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Terrible experience with Altibus

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Travelling back from the 3 Valleys to Geneva, we'd booked with Altibus via Moutiers. The bus down from the resort to Moutiers was delayed by heavy snow, so that it was obvious for hours that we were going to miss the connection to Geneva. The bus driver reckoned a later bus to Geneva would have been laid on, and because years ago in similar circs we were met in Moutiers by someone from Altibus who put us in a taxi, we didn't worry much (we had time before our flight).

However... When we arrived in Moutiers there was nothing. No bus, no information, nobody to help. We had no alternative but to take and pay cash for a taxi to Geneva, costing more than 300 Euros. This was bad enough, but at least we assumed Altibus would apologise profusely and pay for the taxi.

Not a bit of it. They only offer to refund the bus fare! They don't even apologise - it looks as though this is their normal business practice these days.

On what planet is it OK to sell a through ticket and then dump your passengers half way? The snow down from the mountain was bad, but there was no problem between Moutiers and Geneva. I'd have thought they'd had enough time to get someone to Moutiers in between it being obvious there was a problem and the bus arriving. It looks as though they just reckoned it was easier to dump that load of passengers and get on with taking money from the rest.

Never again.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Oh great, I'm travelling with them tomorrow and back again next Saturday... Fortunately no major snow forecast at this stage...

Have had a few problems so far - namely they say they're going to email the tickets but actually you have to go to the desk in the airport and get them.

Jet2 decided to change our flight times a while ago too, and I just realised it means we can the 07.45 coach from Val Thorens rather than the 05.15 (my mistake entirely of course) spoke to a nice and very helpful French lady (yeah I didn't know one existed either) on the phone who said we would easily be able to change the time at the coach station in Val Thorens. Of which I am dubious. At least we will only be early rather than miss the flight if I can't change it.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
That part will be fine - in practice, the tickets you get are "open return" and you have to go to the coach station in the resort to confirm your return bus time anyway. You want a different time from what you thought when you booked the ticket, you just say that when you confirm (they don't actually know what time you originally said, even). Of course, whether Altibus will then deliver you in time for your new flight time is another matter entirely, you might be better advised to take the 0515 anyway!
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Well the 05.15 gets us in at 08.00 for a 13.30 flight which is not ideal. The 07.45 gets us in at 11.00 which is still nice and early to allow for potential c0ck ups...

It's a shame they're the only transfer people I could get (cheaply) from Chambery, otherwise I would have booked with someone else. 5 of our party are flying into Geneva and going Bensbus, they seem to be decently reviewed.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
disco9, You may be able to claim the cost back on your insurance, but I agree from your description it's dreadful service
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You'll need to Register first of course.
We had a bad experience with Altibus several years ago on a snowy evening. Our teenage children were booked on the bus from Geneva airport to Moutiers and from there to St Martin de Belleville

They got the bus but find themselves turfed out a midnight at Moutiers, left stranded. The bus on from Moutiers up the Belleville valley did not run. We had no alternative but to get in the car at midnight and drive down in blizzard conditions to Moutiers to pick them up.

A complaint to Altibus at the Gare Routiere just met with a gallic shrug!!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
There is a very decent local bus service between each of the 3V resorts and Moutiers railway station.

From there it is easy to get a train right to Geneva Airport, but does require a change at Chambery.

Altibus is not the only solution.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
We've had an awful experience with Altibus as well (transfer from Avoriaz to Geneva). The transfer simply did not arrive, and worse still they then refused to refund the money. For a moment I thought they might just be a scam site (they are not), but I would never use them again.

The problem is that you are booking third party bus companies (they don't operate their own transfers, they are just a booking service), so if anything goes wrong they just shrug their shoulders and don't help. Avoid at all costs.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Just for balance I have used them dozens of times with no problems whatsoever and will be using them next season This season I know of at least 20 people who have used them without issue.

