P&O correspondence

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Restaurant Fiasco refers

24 June 2009. My original onboard complaint after being refused the right to sit in a window seat "because we have luxury class passengers on board and they might come in". Request was repeated, pointing out a specific table by the window, again refused.

click on the complaint form to see full size

Note: Gordon Ramsay

To say that 'Gordon Ramsay is a correspondent of mine'  is stretching a point, and was said for effect. I have written to Gordon on more than one occasion and have received replies from his personal assistant, though not from him personally.


 July 8. My letter to Radio 4 "You and Yours". Similar letters sent to Gordon Ramsay; and by email to Gordon Prentice Mp and The Times 

Dear You and Yours

 

I recently travelled with P&O on their North Sea Ferries. On entering the Four Seasons Restaurant I was asked to show my ticket. I was then shown to a table. I said I would prefer to sit by the window and was told that I could not sit there, as there were "luxury class" passengers on board and they "might come in". I pointed to a table for two by the window and again said I wished to sit there. I was refused.

 

I got my food from the buffet and thought about this. No one was sitting at any of the tables near the windows - this is an area at least three tables deep. Everyone was crowded together on the other side of the gangway, next to the food service area. It was obvious that no one was being allowed to sit near the window when, given a choice, that is where everyone would normally want to sit on a ship. I decided to have my dinner and then do something about it.

 

I asked a waiter about complaints procedure and he told me to go to the Information Desk. I made him aware of my feelings and also spoke to the restaurant manager before leaving, pointing out to him that no one had occupied the window seating while I was there. I accused him of operating an undercover class system. I said if he wished to have special seating for luxury class he should put up a notice, and not do it in this underhand way. He became upset. I complained at the information desk and told them that this was a disgusting way to behave in this day and age. I filled in their complaints form and made them aware that I would be writing to 1) my MP; 2) Radio 4 You and Yours; 3) The Times and 4) Gordon Ramsay. I also told them I would post this information on my web site, www.pendlepeople.com, which gets an average of 23,300 hits a month. I have done this.

 

Perhaps you would like to investigate for yourselves, and at the same time you might like to know that this bunch also refuse to let foot passengers bring dogs on board, even though they convey dogs and even provide kennel space. When I travelled home from Ireland I had to pay £400 for someone to come over to Dublin with a car and pick me up. This is both outrageous and scandalous, and discriminates against non-car owners.

 

Yours sincerely


Received July 10; dated July 8. 

click on letter to bring full size


July 10. My reply by email to P&O

customerservices@poferries.com

 

att Mike Webb

 

from Geraldine Murfin-Shaw

 

Date 10 July

 

I have read your letter of 8 July and it is a complete lie. Go to my website www.pendlepeople.com, follow the link to "P&O operating undercover class system" and you will read the verbatim account - substantiallly the same as written on your customer complaint form.

 

I reported to you what happened. It is a true statement. I do not accept your feeble excuses.

 

If matters are as you say, what is your explanation for the fact that NO seats by the windows - at least three tables deep - were occupied? Surely that is where any normal person would choose to sit on a ship. Why does the restaurant manager check the tickets? This clearly shows the type of cabin occupied.

 

I spoke to some other cyclists on board and told them of my experience. They said, as the restaurant manager signalled to other waiters to seat passengers, they would watch at breakfast to see what system was being used to detect passenger type. We were enlightened at breakfast when there was a VERY long queue to enter the restaurant. Hm, I thought, "luxury class" passengers will not be joining this queue I think. I was right. SOME passengers were walking straight in by another entrance beside our queue. These passengers are obviously told "don’t queue, go straight in".

 

Secondly, you are by implication calling me a liar. I reported to you word for word the conversation with your restaurant manager "Mr Smart Pants" or whoever he is, a very self important personage - who absolutely refused to let me sit by the window - a request which was repeated TWICE in a polite manner.

 

Are you saying that you doubt my word?

 

You do not even apologise, a growing habit these days. Any complaints are met with suspicion and denial. No apologies are ever issued and the customer is assumed to be in the wrong.

 

A disgruntled passenger.

 

ps I have written to The Times, You and Yours, my Mp and Gordon Ramsay. So let us hope this is not the end of the matter. In the event of no result from these, I may try the News of the World.

Good day

 

ps  

try sending someone undercover onto one of your benighted ferries. Then you will see.  This is my second strike against you. You are the people who refused to let me travel as a foot passenger with my dog, even though you carry dogs and provide onboard kennels. As a result of your discriminatory policy I had to pay someone over £400 to bring a car to Dublin in order that my dog could RIDE onto your damn ferry. Are you going to deny this as well?


14 July 2009 10:16 from Mike Webb P&O

Dear Mrs Murfin-Shaw

 

Thanks for your email of 10 July.

 

I’m sorry you felt my response some in some way a denial of your complaint. I can assure you that this was not my intention.

