Eurotunnel crossing
Not sure if this is known but today I tried to amend my tunnel booking which had to be changed due to FCO advice of non essential travel to France back in September this year.
The original booking was from Folkstone to Calais, however I wanted to change direction (Calais to Folkstone) and use it in June 2021 to return from our trip to Spain. We have a booking in place which was carried over from 2020 with BF Portsmouth to Bilbao.
However it would appear that Eurotunnel does not allow you to change direction of your booking. I've had a long conversation with the people at Eurotunnel and they have no explanation as to why this is not allowed, its just not.
We will now have to reconsider our trip (again) for 2021 and change to going out on the tunnel and possibly coming home via Caen - Portsmouth. The ferry company is far more amenable to making a change. This is not how we wanted to do the trip but its either that or write off the cost of the tunnel crossing.
Does anyone else know about this rule. The CAMC representative certainly didn't, he was as baffled as me as to why this is not allowed.
So folks you have been warned. 
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They won't do it now David even for a fee, the booking is through the club but to change it they have to go through Eurotunnel and they say no.
I've emailed Eurotunnel to ask the reasons why, as it seems bizarre to me. I will hang off changing the ferry just now as we have plenty of time to sort this out IF the tunnel plays ball.
Didn't really want to have to travel the length of France in April as we are heading for Southern Spain. Makes much better sense to take the Bilbao ferry out and then to come home leisurely to Calais in June.
Still if it has to be the other way round, we might just not bother going to the south of Spain and be content with doing something else. Might even not go as early as April, was only going that early as we were using the Bilbao crossing. As you know April in France is not always worth stopping around for. We have 9 weeks so plenty of time to go down, we will see what my email brings.
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No, I wasn't aware of that rule TG. Initially wondered if it was a CAMC rule, but it's Eurotunnel's own rule. Strange, as you can amend a crossing up to 24 hours after the booked date, and amendments don't carry an admin fee either; so that's all quite good.
But you can't change direction on a single ticket booking - one to bear in mind for the future, thanks for the heads up.
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Thanks for that WTG, can't say I have seen that. Even if I had I would have taken it that I could change the booking in the same direction of travel but it could be changed by a member of staff in other circumstances. Given that it is a Flexi ticket and I'm giving 8 months notice I would have thought it would have been allowed.
The CAMC staff member said he wasn't aware of it either until he phoned Eurotunnel. The booking in question would have fallen within the 12 month period of use so it can't be anything to do with that.
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Sorry you are in a tangle Tammy.
Hearing this has reinforced my conviction to book no earlier than than one or two weeks before I'm ready to travel, when I'm absolutely sure of my plans. So many people's early bookings have gone awry.
I do hope you can restructure it all.
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But we are talking about a train ride, not cabins on a ship.
I don't book a train from Cornwall to London six months in advance, yet many, many people feel the need to book the Folkestone to Calais train as far ahead as that.
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ET the original booking was made 2 months in advance, at the time we had not long been released from lockdown. It was a fair assumption that crossings were going to be very busy.
As it is we have a Flexi booking which should and does allow it to be amended no problem. It has caught out even the experienced travel staff to find out that a change of direction is not allowed, so I don't feel to bad about making that mistake.
Hearing this has reinforced my conviction to book no earlier than than one or two weeks before I'm ready to travel, when I'm absolutely sure of my plans. So many people's early bookings have gone awry.
As you live in Cornwall its very easy for you to just nip across the channel, we have a 2 day/night drive to get to the south ports, which means we have to organise sites. Depending on the time of year its not always easy to do at short notice and this year almost impossible.
We were absolutely sure we were going, as was everyone else at that time. The Government however changed the rules just days before we were due to travel. So even if we had only booked the tunnel a few weeks earlier it would have made no difference.
If we have to change our plans yet again we will. Its an inconvenience but not the end of the world.
My post was really to warn others who probably like us thought a Flexi ticket was exactly that.
Edit. Some folk do book the tunnel way in advance as if you want a particular day and crossing time you need to. I believe some book trains to the likes of London months in advance to get the super saver fares.
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I believe that the price of Eurotunnel tickets increase the nearer to your chosen departure date, so it would seem a good idea to book well in advance where possible, especially as there is a 'window' of a year to change the booking from when you first made it. (not change of direction unfortunately)
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Thanks Rocky, I did that yesterday.
Got a reply today to say as I'd booked through a third party Eurotunnel couldn't change the booking and I should go back to the club.
I have gone back to them and asked them to clarify if the booking could be changed, as it was the clubs understanding that a change of direction was only permitted by Eurotunnel. If they would permit it could they give me written confirmation to pass onto the club.
Was impressed by their quick response, here's hoping the reply is favourable.
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I hope it works out as the frustration is bad enough without someone passing the buck🙁
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Update, I received another email from Eurotunnel customer service yesterday morning saying that if my agent (the club) contacted their Trade department, then they 'might' allow under the circumstances the funds to we transferred from the Folkstone-Calais booking to Calais - Folkstone
I then called the club and spoke to a very nice person who said she would pass this on to her supervisor and I should await a phone call to hear the outcome.
