Club Arnage

Not been around here much recently (major refurb on the house), but is there any further developments on the booking of tickets for 2011, particularly the priority booking for ACO members?

Del

(http://www.selections.com/images/products/picture1zoom/AJ184.jpg)

Back on form Mr B!  :)

 ;D Gracias.

When I was last in the booking office I was told that "public" bookings would open on 1st October and that "new formula" club members would be asked for their booking requirements before that date. As my membership is the old "Club24" then I, for one, won't get on the priority list and have heard nothing.  My renewal comes up shortly so I'll ask when I change over what is happening.

My renewal was in June, so I'm on the 'new' system.  Obviously I have not heard anything directly from them, but I thought my change of address may have confused the poor souls.

Del

I'm on the new system, without a change in address, and still haven't heard anything either.

Ditto.

t.

Wotcha all

How are you all, well I hope. (this has got to get a result).

Seriously, now is the time for the depression to start, with only just over 120 days to Christmas and a whole 283 days until the next LM24 things are not looking good.

BUT

The ACO are opening for business on 01 October, with that in mind does anyone have a pdf of the booking form?
I knew I would get to the nitty-gritty eventually!

Keep smiling...

AND, if things have gone a bit curly recently you have 280+ days to make up... love & peace.

>Martini...LB

The ACO has completely rebuilt its site and none of the links to previous years which I have works any more.  We normally doctor the previous year's form and I may have a blank somewhere that I can scan.  I'll have a look around.

In an e-mail exchange with the ACO billetterie last month I received this:

"Dear Sir,

Regarding your first question : booking for 24 h Le Mans race will be opened the 4th October 2010. Actually, this date is for everyone who want to attend the race ( both members or no members).

As usual, members are prompt on booking and if you send us your booking a bit earlier , it will be considered by our department."

So I guess I'll send the usual form near the end of September and see what comes from it.

Aren't you forgetting that the post can take a month ;D

.... then promptly thrown into the "bugger 'em, send 'em to Beausejour" pile ...

Hi Buddy,

I'm going to book us a few MB pitches through Speed Chills again matey. I know you have to pay through the nose but I can't be arsed with the ACO lottery system again. The way things have gone the last few years we could end camping up on a hill just outside Scunthorpe. Or even worse up on dusty Bleu Nord with all the CA Riff Raff  ;D

if anyone wants to join us just give me a shout and I'll make arrangements.

Si

Hi Si

Not sure if Team Langoustine do not offer CA members a better deal?

Does anyone know?

>Martini...LB

I think that the Team Langoustine tickets were reasonably priced and with no need to buy a GA, But in 2010 I was fortunate to get my own allocation on Bleu nord.

Just joined ACO this morning at 98 euro , but will get 96 euro back when buying the tickets.

However ,its just occured to me that the membership is still pants if they still offer me BSJ!

Bleu Nord would not be the same without  our resident Flame thrower ;D
Phil

Cheers Phil! I gave it a miss this year but think I may try again next year!

Time to get the orders in me thinks!

Does aco membership give you an actual membership number , all Ive had so far is an email with how to access my online account.

Yes.  I take it then you don't have your card yet? - that has the number on it.

No , nothing in the post yet, id best email them.
thanks

Just got this response form the ACO ticket office:

Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

We acknowledge receipt of, and thank you for your request for tickets for the next edition of the « 24 Heures du Mans », which will be held on June 11th & 12th 2011.
However, we are informing you that tickets will be on sale EXCLUSIVELY for ACO members on October 11th 2010 for a period of 24 days.
You will find three possible booking procedures at your disposal:

-   0892 69 72 24: the Ticket Office tel. number for bookings over the phone ( € 0.34/min)
-   www.lemans.org: the ACO website for online bookings and payment
-   Book in any of the 12 ACO agencies situated in France:
Angers : 02 41 88 40 22 ; 7, pl. de la République
Brest : 02 98 44 32 89 ; 9, rue de Siam
Caen : 02 31 85 47 35 ; 20, av. du 6 juin
Lorient : 02 97 21 03 07 ; 6, rue du Mal Foch
Le Mans : 02 43 14 23 49 ; 60, av. du Gal Leclerc
Nantes : 02 40 48 11 11 ; 6, bd. G. Guist’hau    Paris : 01 44 90 00 24 ; 118, bd. Haussmann
Poitiers : 05 49 55 28 20 ; 2, rue Claveurier
Rennes : 02 99 79 11 11 ; 40, bd. de la Liberté
Rouen : 02 35 71 44 89 ; 30, quai de Paris
Saint-Brieuc : 02 96 33 16 20 ; 6, pl. Duguesclin
Tours : 02 47 05 11 11 ; 13, pl. de la Liberté

If you are not yet a member, you will have to wait until November 4th to reserve your tickets for this memorable edition.
You can, however, join our club before the end of this exclusive period in order to benefit from this advantage.
In order to become a member, and thus gain access to this privileged sale, please contact the ACO Club on 02 43 40 24 10, or log onto the Internet site www.passion-24.org
Having priority booking is one of the numerous advantages of being an ACO member:  by booking 24 days ahead of all the other spectators (i.e. as from 11th October instead of 4th November), ACO members have priority to purchase a General Enclosure ticket for the next edition of the “24 Heures du Mans” (11th/12th June 2011). This priority booking is also valid for all reservations for grandstand seats and/or a camping place of your choice (subject to availability). Please note that a first-come, first-served basis will be applied. According to the chosen membership formula, reduced prices on up to 6 tickets maximum.

Service Billetterie
Booking Office 
Tel: +33 (0) 892.697 224 (0.34 €/min)
Fax: 02 43 40 21 22     
Mail: ticket@lemans.org

So looks like those of us who are members now have to wait until the 11th as opposed to the earlier response to Bas on 1st Sept.

Still at least the priority booking thing seems to be a reality.  I sent in my membership renewal this week with a ticket request attached and a letter asking what the situation would be on Monday.  I'll phone them on the morning of the 11th and see what's happened.

I live on a hill just outside Scunthorpe!

4 weeks ago they told me I could order on the 4th, oh well the ACO moves in etc.  ???

I've just recieved the Email from the ACO confirming the dates Prezel gave.

You can download the Press release (http://tk3.sbc48.com/sy/ev?3&2220-308&2&qkItBdMJCreS7jb3AaDEPQ) 

t.

Ditto.

Got the e-mail and then today a letter.  Well, now just to find out if and how the system works.

Ordering isnt working for me yet , only allows for the race at the end of October!

Probably best to email a request to them.

I've just phoned them.  Starts at 10.00 (09.00 your time.)

Has any of you managed to access your membership account via this page:

http://www.passion-24.org/htm/passion.asp

I try this and it never works - even though they confirm my details via e-mail so I know I'm entering the correct things.  Is it just me or does it just not work?

Not just you. That particular route never works for me either.

Termi make sure you have the most up to date browser , im using google chrome and it works ok.

Wel allows me to log in at least! still cant order tickets at 09:15!

So have you managed to book now via this route?

Phones still busy and only Inter Ecurie on the ticket bit that I can see.

Ive just edited my post, im logged in but only seeing the next race!

The phone lines are all engaged too. I have e-mailed them and  I'm going to try the club number again shortly.  Grr.  I have to go out soon.

Not that I didn't expect a f* up - I don't think they have any idea how important camping places are to some and thus how many people will  be trying to book.

Just spoken to them again.  There is a problem and they expect things to work better after 11.00.  We shall see (10.00 your time!)

Thanks for persisting with the ACO Deb.
Same problems here!!

They sound pretty harassed!

I can't see any links to next years booking yet either.

Have you ever managed to get in via the Passion 24 bit, Tom?

Still nothing my end and all booking lines "busy" (I suspect they're switched off because the computerised system is down.)  I'm going into town for physio this afternoon but not even sure if a personal visit will be worth it if the system is snafu.

It won't be possible to book until 14.00 at the earliest (even computerised systems take time off for lunch round here!)  I asked if it was worth going in to the ticket office and was told to ring first! 

Anyone have any success yet?  ???

ACO = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_Ps_%28military_adage%29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_Ps_%28military_adage%29)

Just (at 16.15) managed to order campsite and GE tickets - although there are not many campsites to choose from. Currently a fault on the Tribune tickets

Del

Ive almost got access but it says my phone number is wrong!

I've managed to order 2 x camping, 4 x tribune.  Is it me or is the site only in French?

What do you order for camping red, green or yellow?

I want blue Nord and cant order anyway cos it says my mobile number is wrong?

It is only in French but if you use google chrome it translates (i didnt use the translation of course!)

It looks to me as if Bleu and MB aren't on there (they are blanc and bleu, afaik.)  I can't get through on the phone and I popped into the ticket office but they don't sell tickets (I kid you not!)

So is everybody going for Houx or ACO camping or waiting for Team Langoustine?

Houx wasnt showing up as having any discount when I finally worked out what to do , so Im hoping that the other campsites come on line!  Although team langoustine would be the backup.

I can't get any discount on my GE tickets either because my old membership still runs until the end of the month so according to their records I've had my allocation already!  I guess this will also mean I can't have any ACO grandstand tickets. ::)

I am beginning to get very p*ss*d off.  The GE tickets I can manage without but not the grandstand as I can't be going back and forth every time I need a loo or a drink.  If anybody is having another grandstand and can reserve me a couple of ACO grandstand tickets, I will reimburse them in full.

Never has the word SNAFU been used more accurately, than when it used to describe the ACO.

Does anybody know if they (or the other agencies) have any of the traditional campsites on offer - ie MB, BN, Bleu Sud, Expo, Mulsanne and Technoparc - all of which seem to be missing.

Sadly the ACO campsite is one space per member and my tent won't fit in one space!

Termie don't worry about the ACO stands.  They are sold out as far as I can tell.  Both 17 and 18.

