Can private parties override reservations?

[Sorcerer]

I apologise if the title is confusing, so I'll try to explain this as best I can. It's a question more of curiosity than assistance.

Recently I took a train booked through the Forum ticketing site and with a seat reservation of my choice. However when I was about to board the train I was informed that a private party had booked out some of the carriage and was advised to move to the unreserved coach. The staff member was quite surprised though because apparently they didn't have my reservation down and they took a picture of my ticket for this reason; either that or my reservation was overridden.

Now to be clear, this wasn't really a huge inconvenience for me because I still got the same kind of seat I was after, and it was an uneventful journey, so I have no ill-will towards the staff whatsoever.

However it did leave me thinking because I've never known an individual seat reservation to be possibly be missed, or even overridden by a private party. So while I'm not seeking to do anything now, I do think it might be helpful to know a bit more in future about these kind of situations. I did wonder if it had something to do with booking it through the forums but my return journey reservation was active.

 

[endecotp]

Something similar in this thread:

Avanti kicking disabled pax out of their reserved seats so they can be taken by "celebs"....or at least people who think they are celebs

Just read the following on Twitter... Good morning from an @AvantiWestCoast train where disabled passengers are being removed from their pre-existing seat reservations so that the cast of a TV show can sit together in one carriage. Makes you wonder if Avanti prioritise corporate bookings over...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Adam Williams]

The staff member was quite surprised though because apparently they didn't have my reservation down and they took a picture of my ticket for this reason; either that or my reservation was overridden.

It's possible the reservation was changed after purchase by the operator. Historically this wasn't properly communicated to retailers (which meant passengers couldn't be told...) but there has been some movement in this area.

If you want, one of the Raileasy people can double check what's in the reservation system (DM your booking ref) and we can see if it got changed or not - and also confirm it was definitely a real reservation, staff comments aside!

 

[Bald Rick]

It can happen. I have travelled on the train with, variously and on seperate occasions, Manchester City FC, the Israeli Amabassador (+ extensive security), a Chancellor of the Exchequer, and a Prime Minister. All had a whole coach to themselves with security on the doors. And all were on medium to busy trains. There’s no way that there weren’t some regular reservations in those coaches before the arrangements were made for the block booking, so some passengers must have been ‘bumped’.

I only found out who I was travelling with during or after the journey.

 

[Sorcerer]

Okay so surprisingly this is definitely not an unknown, I've just been lucky enough to avoid it until now (and even luckier to have not been so massively inconvenienced by it).

If you want, one of the Raileasy people can double check what's in the reservation system (DM your booking ref) and we can see if it got changed or not - and also confirm it was definitely a real reservation, staff comments aside!

Just to make sure, is this an offer to DM you about it, or is this just general advice? Forgive me if that seems like a daft question.

I only found out who I was travelling with during or after the journey.

I never did find out, but there was a police escort outside Euston when I got off the train. At first I thought it might've been the Prime Minister but I doubt he's traveling in Standard even from the north.

 

[Bald Rick]

Okay so surprisingly this is definitely not an unknown, I've just been lucky enough to avoid it until now (and even luckier to have not been so massively inconvenienced by it).


Just to make sure, is this an offer to DM you about it, or is this just general advice? Forgive me if that seems like a daft question.


I never did find out, but there was a police escort outside Euston when I got off the train. At first I thought it might've been the Prime Minister but I doubt he's traveling in Standard even from the north.

Depends what sort of police escort. 4+ plain white bikes then that’s the PM.

 

[Haywain]

Just to make sure, is this an offer to DM you about it, or is this just general advice?

It’s for you.