Requirements for Coach Bookings
The thorny problem of booking seats on the coach has again given cause for concern.
There has been a number of recent instances where people have booked to go on a coach ramble and not having the money at the time of booking have said that they will pay later, (meaning on the day of the walk). The problem is that some people who have reserved a seat simply fail to turn up on the day of the walk. There has been occasions when Peter Wilson has had to turn late bookers away, because, according to our bookings record the coach was fully booked and yet, on the day of the trip we can have as many as six or seven empty seats.
We have checked with other groups as to how they overcome this problem and virtually all insist on pre payment before a booking is confirmed
.
We have tried to be as flexible as possible but it is most unfair for people to book and simple not show up on the day not having paid. This results in lost revenue for the cost of running the coach and also may deprive another person the opportunity of coming along.
Committee have given careful consideration to the problem and have set out the following conditions on coach bookings.
1. Payment should in general be made at the time of booking. If in exceptional circumstances this is not possible, then unless a minimum seven days notice of cancellation is given, the booking will have to be paid before the person is allowed to come along on a future coach ramble.
2. If a booking has been paid for and circumstances change resulting in the person not able to come along, then again seven days notice must be given of cancellation. Where such notice is given, any money paid will be held over until the next time the person comes along on a coach ramble. If there are exceptional circumstances for cancellation less than seven days, then such cases for carrying forward payment will be considered but the presumption must be that there will not be a carry forward arrangement for short notice cancellations.
3. Late telephone bookings will be taken on the basis that payment will be accepted on the coach, but a late booking will be subject to the same conditions that payment must be made in the event of not showing up on the day. Payment for the late booking must be made in the event of a 'no show' before the person is allowed to come along on a future coach ramble.