XC's "choose your seat"

[whole diary]

[Btline]

^{Admins: Not sure where to put this. Please move if necessary}
I've just looked at XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s new ticket system and it seems that you can pick your seat on XC services using a plan.

But the diagrams still have the shop and >2 tables per coach. How can it work if you get an unrefurb?

Anyone used it yet?

By the way it is shocking to see the bad seat window alignment!

[Lee]

^{Admins: Not sure where to put this. Please move if necessary}

I've plumped for "Fare's Fair" as a home for this topic 

[Btline]

Has anyone used this system?

[paul7575]

I think there is no issue with refurb/non refurb because they  haven't made the extra 14/16 seats visible to the reservations system, so on modified units they will always be unreserved?

I did read in another forum that the extra seats either haven't got the electronics fitted above them (or they are badly misaligned), but that can probably be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Whatever happens, I'm betting that AXC^» (Arriva Cross Country - about)'s much vaunted proposal to allow reservation of seats on trains that are already en route, with the TM^‡(resolve) updating any vacancies as they go along, never happens...

Paul

[Zoe]

Whatever happens, I'm betting that AXC^» (Arriva Cross Country - about)'s much vaunted proposal to allow reservation of seats on trains that are already en route, with the TM^‡(resolve) updating any vacancies as they go along, never happens...

Train leaves Plymouth, train manager marks seat as unreserved.  Passenger boards at Newton Abbot and sits in seat, shortly after leaving Newton Abbot and before the train manager has noticed a passenger in the seat, the seat gets reserved.  Passenger with reserved seat boards at Exeter only to find seat occupied and person is seat claiming it wasn't reserved.

[paul7575]

Train leaves Plymouth, train manager marks seat as unreserved.  Passenger boards at Newton Abbot and sits in seat, shortly after leaving Newton Abbot and before the train manager has notices a passenger in the seat, the seat gets reserved.  Passenger with reserved seat boards at Exeter only to find seat occupied and person is seat claiming it wasn't reserved.

You forgot 'fight breaks out, still going strong at Taunton'...

Paul

[Btline]

Oh lor'. Sounds like a BAD idea.

Re diagrams: But the refurbs have a completely different alignment, (due to fewer table etc.) so if you select a table seat with a view you could end up with an airline with a pillar.

[inspector_blakey]

Talk about Hobson's choice, being able to pick your seat on a Voyager... They're all dire. I'd rather sit on the bog, at least there's some legroom.

[IndustryInsider]

Talk about Hobson's choice, being able to pick your seat on a Voyager... They're all dire. I'd rather sit on the bog, at least there's some legroom.

There's plenty of legroom on certain seats at the ends of most of the carriages (like on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s), so any system that lets the taller person in the know book them is a good idea.

[Btline]

I experimented with the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) seat plans. Bad news...

It does not mark the seats with no view. How is the seat alignment on the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HSTs?

And why is there a buffet on the XC HST seating plan?

[inspector_blakey]

There's plenty of legroom on certain seats at the ends of most of the carriages (like on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s), so any system that lets the taller person in the know book them is a good idea.

True, although in my experience (which is only anecdotal evidence, I admit) you can't book those as they are designated "priority seats". According to the stickers on the bulkhead you're expected to vacate them for people with disabilities/89-year-old aunty Gladys/etc (which I don't have a problem with).