Connex Oaks Day Debacle
Nov 7th, 2008 by squizzmaster
On Oaks day it would appear that revellers would have been better off if they’d turned up on horseback themselves. Thousands were left stranded when the flemington racecourse train line along with 2 others were out of action. People were even walking on the train lines to get away from what would have been a fairly frustrating situation. But this is not the part that suprised me. My work collegue and I are reading the article and we come across how Connex plans to NOT compensate affected passengers.
Compensation For Affected Passengers
“Connex said it would not offer compensation for commuters, instead it would make a sizeable donation to a charity which is yet to be decided.
Mr Metcalfe said it was “very difficult to address the compensation because (people) get to the racecourse in different ways”.”
- Isn’t the cost transport included in oaks day tickets?
- Maybe anyone with an Oaks day ticket could be reimbersed.
- Connex has had to reimburse tickets to passengers before such as early 2007. But this was not out of goodwill as they try to give the impression, but because less then 98% of schedules services ran, breaking their compensation threshold. See here.
- People holding tickets for that period may not have been effected by the peak hour debacles then, but could still received compensation if they could be bothered
- The least Connex could do now is provide some plan that would more directly benefit some of those that were inconvenienced, had their Oaks day ruined and had to fork out more money to get home.
Connex Take Advantage Of Charities
Everyone loves a good charity and money that is going to them is always a good thing. But when a rich global company like Connex uses them as a money and face saving buffer it is nothing short of shameful!