First class Rail..

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:24

Oh actually on the subject of paying extra for tickets and not getting what you ordered!...

A company I worked for got me a business class ticket with BA, I ordered my "special" food way in advance but when I got there and was on the flight they informed me they didn't have it! Never use Business class ever! They don't even provide food! It's not like I (didn't) paid for the ticket without food! Aeroplanes are nasty and I'll be driving next time rather than taking my free business class flight!

(True story as well, and not even a second hand one at that.

)

Dunks · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:25

Amp34 said:
Oh actually on the subject of paying extra for tickets and not getting what you ordered!...

A company I worked for got me a business class ticket with BA, I ordered my "special" food way in advance but when I got there and was on the flight they informed me they didn't have it! Never use Business class ever! They don't even provide food! It's not like I (didn't) paid for the ticket without food! Aeroplanes are nasty and I'll be driving next time rather than taking my free business class flight!

(True story as well, and not even a second hand one at that.)

Was it a domestic flight?

scorza · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:26

Amp34 said:
Oh actually on the subject of paying extra for tickets and not getting what you ordered!...

A company I worked for got me a business class ticket with BA, I ordered my "special" food way in advance but when I got there and was on the flight they informed me they didn't have it! Never use Business class ever! They don't even provide food! It's not like I (didn't) paid for the ticket without food! Aeroplanes are nasty and I'll be driving next time rather than taking my free business class flight!

(True story as well, and not even a second hand one at that.)

Oh yes, that's exactly like not getting a seat on a three hour journey :rolleyes:

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:26

scorza said:
I didn't say he was elderly or infirm, but I'd prefer it if he didn't have to stand up for 3 hours. I just think if you have a first class ticket then you should be able to get a seat, hell I think if you have a second class ticket you should be able to get a seat because it's dangerous and uncomfortable otherwise.

Ok, true, you didn't, but generally retired and "various medical conditions" means elderly and infirm in the sort of context you were using it.

JBuk · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:27

Amp34 said:
Oh actually on the subject of paying extra for tickets and not getting what you ordered!...

A company I worked for got me a business class ticket with BA, I ordered my "special" food way in advance but when I got there and was on the flight they informed me they didn't have it! Never use Business class ever! They don't even provide food! It's not like I (didn't) paid for the ticket without food! Aeroplanes are nasty and I'll be driving next time rather than taking my free business class flight!

(True story as well, and not even a second hand one at that.)

am I missing something, you ordered food but never got it but they don't provide food? :confused:

[TW]Fox · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:28

scorza said:
I didn't say he was elderly or infirm, but I'd prefer it if he didn't have to stand up for 3 hours.

Perhaps in future he should take advantage of the optional seat reservation system? He only needed to ask at the time of purchase, provided it was more than 2 hours before the train left its start point.

I just think if you have a first class ticket then you should be able to get a seat

99.9% of the time, you can.

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:29

scorza said:
Oh yes, that's exactly like not getting a seat on a three hour journey

Well I got something paid for me that wasn't then fully given to me. Pretty similar in my book considering I was starving by the end of the flight because I assumed I would be having dinner on the plane.

Dunks said:
Was it a domestic flight?

Nope, international and about 5 hours long. I did however use all the "services" provided in the airline lounge.

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:31

JBuk said:
am I missing something, you ordered food but never got it but they don't provide food?

Yes.

The flight should have included food, which I didn't get. I didn't pay for the ticket however as it was paid for by the company.

scorza · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:32

Housey said:
Cut your nose off to spite your face....2nd time i've posted this today on this forum...

Not really, rail travel in this country is generally a horrible experience. I've been stuck 10 hours on a train before that should have taken 3.5 hours so it's not like the train is guaranteed to be any quicker. While I would agree with the OP that the train is better option than a car when there's snow on the road, the vast majority of journeys in this country are better by road.

Housey said:
Don't assume anything if you want to be 100% sure of anything is probably wise but we all know that usually, it's fine and these sort of one off's appear all over the place because people who have a bee in their bonnet want to tell the world while the happy punters just get on with enjoying their fried breaky in first class.

I didn't say don't go first class, I just said make sure you have a seat reserved. That's good advice, the OP doesn't mention what sort of first class ticket he would be buying.

scorza · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:35

[TW]Fox;17930931 said:
Perhaps in future he should take advantage of the optional seat reservation system? He only needed to ask at the time of purchase, provided it was more than 2 hours before the train left its start point.

Duh. Would have been helpful to have known that in the first place though. I know, he should have read all those T&Cs that aren't printed on the ticket.

[TW]Fox;17930931 said:
99.9% of the time, you can.

Source please. I don't believe you.

