330 posts
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Post by RedRose on Aug 3, 2016 10:41:18 GMT
If you live in a foreign country, it is understandable you have to pay to get tickets sent, this is either extremely expensive or they don't do it at all with which I am very fine when I can pick up a real ticket at the box office for free. I don't want to pay for that. Some ticket websites only give you the possibility to print your own. If this costs also money it is scandalous, if there are more alternatives it is usually still the cheapest opportunity. But I always prefer real tickets and I prefer to pick them up from the box office.
I wanted to go spontanously to a Show in Denmark. But there was only the print your own opportunity. They explicitly said on the Website, there is no box Office to pick up tickets. No printing opportunity in sight. I didn't go.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 11:04:57 GMT
What also annoys me is some places (not granted theatres mostly but the trainline for one, and some hotels for another) charge an additional booking fee on top of the booking fee for credit cards. I do get that there's an offset charge for that, but when you're that big a company I really feel like that's something you should be factoring in. Grr. Trainline is an agency. It's always cheaper to use an actual rail company. If you go to nationalrail.co.uk you'll be directed to to the operating service (but Chiltern are occasionally cheaper even if you aren't using them To be honest I can't afford to travel by train enough for it to be an issue! (It was just an example, I actually book via First Great Western when I do use the train) |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 11:25:42 GMT
Trainline is an agency. It's always cheaper to use an actual rail company. If you go to nationalrail.co.uk you'll be directed to to the operating service (but Chiltern are occasionally cheaper even if you aren't using them To be honest I can't afford to travel by train enough for it to be an issue! (It was just an example, I actually book via First Great Western when I do use the train) It's back to good old GWR now. New logo, same old irritating schedule though!  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 11:35:47 GMT
To be honest I can't afford to travel by train enough for it to be an issue! (It was just an example, I actually book via First Great Western when I do use the train) It's back to good old GWR now. New logo, same old irritating schedule though! Christ almighty aparently I shouldn't bother trying to comment on trains... (  to you Ryan) They can call themselves what they like you're right it doesn't improve their service! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 11:47:12 GMT
The Severn Tunnel will be closed from Mon 12 Sep to Fri 21 Oct, so there's a different schedule for those six weeks.
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1,742 posts
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Post by fiyero on Aug 3, 2016 16:19:56 GMT
Just booked online for the final night of Guys and Dolls and my £15 ticket had a £2 per ticket and £3 per booking fee for me doing it all myself online! no fees if I pop in and chat to someone, always seemed a bit odd to me
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3,575 posts
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Post by showgirl on Aug 4, 2016 4:04:12 GMT
Hate booking fees and others generally (Rose at Kingston charges two fees per booking so I always have to make a (slow) detour, when en route to London for something else, to book in person. However, most unfair of all is that these venues charge the same fee PER BOOKING, so if you are a solo visitor, booking a single, cheapish ticket, you pay the same as a couple/family/group, possibly booking much more expensive tickets. I have pointed out to such more distant venues - e.g. Watford Palace - the unfairness of this and that if they must charge a fee, it would be more equitable to base it on a percentage of ticket price, but they are absolutely deaf to the pleas of their loyal audience members. As a result they have lost any advance business from me because a special trip to book is not feasible.
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2,778 posts
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Post by daniel on Aug 7, 2016 1:42:06 GMT
It's a difficult one, the flat fee vs percentage argument...the flat fee benefitting the families/groups, the percentage benefitting the solo traveller. One of my locals, the Hippodrome in Birmingham it's a flat 5% - great if you're on your own in a cheap-ish seat, but a family of 5 in £60 seats...have an extra £15 on your bill sir!
Ultimately though I think percentage is fairest, as you can just think of it as part of the ticket cost.
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3,575 posts
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Post by showgirl on Aug 7, 2016 5:17:25 GMT
I take your point, daniel, about a percentage potentially adding a higher amount, but it's fair and doesn't disproportionately impact those going alone and/or buying cheaper tickets. If you tick both the latter boxes, it's not only a double whammy but discrimination. I accept that in the case of a family booking for a panto, the adults in the party are likely to bear the full cost, but in other cases, at least these should be shared equally between all those going.
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2,778 posts
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Post by daniel on Aug 7, 2016 12:57:13 GMT
I totally agree, showgirl - whilst percentages add up, one can just think of the ticket cost as x% on top, whether it's 1 or 9 people going. The worst of all of course are the per-ticket and transaction fee. My local ATG venue have known to charge £2.90 per ticket AND £4 per transaction. Not so bad if you can split the transaction fee across multiple people, but for one cheap ticket...all of a sudden it isn't quite so cheap.
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3,575 posts
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Post by showgirl on Aug 8, 2016 11:56:55 GMT
Indeed, I should have said, definitely a case of "If you can't beat them, join them." But that depends either on having access to several ATG theatres or going a lot to one if that's all you have within reach.
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2,778 posts
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Post by daniel on Aug 8, 2016 13:58:13 GMT
My local ATG venue have known to charge £2.90 per ticket AND £4 per transaction. Not so bad if you can split the transaction fee across multiple people, but for one cheap ticket...all of a sudden it isn't quite so cheap. That's why so many have the ATG card, Daniel. With any extra offer too, you save a lot if you are a regular. I know Monkey, I have one myself |
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19,778 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 8, 2016 14:34:30 GMT
I have flogged the life out of my ATG card this year. it's paid for itself more than once.
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to you Ryan) 
