I have been on lots of Virgin Trains East Coast services recently where the pre-departure announcement has been, for want of a slightly better word hostile. It is made while sat at Leeds and usually repeated twice, although sometimes three times. It explains that the train is today subject to ticket restrictions (like well... all trains) and customers should note that (select from Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak or both) tickets [to London - arguably waaay off the truth if that's not added] are not valid and customers with Advance tickets, available as Print at Home tickets (which must have been printed, not shown on a device screen) or tickets with 'Advance' in the top left hand corner, should note that these are valid on the booked train only. There's then a warning that people should check their tickets carefully, if they are travelling on any other service they will need to buy a new full-price ticket - the Leeds - London Terminals Anytime Single fare of £112 (although this did recently go down) is mentioned. This is probably not right either as if someone is travelling off the booked train on an EC ticket and an Off-Peak ticket is valid, they would get sold that. There then follows what sounds like a dire warning to ensure that your ticket is valid or bad things will happen and if anyone has an questions about their tickets they can come and find the guard. There is one particular train guard who even says just before departure that if your ticket is not completely valid this is your last chance to get off the train!
What follows is sometimes actually just a cursory glance at the ticket or even no ticket inspection at all. So it sounds like this announcement is actually more just bluster to create fear and doubt than anything else. It sounds as if they expect passengers to have issues with their tickets which clearly the majority don't, but I'm sure it sets people worrying who would never have any issues. By pointing out that restrictions are in place on an Off-Peak train, that clearly might make people think their Off-Peak ticket is not valid.
So I put it that the customer-friendly Virgin should ditch forthwith the approach of emphasising the risks, drawbacks and costs of rail travel by needlessly pointing out bad things that they might do to you but probably can't while the train is sat in the platform! This information isn't helpful they would know it from the ticket office; it's only going to scare people most of whom will already have valid tickets. Excessive announcements also annoy people, I thought we had plenty of evidence on that now. Lastly these announcements run contrary to the sections in the new Passenger's Charter about lost / mistaken tickets.
What follows is sometimes actually just a cursory glance at the ticket or even no ticket inspection at all. So it sounds like this announcement is actually more just bluster to create fear and doubt than anything else. It sounds as if they expect passengers to have issues with their tickets which clearly the majority don't, but I'm sure it sets people worrying who would never have any issues. By pointing out that restrictions are in place on an Off-Peak train, that clearly might make people think their Off-Peak ticket is not valid.
So I put it that the customer-friendly Virgin should ditch forthwith the approach of emphasising the risks, drawbacks and costs of rail travel by needlessly pointing out bad things that they might do to you but probably can't while the train is sat in the platform! This information isn't helpful they would know it from the ticket office; it's only going to scare people most of whom will already have valid tickets. Excessive announcements also annoy people, I thought we had plenty of evidence on that now. Lastly these announcements run contrary to the sections in the new Passenger's Charter about lost / mistaken tickets.