 

I was attempting to assure you that details of the matter have been discussed with my colleagues on board and they will take this feedback as an opportunity to re-train staff as necessary.

 

I note that you have had problems in the past by your reference to travelling with your dog as a foot passenger. Without specific details I am unable to comment but I do not wish to leave you with a negative impression of your experience of dealing with P&O Ferries.

 

Therefore, in an effort to restore your faith in our service, I would like to offer you complimentary meals for one on one leg of a future North Sea crossing. This offer is valid, subject to availability, for 12 months and may be redeemed by phoning our Call Centre on 08716 646464 quoting reference SF25825.

 

I hope that this gesture is accepted as intended and that you will feel able to make use of it in the future.

 

If we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us in writing at the above address, by fax on 08707 625425, or by e-mail at the following address: customer.services@poferries.com

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

 

Mike Webb

Passenger Services Manager

Customer Contact Centre


14 July 2009 10:42 from me
Look, I don't want a free meal - this in no way solves the matter. The fact is that something is seriously wrong with your attitude to passengers. Do you think a free meal in any way compensates for having to pay £400 so my dog could ride onto your ferry in a car? I would like to know that in future you would allow foot passengers to take dogs onboard your ferry and that you have ceased to discriminate against non-car-owners, and that your ridiculous restaurant seating segregation policy, reminiscent of the Deep South, will NEVER occur again. If you are, as you say, totally unaware of this seating policy, how do you account for the fact that your Information Officer (complaints) was not the least surprised that this was going on, and in fact said 'she could not change anything'.
 
There has been previous correspondence with your company re the matter of the dog, so I am sure you can find this in your files. My travel date on that occasion was April 2008, I cannot remember if I wrote to you direct - I do know that I spoke to someone on the phone - and I do know that I wrote to my MP about the matter, after I got home, and that he contacted you and then wrote to me with your reply, which was unsatisfactory, In the letter you admitted that you carry dogs of other passengers, but that you do not allow foot passengers to bring dogs on board, even though you provide kennel space. You will certainly have his letter in your files, even if you do not have mine. His name is Gordon Prentice.
 
So what is your reply to that?
 
Geraldine - Ms Murfin-Shaw

14 July 2009 11:35 from Mike Webb

Dear Mrs Murfin-Shaw,

 

Thanks for your email.

 

I'm sorry you remain unsatisfied. I must stress that my offer of a complimentary meal was to make up for your disappointment on this occasion and is in no way connected to your previous complaint about carriage of your dog.

 

I have no record of any previous correspondence and I therefore assume that this was handled by our Communications Department. As such, I am unable to offer any further comment on that matter. Although I can confirm that unfortunately this policy in unchanged.

 

I regret that you feel so strongly about your experiences to date but I hope that you will feel able to consider travelling with us again in the future.

 

If we can help you with anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us, by fax on 08707 625425, or by email at the following address: customer.services@poferries.com.

 


14 July 2009 11:40 from me
I find your replies, and attitude, completely unsatisfactory. I will be taking the matter further. Can I have the name and address of the head of your company please.


14 July 2009 14:12 Mike Webb

Dear Mrs Murfin-Shaw,

 

Thanks for your email.

 

I can confirm that the CEO of P&O Ferries is Mrs Helen Deeble. If you wish to write to her, please do so at this email address and we will pass the email on. Alternatively, if you wish to write a letter, please send it to:

 

P&O Ferries Ltd.

Channel House

Channel View Road

Dover

Kent

CT17 9TJ

 

If we can help you with anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us, by fax on 08707 625425, or by email at the following address: customer.services@poferries.com.

 

Regards 

 

 

Mike Webb

Passenger Services Manager

P&O Ferries Holdings Ltd


14 July 2009 16:35 from me

Thankyou


received

16 July 2009 from Gordon Prentice Mp


reply to Gordon Prentice by email 16 July
Dear Gordon
 
thankyou for taking the trouble to follow up the case of Gary McKinnon. I have not yet read your report but will do so later today. I wanted to thank you straight away.
 
In the matter of P&O Ferries, I cannot agree that this is a commercial matter, as I feel it is a clear case of discrimination. If they were saying we will not carry the dogs of black people, or women, then it would clearly be seen as discrimination. In this case they are discriminating against non-car-owners. In the case of the seating arrangements, I don't agree with your comment that it is sad not to be allowed to sit by a window because I did not pay enough, it is not sad, it is again discrimination. I have had a letter from P&O saying that this should never happen, that they do not even allow passengers (of any class) to reserve tables, and that it is first come first served and that you can sit where you like. So why was I clearly refused the seat I wanted? I made the same request twice and it was twice refused.
 
I am glad to say that You and Yours has expressed an interest.
 
Geraldine


received

16 July 2009 from BBC Radio 4


further replies will be posted as received

 

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