Stagecoach's Big Ticket discounts to continue

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

The Commerce Commission has adopted the old adage that the customer is always right in finding for Stagecoach Auckland passengers who complained the bus company was ending its sale of discounted monthly passes early.

An attempt by Stagecoach Auckland to cut short its popular Big Ticket Sale promotion has been stopped by the commission.

Passengers complained they saw notices that the promotion was ending on October 10, and that monthly passes would return to normal prices on October 11. However, Big Ticket Sale advertising stated specifically that the offer was valid until October 31.

The commission director of fair trading, Deborah Battell, said Stagecoach intended to offer three months' discounted travel, not three months' opportunity to buy discounted travel.

"Stagecoach thought it was offering one thing in its promotion, but the actual wording of the offer was interpreted by consumers as something quite different," she said.

The company admitted its behaviour was likely to breach the Fair Trading Act and agreed to honour the promotion until October 31.

Ms Battell said the company would publish apologies and had agreed to discuss refunds.

Russell Turnbull, the marketing manager of Stagecoach New Zealand, said up to 3000 people used the discounted passes every day. Sales had gone up by about 80 per cent.

A "go everywhere" pass for travel in the region which normally sold for $124 was discounted to $79, and a citywide pass normally selling for $75 was discounted to $49.