"Bus driver insults passengers via loudspeaker"

On 14 February 2024, I travelled from Giessen to Berlin on the N14 line at 11.59 pm. As I can't sleep well in just one seat, I had booked seats 5C and 5D next to each other. On boarding, the bus driver told me that my seat might be occupied and that I might have to find another one. I replied that I had booked two adjacent seats and wanted to use them. He couldn't guarantee that, he replied.The two seats were actually occupied by a young couple who had not been able to find the seats in the 20th row they had actually booked. I asked the bus driver to find a solution, e.g. to combine the individual seats on either side of the aisle in the very first row and leave the other side to me. He refused to do this. I then negotiated again independently with the young couple, who finally found seat row 20 and moved there. Problem solved so far.However, the bus driver then muttered very audibly to himself why anyone would need two seats at all. (Spoiler: Possibly because this is part of the FlixBus business model and is actively advertised - something he had obviously missed). Then, at 00:04, he switched on the on-board loudspeaker and explicitly addressed "the lady in row 5" in front of all the passengers, saying that we just wanted to arrive in Berlin, which was 800 kilometres away, in peace and without being in a bad mood. I replied that I had paid for the extra seat after all because my back couldn't cope with sleeping in just one seat. The bus driver didn't accept this argument and literally said: "There are always crazy passengers like you."He also threatened to have me removed from the bus at the next stop (Marburg) with the help of police if I continued to make such a fuss. I replied that he was welcome to try that and we would see if it actually happened. (He would hardly have had a legal basis for this, as I had fulfilled my part of the contract with payment, whereas he hadn't fulfilled his part - in providing two adjacent seats).I would like to emphasise that, firstly, something like this has never happened to me before on FlixBus (the bus drivers are almost always very courteous) and, secondly, I behaved correctly all the time in my addressing the bus driver, while he insulted me for no reason, and deliberately in a way that all the passengers had to hear this (namely via loudspeakers), although most of them just wanted to get on with their sleep.I complained to FlixBus management to make them aware of what a completely unacceptable external service provider they had commissioned in this case, who drives their customers away with his rude and even insulting behaviour. Until today, I am awaiting a statement on this incident that is more than the composition of existing text snippets I received a week ago, which is not fit for my case. The reaction on my request will determine whether I make a claim for compensation, which my lawyer has advised me to do. After all, I have around 40 witnesses to the insulting announcement and the completely unfounded threat to call the police ...

"Logged a review here about a driver who."

Logged a review here about a driver who ripped us off twice by charging us for luggage we already paid for and was quite threatening. Flixbus posted a reponse to say they would investigate but I cant advise this did not happen despite follow ups. They are am awful company - avoid at all costs.

"Absolute joke"

Absolute joke. Never turned up and provided no warning. Told us they had arrived and we alongside 20 other people were at the bus stop. Will never use again. Avoid!!!

"Can I give a score less than one star?"

Can I give a score less than one star?On Saturday 29 July 2023 I was booked on a 23.59 service from London to Nottingham. At 00.30 the next day I received a text to say the service was cancelled. I was stuck overnight at Victoria Coach Station - not a pleasant experience at all. FlixBus's next services the following were all booked. I had to make my own arrangements to get home at significant additional cost. I lodged a complaint with FlixBus through their website but have heard nothing. Clearly they would have known this bus wasn't running in advance of the scheduled departure time. Why tell people AFTER the event? Simply appalling. Will never use this company again and will talk them down at every opportunity.UPDATE: despite pursuing this with FlixBus and via Bus Users and providing all documentary evidence, FlixBus have contacted Trustpilot and essentially claimed my review is fake. I know they are doing this with other people as well. Fortunately I still have all the relevant documentation and have supplied it to Trustpilot. As well as being totally inept at transporting people around the country on time (or at all) and having a completely useless customer service function, FlixBus is a fundamentally dishonest company.

"Friendly chauffeur"

Friendly chauffeur, comfortable bus

"Very good"

Very clean, friendly busdriver, was perfectly on time.

"Don't believe it's all bad"

Wanted to write a review after seeing all the negative ones - it's not all bad!Got bus from Vienna to Belgrade. It left on time and arrived early. Driver was polite and very safe. We had a good border crossing and decent pit stop for lunch. Very affordable.

"poor customer service"

first leg (bus) of our trip was delayed 1,5hours, connecting bus coudn't be reached. Consequently we booked alternative bus (different start 70km away from our place) to the connecting station (M ZOB)Flixbus refuses instantly to refund the alternative bus 11$ (plus 20$ transportation cost by car) - those discussion do cost more than 31$

"Great experience"

Great, cheap and modern bus. I like to travel with FlixBus. That's a relaxation for me every time.

"Never Flixbus again! I was suppose to take a bus from.stockholm"

I was suppose to take a bus from stockholm to almhult but when i arrived the information that my bus are cancelled ? no information except for thati had to by a new ticket with a train.When i contacted Flixbus about the cancellation their answer waswe cant se that the bus been cancelled in our systemnever Flixbus again