No reservations

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

I'm not sure that Conductors/Train Managers do get commission. I know that Assistant Ticket Examiners do.

[grahame]

I'm not sure that Conductors/Train Managers do get commission. I know that Assistant Ticket Examiners do.

Not a specific answer for you ... but I do know that ticket sales commission rates where paid (agencies I looked at specifically) aren't at the percentage levels they were just a few years back.  That's probably a natural commercial step, as the independents in the past were looked at to help market a product that was our of fashion, but with passenger number having climbed as they have, the sale is easier.   

A couple of years back, we took a long, hard look at the opportunity that would be afforded by having a ticket agency "here abouts" - but decided that the commercial case that was good on old commission rates had become bordeline at best, and that there was no certainty of the rate not being lowered again long before any up front investment had been recovered.

[IndustryInsider]

I'm not sure that Conductors/Train Managers do get commission. I know that Assistant Ticket Examiners do.

As far as I'm aware some don't, but some still do.  And for those that do, differing arrangements apply - such as the thresholds for when commission kicks in.  The usual mess of differing conditions for the same jobs that applies in the driving grades at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and down to the years they spent as three different franchises.

I believe it just counts as an ordinary ticket sale for them, so could potentially earn them the same amount of commission that selling a normal ticket on board would do.

   ......I guess that explains why they continued to sell them then.

I guess, though any commission earned from weekend first certainly wouldn't be enough for someone to retire on.

[Umberleigh]

What a farce.

And how many years have FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) been running these services?

As others have said, this was always going to be an issue after FC^‡(resolve) was reduced, so why are a Weekend First tickets even been sold any more?

[IndustryInsider]

Because on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option.

[chrisr_75]

Because on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option.

That didn't stop FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) massively increasing the cost of/limiting availability of the cheaper advance first class tickets though...

[TaplowGreen]

Because on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option.

..............but what happens when the TM^‡(resolve) has sold a load of Weekend First upgrades and filled up the entire 1st class coach (often happens on Sundays heading back from the Westcountry to London), train has started at Penzance, and people who've paid full 1st class fares for maximum flexibility get on at (for example) Tiverton? long way to stand up at those prices!

If Weekend First is to stay in the now severely limited First class accommodation it should only be sold in very limited numbers at the time of purchase for selected trains only - same as Advance tickets.

[IndustryInsider]

Because on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option.

..............but what happens when the TM^‡(resolve) has sold a load of Weekend First upgrades and filled up the entire 1st class coach (often happens on Sundays heading back from the Westcountry to London), train has started at Penzance, and people who've paid full 1st class fares for maximum flexibility get on at (for example) Tiverton? long way to stand up at those prices!

If Weekend First is to stay in the now severely limited First class accommodation it should only be sold in very limited numbers at the time of purchase for selected trains only - same as Advance tickets.

Yes indeed, on those trains I agree - see my own suggestion in post #11 of this thread.  However the number of trains where I would say there is a significant problem (i.e. those you mention on Sundays, and a few others) are very much in the minority when compared to the total number of weekend services GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) runs, so, as I said, on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option, hence my reply to the post by 'Umberleigh'.

[TaplowGreen]

Because on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option.

..............but what happens when the TM^‡(resolve) has sold a load of Weekend First upgrades and filled up the entire 1st class coach (often happens on Sundays heading back from the Westcountry to London), train has started at Penzance, and people who've paid full 1st class fares for maximum flexibility get on at (for example) Tiverton? long way to stand up at those prices!

If Weekend First is to stay in the now severely limited First class accommodation it should only be sold in very limited numbers at the time of purchase for selected trains only - same as Advance tickets.

Yes indeed, on those trains I agree - see my own suggestion in post #11 of this thread.  However the number of trains where I would say there is a significant problem (i.e. those you mention on Sundays, and a few others) are very much in the minority when compared to the total number of weekend services GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) runs, so, as I said, on many trains there is still plenty of capacity available and it's still a popular option, hence my reply to the post by 'Umberleigh'.

Yep, so stop it altogether on trains which are known to be very busy, and make it an option when booking on the others.......job done.

[John R]

Do we actually know there is a problem here? I can well imagine that the train will fill up with weekend firsts, but how many people travel on a Sunday on a full open first class ticket (and without having made a reservation as well).  Given the cost difference between open first and a discounted standard + weekend first, I'd suggest it's probably very few.

[PhilWakely]

Do we actually know there is a problem here? ..............  Given the cost difference between open first and a discounted standard + weekend first, I'd suggest it's probably very few.

Most likely to be those travelling on expenses (such as returning MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament)), who probably wouldn't think twice about discounted fares and these pax would probably insist upon a seat <insert cynical smiley>

[ChrisB]

In which case, as we the taxpayer are paying, repeat, is tgere actually a problem here? :-)

[John R]

Do we actually know there is a problem here? ..............  Given the cost difference between open first and a discounted standard + weekend first, I'd suggest it's probably very few.

Most likely to be those travelling on expenses (such as returning MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament)), who probably wouldn't think twice about discounted fares and these pax would probably insist upon a seat <insert cynical smiley>

Except I believe MPs (and many other public servants) have only been able to claim standard class fares for a few years now.

[JayMac]

According to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) should only be claiming for, and only be reimbursed for, 1st Class travel if the fare is the same or less than the walk-up Anytime Standard Class fare.

Taking one west MP at random, Exeter's Ben Bradshaw, his IPSA returns for 2015 show that (cross-referencing with fares data) he's only claiming Standard Class fares.

There is scope for MPs to be more proactive in seeking out cheaper fares (including 1st Class and Advances) to be even less of a draw on the public purse, but I suspect it's easier for them, or their staff, to just pay for, and claim for, the Standard Class walk-up fare fare. Then they can decide to upgrade out of their own pocket.

[ChrisB]

So it's them that are taking up all these weekend first upgrades?!