I've been using National Express coaches ever since university days but more frequently when the railways were privatised and became a "privileged" mode of travel. Been rather contented with NE's service overall until my next journey booked months in advance from Brighton to Gatwick return. Just before my date of travel, got a text msg from NE stating due to timetable rescheduling, my booked and paid for journeys have been axed due to time table rescheduling, options offered to me meant; having to get to Gatwick an over an hour before check in time but worst of all, on my return journey, only giving me 45 minutes from landing to go through immigration and luggage, custom and to board the coach. I could accept the outward bound trip but not the return option as I've missed coaches before and had to repay for a new ticket etc. The only other option offered is to take a later coach which involves over an hour change over in South Terminal resulting in a total journey time of approx 2.5 hours to travel from Gatwick to Brighton! I believe, the cyclists in the London to Brighton did their trip in less time! Furthermore this will result in getting into Brighton in the little hours of the morning after midnight which means increased taxi fare too. No compensation was offered except a discount % for next journey which at the ticket price would work out to be a couple of quid! It is ridiculous for NE to expect us to believe a considerate business would suddenly reschedule their time table and axe services already filled with booked customers? It's common sense to slowly phase in a new time table by axing future services before they're populated with bookings unless of course, customer consideration is NOT in their business model. Personally we feel that NE is adopting the same "Profit before customers" attitude akin to the low cost airlines where they offer attractive discounts to entice early bookers to book in advance, to ensure their high take up of their seats BUT should there be a surge in last minute bookers who obviously pays more, the carriers dumps the early bookers in favour of the late bookers, simply for the profit. This offers the carriers a win - win situation for them at the expanse of their customers. Such carriers have no consideration for the sudden massive inconvenience and extra costs imposed onto their customers by their selfish unprofessional commercial practices. At such last minute, it's hectic enough tying up loosed ends at work and at home prior to a vacation, not having the added hassle and costs of now trying to find alternative transport! It's high time, even coach operators like airlines and railways be forced legally to pay compensation should they fail to fulfill their ticketing contract with their customers. Personally, I will from now on wards be actively seeking to use alternative coach operators first, in order to support them so that they will start to provide healthy competition against NE's unacceptable practices and attitudes.