There doen't seem to much in the way of Camping either.  So I guess I'll go with Plan A.  (Wait and see what is on offer from Team Langoustine).

T.

How did you get to order the Tribune tickets?  It still comes up with an error when I try it.

Del

The campsites that are not showing surely cannot be sold out?
I think they just haven't put them online yet.
Think I'll try the phone tommorow!

I found a vast majoority of the text to be french too.

But ACO stands 17 and 18 say no free seats from what I can understand.

Odd, when I sign in I'm not getting any options for tribunes at all. ???
E-mailed the ACO at 00.01 hrs French time today, will be interested to see what the reply will be. ???

When you click on the Tribunes bar, a little 'flash' app runs and loads a clickable map of the tribunes.  I'm using Firefox with Adobe Flash Player installed which obviously worked for me - it won't run if you don't have Flash.

Got flash player 10.1 still won't work in explorer, chrome or safari.
Error message comes up ???
They are making life differcult.

Barry - one word - "French"  ::)

I would put another word in front of French, it also begins with 'f'

Same here Barry - still get the error message even after downloading Flash 10.1.

Del

Not sure if this will help anyone, but anyway..........

I did manage to speak to one of the ladies in the ticket office this morning. They have some serious software problems (I think that became very apparent yesterday) and it would appear that what's shown on the online booking system is not necessarily what's available (for example, Parking Blanc is available, but they have been unable to load it on their system for online bookings). Unfortunately, even if you do get through by telephone, they are unable to take any bookings due to these technical problems. I was advised to send a fax or email with my request, but as they are inundated with faxes and emails and were not prepared for the 'old style' method of booking direct with the ACO, she was unable to tell me if or when they would get round to dealing with my request.

So, that's another fine mess they've got themselves (and their loyal customers) into. What a complete shambles!

Useful to know the full situation.

I didnt realise online ordering was anything unusual these days!

The crucial thing to remember is that computerised ordering systems (for anything) mean fewer sales staff and a perceived potential knock-on effect on the unemployment figures which are already very high for Europe.  You'd be quite amazed how few companies sell their products on line - there are plenty of websites but most just tell you where the nearest shop is, and may detail the products - but finding a price and purchasing on line is still relatively rare.  Thus it's my belief that the software is less sophisticated than in Britain, the US and much of the rest of Western Europe.  But that is just my perception. It's a tough mindset to argue with.  The current strike action over the raising of the retirement age is a major topic of conversation in my rehab' unit (as they are striking on a regular basis at the moment - never on the day I'm there though ::).)  It is very difficult to get beyond the basic feeling here that by leaving people in work for longer, the young people at the bottom of the job ladder will be deprived of jobs as a direct result.



I try my best to shop over here but, especially since I'm more housebound than I once was, I find I do most of my purchasing on line and most of the time, in spite of the distance products have to travel, it is cheaper to buy stuff from the UK and ship it over here, either when friends or passing or even paying the costs companies charge to ship to Europe, as there is less competition over here for on-line purchasing.  In a culture that wants to protect individual jobs at all costs, it's hard to explain that by caring for the customer with a better ordering system, for example, they might, just might, encourage more custom and hence more jobs, not fewer.

Rant over.  

I have just got an e-mail from the ACO also explaining that the system is having teathing problems.  They've suggested that I phone or call in at their agency but I'm not convinced that even they will be able to work round the problems.  Still no sign this morning or Parking Bleu or any grandstands on the website.

It's not particularly unusual.  If fact it's a relatively well developed concept you can even get "off the shelf" web site packages to do the job.

However,  If you want to have an on-line odering system that has lots of eye candy that actually adds nothing to transaction other than slowing down  the process and loosing the contents of your shopping basket,  that is more difficult to achive.

I must say the ACO have done it very well.

t.

Han anyone got the telephone number for the ticket office - have tried the number on the club card and no answer!?!? ???

LOL   ;D

Try this one +33243402424.

0033892 697224

or the agent in Le Mans 0033 2 43 14 23 49

But as others have said, I'd guess that if the system is snafu then the ticket office will be having the same sort of problems.

A couple of my e-mails have come back as "not read" so don't assume that an e-mail or a fax will be any more use!

I sent my ticket request in via email as I have done for years, but got a response back telling me to buy my tickets online!
Now as we all know the online system doesn't work!

What a right royal cockup!  Well it would be royal if they hadn't lopped the heads off em all ;D

Maybe the idea of having 24 days for ACO members to book is so that we can test the system for them bfore it goes on general release....

Just had my e-mail request kicked back to me, refusing to process.
Seriously thinking about not going.
When's Spa?

Perhaps that is what they want.   >:D >:D >:D

I'm sure that if I can go back after the sh*t that came my way this year you surely can.

This year was second weekend of May, that's the LMS. Spa 24 is usually early August, or something.
We paid €5 for parking per car, with permission to camp/bbq/party. No facilities as outside fences though, bring your own ;)

I think you could be right  ???

I think there will be a lot of shoulder shrugging going on, probably enough to get an RSI !

Finally managed to get something in the basket (practice in case any decent campsites appear) and fell foul of the mobile number.
Even tried changing it on my registration details to a french mobile number, and that didn't work.

The mobile number goes in the box below the box which says "mobile number", ie in the middle box. Don't try and replace the words in that top box with your number.

Are we looking at the same login section? I'm looking at 'Mon compte billetterie'
Box in the middle is for password and only excepts 8 characters.

Have found another way round the problem though, got to the payment page!!!!!!!!

Probably not.

Well done!!

Just checked at 08:10 , still only showing 3 zones for camping!

If anyone get ibn and find that more campsites are showing it would be good to know about it.

Blistering Barnacles, they're not making it easy! I reckon the ACO have been reading too much Richard Dawkins.
Is Mystic Meg taking bookings? (ok, I know she's dead now, but technically, this shouldn't make any difference)
H

Mystic Meg dead? When?   ???

Are you sure you're not thinking of Doris Stokes? To be fair you don't need to be Doris Stokes, or even Russell Grant, to foresee this utter ACO shambles.

We camped next to that Shelly von Strunkel one year. She predicted both an Audi win and that something terrible would happen to The Gimp's left testicle, which became somehow punctured and subsequently swelled to the size of a builder's fist, so I suppose there might be something in it after all...

I would not hold your breath. i spoke to someone this morning who was present at the Official Ticket Agency meeting last week and it looks like Langoustine won't be getting MB or Houx.  Team Langoustine look to only have Tetre Rouge and will be building a private enclosure, but some of these are without vehicle access (parking is in Vert), but this looks like all they will have this year.
 All of the remaining 4 official agents (Airtrack is the fifth but do not do camping, darling) have had their allocation very much reduced for 2011 and many will only be offering tickets for the plum sites (MB, Houx) as an expensive package with ferry etc.

It makes you wonder if the ACO actually want anyone camping these days? Either way, expect a hike in camping passes through the agencies for 2011 ::)


Edited to stop my friend getting into trouble

As Houx not numbered are the only camping tickets that are currently available and worth having, does anyone know which part of houx they are on?

You have to hope that more will be available for direct purchase then, unless the ACO is greatly reducing the camping areas, which I don't think the local business community would be happy about. The happy campers put a lot of money into bars, restaurants, shops and petrol stations during the run up.

 My source says that even they don't know where the tickets are going. Houx is being reducing in size yet again for more building work but apart from that all is as before.

so the ACO are not showing all the campsites on line and the agencies are desperately short (they are awaiting another release of tickets on Friday this week), so just where are the tickets going this year????

The more I think about it the more I realize that Maison Blanche as a campsite may soon be a thing of the past. Its more race track than campsite these days. How long until it becomes a place where corporate guests can be driven round and round day and night? They would make more money than having the great unwashed use it during the race. :o :o

To us hopefully, if the ACO ever gets its act together.
Think it might be a case of holding ones nerve a little while longer.

TL's website would seem to confirm the info, nothing on sale except their organized area.

Houx non-numbered tickets show as available, but when you try to buy any it says there aren't enough tickets left.

I had another chat with someone else in the ticket industry an hour ago and they said that due to the ACO bumping up the fees for being an agent, the agencies have insisted that the lions share of MB and marked Houx tickets be sold through the agents. So it is unlikely that the ACO will be selling MB direct this year, hence why it is missing as an option on the ACO booking form. This is scandalous considering they have been getting people to join the ACO on the promise of getting first shout on the tickets.

It is also slightly puzzling as the agencies are all reporting a smaller allocation this year. They are all hoping that they get another allocation on friday next week. But until then, who knows whats going on! ::)

What about Bleu and Expo? - no sign of them either.   Anybody apart from the early bookers got any grandstand places?

I managed to book 4 seats in Leonard.  When I looked again yesterday, the ACO stand was listed.

I still don't see any stands, and still no Blanc parking...

Mind you as I don't need any camping it's not such a big issue for me... I hope!

Do You think anyone at all will have booked in zone jaune?

So far joining aco has been a waste however I'll still get 66 euros off the price of the GA tickets! whoopee.....

oh and ive got two stickers and a nice blue card!

ACO stand is on there but when I try to book it says there are no seats left.

I've been doing this for 10 years and the first year they put it on line is the first time I've failed to get in the Club grandstand. 

I'll phone them and see if it's the system or if they really are full.

All their phone numbers are engaged (cannot imagine why!)

There are spaces in all the non-members' grandstands.  I wonder if I'm having the same problem with the grandstand as I had with my members' priced entry tickets in that I've used up my allocation.  Did anybody manage to get any members' grandstand tickets in the end?

Termie, as far as I recall, there is no ACO discount on other the tribunes so the price offered is the same for all.  I didn't try for ACO tribune tickets when I booked Leonard as I needed more than 2 seats.

I'll get my GA tickets at member price at the gate!

Right - I have finally spoken to a human being!

