Virgin's staggering SOR's and FOR's increase once again!

[Old Timer]

Virgin seem to have been severely cutting their peak advance tickets lately.
This was the first afternoon peak service to Liverpool, other routes may vary (although I bet the first peak to Manchester is similar).

There were definitely 2 people in Coach A, and 3 in coach B. Approximately 12 in C, where all the advance tickets where. I didn't see more than 2/3 people per coach in any others, but it is possible more arrived after I boarded. Maybe it was 85% empty.

Thanks, I was not trying to suggest you were wrong as such but simply that your experience did not match mine.

Possibly it was because of it being a Liverpool train. It is an unfortunate matter of fact that they have never historically loaded well. I remember even in the 70s doing passenger counts at Euston, and the Liverpools' even then did not load as well as the Mancs and the North West/Scots services.

 

[Roylang]

It depends on the employee. If a director is getting paid £300,000/annum, then a £279 (soon to be £296!) SOR between London and Manchester could work out better value for the company than advances - this well-paid member of staff doesn't have his/her time fragmented waiting or worrying about departure times.
Surely the VHF timetable was intended to attract such a market, and that's the reason it runs through most of the day?

True, but there you are talking about an exceedingly tiny percentage of business, not the sweeping statement that business was "price indifferent" that you previously made.

The vast majority of business travel is made by people who are not earning anywhere near the amount you suggest and where the cost to the business must be minimised. Even big business there days cannot afford the luxuries that were once the case.

Roy

 

[calc7]

True, but there you are talking about an exceedingly tiny percentage of business, not the sweeping statement that business was "price indifferent" that you previously made.

The vast majority of business travel is made by people who are not earning anywhere near the amount you suggest and where the cost to the business must be minimised. Even big business there days cannot afford the luxuries that were once the case.

Roy

To be honest, I think both our arguments are rather heuristic, so I think we should agree to differ until somebody comes up with some evidence to validate business' rail usage.

Anyway, as an aside, it turns out the £254 SOR/£357 FOR (new prices) London Terminals - Huddersfield tickets are perfectly valid via Manchester and starting/stopping short is obviously allowed; so even those not into split tickets and arguing the toss can save a nice chunk here.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

3 or 4 years ago we could guarantee to sell at ;east 1 1st class open a month

I have sold 1 1st class open in 2 years!

Guys/Gals think of my commision....I WANT my 5%

 

[Tomonthetrain]

3 or 4 years ago we could guarantee to sell at ;east 1 1st class open a month

I have sold 1 1st class open in 2 years!

Guys/Gals think of my commision....I WANT my 5%

Lol you can have your 5% on my FC 7 days All Lines Rover next year if you want