Sometimes things go wrong in the mountains - just like today when a rock blocked a road and all sorts of folk missed their flight (if it was operating because of the Controllers strike wink )
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
@disco9, if you paid by credit card I would dispute it with them.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
disco9, if you paid by credit card I would dispute it with them
Original post/complaint was >3 years ago wink
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Various friends of ours have used them over the last two years for Geneva-Tignes without any problem. My daughter used the Chambery- Tignes service 3 weeks ago and they put on a taxi to get her and two other people to Bourg on the return trip. The return trip does need reconfirming at the local office.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I'm resurrecting this thread as I've been stranded at Geneva by Altibus. Booked a transfer to Val d'Isere and got a confirmation number. Turned up right at bus departure time, took me a good 10 minutes of walking up and down to find the rep as no-one was holding any sign. Got told the bus has left, and they didn't have my booking because it looks like the payment didn't go through. Just a shrug of the shoulders from the rep.

I've yet to check the payment, but I never received anything to say it didn't work.

As it is a late transfer all other transfer companies have closed their bookings. Best I can hope for is others missing their transfers and sharing a taxi (730 chf in total one way), scrabbling to hire a car, or spend the night in the airport and miss one day of a four day trip.

Needless to say I'm fuming.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Themasterpiece, and I assume you have something to confirm your booking?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
You said you had a confirmation number? How could they just shrug their shoulders if the booking was confirmed?

Whatever, I hope you find a way to get there tonight - there will surely be lots of people on their way to Val d'Isere tonight.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Make yourself a cardboard sign, get off the internet, and get hustling... wink
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Themasterpiece, If the payment did go through, book a nice hotel and reclaim the money from AltiBus through the courts if necessary.

If it didn't, book a cheap hotel - and apologise to them
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
If you look at the OP and his 3 posts over all these years, i'm always suspicious of someone who registers and posts solely to complain about something.

Whole purpose to damage the business that slighted them.
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But whats wrong with that if its a genuine problem?

Most people only come on forums to moan...if the OP stumbled across this forum and decided to vent off some anger I can't see whats wrong with that.

That is of course assuming everything said is accurate.

Personally I'd always tweet, companies seem very responsive to twitter as its so visible, they tend to be far more helpful than via other methods Happy
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Something not quite right here. When you book an Altibus you get an email to say you have a booking with a guide on what to do in English. You then get another email within 5 minutes with e tickets.

In the guide there is picture of the desk you have to go to, there is not a rep with your board. It is opposite the door where you emerge from the baggage hall. At the desk, where they speak excellent English, they validate your ticket and give you directions for the bus. At the bus a rep and a driver turn up with about 5 mins to departure time and tell you where to put your bags and where you need to transfer.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
emwmarine wrote:
If you look at the OP and his 3 posts over all these years, i'm always suspicious of someone who registers and posts solely to complain about something.

Whole purpose to damage the business that slighted them.


Thread resurrection by someone with over 500 posts so hardly a newbie and unlikely to be trolling wink
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
halfhand wrote:
emwmarine wrote:
If you look at the OP and his 3 posts over all these years, i'm always suspicious of someone who registers and posts solely to complain about something.

Whole purpose to damage the business that slighted them.


Thread resurrection by someone with over 500 posts so hardly a newbie and unlikely to be trolling wink


You misunderstand me. I think the thread resurrector has every right to be peeved. I was irritated with the original OP from all those years ago. My wrath takes a while to subside.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:

My wrath takes a while to subside.

Laughing
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Hells Bells wrote:
@Themasterpiece, and I assume you have something to confirm your booking?


When I'm booking DIY holidays I put screenshots of the confirmation screen/number into a document. It helps me keep track of whether I've booked taxis, flights, transfers, accommodation, ski passes, guide etc. I didn't get a confirmation email for the transfer (a lesson I will learn from), but confirmation emails can take time to come, get blocked by fire walls etc. I'll do some more digging into the issue, but I reserve my right to vent. Likewise if altibus had scrabbled to help me out I would have posted a positive review.

In the end I managed to get an (expensive) rental car. Thought it was better to do that than wait around to really late for other stragglers, and no guarantee of getting there that evening.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
This is why I stick by my old school technique of printing all emails and keeping them together somewhere. It saved me once when a hotel told me they never received my booking. When you pull out the reservation email they act pretty quickly to help you.

