Domestic competition for BA!
Back to Forum- This topic has 11 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 30 Jul 2015
at 09:54 by jamesay.
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openflyParticipantI’ve just travelled First Class on Virgin Trains to Glasgow. Verrrry good! A quiet Quiet Coach, a full hot breakfast, a light lunch and a toasted sandwich before disembarking. Great friendly crew and on time, in the centre of Glasgow. The trip was booked 48 hours before travel for £30 yes £30. Amazing value. No battle with tubes, T5, security….! And the wifi worked for the whole journey.
Thanks Virgin, you have certainly improved.25 Jul 2015
at 13:25
seasonedtravellerParticipantOpenfly
Just out of interest, how did your total (home to hotel or office) journey time compare to flying from LHR?
The ability to work on the train journey is of equal importance in my estimation.
25 Jul 2015
at 14:57
AnthonyDunnParticipantHaving just booked a return advance First Class for a forthcoming trip to the Lake District for just over £100 each, I too can vouch for having had very agreeable previous travel experiences on Virgin West Coast. If booked far enough in advance, it’s normally possible to find very decent fares.
25 Jul 2015
at 15:42
openflyParticipantSeasonedtraveller….if I had used public transport home to LHR/LGW, one hour at the airport, flight time and GLA airport to centre, it would be a close run thing! But, one of the delights on the train was the view of the countryside particularly through Lancashire, the Lake District and the hills of Southern Scotland. A lovely experience for £30.
25 Jul 2015
at 21:12
AsiaFrequentFlyerParticipantEdinburgh to London on Weekend First for 25quid extra pay on board. Single one way was 55 + 25. Not bad. Good seat. Free WiFi. Newspapers, plenty tea, coffee & soft drinks plus sandwiches, crisps and cake. Nice way to travel if you have the time (4hrs 45mins). Just check before you book. Select first class and make sure there are plenty of seats available then grab a seat in first on boarding. Always elderly seats available so single travelers should have no problem. This said table was filthy and toilet kind of grim.
25 Jul 2015
at 23:16
canuckladParticipantGood Sunday morning to you Openfly
It’s great that you’ve had a positive experience on our rail network , and for that matter Anthony and AFA too..
Sadly, these good experiences in my opinion are few and very,very far apart. This is my normal experience, best related by my business travel in the last few weeks……..Let’s start with the fare…….£279 Standard Class return, Uphall to Derby and unable to reserve seats on the inbound journey…..
No free WiFi
Faulty electricity sockets…….Laptop redundant
Squeezed airline seating ……Making Laptop usage nigh impossible…..
Faulty manky pull down tables…….
Toilets as featured in the film Slum Dog millionaire …..
A very overpriced catering service that stops 2 hours before its ultimate destination…….
£2.30 for a lukewarm black coffee, and no sandwiches ,plus on the 2nd trip through, no change,no working machine so no business from me…this was a midday service ……
Or no trolley service at all due to overcrowding……
Stopping in the middle of nowhere endlessly,making you wish for the times it’s moves at a slow crawl through our green fields. Thus making my travel time longer than it takes to cross the Atlantic…..
Surly and by the book, condescending conductors that do nothing to promote tourism in Britain ( will balance this point by saying mostly helpful and cheerful is the norm,but have experienced too many bad apples) …..
Overflowing rubbish bins…I could continue my rant, but the rare morning Scottish sunshine is streaming through my bedroom window eliminating my hangover and raising my spirits……So, i’ll finish with this final point….If my company allowed me to book the equivalent first class fare it would have been in excess of £600 , and last week due to a faulty heating system,the first class carriage was unbearably hot……
Oh……Did I mention my fellow passengers. : )
26 Jul 2015
at 06:36
openflyParticipantOh Canucklad….what dismal experience. There is obviously a massive difference between standard and First Class. In fact your experience seems to reflect previous complaints about BA domestic!!
Up until two years ago I used Virgin Trains from London to Manchester every month and the standards got worse by the month in First.
I think that the reason I posted my experience on here was that the First service had improved so much and at an unbelievably low fare. Maybe I was just lucky.26 Jul 2015
at 07:39
StephenLondonParticipantOpenfly – great to hear you had a super trip. Alas, I think you were very lucky as most of my “less than 7-day advance purchase” fares have been well north of £300 on a good day. Trains are less than clean, crew tend to be very friendly. Weekend catering hardly available and if you are lucky you can tempt your palate with an onion bhaji baguette. Hmmmmm. Buy a Euromillions ticket this week, and let’s hope your luck continues!
26 Jul 2015
at 11:39
openflyParticipant@StephenLondon I won’t buy a Lotto ticket this week. I won last week….£25!!!
26 Jul 2015
at 12:16
jamesayParticipant@ canucklad. Your tales are painfully familiar. My decision to fly in Uk is based on a no brainer….
the fact that .
a. on a flight one is likely to be stuck with annoying PXs for less than 1 hour.
b. on a train, the chances of being surrounded by noisy, space hogging, mobile chattering tw*ts (even in First or the laughably labelled “Quiet Coach”) could potentially last over the 5 hour mark. Trying the patience of a Saint.
Simple.30 Jul 2015
at 09:54 -
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