BF screw up their website (again)!

[Nick Trollope]

It appears that BF have introduced yet another booking-prevention WS.

Needed to make a couple of urgent bookings this evening, so I try;

 

BFDirect WS

a) Certificate is not valid (changed the WS name, but not the certificate).

b) 404 page after ferry selection page - 3?

 

So I change to main WS and;

a) Book 2 adults 1 one-way, one 2-way, plus 1 child both ways. Resultant booking is for 2 adults 2 ways & 1 child inbound. Tried several times - problem definately not at this end.

 

So, I will ring them tomorrow & book the old-fashioned way. Will I get my online discount, I wonder?

 

I am fast going off BF, but do they care? I wonder.

 

That reminds me. I am still waiting for a compensation payment (£5!!) after their last cock-up

 

 

[Will]

The system cannot apparently cope with differing numbers of passengers on each leg, though you get the option to do this when booking. When we have tried this we have ended up with ridiculously high fares, even by BF standards - it seems that it books single fares rather than a return.

So you will need to book by phone - though the customer service standards have deteriorated sharply over the last year or so. Insist on speaking to a supervisor if the assistant is uncooperative, you will eventually get there. Having said that, some of the assistants are helpful and knowledgeable.

Incidentally, if you find quotes are high on the Caen route (particularly for overnight crossings) try St Malo instead. You may be pleasantly surprised. I have been recently.

 

 

[Liz]

"So, I will ring them tomorrow & book the old-fashioned way. Will I get my online discount, I wonder?"

No! But I'd love to know if you succeed.

Liz (29)

[Will]

[quote]"So, I will ring them tomorrow & book the old-fashioned way. Will I get my online discount, I wonder?"No! But I'd love to know if you succeed.Liz (29)[/quote]

You almost certainly won't get the online discount from an ordinary member of staff if booking by telephone - even if, as in this case, it's because the online system won't accept your booking. But if you insist on talking to somebody in authority, and stick out for the discount, you will succeed.

Enjoy your phone call.

[Nick Trollope]

Now here's a thing...

Couldn't be bothered to argue on the 'phone, so I booked online & it got it wrong.

So I rang up, the girl I spoke to was very apologetic, corrected the booking, did not charge me a amendment fee and even waived the £5 additional cost of the amended booking.

Call me a cynic, but I reckon that this is not the first call of this type they have had. Pleasant suprise, though.

 

[Baz]

On the occassions I have had difficulty on the P&O website, a telephone call to their internet department always solved the problem and they will book you manually at internet prices. I would hope that BF have an internet section and would do the right thing.

Baz