VTEC - new onboard crewing system

[omnicity4659]

When I've been travelling with VTEC over the last few months, I have to say that the service provided in both Standard and First is declining.

Travelled NCL-KGX on Saturday, 0825 down and 1900 up. No Standard trolley on the way down according to announcements, but the First trolley visited a few times. On the way back, the First trolley visited after leaving KGX and before Darlington, which in my opinion is pretty poor. A large bag of "poshcorn" was abandoned in the luggage racks so some passengers were taking what they could.

I took a trip to the buffet to find out that First passengers had to pay for those infamous sausage rolls too...! £6 out of pocket, but they were nice...

 

[ainsworth74]

Was that a weekend? During the week the sausage rolls are part of the complementary offer!

 

[Darandio]

Was that a weekend? During the week the sausage rolls are part of the complementary offer!

It says Saturday in the post.

To be honest, i'd be happier that I was travelling at that time, travel not much later and you would have been caught up in the carnage!

 

[Chrism20]

I answered the same survey. There was also a section asking for views on paying an extra £10 for "Business Standard", where you would get free coffee and there would only be "Business Travellers" (reading between the lines, no screaming Brats or Chavs).

Did GNER not try something similar back when they first started out?

Standard Plus or something like that?

It was the last standard carriage before the buffet IIRC and there was tea/coffee and biscuits served a couple of times during the journey.

Think you needed a full standard ticket though instead of the £10. It never lasted long though

 

[ainsworth74]

It says Saturday in the post.

Oh yes, so it does...

Thinking about it we do seem to be straying towards discussing VTEC's first class offer specifically rather than just the new crewing arrangements so might I suggest anyone that wants to comment on service that they've had or on VTECs proposals for the future does so in our existing thread specifically for first class catering.

Thread can be found here.

Many thanks!

 

[gavin]

The 16:09 London to Newark and 17:54 Newark to London are cancelled due to the train manager taking ill

Quite a few trains getting cancelled due to staff illness in the past few days

 

[Blindtraveler]

At best theres summit wrong with the famous saussage rolls or at worst crew are so bluddy sick they are going sick! Wouldnt blame them TBH.

 

[Tom B]

I've also noticed a lack of catering service on VTEC services; fortunately, these days, I use them less frequently.

On train catering must be reliable, otherwise people will just bring their own. The ever increasing range of options on or around stations cannot help them. Ok, it'll still be quite dear, but guaranteed to be available. The fewer people trust it and use it, the less money it makes, so the easy option is to do nothing. As for first class, by declaring it "free" there is no comeback when the service isn't provided.

Things are (in my eyes) getting as bad as NXEC days. The catering, the cancellations due to staff shortages, the reliability. (And with higher fares to boot - I think an open return KGX-DON is around £80 now. If you drive instead, assuming a car returns 25mpg, the petrol would be around £60...).

I'm only one occasional user, but they are certainly losing my custom.

 

[Blindtraveler]

They have already lost mine although beardy still pockets my money in both tickets and onboard (reliable good quality) purchases on the West Coast.

 

[Starmill]

Things are (in my eyes) getting as bad as NXEC days. The catering, the cancellations due to staff shortages, the reliability. (And with higher fares to boot - I think an open return KGX-DON is around £80 now. If you drive instead, assuming a car returns 25mpg, the petrol would be around £60...).

I'm only one occasional user, but they are certainly losing my custom.

The cheapest return from Doncaster to London that can be used on East Coast is £90.

 

[SaveECRewards]

I've been told by crew that David Horne was down in the schedule for the VTEC Airtime (meet the manager) event which is going to be held on board tomorrow (27 September) on the 08:30 from Edinburgh to York.

Details of the events are at: https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/about-us/airtime/ but the managers present at each event are not specified on the public site.

This was a few weeks ago that I was told that he was due to be at this event, it may have changed now, but if you can fit the 08:30 from Edinburgh tomorrow into your travel plans it may be worth taking that service.

If you do happen to be on there don't forget to ask his views on the declining standards referenced in this thread, the dreadful website launch and anything else you think he should know.

If you fancy a night in Edinburgh and you also collect Avios, there's plenty of points availability for flights from London City, Heathrow and Gatwick tonight, Hilton Honors (and I assume other hotel loyalty schemes) have points availability for tonight, although of course there's no loyalty scheme for the train back down to London!

I might be there, depends on how busy I am tomorrow. It'll be a last minute decision, points will help ease the overall cost.

 

[cuccir]

sorry if i am repeating others . But I got an email from VTEC (via Ipsos) with a survey about the new catering offering they may introduce when the Azuma trains arrives.

My main takeaway from it (pardon the pun) is two course meals offered weekdays throughout the journey not just leaving the Cross. Usual fayre of hot and cold sandwiches etc. Pastries for short hops and bacon rolls on weekends. James Martin being partially sacked off from what i remember.

