GTR now also offers refunds for passengers caught out by Monarch entering administration

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has said its train companies Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern will not only honour the rail tickets of Monarch passengers returning to the UK early or late (as announced yesterday) but it will also refund or rearrange tickets it has sold through its stations or websites.

Passengers can travel on a different date if they have advanced pre-dated rail tickets returning from Luton and Gatwick airports. Even if their journey takes them onto the network of another operator, they can still get a new ticket if it was bought at one of GTR’s ticket offices or from one of its websites (this will not be possible if it was bought from a third party, such as Trainline).

Refunds are also available for pre-booked tickets to and from Gatwick and Luton bought from Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern, who will waive the usual £10 administration fee.

For outward-bound passengers or those who decide not to travel, we will also honour, or refund the cost of any rail tickets to Gatwick or Luton airports that were purchased from us.

Passengers will need to show proof of their flight booking with Monarch, such as a booking confirmation, receipt or boarding pass (printed or on a phone app) along with confirmation of the new flight, if this is a new outbound journey.

People who bought their tickets from another retailer (such as Trainline) will need to buy a new ticket and apply for a refund from the original retailer. GTR cannot confirm the refund policy of third parties.

GTR Chief Operating Officer Nick Brown said: “People stranded or otherwise affected by the Monarch problems have enough to worry about and this is something we can do to ease the last leg of their journey.”

Ends

Editor’s notes
Depending on the time of day a passenger needs to travel they may need to pay more for their replacement ticket.

These FAQs are being placed on our websites:

Passengers arriving back at Gatwick or Luton Airports already holding rail tickets:

You arrive back in the UK with a rail ticket for a journey on the Southern, Thameslink or Gatwick Express network that is out of date:

You do NOT need to visit the ticket office. Please show gateline and on-board train staff something that confirms your original flight booking with Monarch and you will be allowed to travel on the next available train subject to the route restrictions on your ticket (for example a passenger with a ‘Thameslink Only’ routed ticket can only travel on the next available Thameslink train).

You arrive back in the UK with a rail ticket for a journey, part or all of which is not on the Southern, Thameslink or Gatwick Express network, that is out of date and has been purchased from one of our stations or websites:

Go to the ticket office. Please show something that confirms your original flight booking with Monarch. Staff there will exchange your ticket for the same ticket type but with the new travel date.

You arrive back in the UK with a rail ticket for a journey, part or all of which is not on the Southern, Thameslink or Gatwick Express network, that is out of date that has been purchased from another retailer (such as Trainline):

Unfortunately, we cannot make an exchange or offer a refund. You will need to buy new tickets for your journey and apply for a refund on the original tickets from the retailer where you first bought them.

Please be aware that other retailers may take a different approach to dealing with refund requests from the one we have taken.

Passengers intending to catch a flight from the UK on the same day who are already holding rail tickets:

You are travelling to Gatwick or Luton Airport on a different date than that printed on the tickets you hold:

You do NOT need to visit the ticket office. Subject to being able to provide both a form of confirmation of your original flight booking with Monarch and also your new flight booking then you will be allowed to travel on the next available train subject to the time and route restrictions on that ticket.

You are travelling to Stansted Airport or any other UK airport on a different date than that printed on the tickets you hold:

Subject to you being able to provide both a form of confirmation of your original flight booking with Monarch and also your new flight booking then:

If you bought the tickets from one of our stations or websites – you will need to go to the ticket office to exchange it for the same ticket type but with the new travel date.

If you bought the tickets from another train company or retailer – you will need to buy new tickets and apply for a refund from the original retailer.

Please be aware that other retailers may take a different approach to dealing with refund requests from the one we have taken.

Passengers who want to have their rail tickets refunded:

You bought your ticket from one of our stations or websites:

So long as you can provide a form of confirmation of your cancelled flight details with Monarch we will process a full refund of the ticket and not charge you a £10 administration fee. If you paid using PAYPAL then please contact Customer Relations on 03451 272920.

You bought your ticket from another train company or retailer:

You will need to apply for a refund with the original retailer.

Please be aware that other retailers may take a different approach to dealing with refund requests from the one we have taken.

Passengers who have had their flights dates changed and want to make changes in advance of their date of travel:

You have bought your ticket from one of our stations or websites:

Go to the ticket office. So long as you can provide a form of confirmation of your cancelled flight details with Monarch and your new flight booking then we will exchange it for the same ticket type but with the new travel date; there will be no administration fee charged.

You bought your ticket from another train operator or retailer:

You will need to apply for a refund with the original retailer.

Please be aware that other retailers may take a different approach to dealing with refund requests from the one we have taken.