CrossCountry double booked seats

[Bletchleyite]

It’s usually one of the passengers fault. I never reserve but have had people demand they’ve booked my seat and that I should move. Every single time they’ve got it wrong whether it be wrong coach, train or that they think A after the number means the coach when actually it means ‘Airline’ style seating. I insist on scrutinising the reservation first.

I usually ask for it too. But the reason actual double booking is happening is where a train was put in and opened for sale but then cancelled (which cancels all the reservations), then reinstated (often under a different Retail Service ID) and opened for sale again. It was very common during Avanti's bad patch because they did lots of that. It's avoided by not opening trains for reservation until they're definitely going to run, but people complain if they can't book months in advance so it's a bit "rock and a hard place".

 

[dk1]

I usually ask for it too. But the reason actual double booking is happening is where a train was put in and opened for sale but then cancelled (which cancels all the reservations), then reinstated (often under a different Retail Service ID) and opened for sale again. It was very common during Avanti's bad patch because they did lots of that. It's avoided by not opening trains for reservation until they're definitely going to run, but people complain if they can't book months in advance so it's a bit "rock and a hard place".

That’ll certainly cause issues. Best to remove the reinstated service from the reservation system.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That’ll certainly cause issues. Best to remove the reinstated service from the reservation system.

Yes, if doing that it'd be best to release only counted places on the reinstated train, assuming Advances are to be sold.

 

[lordbusiness]

To maybe add fuel to the fire.....

On GA there has been no reservations since the 90s and LHCS went. I've never seen an argument over a seat since, people get on the train, find a seat and sit down.

 

[Towers]

To maybe add fuel to the fire.....

On GA there has been no reservations since the 90s and LHCS went. I've never seen an argument over a seat since, people get on the train, find a seat and sit down.

Quite! Filed under ‘more trouble than it’s worth’ along with quiet coaches!

 

[Adam Williams]

I usually ask for it too. But the reason actual double booking is happening is where a train was put in and opened for sale but then cancelled (which cancels all the reservations), then reinstated (often under a different Retail Service ID) and opened for sale again. It was very common during Avanti's bad patch because they did lots of that. It's avoided by not opening trains for reservation until they're definitely going to run, but people complain if they can't book months in advance so it's a bit "rock and a hard place".

The solution to me is a robust system for notifying retailers when their customer's reservations are changed or cancelled (perhaps we could call this project "Retailer Alerts"!), along with a culture change in train planning such that during e.g. strike action services get modified correctly rather than re-created.

 

[dk1]

To maybe add fuel to the fire.....

On GA there has been no reservations since the 90s and LHCS went. I've never seen an argument over a seat since, people get on the train, find a seat and sit down.

Apologies I read that wrong.

The 745s are fully equipped for electronic seat reservations that have been extensively tested & proven to work. GA has chosen not to use them.

 

[alistairlees]

The solution to me is a robust system for notifying retailers when their customer's reservations are changed or cancelled (perhaps we could call this project "Retailer Alerts"!), along with a culture change in train planning such that during e.g. strike action services get modified correctly rather than re-created.

Some radical ideas there

 

[185]

Interesting one I heard of a few months ago. Passenger complaining about double booking, refusing to let guard scan their tickets. Turns out they'd refunded them 10 mins after purchase and still wanted the same seats and a free ride... ?!?

Report for prosecution lol

 

[route101]

To maybe add fuel to the fire.....

On GA there has been no reservations since the 90s and LHCS went. I've never seen an argument over a seat since, people get on the train, find a seat and sit down.

I prefer it that way. I guess the GA services are shorter and more regular and thus seat reservations are not much of a deal.

 

[dk1]

I prefer it that way. I guess the GA services are shorter and more regular and thus seat reservations are not much of a deal.

The Intercity GA services are the same length but with many more seats.

 

[Royston Vasey]

The Intercity GA services are the same length but with many more seats.

I think the poster meant distance.

 

[py_megapixel]

On Westbahn in Austria I think they sell all their tickets with reservations. However, Interrail passholders are permitted to board without a reservation and sit in a vacant seat, and in this case, the attendant checks the pass then updates the reservation system to prevent the passenger from being kicked out of their seat by a later booking.

It's quite a good system - the main disadvantage is that it slows down the ticket check somewhat (the attendant has to use their tablet to scan a barcode for the relevant seat and then enter the passenger's journey details) - but this isn't such a concern for Westbahn as they have several attendants on each train and plenty of time between stops.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I prefer it that way. I guess the GA services are shorter and more regular and thus seat reservations are not much of a deal.

GA isn't really much different from Chiltern or the LNR fasts, which did have reservations once but they were rapidly found to be a bit of a pain and dropped. Norwich was in InterCity but that is for historic reasons really.

 

[route101]

GA isn't really much different from Chiltern or the LNR fasts, which did have reservations once but they were rapidly found to be a bit of a pain and dropped. Norwich was in InterCity but that is for historic reasons really.

Longer distance Southwest railway services are the same too.

 

[Zamracene749]

Longer distance Southwest railway services are the same too.

Don't I know it. I recently bought a 1st class Southampton- Durham ticket. Boarded the train to Waterloo, sat down in a nice free window seat, put my sandwich and soft drink on the table and settled in.
Got up to use the toilet after Winchester. When I came back, my unopened food, pop, earphones and newspaper had been shifted across the aisle and a snotty looking middle aged woman was in the seat that I had been sitting in. I looked at her, she scowled at me and I just didn't have the energy to argue, so I took an aisle seat next to another passenger who had witnessed it all, we ended up laughing it off!
My poi9nt being, yes none reservable trains can work but they can be a pain in the behind if you travel alone!

 

[QueensCurve]

With Cross-Country’s official policy of allowing you to reserve a seat someone is already sitting in, I doubt that would always help. (I’m not referring to double booking but the appalling ability to reserve a seat once the train has departed - ie pay to kick someone out of a seat.)

Yes. That is dreadful particularly in a 4 car set. The inspection of the reservation display at every station followed by an absurd game of musical chairs. I don't advocate capital punishment, but I would make an exception for whoever dreampt up that bright idea.

 

[jayah]

To maybe add fuel to the fire.....

On GA there has been no reservations since the 90s and LHCS went. I've never seen an argument over a seat since, people get on the train, find a seat and sit down.

That is because on GA to Norwich there are often 5 passengers per coach and on XC there are often 50 standing in each coach.