Also, always check your spam inbox. My email re my bus to Saalbach ended up there as it was in German.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Raven wrote:
This is why I stick by my old school technique of printing all emails and keeping them together somewhere. It saved me once when a hotel told me they never received my booking. When you pull out the reservation email they act pretty quickly to help you.

Also, always check your spam inbox. My email re my bus to Saalbach ended up there as it was in German.

"When I'm booking DIY holidays I put screenshots of the confirmation screen/number into a document."

I do all the above Little Angel - never had a problem yet, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Call me old-fasioned but I have key items on paper too. Always.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@pam w, you're old fashioned
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I don't understand if there was a booking that existed or not with this resurrection, is it their fault or are they erroneously being accused of misdeeds when no booking was contracted?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@pam w, Just what my mate wished he'd done when his i-telephone packed up on his last trip. He had a hell of a job remembering his original easyjet login so I could print his boarding pass.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
chocksaway wrote:
@pam w, Just what my mate wished he'd done when his i-telephone packed up on his last trip. He had a hell of a job remembering his original easyjet login so I could print his boarding pass.


This.. my iphone has taken to the habit of closing down with a low battery if it gets cold and has under 60% charge. I work in Paris and use it for all my boarding passes. Trying to warm the thing up to get on the eurostar is no joke.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@emwmarine, if your phone is a iPhone 6s, there is a known fault which apple will repair FOC. My wife, me and a few friend all had the same problem which has not reoccurred on current ski trip since the fix. You can check eligibility by completing this form:

https://www.apple.com/uk/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/

Spread the word....
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
ski3 wrote:
I don't understand if there was a booking that existed or not with this resurrection, is it their fault or are they erroneously being accused of misdeeds when no booking was contracted?


This is the screenshot I took:



I've checked my credit card statements and no payment was taken. As the booking was made in November, I can't recall what happened when I was on the website. However, if I had a booking and hadn't paid or the payment didn't go through, I would expect to be notified...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
Looks like all that happened was you added it to the basket. If I got a reminder every time I did that and then changed my mind I would have a very full inbox!!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
yeah, @Themasterpiece, looks like you didn't actually make the booking. Some sites (if you are registered) do send reminders if you don't complete (e.g. my contact lens suppliers) but many don't...

User error I'm afraid...
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
as @chocksaway, says, did you get the confirmation email with the tickets? Otherwise all you've got it a screenshot of an internet basket!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
No, like I said before I didn't get an email confirmation. But for me, when I have a reservation number I expect to have a reservation...
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:

when I have a reservation number I expect to have a reservation...


Not if the system generates one automatically when you add something to your basket (which I'd expect it to do anyway).

When I have paid and received confirmation I expect to have a reservation.

Easily done though, annoying, but I have done it myself.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I've never used altibus but just went through the booking process using duff information (note it gives the option for tickets to be sent by email or post).

I've got through to a page that says in French "Votre Panier" which believe translates as "Your Basket" and has a reservation number and the details of the journeys I selected. But there is a rubbish bin symbol which gives me the option to delete it which suggests to me we're not done yet. And then there is the proceed to payment in French. Again suggesting we aren't done yet. When you click proceed to payment you go to an entirely different screen. Obviously I didn't put in my details here but usually following completion you would get a confirmation that the payment had gone through. If I didn't get this I would not assume that the booking was good or that altibus would contact me for payment. I would proactively contact them. If I did get confirmation of tickets I would expect email confirmation of the booking. If I didn't get this I would check my bank account and the contact the company. There is no way I would use the reservation number purely displayed in the booking process as proof of purchase, I would want to see an email or e-ticket with all the booking details on.

Perhaps altibus could make it clearer that bookings aren't complete until payment is done AND you receive email confirmation. But this does seem to be largely user error.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Looks like they flag this on their website now, obviously cannot tell if they did back in November!!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Right after a successful payment, you will receive your e-Tickets by mail. If you don’t receive anything, please check your "junk mail" or spam folder. Then feel free to call us +33 4 79 68 32 96 or info@altibus.com
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