National Express Coaches

[Tony]

I'm complaining about NE being greedy parasites. They didn't use to charge a rip off booking fee for buying a coachcard. I said it earlier & now I'll say it again. NE only care about one thing. That thing is money

I think you'll find that's what all companies are interested in, without out they don't exist. Then you don't get any service at all 

I'm all your time have you ever made a positive post or are you Steve Wright's 'Mr Angry' in disguise?

[Jay71]

I think you'll find that's what all companies are interested in, without out they don't exist. Then you don't get any service at all

I'm all your time have you ever made a positive post or are you Steve Wright's 'Mr Angry' in disguise?

I made a positive on the Rotala section a few months ago. But either you or one of your chums removed the comment.

[Mayfield]

Just looking at the latest allocations and if I'm correct 20 coaches are allocated to Wigston, when I went by Saturday I could only see 2 Lavantes and 2 minibuses, see a large location for such a small allocation unless something else occurs there

[Jay71]

Are the automated announcements on coaches a legal requirement?

[markcf83]

Are the automated announcements on coaches a legal requirement?

Not sure. 

[IMarkeh]

Are the automated announcements on coaches a legal requirement?

Yes in the broad sense, coaches do come under PSVAIR regulations (which include automated announcements).

In specific relation to National Express though, most routes will not have to comply as they are not defined as a 'local service' (and if there are stops close enough, NatEx restricts passengers from making short journeys, such as on the 400 you can't travel Wolves to Birmingham etc). 
The only NatEx routes that likely fall under the regulations are 007/022 in Kent, 717 Stansted, 025 London to Worthing, Liverpool - Leeds 170/171 and maybe some Stansted/Luton - London routes. This is because these are registered with the traffic commissioner or with TFL, as a local bus service, for a substantial part of the route.

[Wumpty]

This company is all about greed. If you want to buy a coachcard you now have to pay a rip off booking fee, online & in person. Greedy parasites

Greed? Greedy Parasites?? That's a very brave, if not defamatory statement to make.

Question: have you booked concert tickets, sold anything on eBay, flown abroad, booked a holiday or bought anything online?

If the answer to any of the above is "YES", then you'll have paid a booking fee, paid postage, or a multitude of other fees/taxes that form part of the final selling price. It's called business!

If you don't like their business principles or methods, don't buy from, or travel with them! 

[Jay71]

Greed? Greedy Parasites?? That's a very brave, if not defamatory statement to make.

Question: have you booked concert tickets, sold anything on eBay, flown abroad, booked a holiday or bought anything online?

If the answer to any of the above is "YES", then you'll have paid a booking fee, paid postage, or a multitude of other fees/taxes that form part of the final selling price. It's called business!

If you don't like their business principles or methods, don't buy from, or travel with them!

Not flown abroad for ages. Flew to Dublin in 2019. No booking fees were charged
Never used eBay
Don't use Flixbus due to the fees. At least with NE you don't pay fees if you have an NE account
Have asked NE why they've suddenly started charging fees on Coachcards. No answer yet. What a surprise(not)
Never use Trainline either.  B'ham Rep are another organisation who I refuse to support

[RobertJ21a]

Not flown abroad for ages. Flew to Dublin in 2019. No booking fees were charged
Never used eBay
Don't use Flixbus due to the fees. At least with NE you don't pay fees if you have an NE account
Have asked NE why they've suddenly started charging fees on Coachcards. No answer yet. What a surprise(not)
Never use Trainline either.  B'ham Rep are another organisation who I refuse to support

Sounds like there soon won't be much for you to use!. Some of these fees are simply a different way of not changing the fares. Like it or not, there's often 'extras' to look out for.

[winston]

Not flown abroad for ages. Flew to Dublin in 2019. No booking fees were charged
Never used eBay
Don't use Flixbus due to the fees. At least with NE you don't pay fees if you have an NE account
Have asked NE why they've suddenly started charging fees on Coachcards. No answer yet. What a surprise(not)
Never use Trainline either.  B'ham Rep are another organisation who I refuse to support

I even paid a booking fee for each seat that I booked in the Showcase Cinema that I booked online recently, they're the norm.

[Jay71]

I even paid a booking fee for each seat that I booked in the Showcase Cinema that I booked online recently, they're the norm.

You could have booked at the cinema, that would have saved you a few quid

[Jay71]

Sounds like there soon won't be much for you to use!. Some of these fees are simply a different way of not changing the fares. Like it or not, there's often 'extras' to look out for.

Also, when travelling with NE I never use the seat reservation system. Or use the insurance option

[winston]

You could have booked at the cinema, that would have saved you a few quid

Not when I get discounted tickets online 😉