TRAVELLERS from Oxford to Gatwick using the Oxford Bus Company’s Airline coaches should be aware that seats are not guaranteed and that these coaches do get very full and sometimes have to leave passengers behind if they have not booked seats.

This happened to my daughters on Sunday morning, when they turned up at the Green Road bus stop in Headington hoping to take the 2am departure to Gatwick.

Their flight to Spain was at 7.25am and they had to check in at least two hours before departure time.

With the journey time advertised by the bus company as taking two to two-and-a-half hours, this schedule seemed fine.

However, when the coach arrived at Green Road the driver told them it was full, the remaining seats being held for people who had booked.

With the next scheduled coach not being until 4am, my daughters were faced with a major problem.

I think it strange that the bus company does not recommend on its website that it is advisable for passengers to book places in advance.

Also, if the company was aware that this particular service was likely to be full, why was not a relief coach scheduled?

At £37 period return from Oxford to Gatwick the service is certainly not cheap and there should be some guarantee that travellers who turn up at the right time at the right place will be able to be accommodated. Again, there was nothing on their website saying that particular service was likely to be full.

The driver did not appear particularly sympathetic, shrugging his shoulders and saying there was nothing he could do.

As it was, father came to daughters’ rescue by driving them to Gatwick.

However, this would not of course be possible in the case of all stranded customers.

I am writing this letter so that readers planning to use this service should not just take a chance and turn up at the advertised time, but rather should book.

Also maybe the bus company should carefully think about how to prevent this kind of event happening again in the future.

ADRIAN WOOD, Collinwood Road Headington, Oxford