The system is completely snafu as we guessed.  If you phone 0033892 69 72 24 they will take your reservation and make the booking once the system is up and running.  I have requested the ACO grandstand and MB with BN as back up.  There's no absolute guarantee that I'll get that but at the very least you can ignore the messages the system is throwing up!

If you cannot phone then e-mail or fax (I'm told that is now acceptable - I think they've totally given up on the system by the sound of it.)

I don't care about the price but I need the members' grandstand because it has handrails and there is easy access to the loos, that is all. ;)

No I get the same problem.  At first I thought is might have been because I'd not bought any GE ticket.  But having managed to put the GE Tickets in my basket it then said no T18 seats available and enmpited my GE tickets from the basket too.

I get the ipmression they don't want my bussiness.

I think the meaning of "A partir du 11 octobre, et jusqu’au 3 novembre 2010 inclus, la billetterie des 24 Heures du Mans 2011 sera exclusivement réservée aux membres de l’ACO."  has lost some thing in the translation.

They really have nothing on sale from what I can see. ::) ::)

t.

Now when I look there is a tally of spaces in the grandstands and many are shown as "reserved" though very few as actually "sold".  I seem to be able to buy places in other grandstands and clearly Steve has done so!  Grr...

How touching! You really believe this don't you!  ;)

To the extent that I've also booked another camping place and a couple of grandstand seats in Sommer.......

Different year, same sh*t. Well, it actually seems to get worse :-\

Good luck y'all getting what you're looking for! With TL not offering BN, things could get very different with CA scattered all over the place. My hopes for MB tickets via T&T will never be high - tried them three years in a row, with no luck at all. As far as I know, all at DfH refuse to be imprisoned with PH on BN. Things will never be the same again. If it comes to the worst, we're back to square one - DfH on Beausejour... :-X

Well, I know this pretty little secluded camp site close to the track, maybe we should divert to that, it is about 20 mins from the track by car, so almost as far away as beausejour :(

Haven't had my magic allocation yet - I've not applied for tickets for the past few years but have always had an offer around Christmas time, of the same as last year.

I'm not expecting it to happen this year though.

Will you be honouring us with your presence this year then Geoff?

The current ACO offering is just the same as they were offering to the public in April/May of this year for this year's race. Members can book Beausejour, Pincenardière or Dairon plus the members-only Rouge site (one place per member) and seats are available in most of the grandstands (not the two ACO stands though). Parking places are also available.
At the moment the "priority" is worth nothing.

Yes, he is bringing the tooth fairy and father christmas with him  ;D ;D

>Martini...LB

...and a fridge for Martini ;)

Keeping my options open Bob. I've quite missed it but I don't get as much hols or money in the new job, and it's a small company where I have no backup fro when I'm away, so it depends a bit what I'm working on then.

If anyone wants to offer me a better paid job with more holiday then count me in!! :-)

I need an assistant Geoff ;D

Just received a reply (automated by the look of it0 to my email on monday.


Dear Client,

 

As from Tuesday, tickets for the 2011 « 24 Heures du Mans » can be bought on line (www.lemans.org), as was indicated in the mail sent out by the ACO Club Department. This first stage of ticket sales, which is intended for Club members, will continue over a period of 24 days.

This service is now available, but only in the French version. The English version will be put on line very shortly.

We invite you to log onto our site (www.lemans.org), and to click on ‘BILLETTERIE’ in order to book your  tickets.

 

Kindest Regards,

 

The Ticket Office.


Seems they dont even know which date they said tickets would be available!

I replied asking when tickets in the blue zone would be available.  Currently the only tickets worth considering are in Houx, surely no one has booked any in the yellow zone yet.

The white zone is for unloading only.  There is no unloading in the white zone ......... etc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyOX4G7TmE0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyOX4G7TmE0)

I get the impression it's not worth bothering with the ACO, and paying out that little bit extra for a guaranteed place with one of the agencies.

I am prepared to be proved wrong, and am considering joining if it will allow me to get my hands on the tickets I'm hoping for.

Will you be coming next year or are you still working on the Iranian nuclear programme? ;D

Couldn't agree more ...

I think the ACO think the same about the public - "not worth bothering"  and use "the agencies."          less hassel for them  

I believe I will be coming. Mr Ahmedinejad permitting, obviously.

Has anyone managed to order any tickets either by phone or email?

As the online ordering still doesnt show the camping I want Ive ordered nothing yet.

However the email that I sent on Friday requesting camping was read yesterday afternoon but no response yet.

Same has happened to me, but as they didn't then send the message to order online, then prehaps it worked.
Time will tell.

Barry

A lot of chat on this has been posted on Pistonheads too, where many ACO members have not been able to book as they wished.  Those that have got through by phone or email have been met with apologetic ACO staff who are as confused with the web set-up as everyone else trying to book.

The issue with the mobile phone numbers seems to be that the ACO have a recorded phone number against your membership, which is probably incorrect for almost everyone, but, when the booking is made the text message is sent to the correct mobile number - if I read the posts correctly. Strange but true, apparently.

Anyway, I really do hope eveyone gets the bookings they wish to have or it will dampen the mood even if the sun's shining.

Best,

Russell

Sussed the ACO's website re phone number log in's.

Ignore log in box on right, if you have not already ordered, you are not registered on their ticketing system yet.

When you have finished putting things in your basket proceed.

A page will appear with log in details in the top section, and new customer registration below.

Fill in both sections, with your phone number, and what password you want.

It should then work, you will be registered on the ticket system, and it will then take you to the payment section.

P.S.  If you don't get the pop up on the tribunes section, try firefox.

Hope this clears things up a bit.

Checking your order.

Next time you access the ticket office, after ordering tickets, you will get the boxes for your names, your ACO number, and now the password you gave them.
Fill these in and it should log you in.

Wow , what a complex ordering system!  Imagine if amazon or Play.co were so complicated - they would go bust!

But they are not French, whose motto seems to be why make something simple, when you can make it differcult.

Deb's comments on online commerce in France are intresting, they seem to be several years behind the UK and US.
I have been trying to contact a couple of French companies by email, so far no luck with replies.
The ACO only seemed to get the idea of emails about 3 years ago, before that they only responded to fax's ::)

Maybe the ACO need to have a chat with SNCF , I used their system to order my train tickets as far back as 2001 and it worked without a hitch with the tickets delivered at no extra cost to the UK.

In fact I first ordered a camping ticket online in 2004!

Err, no, let's not refer the ACO to the SNCF or the ACO will be on strike next.
SNCF are worse than British Rail were in the 70s and 80s!

So apart from what is "available" on line , has anyone had confirmation of their order placed by phone, fax, email or carrier pigeon?

In a word - No!

I heard a nice and interesting story from one of the ticket agencies. I ordered 10 MB pitches through a UK ticket agency and also through a dutch ticket agency. The first one promised me 10 adjacent pitches on MB, and I was assured I would get the tickets. Only to find out from the dutch agent, that that was a lie, nobody can offer MB yet, because it will be only package deals sold by Ticket agencies and that none had had their allocations yet, so most are taking a gamble when promising tickets to customers. It was the same last year. they did not open up the sale for MB untill late may, explaining why the place was half empty.  Looks like the ACO does not want us to order through them, but through the marked up TA´s.

Ah that's interesting, maybe I should have
asked for bn instead of mb!
I foolishly believed that as an aco member
I'd actually get advance booking, think I'll have
to go and flog myself with a length of
1.5 mm twin & earth for being so stupid!

4 mm SWA would be better!

Got an email at the end of last week from the luscious (??) Caroline at the ACO

"You are a “regular” client for many years and it has been decided to open orders for the  2011 “24 Heures du Mans”, exclusively for ACO members and this until the November 4th (within the limit of available seats).
However, we realized that you were not member of the ACO.
We therefore invite you to join our club to benefit from this advantage." and so on.

It finishes "In case you would not take a membership, your assigned seats will be cancelled and returned for sale but we won’t miss to contact you if they become available."

So the magic list is dead... Interesting that if I'd still been an ACO member it would appear to still be working though!

Seems basic membership is €39 a year - almost worth paying if there will be demand for my spare tickets...(can factor that into cost)?

I don't think the basic 39 scoobies membership gives you any discount of tickets.  Just discounted merchandise.

http://www.passion-24.org/htm/passion.asp (http://www.passion-24.org/htm/passion.asp)

Ah yes, €98 for €96 of savings on tickets... and other goodies http://www.passion-24.org/htm/passion_24_vip.asp?

I emailed a question about availability of ACO grandstand tickets and how parking blanc is allocated and got the followign reply;-

Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

We acknowledge receipt of your request for tickets for the 2011 “24 Heures du Mans”, for which we thank you.
Your specific requirements are in addition to the hundreds of orders we have received from ACO members, and which are currently being handled.
You will be receiving a reply concerning your allocation within the next few weeks.

Kindest regards,

                                                                                                                  The Ticket office.

Does this mean they are giving up on the online system?  God only knows!

just received this :


2011-24 Heures du Mans ticket office :
Exceptional extra time for ACO members !
 
 
Since October 11th, the opening date of the ticket office for the 2011-24 Heures du Mans, reserved exclusively for ACO members, a lot of you have contacted us to benefit from this advantage.

Face with a flood of requests, the ACO has the pleasure to inform you that we are extending, until December 1st 2010, this offer of priority access reserved for ACO members. The orders which have already been received or which are to come, will be handled as each one arrives, subject to availability.

So, do not waste any time:

• www.lemans.org: the ACO website for your online bookings and payments

Kind regards,

Your Club


So hopefully this means that if you have faxed or emailed your request it will be dealt with, and of course you will be offered BSJ !
 

Likewise, although I had already given up on the online system after numerous attempts. I could not select any ACO grandstand tickets. Kept getting the message (en Francaise) that I did not have sufficient credit??