[TW]Fox · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:35

scorza said:
I didn't say don't go first class, I just said make sure you have a seat reserved. That's good advice, the OP doesn't mention what sort of first class ticket he would be buying.

Yes he does - the OP is purchasing a First Class Advance ticket, which carries with it mandatory reservations.

If you don't know this or dont know how the ticketing works then fine, but to not know yet continue to try and give 'advise' based on a nicely exagerated story about your poor old eldery retired Dad who was not actually eldery and infact travelling for paid employment is ridiculous.

He will have a reservation - I've told you this already.

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:35

scorza said:
Not really, rail travel in this country is generally a horrible experience. I've been stuck 10 hours on a train before that should have taken 3.5 hours so it's not like the train is guaranteed to be any quicker. While I would agree with the OP that the train is better option than a car when there's snow on the road, the vast majority of journeys in this country are better by road.

How many times have you used the trains?

Conversely to your experience I've used cross country trains dozens of times and have only had to stand once (I think) and that was on the local leg of the journey. The trains have always been on time as well. Local trains on the other hand can be nasty, 10-15 minutes late and having to stand quite a lot. But that's what you get when travelling on a mainline from london at rush hour...

EDIT: And as for other countries, rail travel isn't much better either. Spain I've had to sit on the floor on a 5 hour journey because there were no seats for example... And TBH outside of europe I wouldn't travel standard class at all...

Housey · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:35

scorza said:
Oh yes, that's exactly like not getting a seat on a three hour journey

I'm sorry, this story is crap. If your father is as ill as you say or infirm, he WOULD have got a seat if he'd have approached the train manager. Is the reality that your father wasn't used to travel on the train, didn't get HIS seat and then got confused and simply stood up. If I saw an infirm old man struggling he would have had my seat in seconds, I would expect the same from most people in First Class. If he had made his frailty known to the train manager a seat, as I said, would have been made available.

I agree every person who buys a ticket should have a seat but sometimes life's a bitch and stuff happens. Sadly the British just moan after the event not during for if they did they'd probably be fine, not least if they are older and worse, frail or ill. In my VAST experience of Virgin trains bar a few moans and groans in the main the service is First Class. I too get annoyed when it goes wrong, when I have a dick head in my carriage or when things don't go on time or I get an arse serving me on the train, but fact is in the main the service stands comparison to anything I've used in Germany, USA, Switzerland, France, Spain, Norway, Belgium.....

beh · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:36

Amp34 said:
What about those that NEED to get that train at last minute and don't mind standing?

I'm certainly not suggesting that seat reservations should be compulsory, and I have no issue with the current system. I've no great experience of French rail travel but I think you'd be unlucky not to get a seat on the next TGV, I don't recall seat reservations being compulsory for standard services.

Dunks · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:36

Amp34 said:
Well I got something paid for me that wasn't then fully given to me. Pretty similar in my book considering I was starving by the end of the flight because I assumed I would be having dinner on the plane.

Nope, international and about 5 hours long. I did however use all the "services" provided in the airline lounge.

BA Executive lounge in T5 is awesome

.

More free food and different types of booze than you can shake a stick at.

[TW]Fox · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:36

scorza said:
Duh. Would have been helpful to have known that in the first place though. I know, he should have read all those T&Cs that aren't printed on the ticket.

Known what? That you can reserve seats if you choose? :confused:

It's not in the T&C's on the ticket! If you want to reserve a seat simply ask!

Source please. I don't believe you.

You know damn well what I meant - but it both myself and Housey have travelled in First Class into and out of London on quite busy routes (I mentioned myself my experiences of First Class on crowded trains before you decided to put your oar in).

JBuk · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:36

Amp34 said:
Yes.

The flight should have included food, which I didn't get. I didn't pay for the ticket however as it was paid for by the company.

so it was a mistake?

Did you complain?

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:38

JBuk said:
so it was a mistake?

Did you complain?

Yes, and no I didn't because I wasn't paying for it.

The stewardess was appologetic enough about it too.

Mr Men · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:40

I use East Coast a lot, Edinburgh to Doncaster/York they always have 1st class carriages that look pretty empty, personally I just book in the quiet coach and they always reserve a seat when buying tickets in advance via their website. 3 hours is ok I guess in standard class, can get a bit cramped then other times you can pick whatever seat you like, never really felt the need for 1st class but when it's busy I can see the benefits

JBuk · 4 Dec 2010 at 17:42

Amp34 said:
Yes, and no I didn't because I wasn't paying for it.

The stewardess was appologetic enough about it too.

Even if you're not paying for it you are the passenger, why do us Brits never complain lol

Hopefully on my next trip to Oz I can upgrade on the leg to Dubai and back from Dubai using my airmiles, If I didn't get my full entitlements I'd go ape ****