Interesting FGW and BA development

[VauxhallandI]

Moving towards a pro customer arrangement....

Flights and First Great Western trains in one itinerary

British Airways is working with First Great Western Trains and Heathrow Express to introduce a new proposition available through the travel trade. From 05 December, travel agents will be able to book their customers from one of the selected First Great Western train stations to Heathrow with a connection on the Heathrow Express from Paddington.

Key benefits:

· Gives customers peace of mind that their onward journey from Heathrow will be protected in case their train or flight are delayed

· Gives British Airways customers better and easier access to the UK’s South West region

Regards,
British Airways

 

[telstarbox]

From FGW: "The combined booking takes away the stress and fear of missing a flight, if a train is delayed or a connection missed, by giving customers the peace of mind they’ll be on the next available flight – and even get overnight accommodation if the next service isn’t on the same day. Customers will also be able to get on the next available train service, if their flight is delayed."

https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk...ish-Airways-launches-stress-free-train-travel

 

[fandroid]

Will it work for me? I often travel from Basingstoke on FGW services to Reading where I catch a Railair bus (run by First Group) to Heathrow for a BA flight to Europe. Just occasionally I do the Reading-Heathrow thing by train via Hayes and Harlington. I would not be happy to be forced to use HEx as the fares are enormous.

I don't use the Woking Railair link as they are less frequent and I have found them to be very unreliable.

 

[Merseysider]

At first sight, this looks to be a very positive move. There is a real lack of transport integration in this country and this should go some way to addressing that for FGW and BA customers at least. The only question is, will the through tickets be more expensive than splitting at the airport?

 

[fandroid]

Looking at the FGW link I see that it's only for selected FGW managed stations out west. Me and my colleagues might have an interest in a guaranteed link for one-way journeys off BA to places like Bristol, Plymouth, Cardiff. But even then, we would want to get back to London or nearby the same or following day. Just too complicated a need, I guess! Our employers are fairly mean, so would almost certainly want us to wing it, or just get as far west as we can and arrive early the next day.

 

[gordonthemoron]

do Travel Agents still exist?

 

[Emyr]

So ABTA protection would start from your local station rather than from your arrival at the airport?

Sounds nice.

 

[trentside]

Sounds rather like London CIV tickets - another positive move towards more integrated transport ticketing in my view. If only such things were available on other routes, though of course once you head north it would start competing with British Airways domestic offerings.

 

[jon0844]

do Travel Agents still exist?

Yes, but as I found out recently they can be quite clueless when organising rail tickets. I am sure they'd prefer to just sell flights and package holidays, and probably mainly do that - hence their lack of knowledge.

I suspect that even if the ticket(s) are more expensive than a series of clever splits and/or extensions, you'd want to pay the extra for the peace of mind. Being covered for missing a flight could be WELL worth the premium.

In fact, I'd go as far to say that I'd gladly accept the railway industry introducing a special fare/add-on for the airport (much like London International for Eurostar) that can be put on any ticket and any TOC. Reason being, you pay more for what's effectively an insurance that you don't want to pay for every time.

For example when you're planning to get to the airport a lot earlier anyway. Or you're perhaps going to meet someone, or you're going to the airport the night before and staying over at a hotel etc.

 

[Greenback]

As someone from south Wales, i think this is very positive. The worry about late flights returning to Heathrow is a real disincentive to using rail.

That said, I'll probably still look at flying from somewhere other than London for short haul flights, and the total price will determine whether long haul flights are better taken via Dublin or another European hub instead of London, but it will help.

 

[matt_world2004]

This is an interesting development, probably designed to mitigate the affect of crossrail on HEX operations what would be clever was if they could offer station side baggage check in and at seat flight check in during your trip, Instead of waiting in line at the airport why not check in on the train sort of thing. leaving you to just go through security airside.

 

[Greenback]

With increasing numbers of people completing OLCI up to 48 hours before departure, at seat check in isn't going to be much of a benefit, in my view, sorry.

 

[185143]

This is an interesting development, probably designed to mitigate the affect of crossrail on HEX operations what would be clever was if they could offer station side baggage check in and at seat flight check in during your trip, Instead of waiting in line at the airport why not check in on the train sort of thing. leaving you to just go through security airside.

Funny you said that as I went to Kuala Lumpur recently. We were able to check in for our flight to Dubai and from their to Manchester and check in all our luggage at the city centre railway station!

Basically, we checked in our bags and they were transported the 75KM to the airport and we didn't see them again until Manchester! So convenient but it was only on the long haul airlines I noticed.

We had all of our boarding cards then as well.

 

[furlong]

This is an interesting development, probably designed to mitigate the affect of crossrail on HEX operations what would be clever was if they could offer station side baggage check in and at seat flight check in during your trip, Instead of waiting in line at the airport why not check in on the train sort of thing. leaving you to just go through security airside.

What a great idea!

 

[thelongestroad]

They used to have check in desks at PAD but they were removed due to under utilisation apparently..

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/jul/07/1

 

[VauxhallandI]

Do you think the problem was a matter of trust?

Just one more leg for them to lose your bag

 

[Deerfold]

They used to have check in desks at PAD but they were removed due to under utilisation apparently..

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/jul/07/1

And at Victoria for Gatwick. I think it was where the station Sainsbury's is now.

 

[Greenback]

Do you think the problem was a matter of trust?

Just one more leg for them to lose your bag

That would be my biggest concern, definitely.