Eventually decided to phone the ticket office and spoke to Celine who was extremely helpful and very apologetic for all the problems.

Note: if you are thinking of phoning do not ring the 39 cents a minute number published on the flyers and marketing e-mails - you will never get through, and will be probably be charged for each connection only to hear a recorded message 'all of our operators are currently busy, please call again later.....'.

Ring the ACO head office number +33 243 402424 and ask to be transferred to the ticket office.

Just had another look at the ACO site - 2 changes!!

ACO Grandstand (T18) - there are seats available

Another camp site has been added - 'Holly'.  WTF is that?

Del

Del, probably an extension Beausjour

JG

Not any more there isn't!!!  ACO & T17 I mean.

As you have probably worked out, the ACO's ticketing division has recently overhauled and improved its on-line ticket purchasing system. They pulled out all the stops to get it ready in time for the 2011 'on sale' deadline. If you have problems then they will respond. I know that the language barrier can be problematic but be assured that they do care about us! The ACO is not as big or as rich as the SNCF, but the permutations of ticket types and means of delivery are almost as complex!

GF

You're right, Tom.  But yesterday it deffo said seats were available.  I was so astounded that I came out and went back in for a second look.  Didn't try to order any though!

'Holly' has also disappeared (it was in the Green area) - in fact they have changed the site a bit.  Instead of showing a camp site and saying it's sold out if you try to book it, the index now does'nt give you the option of looking - a big red block saying 'BOOK' has appeared instead.

I guess I happened to catch it as they were testing some amendments.  I emailed the ACO asking where Holly was (in the description it said it was on the inside of the circuit), and they responded this morning saying they have no such area!!

Del

Touching faith in the ACO, but misplaced.
When I couldn't get the on-line system to work for me I popped down to see the charming girl who runs the ACO branch office in Rouen. She told me that she had the same problems and, much more worryingly, that all branch managers had been told in the week prior to October 11 that ALL campsites apart from the Yellow ones and the members Rouge site were already fully allocated. They were all told that they could only have the same tickets they'd had for 2010 (already ordered and sold to this years recipients of course).
Effectively the "priority booking" for members is a con, offering members no more than the range of tickets that was available for the 2010 race in April/May of this year and she's very upset since she had persuaded people to join the club on the promise of "priority booking".

I had a (very small) part in the launch of the new ticketing system and I've worked on and off for the ACO for the last ten years or so. What you might already know is that selling tickets for the 24 hours is not a major function of the ACO branch offices, particularly when you are talking about booking campsites. I can assure you that the ACO are not trying to con us as you are suggesting. What they do may not always work out as planned, but they DO have the members interests at heart. What they don't appreciate well enough is the fact that for most Brits who go to Le Mans, the social campsite experience is every bit as important as the racing (in some cases much more important). They have the idea that so long as you get a campsite place they have done enough, the location is not a big issue. They put much more importance on grandstand seating, and the members only period is geared around THAT rather than camping. I do my best to educate the frogs but as you know, you can always tell a Frenchman, but you can't tell him much!

is there any clue as to when the practice day will be?

PM

Sunday 24th April - Provisional

http://www.lemans.org/en/news/ACO-unveils-its-2011-calendar_1992.html (http://www.lemans.org/en/news/ACO-unveils-its-2011-calendar_1992.html)

So if the agencies ticket allocations have been reduced, where are all the tickets?

Tetre Rouge, Expo, Maison Blanche, Bleu Nord & Sud, Karting Nord, that was a lot of tickets that the ACO used to sell.

If I was in France, and had bought an ACO membership on the basis of priorty booking I would be demanding my money back.
Blatent case of mis-selling.
The way the British members of the ACO have been treated has been a compleat disgrace, and the ACO ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Don't forget the campers, who the ACO seem to regard as second class citizens, put a lot of money directly into the local economy.

Please feel free to pass these comments onto your contacts at the ACO.

I have to agree with you Barry.   I paid €98 for VIP membership.  So far I've not recieved the normal package with this years program and Results etc.  Despite being on the site minutes after it "went live" and several times a day for the following week  I have not been able to book any ACO Tribune 17/18 tickets. 

So right now I'm what you might call brassed off with the ACO.

€98 pour rien du tout.

I strikes me they don't want me there.  They may just get their wish!!!!! 

I'd be intrested in their definition of  VIP.

There is nothing that one could describe as complex about what they sell.   

t.

Im in a similar position , but not interested in the tribunes only the camping. 
I'll have to hope that I get BN as I did last year by applying in the usual fashion.
At least I'll get almost all the cost back by ordering 6 passes and 6 GAs.
And access to clean toilets!

Strange. This from the current ACO billeterie page:

Pour les membres ACO :
Nous vous invitons à choisir parmi les modes de réservation suivants :

► ticket.lemans.org pour réserver et payer en ligne

► l’une des 12 agences locales de l’ACO :

    * Angers : 02 41 88 40 22 ; 7, pl. de la République
    * Brest : 02 98 44 32 89 ; 9, rue de Siam
    * Caen : 02 31 85 47 35 ; 20, av. du 6 juin
    * Lorient : 02 97 21 03 07 ; 61, rue du Mal Foch
    * Le Mans : 02 43 14 23 49 ; 60, av. du Gal Leclerc
    * Nantes : 02 40 48 11 11 ; 6, bd. G. Guist’hau
    * Paris : 01 44 90 00 24 ; 118, bd. Haussmann
    * Poitiers : 05 49 55 28 20 ; 2, rue Claveurier
    * Rennes : 02 99 79 11 11 ; 40, bd. de la Liberté
    * Rouen : 02 35 71 44 89 ; 30, quai de Paris
    * Saint-Brieuc : 02 96 33 16 20 ; 6, pl. Duguesclin
    * Tours : 02 47 05 11 11 ; 13, pl. de la Liberté

 
Are you seriously suggesting that this implies that we should not choose that option?


The con is this:
The ACO solicited membership for "VIP Passion 24" offering:
Nouveauté 2010 :UN ACCÈS PRIORITAIRE À LA RÉSERVATION
de places en tribunes et aires d'accueil pendant les 24 Heures du Mans 2011.
but so far the only camping tickets that have been available to members are for the campsites south of the axe 1st chicane to Porsche Curves along with the very unattractive Members Rouge site. All these sites were still available for this year's race in April of this year. Why should anyone want to reserve and pay for a place on one of these camping sites now?



The ACO has access to its own sales figures and knows perfectly well that there is far greater pressure on campsite accomodation than on grandstand seating. For the 2010 race only the two ACO stands and Dunlop were sold out until quite late in the day.

The plain fact is that Passion 24 VIP members who want to camp on Houx, Houx Annex, Tertre Rouge, Karting Nord, Expo, Maison Blanche, Bleu Nord or Bleu Sud are going to have to buy their tickets from an agent. That agent will not only charge well over face value for the camping pass, but also insist on us buying two general entry tickets at equally inflated prices for each camping pass. That neatly negates the members right to GA tickets at a discount.

I'd love to be proved wrong.

Edit:


Wanting to be on a decent site has nothing to do with any "social campsite experience" as far as I'm concerned. It's to do with access to the the Village and Start/Finish area, along with decent washing facilites, electricity and water. It's a 2.5 plus km walk from anywhere on the Beausejour group of sites to the Village.

Like you, Mr Cheese, I've been an appologist for the ACO for a long time.  I think that at the very least their staff on the front lines are polite, charming and helpful and I have nothing but praise for them as I believe they do a great job against the impossible odds of dealing often in a foreign language with an idiot system.

Sadly this latest attempt to offer a better service has been ill conceived and poorly implemented.  They may well have pulled out all the stops to get this up and running by the due date but it was a date that they set themselves in arbitrary fashion.  Far better to have put it off another month than release this joke.  I cannot give them the excuse that it was in "a language I don't understand" as, like Kpy, I understand them perfectly, thanks very much.

Having failed to book on line the first morning whilst simultaneously having the phone on continuous re-dial trying to get through to the phone number on the letter, I went into the "ticket office" at the circuit later in the day.  There I was told by the staff that they did not have the software to sell tickets and that I had to go to one of the addresses on the letter , or phone.  I asked them to tell their managers how daft I thought it was that the ticket office didn't sell tickets.  They agreed with me and said that they would be passing on my comment as they had spent the whole day explaining the same thing to a parade of customers (mostly French and locals) who had been in trying to buy tickets as they could not get into the computer or phone system.

When I finally did get through on the phone I was told by the woman on the line that the system was in a complete mess but that she would take a provisional booking although she had no idea what was still available. 

I explained my requirments and made it plain to her that I needed the ACO grandstand as it's the only one with handrails so it's the only one I can use.  I also explained that  I need a campsite with level access to the village and grandstands so my o/h can push me.  "There are special grandstands for wheelchairs," she explained.  Yes, says I, but one has no cover and the other is below the catch fencing and both are a long way from the loos and refreshments, thus it's the ACO one for me and I have had tickets for this for the last ten years which I have got with no problem by following the system and booking the year before. 

It is mad that a grandstand which is only open to members anyway, is completely full before the members even get a chance to book seats in it. Who are the people who managed to get seats?  Are they being sold through agencies and if so, why?   They are for us members, aren't they? 

By the time the ACO grandstand appeared on the website, it was shown not as sold out but as having all the seats in it reserved with just a few showing as "sold."  I e-mailed the ACO again and asked them if the booking I had made on the phone was one of the reservations.  I had an acknowledgement that they had read it but nothing else.  Next thing, we get a letter to say that the "priority booking" (ha ha) has been extended and that the bookings made by phone would be honoured, subject to availability.  Thus, I still have no idea whether I have tickets reserved in the grandstand or not.

Then suddenly last week, for about an hour, the ACO grandstand tickets appeared once again but by the time I had gone online again and found the postings on here and a pm from somebody giving me the heads up, all the seats were gone again.

