Virgin First Class ticket am - breakfast

[premier01]

All Line Rover

Right! :- )

 

[RAPC]

on the weekends you may as well be in standard class these days. once upon a time the weekend service was near as damnit the same as off peak weekday on the london-manchester route.

On the weekends I'm hard pressed to believe there is actually a service of any note. We've done 8 weekend round trips from either Preston or Manchester to London in the past 4 months. Out of 16 trains, we've only had an at seat service one of them. The rest either have the usual staff shortage excuse, or in the case of my train home this evening it was too busy to serve anything. (Which it was to be fair)

As for the question earlier in the thread about why they have the cereals if they don't mention them. From what I've been told by one of the regular members of staff who I talk to, apparently it slows the service down quite a bit, so it is there but not promoted.

 

[sheff1]

On the weekends I'm hard pressed to believe there is actually a service of any note. We've done 8 weekend round trips from either Preston or Manchester to London in the past 4 months. Out of 16 trains, we've only had an at seat service one of them.

Does Virgin Atlantic adopt the same cavalier attitude to their First Class customers on weekend flights ...... no, I thought not !

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Is th
at the policy then-probably to do with logistics as they would only have the orange juice and grapefruit juice on the trolley.

Another point linked to the levels of service-recently on VT the staff seem to do all they can to get people out of Coach K-including-

There are plenty of seats though there-pointing to Coach J-there's more room in there and larger tables and choices of seats.

There's a fault with the Air Conditioning today in this coach so sit through there.

Loads of staff baggage and paperwork taking most of the seats up in the coach.

I'm telling u to sit through there today u can't sit in this coach today.

Now I'm sure there are sometimes reasons for this but these situations have occurred many times in the last 12 months.

I think this isn't right and Coach K is should be avialable because-

It is more relaxing than the other coaches some times.

It is nearer to the exit and entrances at Euston station.

Service is offered first.

It could say on a reservation that you have to sit in there.

I think it's to do with the staff wanting to chat and mess around after service in there.

I - foolishly - attempted to sit in the seats closest to the kitchen in Coach K.

I was on the 1840 EUS to MAN on a Friday night - one of the busiest trains on the entire network all week.

I was told they were "reserved for staff" and that there was one seat left, in Coach H. The seat in question was the forth seat around a table. It already had a load of clutter, with the other passengers - and quite rightly - wanting to work, or read or whatever, and leave some space for the food to be served.

After a heated debate with the CSA in question, I got my way. The idea that those seats aren't meant to be sat in by passengers in absurd and a nasty letter was written to Customer Relations.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Good for you Chris The Ref!!

According to the VT seating plan, there are 18 seats in coach K.

I could be mistaken, but I don't think there are anywhere near 18 CSAs on each/any train!

Please let us know if you get a response from VT.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Good for you Chris The Ref!!

According to the VT seating plan, there are 18 seats in coach K.

I could be mistaken, but I don't think there are anywhere near 18 CSAs on each/any train!

Please let us know if you get a response from VT.

They did only want seats 1, 2 and 3, but when the rest of the train is full, I don't see how they can stop (very high) fare paying passengers from occupying those seats.

I should add that I was by no means last to join the train either!

 

[AlexS]

Regularly sit in coach K. Generally full of staff travelling pass/staff not working particularly hard lounging around chatting. I've been tempted to fire off a complaint about it more than once.

If anyone tries to throw you out just dig your heels harder. You'll always win.

 

[RAPC]

Regularly sit in coach K. Generally full of staff travelling pass/staff not working particularly hard lounging around chatting. I've been tempted to fire off a complaint about it more than once.

I often sit in coach K when it is busy on the peak time trains back from London. Like others here, I've witnessed some of the special excuses why paying passengers shouldn't use the back couple of rows of seats in coach K. They'll usually move their coats from the penultimate row when it is busy and try to keep the nearest 3 seats to the kitchen for staff usage, but they will usually fight to keep these seats.

I can understand staff wanting somewhere for a sit down and a rest when on a break, but this should never happen at the expense of paying customers. I don't mind them keeping the seats if they are not needed, but don't lie about them being unavailable.

 

[premier01]

I often sit in coach K when it is busy on the peak time trains back from London. Like others here, I've witnessed some of the special excuses why paying passengers shouldn't use the back couple of rows of seats in coach K. They'll usually move their coats from the penultimate row when it is busy and try to keep the nearest 3 seats to the kitchen for staff usage, but they will usually fight to keep these seats.

I can understand staff wanting somewhere for a sit down and a rest when on a break, but this should never happen at the expense of paying customers. I don't mind them keeping the seats if they are not needed, but don't lie about them being unavailable.

I am curtently travellig on the delayed 06:56 from Preston to London Euston-25 mins delayed due to broken down train in the Tebay area-and have just noticed that they do offer cereals in First!

A customer had to request these though-think that the options are:-

Kellogs Cornflakes
Weetabix
Kellogs Crunchy Nut Cornflakes
Kellogs Fruit 'n' Fibre

I can understand why they don't actively promote them if they slow the service down but not to advertise them at all seems a joke-why have them!

I nearly asked for them myself as we were told just after Crewe that due to a technical issue no cooked breakfasts would be available today-although there would be toast!

On another point of interest today I am sat in Coach K right near the Kitchen

 

[danfitz123]

I often sit in coach K when it is busy on the peak time trains back from London. Like others here, I've witnessed some of the special excuses why paying passengers shouldn't use the back couple of rows of seats in coach K. They'll usually move their coats from the penultimate row when it is busy and try to keep the nearest 3 seats to the kitchen for staff usage, but they will usually fight to keep these seats.

