Tags
Those of you who are following my travel plans will be interested to know that I received an email today from a Monsieur Laurence Dramoel at SNCF.
Monsieur Dramoel was responding to my query about the cancellation and partial reimbursement for a train ticket that I will not be using next month.
I really try not to be the idiot who asks the obvious question. Even when I don’t really understand what’s going on due to my tenuous grasp on the local language. So in an effort to avoid the label “l’americaine stupide,” I spent nearly two hours clicking all over the SNCF web site to find the “Cancel My Reservation” button which, I was certain, had to be somewhere.
Why was I going to all this trouble over a non-refundable ticket, you ask? Well, funny story. Last week, upon inspection of my credit card statement, I found an unexpected charge from “ELVIA ASSURANCE BAGNOLET.” Unsure of whether this was a charge I had personally authorized, I typed the company name into the Google search engine and found …
I had accidentally purchased travel insurance.
I guess that’s what happens when you shop online in a language you mostly pretend to speak.
This only served to validate my stubborn insistence that I shouldn’t have to pay for a service that I will not be using, even it is a non-refundable service. Thus began my obsessive scouring of the internet.
This “Cancel My Reservation” button … it does not exist. I know this. I understand this. But I can’t help but suspect that the cancellation instructions are on the SNCF web site … somewhere … hidden behind a Stupid American Firewall.
Unsuccessful after two hours, I located the web address for the travel insurance company I had accidentally patronized. Their site was quite user friendly and assured prompt reimbursement for cancellation. I was encouraged.
The process began with the completion of a lengthy online form in which I was to document (en français, of course) my reason for cancellation. No problem. Between my high school education, my book of French verbs, and Google Translate, I could handle that. Last step … complete my contact info with complete address, including a drop-down menu from which to select my country of residence.
There were dozens of countries to choose from. There was no USA.
And yes. I did look for les Etats-Unis. They weren’t there either.
Now readers, I think I have a pretty good sense of humor about Franco-American relations. I am of the opinion that the French reputation for snootiness is, well … if not undeserved, at least justifiable. We American tourists can be … kind of obnoxious. Now don’t get me wrong, When I travel, I don’t pretend to be Canadian or anything. But when I encounter any hint of anti-American sentiment from a French person I shrug it off, turn on the charm, and wait for the moment that their crusty exterior inevitably gives way to a warm, chewy center. (No, wait. That’s their baked goods.)
But seriously … my country doesn’t appear on a drop-down menu?
I decided it was time to admit that I may just be une americaine stupide. So I found the contact address for SNCF customer service and sent a simple note:
“Si c’est possible, je veux annuler ma réservation (dossier TBSCAI) et obtenir unremboursement du tarif normal adulte. Merci pour votre aide.”
Translation:
“If possible, I’d like to cancel my reservation (file TBSCAI) and obtain a reimbursement of the normal adult fare. Thank you for your help.”
I composed this carefully-worded note on January 4, 2012. Then I patiently waited. And waited.
Today (January 11, 2010) I received the following reply:
Bonjour Mademoiselle ROEDER,
Vous ne parvenez pas à annuler votre commande dans l’espace «Vos réservations».
Soucieux de répondre au mieux à vos attentes,
vos remarques ont été remontées aux équipes techniques.
Le dysfonctionnement a été identifié et sera corrigé prochainement.
Dans l’attente, pour annuler votre billet,
rendez-vous dans une Borne Libre Service ou au guichet SNCF,ou contactez un vendeur au 3635 (0,34cts d’euros/min) .
Souhaitant conserver votre confiance,
Laurence DRANOEL
Translation:
Hello Miss Roeder,
No.
Laurence Dranoel
SNCF: Ce n’est pas fini.
(Reminder: I shop on web sites in unfamiliar languages because I refuse to pay what amounts to a Stupid Tourist Tax. In other words, I am cheap.)
(Postscript: I have now spent five hours attempting to recover 62€. I will probably spend at least another hour doing so in Paris next month. In other words, I am too stubborn for my own good.)
Are you sure that was a NO? It kind of looked like instructions on how to get your refund to me… Not that I’m at all fluent.
Well yes, that was an oversimplification for the purpose of humor. What it actually says is that I can’t cancel the ticket online, but that I can make my request in person (which is, of course, a challenge since I live here.) Or, for a fee, I can call their customer service line (which, my French friends tell me, is not worth the effort.) Also, he says they are going to fix a technical problem on their web site which is contributing to my difficulty. I hope he’ll forgive me for not holding my breath.