Late trains no longer top passenger gripe

16 March 2005

BRUSSELS – The Belgian rail service SNCB received 2,378 complaints in 2004, but for the first time ever angry tirades about late trains did not head the list of gripes.

The total number complaints of represents a slight rise on 2003 when the rail operator received 2,339 petitions from disgruntled customers.

But analysts say what is interesting about the latest crop of complaints is that delays did not come top in the list of passenger gripes.

In total 166 complaints were filed about trains being late.

“This result shows the significant progress achieved on tackling delays,” said Wallonian railway ombudsman Jean-Marc Jeanfils.

Other gripes included 308 complaints about the interior of train carriages, 242 about train tickets in general, and 193 about the ‘formula pass’ travel pass.

Jeanfils said the complaints showed that SNCB still had to perform better in its correspondence with customers.

In total, 745 complaints were registered about the quality of service on offer including 530 about rolling stock and 108 concerning facilities for luggage and bikes.

1,952 complaint files were closed in 2004 and in 1,300 cases the ombudsman found in the customer’s favour.

In 398 cases customers said they were only partially satisfied and in 254 they were not at all satisfied.

The rail service has pledged to do better next year.

Subject: Belgian news