They may introduce a charge for spirits in First.

In standard they claim they would offer at seat food ordering and then somebody delivers it.

Wished i had taken a few screenshots as the survey had a table of what's on offer with they may offer

That reflects the key points that I remember, alongside the Business Standard plan. Many of the questions were trying to tease out exactly what would encourage users to upgrade to this.

Free booze (beer/wine) at weekend in First was also a new addition.

There was a suggestion of enhanced staffing in standard, effectively having a steward for each coach. Which I guess would be required with the at seat delivery service. And questions about screens providing journey information: likely to be a waste of time but could be useful.

There were also a few intriguing questions about enhanced services, including door-to-door luggage delivery (£35 was suggested as a price) and through booking of taxis and train as well.

 

[jon0844]

Door to door luggage or onward taxis (and indeed taxi pickups from home) are things I'm surprised Virgin hasn't already tried - given what it does with Upper Class on its airlines.

But perhaps it's because first class on a plane is a world apart from a train and there just wouldn't be a market.

That said, if you look at the travel agents that do package deals with train & hotels, why wouldn't Virgin consider doing packages to places like York and Edinburgh, where you could have your bags taken to your hotel?

 

[SaveECRewards]

Door to door luggage or onward taxis (and indeed taxi pickups from home) are things I'm surprised Virgin hasn't already tried - given what it does with Upper Class on its airlines.

Door to door baggage was already tried on VTWC and VTEC and it looks like it was quietly scrapped (Bag Magic).

I couldn't find mention any more on the VTEC website (but it was definitely offered) here's a page on VTWC saying it's no more: https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/bagmagic

Maybe it's not been promoted well... I quite like the Airportr service that takes bags to the airport for you (and with BA can check them in) if I have a lot of baggage, but for trips up north I never have enough luggage to justify it.

 

[jon0844]

Door to door baggage was already tried on VTWC and VTEC and it looks like it was quietly scrapped (Bag Magic).

I couldn't find mention any more on the VTEC website (but it was definitely offered) here's a page on VTWC saying it's no more: https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/bagmagic

Maybe it's not been promoted well... I quite like the Airportr service that takes bags to the airport for you (and with BA can check them in) if I have a lot of baggage, but for trips up north I never have enough luggage to justify it.

The check in at Paddington didn't last that long, so maybe people just aren't willing to pay.

I did use the facility at Hong Kong, and maybe the extra money for using Gatwick Express would seem more reasonable if such a service was offered. Which of course it won't be as there's nowhere to store the bags. (I've heard that some services use road transport to ship bags?).

 

[Ianigsy]

Mixed experience on the 1015 Leeds-KX and 1933 KX-Leeds yesterday.

Couldn't fault the service on the morning train - the full breakfast was delicious, particularly the soft fried egg, and served efficiently with coffee and pastries by Wakefield and the cooked breakfast approaching Doncaster. I resisted the temptation to wave to the passengers on the Hull-bound Pacer with a forkful of sausage in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other! I'm fairly sure that on East Coast as was, the service would have been coffee and biscuits or a bun.

A different story on the evening train, though- two staff rather than four to cover the first class service (and one of those the train manager) meant no hot food, so a choice of two wraps- egg or duck (I didn't ask which came first). Not ideal as they're both fillings that people can be funny about; perhaps in this kind of situation it might be an idea to allow passengers an alternative from the paid buffet. A good couple of refills of drink to go around, though- certainly a couple of people in my carriage managed two G&Ts by the time they got off at Grantham!

 

[cf111]

Received a £5 RTV in the post after I emailed about the lack of catering/staff on my recent journey. I wasn't angling for anything of that ilk to be honest I just wanted to let them know how I felt.

 

[island]

Things are (in my eyes) getting as bad as NXEC days. The catering, the cancellations due to staff shortages, the reliability. (And with higher fares to boot - I think an open return KGX-DON is around £80 now. If you drive instead, assuming a car returns 25mpg, the petrol would be around £60...).

I'm only one occasional user, but they are certainly losing my custom.

Whoops, you've fallen into the common trap of ignoring the apportionment to the journey of depreciation, road tax, insurance, extra mileage (if you're on a PCP), and so on.

 

[westv]

Whoops, you've fallen into the common trap of ignoring the apportionment to the journey of depreciation, road tax, insurance, extra mileage (if you're on a PCP), and so on.

Then you might as well include the cost of getting to/from the station perhaps?

 

[MG11]

On my service fro Leeds to KX yesterday a Virgin Revenue Protection Officer was checking the tickets. Is this a new role?

No, Revenue Protection Officers have been around for a long time. Revenue Protection Officers check tickets and interview fare evasion suspects under caution for prosecution, on different train companies, they issue Penalty Fares, as well as providing on board customer service and at stations too, providing customer information.