Lift Pass refunds for Covid 19

A snowHead

@midgetbiker, haven't had a chance to look at it closely but what I did see was not entirely clear.

A snowHead

@under a new name, Thanks for having a look, appreciate any updates from anyone as more emerges.

@22 dropout, Yep, all that makes sense (which the email didn't really). I doubt the refund stops the summer use, otherwise the refund would need logically to be a bigger %.

@fixx, well we've got until the end of the month so I'm just going to let the dust settle and see what emerges. Like @22 dropout has said though, the biggest X factor is what the new Club Prive price will be. There has been a charge leveled in the past at CdMB that when sales volume is squeezed the reaction is to raise pricing to increase margin.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I received the refund today for my Paradiski lift pass - 214.7 euro - about 30% of what I paid. Sadly they paid it back to the UK credit card account instead of my French bank account. So I've lost twice on the currency transactrion and now need to figure out how best to transfer the money out of my credit card account.

The pass is still valid for the summer so I hope I'm able to get out there and enjoy the mountains.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@22 dropout, @RobinS, @jbob, @midgetbiker, @under a new name, re. the annual pass - a friend in Cham emailed the company with some questions and received the following extra guidance:

- If you take option 2 , club privée for 2020-21 , the forfait annuel will cost 753€ and include 2 MBU day pass vouchers.. as long as you buy between 1 & 9 October.
- if you take option 3 « cash » .. you do have to surrender your current pass to them but they will issue you with one you can use until the end of November’s per the validity of the original pass. They will only be refunding 13% of the price you originally paid for it, AND you won’t be eligible for vente privée price next year, only at « promo 1 » price of 878€, which doesn’t come with a MBU voucher.

Now I'd suggest checking directly with CdMB yourself, in case we misunderstood anything, but the above seems like reasonable options from CdMB. I'll likely take option 2 - but am still thinking about it...

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@fixx, thanks for that. It seems that cash wise it makes little difference between a refund and the club privee option. The actual difference being the extra free passes. If I was 100% going back to cham I might have opted for club privee but as I’m not I’ve gone for the cash.
This winter I broke even, Mrs Jbob paid around 100€ a day!
No sign of any cash yet, I’m assuming they will try and return it from whence it came.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@fixx, I had come to a similar conclusion about option 2 even before your clarification.
BUT
Then I suddenly got the wobbles on what if travel remains very difficult (quarantine etc) if a second wave comes. If CdMB still run then no refunds, but if travel UK to France is difficult no access.

So hmmmm..................

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks to the whole "chamonix massive" for the heads up on MBU options. I didn't get any communication at all, so useful to learn it here!

@midgetbiker, tough dilema isn't it! However, if we get a second wave/big problem next winter, I suspect the least of our worries will be the ski pass.

After all it is free

@snowdave, I know, first world problems eh!

Thanks @fixx. Makes sense.

Interesting way to treat your customers isn't it? Your most loyal are the ones that will buy a pass next year. So the message is, if you take the refund we are offering you, we will get it back from you if you ski here next year. It's like Ryanair have taken over the CMB!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

A few more figures from the CMB:

In addition to the details provided by @fixx above, if you take up the Club Privee offer from the CMB they are saying the prices next year will be:
Couple (2 adults) € 715.35 x 2 = € 1,430.70
Young person (5 - 25 years) 640.05 €,

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

You know it makes sense.

FriezeitTicket Tirol just announced their compensation for 2020 users – we can get 8% credit against a 2021 pass.

I'm sure the annual 8% price rise will cover it rolling eyes

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I'm hearing from friends that they have received an automatic refund on their season pass of 140€ despite not applying at all. I haven't yet although I applied online in April. Keep an eye on your account.

A snowHead

Anyone had any dosh from CdMB.

A snowHead

After weeks and weeks, St Gervais has got back to give a €100 credit note per adult season pass towards next year. They said the delay was due to the difficulty in getting all the constituent lift companies in the Evolution Mont Blanc to agree.

