Article: Tilt Train crash survivors miss out on ticket refund

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From the Courier Mail click here!


Tilt Train crash survivors miss out on ticket refund

Tilt Train crash survivors miss out on ticket refund
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Patrick Lion

January 11, 2009 11:00pm

SURVIVORS of last year's fatal Tilt Train crash have missed out on ticket refunds that were handed out after a second rail tragedy earlier this month.
Queensland Rail insisted it did not have to offer the 81 Tilt Train passengers refunds because they had already enjoyed most of their ride when the horrific 2008 crash occurred.

Two drivers died and nine passengers were injured when the high-speed train hit a truck and derailed at a Cardwell level crossing while travelling from Brisbane to Cairns on November 27.

QR Passenger Operations executive general manager Paul Scurrah admitted no passengers, including those injured, were offered refunds of up to $310.20 for their ticket cost.

But the 116 people on the Sunlander were immediately given refunds or a free trip after the fatal crash at Innisfail while the train was travelling from Cairns to Brisbane on New Year's Day.

"The major difference is that 95 per cent of the Tilt Train journey was complete, whereas the Sunlander had only just started its journey," Mr Scurrah said.

"The main concern we had was for the welfare of our passengers and there was no decision made on a financial basis."

The refund policy saved the embattled State Government-owned company about $25,000, the same amount QR executives wasted on the infamous Riverfire function that was cancelled last year over its extravagance.

Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said the "penny-pinching" by QR was extraordinary, given the way its executives had planned to indulge in Krug champagne and canapes at the Riverfire event.

"Their trip has been interrupted, people were killed and injured and it was through no fault of their own," he said.

"Queensland Rail can hold special parties for mates but when it comes to the average passenger involved in a traumatic crash they are left hanging."

QR used buses to take passengers from both crashes to their destinations, provided them with hotels if they missed a connecting journey and covered medical and counselling bills.

Mr Scurrah said no Tilt Train passengers had asked for a refund but confirmed refunds were automatically given to the Sunlander passengers regardless.

"Each situation gets treated on its own merits," he said.

"The Tilt is an all-seat premium class product. It doesn't have the sleeper arrangement the Sunlander has. (On the Sunlander) we've displaced a number of passengers who had paid for Queenslander-class sleeper beds and we've carried them 90 per cent of their journey in a coach."

The cost to ride the Sunlander between Brisbane and Cairns is $212.30 for seats and up to $761.20 for sleeper cabins.

My blog comment:

QR Passenger Services looked after the passengers very well. No one is complaining. The CM is struggling to find stories these days.   Will the Government and QR be suing the road transport insurance company for the massive costs associated with these incidents?  I hope so, it might endear some responsibility from road users to obey the law.