UK - Virgin Trains invitation for 75 sent to 76,000

[John Ashworth]

Virgin awayday invitation for 75 sent to 76,000

* Gwyn Topham
* The Guardian,
* Friday May 9 2008

Passengers on Virgin Trains have not always enjoyed the best of times, but a message from head office promised them a special day: five-star pampering, champagne, golf and feasting, all laid on free at an exclusive country hotel. But the luxurious event on May 28 looked likely to get a little out of hand when the email invitation was sent not to a select few customers, but up to 76,000 of them.

Virgin Trains was forced to issue a mass apology yesterday after inadvertently making the offer, intended for 75 members of its first-class Traveller club, to its general passenger database.

The email, sent on Tuesday by Virgin's traveller manager, was headlined "Now really cancel everything".

Customers who took the injunction to heart were told they would be transported first-class on May 28 to play golf or relax in the spa at The Grove, near Watford, Hertfordshire.

But callers to the hotline were told the offer could not be honoured, as it had been sent to 76,000 people. A Virgin employee said: "It was sent out to ... every single person whose email they hold."

However, the train operator said the invitation had been a "test email" distributed in error by its IT department, and the mailing had been interrupted before all customers could receive it. Recipients were alerted overnight that they were not, after all, invited. A spokesman said most were more confused than angry.

Workers at The Grove confirmed an event was still planned, but the advertised "mass golf tee-off" would be restricted to a more manageable party.

Virgin is not turning all invitees away. A spokesman said: "We did realise some people might have thought this was a nice opportunity, so we're arranging a draw." But it's strictly limited to five guests.

This article appeared in the Guardian on Friday May 09 2008 on p7 of the UK news section. It was last updated at 00:41 on May 09 2008.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

I will say nothing!