NXEC to charge for Reservations

[Sir_Clagalot]

Just through from our MD, NXEC are to charge £2.50 per seat reservation... cue people not booking seats and there being a huge scramble for seats at stations :roll:

 

[richa2002]

, you couldn't make it up. NXEC delve to new levels of desperate.

 

[F Great Eastern]

A few weeks ago they were saying it would be £1 if introduced, glad they're increased it

 

[gordonthemoron]

so what happens to Advance tickets?

 

[will1337]

Will this mean that the AP fares will all "conveniently" go up by £2.50?

 

[me123]

I think a pound wasn't prohibitively expensive, in fact I partially supported it in that it means the seats that are reserved are used by passengers, and don't just sit there from Aberdeen-KX with a little sticker for someone who hasn't turned up.

But £2.50's a joke! This means that it's a fiver onto the price of a return ticket if you want a guaranteed seat. This has to be the worst decision NXEC have made, and I doubt that they'll make money from this to be honest.

 

[gordonthemoron]

But £2.50's a joke! This means that it's a fiver onto the price of a return ticket if you want a guaranteed seat. This has to be the worst decision NXEC have made, and I doubt that they'll make money from this to be honest.

One can but hope

 

[1D53]

Just through from our MD, NXEC are to charge £2.50 per seat reservation... cue people not booking seats and there being a huge scramble for seats at stations :roll:

Your MD will no doubt be very pleased and looking forward to even more GC Only tickets being bought from York.

 

[gordonthemoron]

and HT only tickets from Donny, Retford & Grantham

 

[F Great Eastern]

and HT only tickets from Donny, Retford & Grantham

Well Hull Trains have problems of their own at the moment so perhaps not

 

[Pumbaa]

so what happens to Advance tickets?

The £2.50 extra charge applies only to walk-up tickets. AP remain unaffected.

 

[jopsuk]

The £2.50 extra charge applies only to walk-up tickets. AP remain unaffected.

AP are Unregulated fares though... I wouldn't be suprised to see them sneak up somewhat, whilst being advertised as having "free reservations".

 

[glynn80]

AP are Unregulated fares though... I wouldn't be suprised to see them sneak up somewhat, whilst being advertised as having "free reservations".

It would be a ridiculous move if they started charging for reservations with AP tickets.

They are compulsory for passengers to ensure they stick to one particular service. It is not an option taken by a particular passenger so that they can be guaranteed a seat on their journey.

They'd get eaten alive by the press if they brought that measure in.

 

[clagmonster]

So how will this system operate. Will it be a case of £2.50 per seat reservation booked through NXEC, for any operators service or just for theirs? Will the charge still be levied if you book through an independent operator for travel on a NXEC service? Also, if your journey involves a change of train, will the charge remain at £2.50 or will it be per seat? In any case, I can see NXEC getting a lot of bad press for this, and the majority will simply not bother reserving seats, or worse will opt not to travel.

 

[tbtc]

There's too many seat reservations as it is - I'm fed up of standing when there are probably empty seats on the train.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I was on a NXEA train to Ipswich recently and nearly a whole coach was reserved off-peak, yet was only half full for the whole journey. Personally I check the labels on the seats if I have no reservation and there are no free seats, if the station the seat is reserved from has already passed and the seat is vacant I will sit down.

 

[yorkie]

So how will this system operate. Will it be a case of £2.50 per seat reservation booked through NXEC, for any operators service or just for theirs? Will the charge still be levied if you book through an independent operator for travel on a NXEC service? Also, if your journey involves a change of train, will the charge remain at £2.50 or will it be per seat? In any case, I can see NXEC getting a lot of bad press for this, and the majority will simply not bother reserving seats, or worse will opt not to travel.

Possibly the same way as FGW. To be honest I am not certain exactly how it operates but I believe a charge is only made when a reservation is made separately to the ticket. FGW don't charge if you have a rover. I think booking through other operators would be able to avoid the charge but they would be supposed to charge it, but it would be possible to book without charging it I think.

 

[blacknight]

Maybe they will use revenue gathered to fund the franchise pledge to refund your ticket if for some reason you dont get your book seat on train.
Was in early press releases but as any ever claimed for this? What if your service is terminated short of your destination will you a full refund.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/aug/14/transportintheuk

 

[A60K]

I had a full refund of a ticket in GNER days when my seat reservation was not honoured, and there were no spare seats.

 

[caughtonatrain]

There's too many seat reservations as it is - I'm fed up of standing when there are probably empty seats on the train.

To be fair, tbtc, if there's nobody sat in it you have every right to do so. Don't stand while there are unclaimed reserved seats!

What's really irritating, however, is the silly electronic displays on voyagers etc ... the paper tickets allow you to see at a glance what the score is...

 

[NickM]

The Yorkshire Evening post article:
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Anger-over-Yorks-rail-booking.5257575.jp

does say Advance purchase tickets wont' be charged for reservations

 

[theblackwatch]

What's really irritating, however, is the silly electronic displays on voyagers etc ... the paper tickets allow you to see at a glance what the score is...

Paper tickets can also be removed by other passengers who may then say "well there was no ticket here so i'm not moving". Result in an argument and the guard being called, just what the old dear travelling from Newcastle to London wants...

Having said that, I also forget to look at the electronic displays - I guess it's a case of getting used to them. I don't travel on voyagers enough to enable me to do this!