Seat Reservations on FGW

[whole diary]

[moonrakerz]

Am I missing something here ? Who is going "off topic" and starting to talk "about actual prices" ?   

Posts from GaryM:-

"If we're going to start bringing cost into the equation then no, I don't think commuters get a bargain at all. Season ticket prices are extortionate and every year they go up by more than the rate of inflation"

"It wouldn't cost you ^33..."

"^33 a day to travel is questionable but ^146 a day is a complete and utter rip-off."

Off you go then Gary !

Maybe you'd like to read the WHOLE thread properly first before accusing ME of going off-topic in my own thread. If you're not sure then please see post #67 in this thread where you will see who started the "off-topic" pricing comments. I simply gave a response (rather than just ignoring it) and as you will see at the bottom of my response (post #69), I said that any pricing discussion should be done in a new topic. The pricing continued to be discussed / argued so I re-iterated that I would refuse to comment any further on pricing issues in this particular thread (post #74).

Oh dear, oh dear, who can't take a little friendly jibe then ?

[GaryM]

Oh dear, oh dear, who can't take a little friendly jibe then ?

The idea of this thread was to try and create some constructive discussion about seat reservations and not about it being for people to start "attacking" each other which is what it seems to have descended into

[Super Guard]

Gary, I think the " " was to show it was a bit of a wind-up, I wouldn't go taking it to heart.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, SDA.

Just as a bit of background, the admin team here have actually discussed this topic: we reached a decision to 'leave things as they are for now', on the basis of two main considerations:

a) Relative fares and whether they deserve seat reservations are closely linked, and whilst some posts would clearly go into "original" or "new" threads, others are not obvious;

b) Two views exist - that the more you pay, the more privileges (such as being allowed to reserve a seat) you should have, and the opposite.  Splitting the thread would potentially add a bias to the presentation just by how the splitting is done.

We also feel that, as the general mood on this interesting, and well-debated, topic is fairly good-natured, we'd prefer it to stay that way.

Thanks,

Chris. 

[grahame]

Yesterday evening, I caught the 21:01 Swindon to Chippenham ... a graphic illustration of some of the issues raised and discussed in this thread

Virtually every seat in the coach I was in was "reserved" ...



... even though there was a fair proportion of empty seats.



This one labelled "London to Bristol Temple Meads", but unoccupied when I joined the train at Swindon.  Mine to use for sure, but it would have been interesting if the person with the reservation had come back and said "but I just left it to go to the buffet / loo".

Perhaps a new aside ... how can the long distance solo traveller fulfill the call of nature on a crowded train without loosing his seat?

[Zoe]

One issue now with advance tickets is that you can't get a refund so there is little reason to inform the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) you are not traveling so that your reservation can be canceled if this is even possible.  As I suggested in another post I would make advance fares trains specific but not seat specific with an optional reservation for ^5.  If you decide not to travel you could then claim a refund for the reservation.

[Tim]

One issue now with advance tickets is that you can't get a refund so there is little reason to inform the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) you are not traveling so that your reservation can be canceled if this is even possible.  As I suggested in another post I would make advance fares trains specific but not seat specific with an optional reservation for ^5.  If you decide not to travel you could then claim a refund for the reservation.

Good idea.  As memtioned by "Industry Insider" in the current Rail, there is no reason why computer technology can't be used to let you cancel and remake reservations until an hour or two before departure. 

[moonrakerz]

Gary, I think the " " was to show it was a bit of a wind-up, I wouldn't go taking it to heart.

Many thanks !

[paul7575]

Perhaps a new aside ... how can the long distance solo traveller fulfill the call of nature on a crowded train without loosing his seat?

By asking a fellow traveller "Could you watch out for my seat please, I'm just going to the bog/buffet".

It isn't exactly a new problem - I recall succesfully having such a conversation in the early seventies... 

ALternatively for those solo travellers who already try and occupy four seats round a table, just spread out your laptop and paperwork a bit more...

Paul

[thetrout]

Perhaps a new aside ... how can the long distance solo traveller fulfill the call of nature on a crowded train without loosing his seat?

I've had that before, It's really annoying I tend to leave my fleece on the seat, which normally works.

In First Class it's not normally an issue, except at weekends, but only if they cancel the service infront!

[vacman]

Advance tickets should have a free reservation, for those of you who are organised enough to book in advance then so you should get the best deal and a reserved seat! most commuters in the West actually commute on advance tickets!

[John R]

ALternatively for those solo travellers who already try and occupy four seats round a table, just spread out your laptop and paperwork a bit more...

Paul

Better still, when travelling with family, occupy the remaining three seats, ensuring that you direct the younger child to the window seat adjacent to the solo traveller (notice how they always sit in the aisle seat). Get the playing cards out, and wait and see how long before table hogging laptop computer and owner decides they are better off somewhere else, thus releasing the fourth seat for Dad.

Worked a treat recently when travelling from Nailsea to Reading on the 0746.     

[inspector_blakey]

...because all solo travellers are obviously vermin...!

Think that's a little harsh on people travelling by themselves 

It's a strange feature of the reservation system that when buying the very cheap advance fares early on in the booking process you often seem to get allocated table seating, without asking for it (I'd actually prefer the airline seating). And don't forget that those travelling on advance tickets are technically obliged to occupy their designated seat.

[Zoe]

Advance tickets should have a free reservation, for those of you who are organised enough to book in advance then so you should get the best deal and a reserved seat! most commuters in the West actually commute on advance tickets!

I don't agree.  If reservations are free for advance tickets then there is absolutely no incentive cancel your reservation is the tickets are not refundable.  I object to getting told what seat I must sit in and don't like the way TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) are trying to force people to book in advance to travel at an affordable price.  It has been claimed that the Super Saver ticket was scrapped to make way for these cheap advance fares and all this has done is fill the trains up with reservations that are not always taken and made the cost higher for people that do not want to be dictated to when they must travel, which seat they must sit in or are unable to book in advance.  It could also be argued that commuters are completely not what advance tickets are intended for.

[vacman]

Advance tickets should have a free reservation, for those of you who are organised enough to book in advance then so you should get the best deal and a reserved seat! most commuters in the West actually commute on advance tickets!

I don't agree.  If reservations are free for advance tickets then there is absolutely no incentive cancel your reservation is the tickets are not refundable.  I object to getting told what seat I must sit in and don't like the way TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) are trying to force people to book in advance to travel at an affordable price.  It has been claimed that the Super Saver ticket was scrapped to make way for these cheap advance fares and all this has done is fill the trains up with reservations that are not always taken and made the cost higher for people that do not want to be dictated to when they must travel, which seat they must sit in or are unable to book in advance.  It could also be argued that commuters are completely not what advance tickets are intended for.

not at all, the advance fares are rediculously cheap, FAR cheaper than the old supersaver would be now if it had survived, if you want a rediculously cheap ticket then I think it's quite reasonable to be told what seat to sit in! lets see ^81 off-peak single just so I can sit (or stand) where I like or ^15 advance where I have to sit next to another human??? let me think??