Eurotunnel

[tonikg]

Hi everyone. We are new to this forum but just wondered if anyone has had problems with Eurotunnel due to the Coronavirus.
We are 'Frequent Travellers' and have two trips remaining, which must be taken before 15th May 2020. Obviously we are unable to take these trips and have asked Eurotunnel if we can take them later than the expiry date, once the Coronavirus is under control, or receive a credit.
They have refused point-blank and I feel that this is must be illegal as they have had the money and will not allow us to travel.
Any comments please ?

 

[Damian]

You will have to put it down to exceptional circumstances and be prepared to lose the money.

The only people who have any say is Eurotunnel, and it is not they who are refusing to let you travel, it is the Governments having implemented the Essential Travel ONLY, and lets face it, your "trips" are not essential, in as much as no one is going to die because you don't go.

I fail to understand what bit of "Stay At Home" you dont get?

this is must be illegal

Do you think the virus cares about legalities,,,,I think not.

 

[otherclive]

Standard tickets are non refundable but can be rescheduled for up to 12 months from date of travel. Flexi tickets are refundable or can be rescheduled. That’s according to the website. Trains are still running but the restrictions in France make it virtually impossible to travel for other than a very few essential reasons. Given FCO advice not to travel abroad combined with French restrictions it’s almost irrelevant that trains are still running. What do the detailed T&Cs say? The Clubs legal advice line may be worth contacting.

 

[Gafferbill]

........you will suffer a financial loss if Eurotunnel don't relax their policy.

You may be able to claim back some or all of your loss from your travel insurance assuming you are insured.
You must of bought and paid for the tickets last year when no one had heard of the Covid19 and the ongoing restrictions by governments could not have been foreseen.

 

[tonikg]

In reply to Damian.....I totally understand 'Stay At Home' and that is the reason that I am abiding by the Government regulations. I am Staying At Home currently. Similarly, this is why I returned from Spain prior to any 'lockdown' by Spain or France. I did not wait for a government bailout as many appeared to have done with sponsored flights. The only gripe I have is that Eurotunnel will not extend my travel dates until I am able to travel, as per the guidelines of the UK Government, when I have pre-paid tickets.
Thank you to otherclive and Gafferbill for your helpful advice

 

[Woodentop]

I think a possible reason here is that Eurotunnel is French owned so they will be operating under French law.
Write to your MP if there is no other solution - he or she can contact the Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps?) who can take it up with his French counterpart.

 

[ProfJohnL]

It will depend on the T&C's . By agreeing to purchase a ticket you agree to abide by them.

If you used a credit card, you may have some recourse through the consumer credit act.

However it will also depend to some extent to whoever you paid your money. If their address is in the UK then regardless of the T&C's the contact has to comply with UK consumer legislation.

 

[Raywood]

As I understand it the tunnel is still open and could and would take you if you turned up presumably they are able to provide the service you paid for. On that basis I cannot see there is a breach of contract.
If for any reason they cannot take you then there is a breach of the contract and they should either allow an extension equal to the time they would not take you, or refund you a sum proportional to that. You could presumably check the position by attempting to book a trip and see what happen. If they turn you down, they are in breach of contract, and you would be entitled to compensation. If not on the assumption you were never going to get anything back then you have lost nothing.
The fact that it is a french company is not a problem, as they have a UK address and you can use that to serve proceedings.

 

[otherclive]

As I understand it the tunnel is still open and could and would take you if you turned up presumably they are able to provide the service you paid for. On that basis I cannot see there is a breach of contract.
If for any reason they cannot take you then there is a breach of the contract and they should either allow an extension equal to the time they would not take you, or refund you a sum proportional to that. You could presumably check the position by attempting to book a trip and see what happen. If they turn you down, they are in breach of contract, and you would be entitled to compensation. If not on the assumption you were never going to get anything back then you have lost nothing.
The fact that it is a french company is not a problem, as they have a UK address and you can use that to serve proceedings.

It’s all a bit confusing as the Eurotunnel website says that journeys can be rescheduled up to 12 months ahead but with slightly differing conditions for Standard or Flexi tickets. Has the OP tried this option or perhaps given the current uncertainty rescheduling isn’t attractive and there are admin fees too.
But why the trend for resorting to law or serving proceedings. It’s not really clear yet what the OP has and hasn’t done.

 

[tonikg]

Thank you for all your advice on this.
Nearer to the date that my tickets expire (15th May), if the border from the UK to France remains closed to holidaymakers (all but essential travel) I may be in a better position to negotiate.
I paid in GBP which, according to Eurotunnel, constitutes: " Where a customer opens a UK Account, this agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with English Law"
I was only really hoping to extend the dates which I could travel rather than ask for a refund, as I intended to take out a new Frequent Traveller account. I am just unhappy that Eurotunnel, so far, have refused point-blank to negotiate.

 

[PaulT]

As I understand it, the French authorities are only allowing passengers from the UK to France who can prove that they are, either, returning to their main residence or travelling for business purposes or for medical reasons. Here in France the current lockdown arrangements are in force (and far more stringently enforced than in the UK) until the 15th April. We expect that the lockdown will be extended. Eurotunnel are, perhaps, taking the view that if the current arrangements were to end by (say) the end of April then there would be nothing to stop the OP from travelling in early May. I suspect that if the lockdown continues until after the 15 May then Eurotunnel will be more willing to offer an extension.

 

[tonikg]

Thank you PaulT. I agree entirely with your views, and thank you for taking the time to comment. The way things are progressing I feel that we may be unable to travel to France until late summer at the very least for holidays.