient from a personal or economic point of view or not. I just happen to be of the opinion that Brittany Ferries should keep to the rules as well.
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It wouldn’t feel quite so bad if Brittany Ferries were offering a voucher for a ferry crossing but all they are offering is an IOU against the cost of a ferry crossing some time in the future which will be worthless if Brittany Ferries go out of business. Why should customers be expected to make an unsecured interest free loan when Brittany Ferries T&Cs & the law require them to give a refund? At least everybody who paid by credit card will be able to get a refund from their card issuer.
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What happened to the long walk off a short pier?
I sympathise with Nigel’s sentiments but if every BF customer for several months needs to be given a refund it will bankrupt the company so
a) not everyone will get their money back
and
b) no-one will get their ferry crossing
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There are some companies in the tourism/transport sector that can ride this out but I doubt BF is one of them. Clearly some customers are going to have to take a hit but I think the majority acknowledge the exceptional circumstances we’re in and accept a voucher which actually lasts for two years.
The voucher I have been offered is for 1 year starting now.
It’s still shifting freight
Definitely says 24 months on their website.
I really meant from a ‘offer refund’ point of view, some of the big players such as Disney have got a ton of cash but Virgin Atlantic certainly hasn’t.
They are all valid for 2 years, even if they say 1 year - they sent email out to that effect.
I have 7 return unused tickets with the channel tunnel which run out the end of may which I can’t use. There offer to me was 2 return tickets they will allow to be extended for 3 months but only if I buy another £770 frequent traveller batch of tickets which I don’t need as I will be retired by May. Talk about holding a gun to my head. Customer service 0 as usual 
How many of those seven return tickets would you have used before the end of May?
You are indeed entitled to a full refund in Law. The issue is cash-flow for the ferry (and all other travel operators) in that they do not have ready access to pay all refunds.
Your only chance is to keep pushing (nicely) and talking to someone in the accounts department. Find an email address perhaps and offer your bank details, anything that makes it easy to process the refund.
Good luck.
PS. Suggest politeness trumps shouting. IMHO.
Absolutely. I couldn’t agree more.
I do take your point about the operators cash flow situation, but then that is the situation that develops if a company chooses to use cash paid in respect of future service to pay the expenses of today. It’s a bit like borrowing money to make the repayments on a loan that already exists — very unwise.
We were supposed to be getting married on Friday & off for a honeymoon in our cottage in France at the weekend. We have been refunded by the wedding venue & the Registrar but just given an IOU by Brittany Ferries. I have contacted Barclaycard for a refund as Brittany Ferries are refusing a refund contrary to their T&Cs & the law.
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This might help poor old Robert -
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Thanks for that Tim.
The latest on my particular case is that it has been referred to the Escalations Department for further consideration.
The thing is that the reason for my previously intended trip to the UK has long since evaporated, and since I understand that the UK Gov’t is seriously considering imposing 14 days isolation on ALL persons arriving in the UK (including British Citizens), were they to do that then any proposed trip of mine would be totally impracticable both logistically and financially.
I am certainly not giving up the chase and I intend to pursue the matter by every means open to me. To be honest it’s more a matter of principle than the money. I have to abide by the law whether I find it convenient or not, and so should Brittany Ferries.
What he has lost is £400 he may need to feed or cloth his own family. BF are not god getting to decide.
Our whole fabric of society is maintained by rules, Laws and regulations.
Please explain who should be above those and why?
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