| Travelling on invalid ticket - what should the operator do? Posted by grahame at 12:20, 1st March 2026 |     |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c743d7vdwzyo
We found out we'd bought fake flights at check-in
Fake and incorrect tickets ... reminded me of the chap on Friday afternoon who was travelling from Trowbridge to London, but was detrained at Melksham because his ticket was not valid; he had been offered at "over £100" - I believe £129.30 - if he wanted to stay on the train.
I have no idea / we must consider whether the couple travelling to India, and / or the chap travelling to London, were knowingly trying to travel without the correct tickets, or whether there was no element of trying to buck the system and they were victims of fraud, or not knowing the rules, or naiveness or stupidity. But if they - at Heathrow and at Melksham, were victims, what can and should be done by the operator when the problem is identified?
Both stories have people, with their luggage, left high and dry with an option to pay again, at over twice what has already been paid, or be left in a state of some potential distress in a place they don't know. And in both cases [details redcated for mine] the "cannot travel" person / people could be evaluated to be potentially vulnerable.
| Re: Travelling on invalid ticket - what should the operator do? Posted by Mark A at 16:18, 1st March 2026 | |
The Melksham chap: rather too late in the day for Melksham's one National Express service to London (an early morning departure which also serves Trowbridge, fares look to be £9.50 - £20.00).
The air travel people: I don't know. It's no good validating the ticket and booking with the airline once it's purchased, by that time the purchase price is down the drain and the crook's over the hill and far away.
Mark
