Dear Sir / Madame I'm not normally moved to write letters of complaint, things normally go ok in life, plus I much prefer to speak to customer service representatives over the phone and have the issue dealt with there when things from time to time do go wrong. Unfortunately, I think it's fair to say that this has to be one of the worst customer experiences I have ever encountered so I feel it necessary to ensure that you are aware of what has happened and look to reimburse me fully for the stress caused, and! More importantly, deal with the issues I am about to raise, let me explain. What should have been an enjoyable trip up North to visit my parents on the weekend of their 40th wedding anniversary was slowly turned into something where Virgin Trains, after what I imagine is a simple everyday error have almost gone out of their way to insult, lie and fleece me for as much money as humanly possible. Firstly: Booking Reference: C9HBW65C Total cost: £69.00 I went online to book my tickets, travelling from London Euston to Crewe on Friday 14th August, returning Sunday 16th August via the same route. Stupid me! Somehow I entered the wrong dates, don't ask how, I just made a mistake. I didn't realise my error until I turned up at the platform gate about 10 minutes before the train was due to depart. I was, very fairly I imagine told by the ticket inspector that due to the dates on my tickets being wrong that I wouldn't be able to board the train. Actually that's wasn't how it went, the ticket inspector was unhelpful, seemed more interested in discussing the weekend's football, and said ‘dates are wrong mate' and then went back to the football. Not a good start. Secondly: So! I'm not on the train, I go to the Virgin ticket office at Euston Station hoping to find someone who can help me as it's a big weekend, I want to celebrate with my parents, this is where I meet Surrinder. Now let me clear, I don't believe in being rude to people, especially when they are only doing there jobs so I should point out that I was incredibly polite throughout to Surrinder even after he sailed so close to offensive. • He informed that the tickets were non-refundable and that it would cost me in the region of an extra £160 to get new tickets, something he almost seemed to enjoy. • Told me that this was the best price he could do and almost refused to give alternatives until pressed. • Chucked my tickets back at me after I explained to him that I had made a simple mistake online telling me, and I quote that ‘people make mistakes and sometimes people have to pay for their mistakes'. Those were some of the highlights of a 5-minute conversation I had with Surrinder. He is possibly the most unhelpful individual I have ever had the misfortune to meet, he's done more damage to the Virgin brand in that 5-minute conversation than I would ever had imagined possible. Thirdly: Booking Reference: 465JWCLJ Cost £47:15 Finding Surrinder unpalatable, decide to leave before losing my temper and ring my parents to inform them that I may not be able to attend their celebration due to the error made and the cost it will incur. This naturally upsets them both and actually causes I discover later my mum to cry, thanks Virgin, nice work. Desperate to find a solution I try Virgin Customer Services. This prove more fruitful, although and I say this with all respect that the heavily accented lady on the other end was very difficult to understand. But success! My tickets are changed, I'm travelling a little later but who cares, I am informed that I will get a refund on my old tickets less a £20 service charge. All is good. Well almost, when I collect my tickets I discover that the train back on the 16th is on a London Midland train and will take over 3.5 hours, over double the normal train time. So I think it's fair to assume that if I book my tickets on a Virgin website, speak to Virgin Customer Service advisor and receive emails signed off ‘Kind regards â€" Virgin Trains' that I'll be travelling on a Virgin Train. Not so! I ring Virgin Customer Service again but I'm told that there are no Virgin Trains between Crewe and London on that day due to engineering works, fair enough I think although later I discover it is a lie, you have a full service running that day. Finally: One-way ticket from Crewe to London Euston - £59.95 After discovering that you are running a full service and I can travel at my leisure, this is where I speak to Sanjeev Shukla. Sanjeev can do nothing, he is a powerless supervisor, he suggests I may be able to get a refund on my return ticket and suggests I buy a new single ticket at Crewe station. This I decide to do less spend 3.5 hours on a train. So there we have it, £180 in tickets, two upset parents, one ruined weekend, over an hour talking to Virgin Customer service and! Least I forget five less than enjoyable minutes talking to Surrinder. The weekend is complete. To compound matters instead of enjoying a quiet journey back to London on a Virgin train I'm sat here having to relive it all as I type this letter to you in some vain hope somebody listens. Enclosed are all copies of all the tickets I have purchased over the weekend, I will happily send the original if required although the references above should help validate them. For the record your website isn't the best out there, I know this as it's something I do very successfully for a living. This also allows me to be very informed about the simple mistakes that are made repeatedly on transactional websites every moment of every day and see the lengths that good companies go to, to ensure that their customers are offered flexibility and believed when errors are made. It seems that Virgin trains think that all their customers are cheating, duplicitous scoundrels out to get one over on you, I can assure you this isn't the case, maybe some just act this way because of how they are treated. It's my opinion that you offer a full refund. I look forward to your timely response. Yours truly,

Good to see all is still well in the wonderful world of Virgin Trains. I am digging the WiFi by the way, loads faster conenction than on National Express

We love Virgin Trains! Super Slick trains, wifi on board pendolinos and fantastic deals on advance or flexible purchase! Oh and the people are great too!