I can understand staff wanting somewhere for a sit down and a rest when on a break, but this should never happen at the expense of paying customers. I don't mind them keeping the seats if they are not needed, but don't lie about them being unavailable.

Why don't you sit in coach H (quiet zone). Very nice as you dont have people shouting on phones. I still got food in coach H.

 

[lm321412]

I last sat in the equivalent of Coach K on the Pretendolino and it was like a staff lounge on that set. I was told to move down the coach by the Host due to these big metal containers on wheels could fall on me as the train turns round a corner... :roll:

 

[scotsman]

Regularly sit in coach K. Generally full of staff travelling pass/staff not working particularly hard lounging around chatting. I've been tempted to fire off a complaint about it more than once.

If anyone tries to throw you out just dig your heels harder. You'll always win.

Erm, that's sort of because they're not always needed! I effectively do the same job as them when I'm working tours and there are long periods when we're not required, so we sit in spare seats. (Usually a compartment that is being used by a coach Steward). Last time I sat in First Class (in a spare compartment!) I got interrogated by the train manager!

I think both need to get a sense of perspective.

 

[premier01]

Erm, that's sort of because they're not always needed! I effectively do the same job as them when I'm working tours and there are long periods when we're not required, so we sit in spare seats. (Usually a compartment that is being used by a coach Steward). Last time I sat in First Class (in a spare compartment!) I got interrogated by the train manager!

I think both need to get a sense of perspective.

It's not so much keeping the first 2 rows free that is annoying it's the fact that they try-some times-to clear all of coach K-I really think it's to do with them seeing it as a staff section.


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Why don't you sit in coach H (quiet zone). Very nice as you dont have people shouting on phones. I still got food in coach H.

That sounds like 1 of the VT 'helpful' suggestions to clear coach K!


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I last sat in the equivalent of Coach K on the Pretendolino and it was like a staff lounge on that set. I was told to move down the coach by the Host due to these big metal containers on wheels could fall on me as the train turns round a corner... :roll:

Now there's a new excuse-keep them coming in!

I'm not a customer that wants to complain about every detail but have to say I was annoyed today when the staff just move laptop without asking to clean the tables then leaving a wet table-shouldn't that be done between services-don't see using laptops in 1st as inconvenient to the staff when most customers are travelling on business at vhat time.

 

[Mr Spock]

I'm not a customer that wants to complain about every detail but have to say I was annoyed today when the staff just move laptop without asking to clean the tables then leaving a wet table-shouldn't that be done between services-don't see using laptops in 1st as inconvenient to the staff when most customers are travelling on business at vhat time.

Never had that experience of moving laptop just the paper I might be trying to read. When I get on in first I move all the stuff from in front of me to spread the paper out and when they clear/relay the table they put everything back in place, they don't seem very pleased when I move it all out of the way again.

Never tried coach K as it always seems a little cramped to me.

 

[wintonian]

Make a seat reservation which can be made up 2 hours before the train departs its first station on Virgin, I’d like to see them try and claim coach K is reserved for staff then!

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Make a seat reservation which can be made up 2 hours before the train departs its first station on Virgin, I’d like to see them try and claim coach K is reserved for staff then!

All of the reservations go into Coach J, and if that fills, they use G. I've never been given a reservation for K

 

[Pumbaa]

All of the reservations go into Coach J, and if that fills, they use G. I've never been given a reservation for K

I have many times.

 

[bengolding]

Boarding an extremely busy London to Glasgow service at Euston a week ago just prior to departure, I proceeded to coach K where I had booked a seat. The host claimed there were plenty of free seats in J, H and G and kindly requested I move so I could spread out more. Of course, G was declassified and by this time nearly all decent seats in J and H had been taken (just 4 single seats in bay of 4's as I didn't particularly want to be surrounded by strangers). Returned to K, and the host gave me a funny look. The back 6 seats all had staff bags on them. I presented my £203 single to Preston and kindly requested a seat in one of these seats as I didn't fancy standing (also someone else was sat in my reserved seat). After another funny look, he moved one for me.

Needless to say, the at seat service was mediocre with the staff largely hiding in the kitchen. Why is it that some crews (mainly London based) are great and others are just downright poor (I must say, it's usually the Liverpool ones)?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Needless to say, the at seat service was mediocre with the staff largely hiding in the kitchen. Why is it that some crews (mainly London based) are gret and others are just poor?

Most crews I find (except for Preston; especially on weekends) tend to be lazy. They like to get everything all done and dusted by Tamworth, then have an hour break in addition to the one they have by law. Another favourite they have is 'Oh, everything’s reserved in Coach K': b*llocks. It is a poor, poor service, especially when you pay in advance of £200 for a ticket, and they earn that to do largely the same as you (i.e. sit down).

 

[wintonian]

I have many times.

Must admit the only time I have reserved a seat in first on virgin I got coach K.

Also If you book at a station can't you request a particular coach?

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Boarding an extremely busy London to Glasgow service at Euston a week ago just prior to departure, I proceeded to coach K where I had booked a seat. The host claimed there were plenty of free seats in J, H and G and kindly requested I move so I could spread out more. Of course, G was declassified and by this time nearly all decent seats in J and H had been taken (just 4 single seats in bay of 4's as I didn't particularly want to be surrounded by strangers). Returned to K, and the host gave me a funny look. The back 6 seats all had staff bags on them. I presented my £203 single to Preston and kindly requested a seat in one of these seats as I didn't fancy standing (also someone else was sat in my reserved seat). After another funny look, he moved one for me.

Needless to say, the at seat service was mediocre with the staff largely hiding in the kitchen. Why is it that some crews (mainly London based) are great and others are just downright poor (I must say, it's usually the Liverpool ones)?

I also find the Liverpool crews to usually be the worst