Now, I'm not just a member of the ACO for the cheap tickets.  I joined because this is my passion, I joined because the race still gives me a greater buzz than any other. I want to support the race but I'm getting increasingly hacked off at those who run the booking system.  It's time they got better advice on how to market what is a great product instead of relying on it to sell itself, which is what seems to be happening.  In a recession  it does not take much to persuade people to spend their money elsewhere and when a group of people such as we have on here, who are together solely because this race exists, is talking about going elsewhere, is spending less and less money at the circuit, and is losing faith in the organisers (if they had any in the first place) then it's time the ACO took note.

M. Fromage, if you have any influence at all and any way of passing on the feelings of immense frustration which we are all feeling as a result of this latest farce then please do so.  I believe that many of the staff do their best but I reckon that the senior managers either don't care what we think or are just too incompetent to do anything about this.  It's not rocket science - it's a ticket reservations system for goodness's sake.

Priority booking, my *rse.

Jolly well said Termie.

I have thought this for years. What i can't understand is why any business would consistently refuse to enter into a dialogue with it's core customers to see how it's doing or how things could be improved. I know it's been suggested previously but could Mr Cheese not get a couple of us a non-confrontational audence with someone who might take note? Is that too much to expect?

I completely agree with all your sentiments guys. Its an absolute farce this year. Last year i sat and watched the whole race from the comfort of my sofa with as much good food and drink as you can wish for. Hell, even the toilet was clean!
If things don't improve I will be watching the race from said sofa every year and spending my hard earned money travelling to Sebring or Spa instead!

Mr Cheese, if we put together a properly thought-out summary of our frustrations and suggestions, would anybody listen?  If a couple of us offered to go along and chat to the ACO as Andy suggests, would a senior person turn up?

Where the ACO is concerned, it is invariably more cock-up than conspiracy. For instance, nobody at the ACO thought to make an English version of the online ticketing system until the very last minute. It was then implemented in an unholy rush. I know that there are cynics out there that think the ACO just want to gouge us for the maximum amount of money. All I can say is that I've seen no first hand evidence either as a customer or from within. What I HAVE seen is well intentioned but sometimes misguided projects.

Kpy: I didn't say it was NOT a function of branch offices, it is just not a priority for them. Also, I reiterate my comment on campsites; the ACO don't appreciate the relative importance of campsite allocation, and they are over-concerned with grandstand seating.

If we did put together a list of our complaints/suggestions they probably would see us and the people we talk to would probably listen. I wouldn't hold out a great hope that it might change anything, but at least we can say we tried.

And another thing.. If you think that the big resellers of tickets and travel companies get a better deal then think on, they face the same issues that we face, just on a larger scale. I was speaking to the boss of perhaps the largest UK tour operator for Le Mans who said that they are equally kept in the dark and guessing as to what they might get.

Don't mind the mark up on camping tickets, but the GA scam is a disgrace.
Do the ACO condon profitering on this scale?
Are they so incompetant that they don't realize what is going on?


My 2000th post, what a depressing subject. What date is SPA?

I don't think that anyone suggest that the ACO are trying to rob us.  Its the other way round - we feel sorry for them, as they sell a £50 ticket to an agent, who then charges us £70.  I'd rather pay the ACO £60 so we both win.

Money talks.  So lets guess some figures.  Agencies must sell tickets to about 20,000 Brits, at about £100 each, with a £25 markup, so the ACO are throwing away half a million pounds by being such a pain in the @rse to deal with 

As I understand it, the ACO wholesale ticket allocations to travel operators on the understanding that they provide 'added value' for customers. That means selling you a ticket in conjunction with some other service, and not just a ticket alone.  That is the justification for the mark-up.

One problem the ACO face is that most of the 'campsites' they provide can't be called 'camping' under the French legal interpretation of that word, because they lack the amenities that description would suggest. There is also the annual shuffle around of campsite boundaries, the creation of 'new' sites and the renaming of old ones, some of which is outside the ACO's direct control because the land belongs to the city council or other 3rd party.

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes to collect a set of questions, grievances and suggestions to be presented to the ACO in early 2011. Too late for LM 2011 alas, but in time to make improvements for 2012.

 

 

I'd love to have a business where my customers were willing to pay nearly a year in advance.
They must potentialy lose a fortune every year.

'Added value' ???????????  Your having a laugh.
By insisting that to have one camping permit you have to buy 2 GA's at grossly inflated prices?
Great for those who want to travel by bike.
I'm a member of the ACO, for the moment anyway, and they are forcing me to spend £80+ x 2 on a GA ticket?
The only added value most of the agencies provide (excluding TL) is bolsterimg their own bank balance.

I am more than happy to join with you or anybody else, M Fromage, and present a case to the ACO if they wish.  Given the disaster of the committee, and the problems which it created, I am happy to put together a short paper (1 page or so) summarising what I believe to be our suggestions/gripes/proposals to publish on here and every member can make suggestions and changes until we all agree on an approach.  Then two or three of us can have a meeting with the ACO at some stage - before next year's farce is put in train - and see if we can't get our point of view across.

Hell, I'm happy to volunteer as many hours as it takes to sit with their staff/sit in on planning meetings, whatever it takes to sort this stupid system because it seems to me that somebody is completely missing the point in interpreting what it is the average visitor from outside France wants and expects.

Equally, I'm happy to support anybody else who'd rather do it in any way I can.  Let's just do something, for god's sake, if we have the opportunity.

Brilliant idea Deb.
Are the ACO under the misapprehension that arranging a ferry crossing (with appropiate markup) is 'added value' ?
They might regard it as a challenge as they rarely have to do it. We on the other hand, being island dwellers, are experts.
Unfortunatley, at the moment, every time I see the word ACO my blood pressure goes up, and the opening lines of Plaistow Patricia by Ian Dury & the Blockheads spring to mind. I'm humming it all the time.

My fav album of the summer, including that one.

The offer of talking to the ACO is great and a first class offer.

My only question is, will they listen?

2011, is going to be tight for money everywhere, I think the ACO will notice less money in their coffers, so they may listen then (which is after the event)


Ahh, I remember when you just turn up to a field, parked you car, set tent up, and a a french guy (cigarette hang from the corner of his mouth) use to sell you a campsite ticket. Ahhh the good old and simple days  :)

Before you blow a gasket over the ticket resellers, it is important that you know this. To be an 'official' ACO ticket reseller you first have to pay a substantial lump sum to the ACO just to join the group of official resellers. You then get to pay a wholesale rate for tickets that is not even as good as the discount offered to ACO members. Finally you have to pay the ACO a 5% royalty on your retail price. After all that, even with a decent mark-up you'll struggle to make it a sound business proposition.

I spent this afternoon talking to a major UK Le Mans travel company. As I've said before, they face the exact same set of problems dealing with the ACO as we do as individuals, only worse. Your choice is clear. You either go direct to the ACO and join as a member. get your discount and go your own way, or go to the travel operator and pay a premium to have someone else deal with the uncertainty and sleepless nights.



 

I have no gripes with the prices ticket agencies sell the tickets for nor do I care what their mark-up is.

As a member of the ACO they   I can buy6 GA tickets at a discount  I can buy 6 Campsite tickets at a discount I can buy 2 Tribune 17 or 18 tickets.

The even say I get "priority" for ordering tickets.  

We can forget the GA tickets because you can buy those anytime there is absolutly no need to pre order them.

They publish an ACO price for Blue Nord tickets but don't actualy offer them for sale.   If they are giong to do that sort of thing they may as well offer the tickets for free.   In fact they could  pay members to take the Blue Nord  tickets of their hands.  It's not going to cost them as they won't actualy be any on offer.

In some cases the ticket agent state you must buy TWO GA with each Campsite.   As a person that normally travels as a single person that starts to make the whole thing just too expensive and it makes the ACO membership pointless.   (I know that though TL that doesn't apply).


All we ask is that they deliver what they offer.  

As for "forgetting" the english tranlation of the booking site that is just incompetence.

Sorry Dave my gasket has already blown on this.

t.

We all love Le Mans. That is why we put up with all the BS.

Complaining about the ACO here on CA is certainly not going to change things. Putting a coherent set of questions, gripes and suggestions to the ACO marketing department does have a slim chance of making an improvement and educating the ACO as to the needs and priorities of the British contingent.

Please send me your experiences/problems and suggestions for improvement, either here in the forum or as private messages. I'll assemble an 'open letter to ACO marketing' for delivery in Jan 2011.

My complaint is quite simple. I was promised "priorité  pour réserver les places en tribune et/ou dans l’aire d’accueil de votre choix .." as part of my Passion 24 VIP menbership. So far that promise has not been fulfilled. For 2010 I shall continue to try and get the passes I've applied for.
Unless I'm given a cast-iron assurance that the promise is fulfilled in 2011, I'm not going to renew my membership.
The conditions under which agencies are sold tickets are irrelevant, since we VIP members have been promised priority.

Great, but can we make sure it's in decent French please with no assumption that they understand the nuances of English?  I am happy to get this done by a native French speaker once the thing is composed and agreed upon. 

This subject is much broader than whether the ACO has delivered or not on promises to ACO members. I sympathise with your complaint, but the issue is symptomatic of wider problems of the ACO's handling of campsite allocation. That is why I'm suggesting we put down a clear message for them. We don't want to come across as just a bunch of whiners and malcontents, but we DO want them to listen. Anything we present to them will have to be carefully worded, otherwise we will be wasting our time.  It will have to be in French and delivered in person.

Like the idea but would prefer that the ACO would be educated about the needs and priorities of the non-French contingent as many here on CA are not British but share the same problems.

Good point!

No that is exactly the point!!!   

tom.