For us, that does mean our season passes more or less break even with what we would have paid for week passes the two times we were there in January and February. Lockdown prevented our booked March visit, and depending on the snow reports we would have done a final end-of-season trip.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@fixx, @snowdave, @22 dropout, @under a new name, with a whole day left to go, I'm finally turning my full attention to what I should do.

I'm tempted by the 'club prive' offer for the coming year and will probably go with that
BUT
If instead I went for the refund (bird in the hand and all that) then I have to go for 'promo 1' in early October. I know an adult season would then be €878, but on prive for the last several years I have gone for 'couple annual', is that option even available on 'promo 1' or is it a type of pass only sold via 'club prive'?

If anyone knows then I'ld be grateful for the info, if not I guess I'll ring them tomorrow.

Cheers

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@midgetbiker, sorry, don't know about couple option on promo!

@jbob, I've heard nothing - has anyone had any acknowledgement at all from CdMB? I filled in the forms but didn't even get an email confirmation.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I've not submitted my preferences yet either - am trying to work out how much I'll actually be in Cham this winter skiing. It might be better to take the refund and just buy passes when I'm there - and not get a season/annual pass. It might even be better to take the option of the pass for the same period next year and just pay for additional days over the winter!

Aaargh! What actually annoys me is that last year the privee price was available to anyone who had a season or annual pass in the past 3 years - but if I take the refund I lose access, even though I've had an annual pass 3 years in a row Evil or Very Mad

You'll need to Register first of course.

@snowdave, @jbob, If you read the CdMB offer it's basically:

we can offer you option 1
we can offer you option 2
if you don't accept either of those then by law we have to give you a refund

So whilst they may be able to place their arbitrary time limits on 1 & 2 I reckon there is no real limit on option 3. So if they do (inevitably) drag their heels, I wouldn't fret too much about whether they logged your claim before the 'deadline' as eventually they will have to cough up.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@fixx, yep, so just as @22 dropout said above, it's

We have to give you a refund by law, but if you make us do it then we will claw it back off you in the long run.

It's just a poo-poo way to treat your repeat customers, but I guess we aren't the resort's real money spinners.

What was wrong with: Here's a bit of a refund, and we'll see you in the Club Prive in Oct to relieve you of another year's cash? Too simple??

After all it is free

As a season pass holder in Les Contamines/Evaison Mont Blanc i have been credited with 100 euros towards my next seasons pass which i think is very good especially as i did not expect anything.

@midgetbiker, thanks, but I thought there might be something like a "thank you for submitting your preference" email, as evidence that I'd actually made a choice!

Then again, since I didn't even get the "here are your options" email in the first place (despite having 4 annual passes registered to my account) maybe my expectations for CdMBs IT systems were too high.

I'm out in a couple of weeks, might drop into the CdMB office and see if there's any enlightenment available in person. I usually find the frontline staff very friendly and helpful as long as I remember my best GCSE French.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@fixx, EU law prohibits that sort of discrimination... you just have to shout a lot.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

Finally received 140€ refund, delayed a little more as the card I paid with had expired and they transferred it into my french bank account.

Ski Amade have sent us a €40 voucher against a season ticket. You also get a card with some discounts and free mountain rescue...apart from heli. In the Amade area

You know it makes sense.

Dubious choice of term used to promote the offer though @holidayloverxx ? A ‘Corona-bonus’.........really ?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Timberwolf, indeed...i was a bit taken aback!

A snowHead

I chased CdMB re refund and they sent this.
“Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

We must be in physical possession of the passes for which you are requesting a partial refund.

You may either deposit them at the central cash desk (Montenvers) in Chamonix or send them by post to

La Compagnie du Mont-Blanc
Attn : Iain CLEAVER
35, Place de la Mer de Glace

F – 74400 – CHAMONIX MONT-BLANC”

Almost there.

Help!!

Lift Pass refunds for Covid 19

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste