Buying another ticket to take another seat

[AlterEgo]

When does it become available? Byelaw 19 only mentions if it is marked as reserved.

What if someone reserved a seat on a train but commenced their journey mid-way through by picking up the train at a later stop?

Tough.

Doesn’t matter what the rules say. If there’s nobody in the seat I’m sitting there. Try and move me.

 

[30907]

So someone might buy a ticket for a child under 5 specifically so that they are entitled to a seat, in which case it would be ludicrous for someone to suggest that a child sits on your lap if they have a ticket (out of interest, to anyone's knowledge, has anyone ever been asked to show a ticket for a child under 5 in order to show that they are allowed to occupy a seat? Or has anyone ever purchased a ticket for a child under 5 so that they are entitled to a seat which is not required by a fare-paying passenger?). This condition would appear to suggest that a ticket does entitle you to a seat.

No, it entitles the child to a seat if one is available - and therefore to a seat reservation which THEN entitles them to a separate seat, same as anyone else.

 

[30907]

If the first class seats are far more spacious then it would be the better way to do it. I have done it with a friend in Queensland before book 1st class as the seating is much wider as its 1 + 2 layout.

As a similar example, the line manager of a very tall colleague agreed to first class travel on legroom grounds.

 

[Hadders]

When does it become available? Byelaw 19 only mentions if it is marked as reserved.

What if someone reserved a seat on a train but commenced their journey mid-way through by picking up the train at a later stop?

I’d sit there until the person holding the seat reservation turned up (I wouldn’t vacate so that someone could sit next to an empty seat).

 

[Typhoon]

The National Rail conditions of carriage state "Children under five years of age may accompany fare-paying passengers free of charge, unless the Train Company you want to use specifies otherwise in their notices and other publications. However, children under five years of age who are travelling free may only occupy a seat which is not required by a fare-paying passenger". So someone might buy a ticket for a child under 5 specifically so that they are entitled to a seat, in which case it would be ludicrous for someone to suggest that a child sits on your lap if they have a ticket (out of interest, to anyone's knowledge, has anyone ever been asked to show a ticket for a child under 5 in order to show that they are allowed to occupy a seat? Or has anyone ever purchased a ticket for a child under 5 so that they are entitled to a seat which is not required by a fare-paying passenger?). This condition would appear to suggest that a ticket does entitle you to a seat.

I'm sorry, I don't think that follows.

The conditions can be summarised as:-
I) if a child is under five and the child is accompanied by a fare-paying passenger then they may travel for free
II) if a child is travelling for free and there is a free seat then the child may occupy the seat.

These conditions say nothing about a child who is not travelling for free.

The conditions of service also state 'You are allowed a maximum of one seat reservation per person for each train that forms part of your journey'. Good luck to you if you are going to argue with a member of staff, being harassed about the lack of seats, that your imaginary child needs a seat, they will probably (rightly) say that you are one travelling alone, so need to budge up.

Incidentally, when I booked in advance on South Eastern last week, I was given reservations but not for a particular seat.

My comment on the imaginary child sitting on your lap was intended to be flippant!

 

[Adlington]

Incidentally, when I booked in advance on South Eastern last week, I was given reservations but not for a particular seat.

What does it mean in practice? Say the train is full, so you approach the first person you (don't) fancy and tell him/her to vacate the seat for you?

 

[MichaelAMW]

Tough.

Doesn’t matter what the rules say. If there’s nobody in the seat I’m sitting there. Try and move me.

What would you do if the person who had reserved the seat arrived to claim it?

 

[yorkie]

It might be in some cases where a cheap First Class advance ticket is available, however this is unlikely to be the case most of the time.

1 x 1st class ticket will generally be cheaper than 2 x Standard class tickets, though of course there will be exceptions.

This condition would appear to suggest that a ticket does entitle you to a seat.

It would entitle the holder to make one reservation (where possible) and to occupy one seat (where available).

Without going into any detail as this concerns air travel rather than rail travel, I did once see a sign at an airport advising that passengers can purchase the seat next to them if they would like more space.

If trains were reservation compulsory, and did not permit any 'walk-up' passenger to board the train, then you would have a suitable analogy.

Until then....

When does it become available? Byelaw 19 only mentions if it is marked as reserved.

What if someone reserved a seat on a train but commenced their journey mid-way through by picking up the train at a later stop?

Once a train has departed, it would be reasonable for anyone else to sit there on the basis that they may have to move if the reservation turns up. It's undefined how long after departure the reservation holder could reasonably claim it as it would depend on numerous factors.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What does it mean in practice? Say the train is full, so you approach the first person you (don't) fancy and tell him/her to vacate the seat for you?

It doesn’t guarantee a seat, it is basically a quota coupon.

 

[matt_world2004]

I witnessed this on the bus someone tried to place their luggage over two seats and claimed they paid for the two seats by touching in two oyster cards. Someone went upto him moved the case and said well it looks like your case volunteered to stand.

 

[Adlington]

Tell us what happened next?

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Maybe that is the answer to ensuring you get a double seat - make yourself as objectionable as possible!
.

...but then you may well attract even more objectionable people to sit by you defeating the object of solitude.
... when I buy a curry and 16 cans of lager I do tend to need some table space so you may have to shift your laptop and belongings over a tadge

 

[sefton]

Very large passengers would need to do this at times. So you would think there would be a uniform policy for this. I have a close friend in this situation who due to his size cannot physically fit into standard seats and requires 2. I have to sit behind or across the aisle. In Australia he has been able to book this often free of charge for the extra seat. What is the UK policy on this?

If you are so obese you don't fit in a seat without spilling over into the adjoining seat and that adjoining seat is needed as the train is busy, then common courtesy would say the obese person gets to stand for the journey.

 

[AlterEgo]

What would you do if the person who had reserved the seat arrived to claim it?

If they weren’t in the seat when the train left I’d tell them to go and find another.

 

[trainophile]

Found a chap in my reserved seat when I boarded at Penrith recently. When I told him he appeared to be in my seat he replied "well he's in mine" indicating the bloke in the window seat next to him. I couldn't be bothered to argue so went and sat elsewhere, but thought that was a bit rich.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Found a chap in my reserved seat when I boarded at Penrith recently. When I told him he appeared to be in my seat he replied "well he's in mine" indicating the bloke in the window seat next to him. I couldn't be bothered to argue so went and sat elsewhere, but thought that was a bit rich.

"So?" is the only sensible answer to that.

Particularly now I use the seat selector when booking VTWC, which means I am going to be in one of my two favourite seats, coach A seat 45 or 41, they *are* going to move.

 

[Typhoon]

What does it mean in practice? Say the train is full, so you approach the first person you (don't) fancy and tell him/her to vacate the seat for you?

I guess it means that the reservation means nothing. I have no special privileges and as GTR run both Southern and South Eastern I was inferring that the OP might also end up with a reservation in seat 000 in coach 0.

In practice I wasn't bothered because South Eastern are very careful about telling me where I need to change onto the reservation train - three stations before it starts really filling up. Also, when it gets packed, they sometimes allow the hoi polloi to travel in First (which is always empty).

 

[yorkie]

I guess it means that the reservation means nothing. I have no special privileges and as GTR run both Southern and South Eastern I was inferring that the OP might also end up with a reservation in seat 000 in coach 0.

If you are talking about 'counted place' reservations on train companies such as GTR and Southeastern (the latter is a separate train company to GTR) then you are right the coupon means nothing other than that you are required to take that train (with exceptions applying, such as during disruption).

 

[Bletchleyite]

I guess it means that the reservation means nothing. I have no special privileges and as GTR run both Southern and South Eastern I was inferring that the OP might also end up with a reservation in seat 000 in coach 0.

It is just an indication that you must take that train if you hold an Advance ticket. There have been cases where people have been incorrectly issued them with walk-up tickets (Anytime/(Super) Off Peak) due to some technical issue. If this happens put it in the bin, it has no meaning whatsoever other than a reminder of the time of one train which you may take if you so wish.