Tom is quite right.
The issue of priority booking for Passion 24 VIP members is the only issue on which the ACO can be shown to be in breach of its obligations. Sorry to sound like a lawyer, but I am one.
Widen the issue to the ACO's handling of campsite allocation, and the ACO can turn round and say that it's their business and they are doing their best under difficult circumstances.

Taking an adversarial approach as an individual or small group on a single issue may (or may not) yield the camp site place(s) you believe you are entitled to, however even if it does get you what you want in 2011, it will make not a jot of difference to ACO policy in the long run. I think that for the Club Arnage community to open up a dialogue with ACO marketing who make the promises and set the policies (rather than the ticketing department who are administrators), and on a broader range of issues is a positive thing, and I am sure that it will gain their cooperation and evolve ACO policy in the right direction. I don't think that going to them in 'high dudgeon' with a list of accusations and demands is the right way to go about it.

I have the greatest respect for Tom and Christopher and I'm sure they know what they're talking about.  However, I do think we might get ourselves on the wrong side of the people we wish to court by going in all guns blazing. Why not try a friendly co-operative approach to begin with then maybe we'll have a bit of influence in the future?

They want to make money and we want to pay, within reasonable limits.  Maybe seeking common ground would yield a better return in the long run?

I think you're right

I'm told that to argue with the French, just learning to speak French doesn't really help.  They seem to be quite happy to be in the wrong.  It has to be a matter of national pride or honour or something very alien to us Brits to get them worked up.

I'm happy to leave it to the experts

I'm not suggesting any sort of aggressive approach.   

I am very frutrated by the problems ordering tickets this year.  May be I'll be less frustrated come the end of the month when they write to me with details of the restults of my telephone order.

GF asked for experiences/problems and suggestions for improvement.  I have written to GF in more detail than I have here.    I just feel that untill GF has all of the comments we should not really discount any experiences, problems or suggestions.

I'm not particularly good at putting together what is required.   Other than to say we need to list:-

What we see as not working well. 
What we think might be a solution.

Then to ask if there is any common ground that we can work on to resolve the issues.

For example.

Problem:  The website didn't work well in English translation.  (Some parts of the English site were still in french)
Solution:  Recruit some CAers to act as testers in return for a free Entrance and Camping ticket of choice.

They may like the idea in which case it's a win,win.
They may feel that the price is too high for them but they would be willing to offer the Entrance but Charge for the Camping.  As I see it that is still a win.
They may not like the idea at all.  I don't see that as a loosing situation as such it's "no change" but atleast we tried.   :)

t.

Well someone seems to think they are sorted ;

blueST said:
I've got my three pitches for MB paid for. Well excited! Was just pondering what day to arrive with my mate today, late Tuesday or Early Wed?..

Had to wait for a cancellation for the third pitch and that was over a month ago. MB pitches will be few and far between now I reckon.


This was taken from the PH forum.

It all depends on where he bought it! I had an order cancelled at justtickets for 10 pitches and they had them reserved for us. However after talking to a dutch agency, we cancelled, because they cannot assure you for the pitches, cause the ticket agencies do not know yet what they get. So the guy in the above post might get lost in the dark afterall!

Mind you, I talked to the CEO of the dutch ticket agency, and he told me that last year the ACO decided in late april that MB would actually be opened for camping at all. As GF says, the ticket agencies face the same problems we do, only on a larger magnitude. I am totally in favour of making a positive effort to have things change within the ACO. For whatever reason you want to camp at Le Mans, it is a big part of the experience and it should not be so bloody difficult to get tickets every year!

Exactly!

But it seems that the ACO dont realise that there is a difference between BN & BSJ.

I suppose from one POV this is good as the could charge more for BN.

However If I dont get BN (or better) then Its unlikely that I'll be going for as much as I like Le Mans I just coudln't be bothered with camping in a distant potential bog. Im sure many newbies are happy with this as they dont know better, but im almost an oldie (10 yrs) so know what I want!

I think the above comments are exactly what GF is saying, and I'm totally in agreement with him.

The problems with ordering tickets this year are only a sympton of the broader issue.  Last year, and for many of the previous years, the symptons were different, but resulted in the same difficulties in getting what you wanted.

I believe that we should go in and explain at a broad brush level what the 'Le Mans Experience' is for many non-French attendees, with particular reference to the camping.  Only when that message has been accepted, then specifics of the problems with this year's on-line system can be highlighted - and I would respectfully suggest that this does NOT include the fact that some of the web site was/is in French.

Del

Yes Its a French organisation so Id expect it in French, so thats really a non issue.
I didnt actually realise that some of the English bit was in French ! My French isnt good but trying the French ordering was part of the "fun".

I wonder what the Japanese part was like?

Stu,
I'm fairley certain this guy went through an agency.
Think he confirms it in a later post.

Yep, but what he does not realize is that the Ticket Agency is taking a gamble with his money, because they have not received their allocation either!

Yes I agree its a gamble. And they take full payment with the booking!

The agency he used was

http://www.tickets-2-u.com/lmr.htm

Just to clarify we have two seperate issues here.

Firstly there's the question of the possible failure of the ACO to deliver on promises made to VIP members. If I was still an ACO member I would be in the vanguard of the fleet rushing to rip them to shreds on this. However, I packed in ACO membership five years ago, disappointed at what my Euros were getting me...

Secondly, there is the possibility of a meeting with policy makers at the ACO with a view to long term omprovement, not only in the matter of ticketing and camping but I guess the entire experience.

In my view, and with due respect to curent VIP members, the second issue is of greater importance when looking at the bigger picture. Therefore, can I strongly suggest that those currently taking the ACO to task do not mention either the potantial meeting with the ACO or indeed the name of Club Arnage?

IMO there's no point spoiling the ship for a ha'ppeth (or indeed 95Euros) of tar!

Let's hope for him he gets what he wants, but their is no garantee he will.

I couldn't agree more. I've no intention of bringing the name of Club Arnage into my dealings with the ACO. I'll deal with them direct, as will a number of other French (ie non-overseas) members.
The ACO had a turnover of 39 million euros in 2009, so there's no point in my threatening them with my resignation. For me it's just a choice between forking out for priority booking or not. If the priority turns out to be genuine for 2012, and a cock-up at first attempt for 2011, then I'll carry on as a member; if not, I'll put the 98 euros towards the camping passes.
That's the only beef I have against the ACO. In my book they are entitled to run their business how they like, so long as there's clarity about the way they operate.

Very interesting reading.........
I believe that the main beef would be about ACO member priority booking, not that it affects me as I am not or ever will be an ACO member!

One thought I have had regarding camping:

Why don't the ACO allocate each campsite complete to a ticket agency, based on who takes the most space at present i.e. Karting Nord to Kaiser, Bleu Nord to TL (obviously!) etc. Each company would have to meet criteria such as online ordering, international purchasing and shipping etc.

This would enable the ACO to look after their corporate bits and the GA's

Brilliant idea, seems to be a common sense approach that would fit with the majority and ensure high quality. For those very reasons, I can't see the ACO ever going for it :'(

Perhaps it would be better if the ACO ran their ticketing more like the ferry companies book ferries. The agents/resellers have access to an agent's version of the ferry operator's ticketing system. If the ACO did it that way it would avoid all the block booking nonsense entirely.

All I wanted, and the omission has left me very cross, would have been the chance to request tickets for a decent campsite.

Top idea. Nobody could complain about that.

Can I suggest that if you have been a regular customer before - and have your "customer number" then that you contact the ACO (phone, fax) and order what you usually do.
I have a funny feeling that the reason ACO grandstand etc has not been available is that it is because the ACO hold regular customers orders each year. These only get released if the customer does not book. There was a poster earlier who was not an ACO member, but who got an email saying they were holding his regular order, and invited him to join the ACO to process it!
I contacted the ACO and have just had the invoice for my normal order - ACO Grandstand, MB Camping, Expo parking.

I think the problem may be that they have not communicated this to us all...

" There was a poster earlier...."

Me. I haven't yet taken up their offer either. Just lost my job, so all bets are off for the time being :-(

Oh hell... Sorry Smokie  :(

Bloody hell Geoff not again. Sorry to hear that mate

Sorry to hear that news Smokie.
Hope something turns up soon.
Can you make the planning meeting?

Website showing availability in ALL grandstands at the moment 18.06 18/11/10.

Have they freed up some that were optioned?

Top man, Barry. I've sent PM to Termie, just in case she hasn't noticed.
No Vert campsite tickets yet.

Smokie - oh big bloody poo, sorry to hear about that, hope something turns up soon.

As did I.
I tried to phone her, but I've only got her UK mobile number.

Sorry to hear that Smokie,
 Hope it works out for you.
Phil

B*mmer, Smokes.  Life has a habit of cr*pping on one when least expected.  Best of luck in the job hunting.


Huge thanks to Barry and Christopher - got the message this morning and managed to get two seats even if sadly not together.  At least we have somewhere to park our backsides. :)

Yep

I managed to order my Grandstand requirements too in a rather tedious manner.  Altogther I need 7 Entrance plus 7 Grandstand.  But the site only allows you to order 10 tickets in one go so I have to do two transactions.

Thanks for the "Heads Up" guys.


What a shame they didn't do it that way from day one.

t.

Gents and ladies
So that you are aware. TL has been given the same allocations from the ACO as previous years.
Earlier in this thread it was intimated that our allocation would be reduced, so we need to set the record straight. This means that camping in Bleu Nord has been made available to CA members and we will do our best to encourage the ACO not to fragment the group as they did last year.
These places will be allocated by CA, so please do not contact TL directly. Most of you will already have been contacted.
Houx is now sold out and we do not request places in MB.
If you are struggling with tribunes, all are available with the exception of T18 which is sold out.

I am afraid that dealing with the ACO is becoming increasingly difficult for all, but TL do seem to have a few friends there.

Thank for the update Andy.   Will we see you on the 10th in the Frogs?

t.

