[ba747fan1]

Surreytraveller – you clearly have a grudge against HEX. There is NO monopoly – there are loads of options to transport people from Heathrow to London. As a regular user of HEX, I would have been extremely unhappy with a stopping service but the bonuis now is a reduced HEX fare for same service. Also, I can still use the tube. I really do not think you have any point due to the alternatives. Perhaps i can complain that there is only one operator on my local bus route!

[SimonS1]

ba747fan1 – sorry to hear about your bus monopoly.

I’m sure SurreyTraveller will give you a lawyer who will get their teeth into the bus company. And if all else fails you can start a petition or get a few quotes from Robert Goodwill, minister for hot air.

It might help this thread on for another 10 pages 😉

[SurreyTraveller01]

oh does your bus have the highest price per mile in the world?

Here’s a recent quote from Willie Walsh (I guess he knows a thing or two about Heathrow): “Yet again, we see a monopoly airport supplier looking to gold-plate facilities and fleece its airlines and their customers,” Rings a bell???

I have nothing against the HEX and its staff – but yes, I strongly oppose unethical business practices, customer being mislead, all made possible by a monopolistic situation.

Let’s imagine an airline, we’ll call it Monopol Airways, the high fare airline, This airline is the only one on the route between LHR and NYC (its corporate affairs and public affairs team strongly oppose the M word – surely you can fly to other cities in the US, or fly to NYC via other airports). Shock horrors, cracks are found in their business seats but no problem, plenty of economy seats available. Eureka!!! The airline, cancels all economy fares and tell its economy pax to fly to NYC via KEF (but don’t worry, because we are so kind, same fare. Just one detail half of the journey with be in a turbo prop, bit slower, in fact we’ll double the journey time for you, but hey who cares about economy passengers). Business pax are invited to the economy seats and because monopoly airways is so considerate, the seats are now sold at premium eco rates. That’s exactly what HEX did. HEX might have secured its profits, but it damaged HEX and LHR reputation – priceless! Whatever the spin you can try to put on it, it was a selfish and greedy decision.

[NTarrant]

The problem with your comparison with airlines is that there are ample aircraft available for wet lease, but there is not with railway rolling stock.

Where do you get the idea that HEX is the highest price per mile in the world?

[MrMichael]

Try the tube from Leicester Square to Covent Garden Surreytraveller. £4.90 if you pay cash, about £47 per mile, £23 per mile if you use your Oyster Card. First class roll up fare on HEX is I believe £28, so about £2 per mile.
As far as I am aware LU is the only company operating trains between those two points, although other transport options are available so I will not be calling it a monopoly. It’s a pleasant walk!

[LuganoPirate]

Seven pages so far and we seem to be going round in circles now. Clearly Surrey has a grudge and that’s fine, but I don’t think we’re going to change his mind. Time to close this thread I think or do we need to start a petition?

[KeaneJohn]

It seems that according to the HEX website the checks have now been completed and the Hex stock will start to return freeing up more of the Connect units.

Yesterday I had reason to visit LhR and travelled there by tube for the princely sum of £1 (a railcard discounted fare on top of my oystercard season ticket for going out of the paid zones that I have). I got the inter terminal transfer by HEX. It was a shambles. 4 coaches that stopped mid platform forcing people to run with their luggage. Some people did not get on the train as there was no room for them.

On arrival at LHR T5 I observed the change over and again it was like a circus and again people couldn’t get on. and of course was a half hour wait to the next service. I went to the arrivals level purchased a drink to observe a man arguing with the HEX staff for a refund after he missed the train. and would have to wait 30 mins for the next one.

I just thought of this thread.

As we know there are some people that love the HEX some people that dont. I use it ocassionally as a treat less so now. Will be interesting to see how Cross Rail changes things but I see this will only be going to Heathrow Central and Terminal 4 so a change of trains to T5. wonder how much supplement this will dictate

[Henryp1]

I like using HEX, it’s generally not crowded, clean, comfortable and a quick way into London. Taking all this into account I do find the fares to be acceptable.

[ba747fan1]

Great to see full connect service restored tomorrow and so even more choice for people – fast train, slow train, tube and coach. Good that HEX maintained a service and now mostly all back to normal.

[SimonS1]

Sounds like a good point for this thread to close.

[LuganoPirate]

Simon. +1

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