I'm still waiting
If nothing tomorrow by lunchtime I will call the travel department again.
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Sadly, Eurotunnel have little flexibility unlike many travel providers. I booked France for September in June 2020. Tried to change to next September but told it expires in June despite being unable to travel on Government advice for much of 2020. The schedule was still running I was told!! I was going to take out a flexifare but told that while I couldn’t cancel I could amend. Agree with comments re booking nearer the time. A lesson learned.
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This also highlights the problems faced when you have booked via an agent and then want to speak direct to the travel provider. Although booking via an agent can arguably save hassle at booking time it is sometimes better to have booked direct with the travel provider as then they cant say " Speak to your agent".
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Update: The CAMC have been in touch with me to say that Eurotunnel have agreed to allow a reverse of direction to my booking
I agree that sometimes it is better to go direct but I have to say that both the tunnel and CAMC on this occasion have been very helpful and understanding. Yes there are T&C's and these were pointed out to me by both of them however I am a believer in 'if you don't ask you don't get'
So that's the ferry and tunnel sorted out for next year all we need now is to get a vaccine done and we will be off.
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Unfortunately there is only a 12mth window that you can take your booking. The tunnel work from the date that you booked as do the CAMC.
However I believe BF work from the date of the crossing, which IMO is better. Most of these operators encourage you to book 'early' they even give discounts to do so.
Many travellers book in the Winter for Spring crossing, Spring for Autumn crossing etc. I booked the Bilbao crossing for April 2021 back in July 2020, I used the voucher that BF issued for our cancelled crossing in April this year, BF added another 10% discount if I booked before the end of July so why not we know we want to go.
This is the first time we have had any problems with not going on the dates booked, not our fault but Covid. Will I continue to book in advance? more than likely.
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I take your point and generally agree with that.
However when Eurotunnel said " speak to your agent" it wasn't to refuse my request.
When a booking is made through a third party its normal that they are the only ones to alter the booking.
On this occasion the club couldn't alter the booking without Eurotunnel's agreement as it went against T&C's once Eurotunnel granted permission then the club can make the change.
I believe if there is an emergency and you need to change a booking made with CAMC at short notice and the club department is closed (after hours or weekend) then the operators will amend a booking.
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New update on the tunnel crossing change.
Up thread on the 11 November I mentioned that I had been successful in getting my tunnel crossing changed despite initially being told that it wasn't possible.
However it has been a bit of a saga. The tunnel authorised the change but unfortunately a member of staff (club) Deleted User it
by mistake.No one told me about it until I phoned up to see why I hadn't had confirmation of the change. I was then told about the mistaken deletion, and assured that another email would go off to the tunnel to get them to re-instate it phew. (if I hadn't phoned would they have noticed the mistake)
It has taken 22 days to get the documentation. During that time I have made 2 phone calls had 2 ''chat' with C&MC staff.
Today after 'chatting' with a member of staff I have finally got the travel order with the correct details
although I had been assured by every person I spoke/chatted with that 'someone' would be in contact with me, no one has been.It has been up to me to do the chasing of the whole booking. I'm grateful to have achieved the alteration but boy was it tough going.
I'm aware that the staff are working from home and things are taking longer than normal but if I hadn't 'chatted' again today I would still be sat here waiting for the paperwork. It was on the system so why was it not actioned.
I hope anyone who takes the time to read this is encouraged that the impossible can be achieved with patience
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Well done Tammygirl but you forgot perservence!
Can I ask a silly question? If someone knew they'd accidentally Deleted User an email why didnt they try to sort at the time?
When I worked, accidentally/deliberate Deleted User went into the delete box but were only cleared from that box when the computer was turned off.
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Well done TG. It beats me why the member of staff Deleted User it in the first place. But surely (s)he was aware of what (s)he had done afterwards? I don't quite understand that part of it.
You've had to work at it from all accounts, and it's a good job you chased it up. Perseverance pays off!
You sound very much like me; I've had "battles" in the past, but I'll never let anything rest until it's resolved to my satisfaction!
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Can I ask a silly question? If someone knew they'd accidentally Deleted User an email why didnt they try to sort at the time?
It beats me why the member of staff Deleted User it in the first place. But surely (s)he was aware of what (s)he had done afterwards? I don't quite understand that part of it.
That I don't know, I only found out that my request to change the direction of crossing had been approved, when I phoned in to say that I had been sent another travel order but it was for the same direction. The member of staff I spoke to said they couldn't see anything on the system but would escalate it to their manager. It was the manager that eventually called me back to apologise and confessed that the amended 'new' crossing had been Deleted User by her.
It has taken over a month from my initial call to the club, I'm sure in normal times it wouldn't have been quite that long
from what I can gather they seemed to have trouble getting their head around the fact that it was a change of direction I wanted. It doesn't help that every time you call in its someone different, so you have to go through the whole thing again. Its on the system but they still want you to repeat yourself. Not calling you back when they say they will is not good customer service so you have to have perseverance. 0