Thanks for that Andy.

I have a spot in the boonies on the ACO campsite but would prefer a  couple of spots on BN as it's on the level so much easier for getting about.  Also, I'll be on my own on Friday night so would prefer to be with friendly faces, as it were.  Who is organising CA's pitches?

Who's doing the allocation?
Can I have two please?
Andy, - I'm looking for some seats in T19, are these been sold directly through TL, or are they allocated to CA as well?
H

we from Liverpool require 6, make it 8 and Big H, can camp with us,not on the magic list any longer >:(

I recon we will again take 10 of your hands, but no doubt that Langtall received a mail from you andy. Thanks for the arangement once more!!

ACO seem to have released another batch of optioned grandstand tickets, all grandstands now available.

What's the betting you can now get two ACO grandstand tickets next to each other? ::)

That is a good question and I have PMed Andy to ask for clarification as our group haven't had any e mail from him. We again require the same three ticket allocation that we had this year, so don't won't to miss the boat if he has already contacted people about them.

I'm in with the Liverpool lot as normal and after trying for tickets whilst being away for the last month, the reality is setting in that we could be ticketless next year. Any help/ suggestions (clean ones please) would be greatly appreciated. I can see the ebay profiteers making a killing this year.

Great news !
Who's to contact about the allocations, I'd need 2 or 3 in BN.


@ Smokie : sucks to lose your job, but something will come around surely.  I've signed a contract on a new job today .. won't have the free time I had before, but the first holiday dates I gave them were Le Mans  ;D

After the ACO grandstand turned up on the site again yesterday, I wrote the ACO a very snotty e-mail, complaining about the lack of MB tickets and the fact that I had had to put up with two seats in different rows.

This morning they e-mailed me back.  They have swapped my seats for two next to each other in a row I can get to on the crutches, and asked me if I want to take up my option on the MB tickets which I asked for by phone!!  But they still tell me they can only put me on a reserve list for MB as they can't say if there are places there.


This is what I mean, Mr Cheese, old chap.  How is one supposed to make any plans if, even with a compurised booking system, nobody can tell what camping places are available?  I'm sticking with the CA places on BN because if I don't I may end up too far away for Ian to push me in the chair, but what would happen if I weren't a CA member and had this problem?  Nuts!
I'm still composing my contribution to your communication with the ACO, by the way - I have not forgotten.

I had an extensive meeting earlier this week with a Le Mans ticket/tour operator.

The gist of the problem is this; the ACO recently tightened-up on the reselling of tickets. For ticket resellers to buy from the ACO, they have to pay a substantial membership fee to join the club of official ACO agents (sound familiar?) and then apply for an allocation of grandstand/camping tickets. The ACO ticketing department then have a think about it for a while then send each agent a list of what wishes have been granted, well in advance of tickets going on sale to ACO members and the general public. This allows the agents time to plan and print brochures etc. Agents do not enjoy the discount given to members, they pay the cover price and have to add a commission on top of that to cover admin+credit card percentage. In the end, they make almost nothing on just a ticket sale alone. They have to sell other trackside benefits or ferry crossings to make it a viable business. Unless the ticket/travel operators get first crack at the allocation, they couldn't function.

Unfortunately, by the time the website opens to ACO member booking, quite a lot of the available places have already been allocated. This leads to discontent among ACO members who thought that membership gave them a significant advantage. The ACO have no idea as to how much unsold allocation they may get back from the tour operators, so they have waiting lists.

If we want certainty and a true first crack at allocation, CA needs to form an alliance of some kind with an official ticket/tour operator. Such a cooperation already exists for the Radio Le Mans travel club, but RLM take a percentage. If we were to do something similar, we would put any commission percentage into the CA charity fund. So folks, put in your order for 2012 (too late already for 2011) and your wishes may be granted if we can get a large enough group together. I'll start a thread for 2012 bookings and we can start right now. It will not be as cheap as going it alone with ACO membership, but if certainty is what you are after then this is the way to get it.

GF

Don't we already have something like this in place with Team Langoustine??

Possibly...

In the past, we could have approached the ACO directly as a 'Club Arnage' group, but now if we were to do that, we would have to pay the 'official agent' membership fee. For instance,(AFAIK) PCGB used to go through an agent, then they went solo, then had to go back to an agent again when the new rules came into force. We just need to muster as large a group as we can, then go fishing for the best deal among the ticket/travel agents.

Once again, this strikes me as treating the symptom rather than the malaise!!

Are you now saying, GF, that you don't think there is any chance of 'educating' the ACO, and asking them to come up with a more equitable solution for ACO members?? 

There must be several possible solutions to the problem, but if the ACO do not know that many of us:

-  want to camp together on a site of our choice
-  do not want trackside (or other) hospitality
-  are quite happy to buy our own ferry tickets
-  etc, etc

......then they will probably not even be thinking of a solution.

Del

Very true, it treats the symptom not the problem, but it doesn't stop us from also approaching the ACO with our points of view. We can even bring it up in discussion as a kind of 'look what you made us do'.

I does strike me that sometimes we can come across a bit like spoilt brats. Just because we have been mostly going for eons is there an assumption that we should get first choice on tickets?

Granted if the ACO had a scheme where its members are assured of a 24 hour period where they can advance book tickets it would help, but I suspect the ACO have found that even then demand would outstrip supply.

Speaking for myself I am not one for huge groups and would prefer to be in my own little corner doing my own thing, miserable bugger that I am.

I have used many means to get the tickets I want, ACO, agencies and the sell and swap section. Never been let down yet, not got anything sorted for 2011 and may even give it a miss, but if we do go, sure something will turn up and we will claim a spot on HA or another favored site.

Was toying with trying the TL Terte Rouge site but nearly fainted at the cost and feel it may be a bit up market for me!

I think it all went downhill from when they stopped selling tickets on the gate, but I guess those days are gone and to a large extent we are at the mercy of the ACO.

Well done GF for tackling the problem with the ACO, hopefully you have some pull with them (or photos of the ceo humping a sheep dressed as a cow singing the french National anthem) and maybe devise a system that is seen to be better.

I think what is depressing many is the fact that the so-called "priority" booking which we were offered as a result of the new membership packages, merely meant that we could buy the same as any other member of the public, but reserve them in advance and pay for them earlier also.  Not much of an incentive to renew.  It thus seems to me that for the cost of my membership, I could subscribe to this group effort which the Cheese is proposing.

The flaw for me in this is a) I do like the members' collectors' pack and b) I want to sit in the ACO grandstand. 

Now, I may have misunderstood, but I was under the impression  that the ACO  members' grandstand was for members.  Call me nuts, but is this unreasonable?  Thus when, on days one, two, three and beyond when there were no ACO grandstand tickets available on the brand new website, I smelt something like a large barrel full of fish.  If this grandstand is exclusively for us and we have only two seats per member - who bought all the seats at 7am on day 1?  When the seats did finally appear, there were none available together and it is only by great good fortune and perhaps an ability to communicate in French and play the disabled card to boot, that I have finally got two seats together.

Now, GF, are you telling me that these seats are sold by agents?  How can this be if they are for members?  What the f*ck is that about?

If I book via this new scheme, then will we get back together as a group on MB?

Is it worth cultivating our relationship with Team Langoustine somewhat further and combining with them in GF's proposal, thus improving our clout and our financial base, but asking for places in the campsites we want (Houx, MB, wherever) and grandstands?  If we want the same campsite but don't necessarily want to be together (I admit that, like Nordic, I have already asked for a pitch "on the fringe" of the CA enclave as my o/h goes nuts when it's noisy and he wants to sleep), will this be possible or is it "in a heap or nowt"?

If we do this, can we get ACO grandstand seats or can this only be booked via the website?  If we can, that that brings me back to my first point - why are these ever sold via agents if they are for members?   

This needs a lot of thinking about. 

Bleu Nord tickets went on sale on the website today.

It is still true that to buy ACO grandstand tickets from the ACO you need to be a member of the ACO, but you don't need to be a member of the ACO to sit in the ACO stand. I'll ask some questions if ACO seats being made available outside the ACO.

One thing I rather suspect is that the long standing unofficial 'pencil in' of members who buy seats year-on-year may still be operating rather like a debenture system. I'll see if I can get any answers....

Here we go again!   I booked a pitch on BSJ for my friends who are coming with us, because there didn't seem to be an alternative and now BN is available.  This is the kind of thing that we need to find out about - why is this happening?  I can't cancel the BSJ spot now so they're stuck with it.  Happily they are young, fit and French and are just happy to come along.  But I feel as if I have been conned into buying  inferior spots. 

Thanks, GF, for your response - it really would be interesting to know what the mindset is. 

The ACO has been very good to me but I feel I have only got what I wanted by booking seats all over the place, regardless of cost, and waiting until they joined the dots - I also feel that a lot of this is about the sympathetic staff on the ground, rather than those who make policy.  Whether the fact that I've had the same order for the last 12 years and have been a member for only a slightly shorter time has made a difference, I do not know.  But it is telling that those who have been on the "preferred" list for years, have been asked to join the ACO to benefit from the priority service.  Thus I'm still not convinced that it's about priority customers, but it will be good to know.

Marketing was my profession and sorry, but the ACO is cr*p at it.

Don't want to be with big group or boom boom

music just want ticket for a BN pitch

We don't necessarily have to arrive at the track in a group, we just need to buy tickets in a group to get the ACO to take notice.

It seems to me, Bob, that if we do have a big block of tickets then we actually could have more control over this, not less.  If we were all together or, better still and perfectly possible given how the ACO have dealt with TL in the past, then we could have a "quiet" and a "noisy" group and could select which we prefer - there's nothing at all to stop us partying together but, like you, I really need somewhere where the cars are the major noise, not music or some footie match so that I have more chance of sleeping and not having to listen to my o/h grumbling about other people appalling taste in music ::).

Nowhere on an LM campsite is ever guaranteed quiet, let's face it, and we can hardly stop anybody having a good time, especially given that this is a motor race with a great big week-long party attached, or vice versa!    But we could perhaps have a relatively peaceful enclave on a site we want to be on, not too far from all our mates.  A plan?

Great plan !


Any idea how much that "official agent membership fee" would be ? 
Maybe it's worth considering to pay that fee, and add it to the ticketprices that would be sold to CA members ?  I'd rather pay extra to CA than to an external ticket agency.  If CA could become an official agent, you'd have complete control over the tickets, camping ... and it would be easy to divide a campsite into a "quiet" and "party" area.

If memory serves me right the fee to join the 'club' of agents is in the region of £2000, so we would have to get rather a big group together. It was too steep for the Porsche Club GB, who now go through an agent. If we were to go through the travel company I spoke to last week, they could do it on the same basis as they do for the 'Radio Le Mans Travel Club'. RLM advertise the 'travel club' and get a % for each sale. We could work on a similar basis but put the money into the CA charity fund. One minor drawback of the plan is that we would not get ACO members' discounted rates, we would only get the normal advance purchase rate, but of course, all things are negotiable...

I have seen how much organisation goes into sending out packages of tickets. If we went completely solo on this,  we could have a contingent of 200+ packages to sort, collate, check contents and mailing address and post out. It is not a trivial job. I would rather leave that responsibility to a travel company.

Just a thought a sunny but cold sunday morning in Guernsey.
What if we get together our order as your other pos GF and then approach one of the agents with our list, this would possibly give them a discount/more bargaining power with the ACO and possibly attain a better rate. This 'better rate' could subsequently be passed onto us a group, though fragmented, booking.

I am sure TL or someone would be happy to shave off a few pounds for a large, almost guaranteed, booking of perhaps 100-150 pitches and 400 GE tickets not to mention the grandstands (too lat, I have)

So we all win

Just a thought as I am eating my porridge.
>Martini...LB

Ladies and gents.
We know how frustrating it can be working with the ACO, but there it very little that can be done. Demand is always high for campsites and grandstands and there are only so many available. The ACO has a guaranteed 100% sale, so a request from any source for a large allocation over and above the existing agents is likely to fall on deaf ears. Regarding official agent status. There are a restricted number of official agents in the UK, and this is at It's max. So this is not an option. Also the fee is nearer £6k per year.
TL give all of It's bleu nord allocation to CA, 90 pitches in all, but this is not enough for everyone. All we can do is keep asking for more. However, the ACO is fickle and we could just as easy loose the lot.
We are happy to do a block deal on GE and grandstands, so we will work out a % discount for CA members. Individuals will need to quote their CA name when ordering.
We will continue to do what we can.
Andy. TL.

ACO phoned today saying I hadn't responded to their mail which required that I join the ACO to ensure my allocation of BN tickets. So I've joined up (cheapest option) and they should be in the bag.

They really seem keen not to lose me as a customer!!!

I will have a number spare - once it's all confirmed I will post how many and cost. I've had the same pitch numbers for the past two years.

I knew it was a substantial sum to join the club of official agents. It came up in conversation a few weeks ago and I only had a vague recollection of it being in the low thousands, and certainly enough to put it out of the question for CA.

What I am suggesting is not for 2011, that ship has already sailed. I am suggesting we get our act together for 2012 both as a pressure group and to get an allocation of campsite/grandstand places for 2012 dedicated to CA via an official agent. I know very well that the ACO can't invent extra allocation from thin air, but what we are looking for is some fairness and predictability in what we get and how much we pay for it. I don't think that a loose relationship with one or more ticket resellers to make a 'best endeavour' promise is a significant improvement. What we need to do in 2011 is to go to the ACO and let them know the problems and frustrations faced by regular Le Mans visitors. For 2012, I think that any involvement with an agent would have to be strictly businesslike, be backed up by a written agreement, in the full knowledge and blessing of both the ACO and the CA community. What I don't want to happen is for Club Arnage to become the commercial offshoot of a specific travel agent. That goes against all the things that have kept CA alive and active since 1996. What we should do is set out our needs and see who can agree to satisfy those needs with the best price and the greatest confidence.
  



 

Well b*gger me if I don't get back from the hospital to find that I have been awarded 2 MB tickets by the ACO.

I do not know whether to laugh or cry now.  I booked a place in the ACO campsite as an insurance policy when the website first opened, then when TL announced that there's a CA encampment on BN, I reserved two places on there - and now I have 2 places on MB which was all I wanted in the first place.

GF, we can emphasise to the ACO that re-selling is indeed likely to  be rife if year after year, one has to buy and reserve spots all over the place just to be sure to get what one wants.  A better assurance of what is going to come out of the end of the sausage (sorry ticket) machine, at an early date, should be good for us all - club and racegoer alike.

An ACO campsite place will soon appear on "Sell or Swap" but if anybody wants one - let me know - I have one going begging!

Hi Andy,

great that you are working again on getting us all together in the same spot  on BN, good job. Hope they allocate all of your 90 pitches in one block. Look forward to see you in June

Cheers

Werner

Hey Smokie,
                 I better come and show you where they are then ;D ;D ;D
Phil

Hi

If there is 8 tickets ekstra for BN i would take them.

Kenn

Time to own up. I've been proved wrong!
I wrote to the ACO, asking politely why most of the prime campsites had not been offered to ACO Passion 24 members on-line, and placing an order for Houx passes for me and two other ACO members.
Result - order confirmed.
Looks like GF's theory is correct - more cock-up than conspiracy.

As you see, Kpy, it also worked for me.  The letter arrived this morning confirming MB and asking for cash. 
The snag is I have all these "in case" tickets too! ::) 

I like it when you're proved wrong  ;D

Anyway thanks for also writing the ACO on our behalf, you made a bunch of Danes and Dutchies very happy.
So everything the same as last year, will Lord Steve dignify us with his presence again you think?

I followed your example, but hadn't adopted your belt and braces policy. I decided to buy only what I really wanted. Result - Houx and ACO T18.
I'm sure someone will take your extras off you.
What we need next year is a fully transparent booking system from the ACO. Hopefully they will have learnt from this year's experience, bless them.


A pleasure, Bas. The Dutch/Anglo/Danish set-up with all its mod cons is the best there is.
I'll drop a PM to his Lordship.

Got an email this morning from the ACO saying that tickets are on general sale. So I'm booked GA & Tribune 34 just what I wanted :) just need to sort out getting there now. 

BN is still available today as well, Id have though it would have sold out by now.

No ACO discount on this one either!

All I can see are "yellow" campsites.

Is this because I am not an ACO member?

I can only see yellow camping available to non-members so far.

F

I was logged in as a member, so it appears that they are only available to members so far.

So ticket sales opening to the general public on 2 December is not quite as transparent as it might appear!

F

Now there's a surprise!!!
ACO's already p*ssed off all it's members, know trying to do the same to the rest of the planet.

Least we don't have to pay for the privilege of being extra peee'd off  ;D  ;D

Judging from the posts by some ACO members here the last few days things are starting to work out finally.
Kpy, termie, me and others had the privilege of being allocated the tickets requested

Blimey, I think my eyesight must be going, I read that as "All I can see are yellow amputees".
Which is pretty worrying from Landmans point of view, ACO 'member' or not.

A campsite for amputees may not be a bad thing, but even with the ACOs current unwillingness to actually sell any tickets, it seems a high price to pay.
H

They would probably charge an arm and a leg for them...

Unfortunatley I was not so lucky, and have not been offered the tickets I requested.

Me neither - just got a FO email from the ACO!!

Del

Not only that they are trying to charge me full rate for the 6 GA tickets   >:( >:( >:(
Only an overcharge of 96€  >:(

Adding insult to injury. >:(

Check your invoices carefully if they make you an offer of tickets that you are going to accept.

Any offer of tickets booked would be a fine thing.........

Are you saying that you didn't get the tickets you ordered on October 11? If not, why not?

Funnily enough just after posting this I had an e-mail from the ACO with a confirmation letter attached. It was in Fench but I can deal with that.

I have everything I requested, including an additional MB Camping ticket that I ordered 'just in case'. I now no longer require this extra camping pass but before I strike it from the list and pay up is there any CA'er that would want to take it off my hands if I go ahead and confirm the order in full? It is priced at 81 Euros (member's tarriff).

Pete B.

We might be interested, Pete! :D (asking LT now...)

Pete

If Paddy decides he doesn't want your MB pass I would be grateful if you would sell it to me please.  I have got somewhere to sit, GA but no camping at the mo and I dont want to have to stay in yellow

Regards
Dave

OK guys I'll keep it on my order then. Paddy has first refusal.

Pete B.

We're struggeling with space, that's why we're interested. Could we help Dave in return with a Bleu Nord ticket?

finaly we decited to go for an agency. needing 9 pitches together it seemed the only option as we only hold 1 membership together.
So 9 Karting Nord and 18 very expencive GA is booked and paid for.

See you in France

Can I assume that Paddy does therefore not require my spare MB pass? If so Dave_Newcastle will get first refusal.

I now Have had formal receipt of payment from the ACO so I definitely have it.

Pete B.

Pete

PM sent

Dave

I did post up in Sale or Swap that I have a number of BN tickets available if anyone wants some, all paid for and confirmed. I have a couple of PMs to attend to, which I think will soak up two of them, but that leaves about 5 to go. PM me if interested.

Sent you a pm, I'd like 2 please  ;D

Not really, cause pedersenkorsager is not dutch and therefore not in our group.

Like Knetter says ::) You have PM, Pete :)

So do you  :)

Pete B.

I was going to post that, but decided that Denmark and Holland were close enough, so they might have decided to change nationality ;)

Knetter - Congratulations on reaching 1000 posts.  :police: