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LNER - compulsory reservations after July 19th

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Failed Unit

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Wasn’t sure if to add this onto existing thread - please merge if that is better, but didn’t find anything specific.

Do we know if compulsory reservations will go after “Freedom day”? Will we also get previously fully booked services reopen for new bookings to their physical maximum capacity?

To me it will be a positive improvement, but I suspect on popular routes it may upset a few that they won’t have 2 seats to themselves.
 
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Darandio

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I saw that as well, no changes planned apparently. I also saw their response to someone questioning the lack of masks in their carriage, it was to contact the BTP. Charming.
 

duncanp

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LNER tweeted yesterday that they would be staying. <(

Sounds like "COVID Creep", and by this I mean companies using COVID as an excuse to introduce unpopular and controversial changes that they have been wanting to make for a long time.

No doubt other train companies would like to do this if they thought they could get away with it.

I only hope that the advent of Great British Railways puts a stop to this sort of thing, and there is one policy which applies across the whole of the national rail network.

If I had a say in it, I would also like to get rid of the Cross Country 10 minute reservation scheme, whereby you could in theory be turfed out of a seat in the middle of a journey. At the very least, it should be changed so that no more reservations can be made on the train has departed from its origin.
 

Cambus731

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I disagree with this so much. Rail travel should be flexible and allow for spontaneity..
Especially as with the looming climate crisis its more desirable than ever to encourage rravel by rail.
 

bengley

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I saw that as well, no changes planned apparently. I also saw their response to someone questioning the lack of masks in their carriage, it was to contact the BTP. Charming.
That's technically the correct answer from them.

I personally suspect enforcement of mandatory reservations will tail off until they basically become unofficially not required not too long after 19th July.
 

Failed Unit

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Just seen a more recent update directly from LNER. They are not sure yet if they are going to 100% capacity. I hope if the mandatory reservation stays, they don’t get any revenue on shared flows. But then as dft hold the revenue risk I guess who cares if people avoid them on the short flows.
 

bengley

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Why would they not go to 100% capacity? Seems ridiculous if the social distancing rules (the entire reason for the reduced capacity) are gone.
 

Failed Unit

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Why would they not go to 100% capacity? Seems ridiculous if the social distancing rules (the entire reason for the reduced capacity) are gone.
They would struggle to justify not going to 100% capacity in my opinion. If they don’t it is sending a very bad message out.

It is ok to fly on a full aircraft.
It is ok to stand in a full pub.
it is not ok to sit on a full train

so it is almost certain in my opinion they will. They actually have a duty to the taxpayers to see as many seats as they can. The only problem I foresee is people who have purchased tickets may not be sitting next to each other (as the system wouldn’t let them) and May be sitting next to strangers. See how long it takes for dft to sort it out.
 

big_rig

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They would struggle to justify not going to 100% capacity in my opinion. If they don’t it is sending a very bad message out.

It is ok to fly on a full aircraft.
It is ok to stand in a full pub.
it is not ok to sit on a full train

so it is almost certain in my opinion they will. They actually have a duty to the taxpayers to see as many seats as they can. The only problem I foresee is people who have purchased tickets may not be sitting next to each other (as the system wouldn’t let them) and May be sitting next to strangers. See how long it takes for dft to sort it out.
Honestly I think LNER and some other operators are milking it. It doesn't seem bother to them how many people they carry or don't. Does coronavirus not take SWR long distance trains? Is there something different in the air from London to Margate as opposed to Milton Keynes or Peterborough? Of course not, yet I can and have happily bought tickets from the machine to go sit wherever on those on the day! I hope some action is taken to restore some kind of sense to the operation.
 

Ianno87

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LNER still seem to be one of the more successful long distance operators in recovering passenger numbers in spite of compulsory reservations.
 

Failed Unit

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LNER still seem to be one of the more successful long distance operators in recovering passenger numbers in spite of compulsory reservations.
My only concern was what happens when things go wrong? I found out last Thursday. It is a free for all and just get the next train that shows up. So I am actually comfortable with their policy now.

But yes London- Edinburgh is very successful now, that they are turning people away under current rules.
 
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HSTEd

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The last two times I got a "compulsory reservation" train the reservations were off because it was 5 vice 9 both times.

It's a joke, and I expect it will remain permanently.
 

Watershed

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LNER still seem to be one of the more successful long distance operators in recovering passenger numbers in spite of compulsory reservations.
That's exactly the same spurious correlation that leads the RDG and the government to spout such nonsense as "privatisation led to a doubling of passenger numbers".

The real test is where LNER passenger numbers would be without compulsory reservations. As they clearly have no intention of ever reversing that policy, we'll probably never know.
 

Crossover

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Is it not the case that LNER also have, somewhat suspiciously, an unreserved coach (Coach C, I believe)?
 

Darandio

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LNER still seem to be one of the more successful long distance operators in recovering passenger numbers in spite of compulsory reservations.

What does that even mean? How are the numbers counted?

Or is it deemed successful because their trains are classed as full even though this capacity is much reduced?
 

WelshBluebird

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What would they even consider "100% capacity" when talking about reservations? Every seat? Every seat and some standing? Every seating and people wedged in like sardines?
 

Failed Unit

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What would they even consider "100% capacity" when talking about reservations? Every seat? Every seat and some standing? Every seating and people wedged in like sardines?
I would assume every seat. No-one standing. Considering they are talking about compulsory reservations staying.
 

greyman42

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If they are going back to 100% capacity, what is the problem with passengers standing?
 

VauxhallandI

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If they are going back to 100% capacity, what is the problem with passengers standing?
Yes its not as if they were completely fine with standing before COVID by stating you aren't guaranteed a seat. Now they are saying all seats taken is full???
 

Failed Unit

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Yes its not as if they were completely fine with standing before COVID by stating you aren't guaranteed a seat. Now they are saying all seats taken is full???
”Covid full”. That is the question which we are awaiting to hear the answer to. If the train currently has 50 / 100 seats booked. Will the other 50 go on sale on freedom day.
 

Bikeman78

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The only problem I foresee is people who have purchased tickets may not be sitting next to each other (as the system wouldn’t let them) and May be sitting next to strangers.
Is it true that family groups are split across different blocks of seats? Makes no sense. A family of four would take up eight seats. No doubt if there are kids involved then they'll be back are fore across the aisle throughout the journey. It would make much more sense to book them at a table of four.
 

Failed Unit

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Is it true that family groups are split across different blocks of seats? Makes no sense. A family of four would take up eight seats. No doubt if there are kids involved then they'll be back are fore across the aisle throughout the journey. It would make much more sense to book them at a table of four.
Yes. You can then move to the same table, but I personally have not managed to book my family on the same table. I normally get 2 tables across from each other. So if it is possible to book your family on the same table of 4 I would be very interested to know how it is done. (Booking on LNER website, family railcard etc so it is fairly clear we are the same bubble)
 

Solent&Wessex

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Yes. You can then move to the same table, but I personally have not managed to book my family on the same table. I normally get 2 tables across from each other. So if it is possible to book your family on the same table of 4 I would be very interested to know how it is done. (Booking on LNER website, family railcard etc so it is fairly clear we are the same bubble)
I booked tickets for 4 people travelling together about 2 weeks ago using the LNER website and it gave me all 4 seats round the same table.
 

Bikeman78

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Yes. You can then move to the same table, but I personally have not managed to book my family on the same table. I normally get 2 tables across from each other. So if it is possible to book your family on the same table of 4 I would be very interested to know how it is done. (Booking on LNER website, family railcard etc so it is fairly clear we are the same bubble)
As I suspected. Hopefully that problem will go away after July 19th. As you say, it's pointless if the group piles into the bay of four anyway.
 

Jonny

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Are LNER keeping tha reservation displays turned off and no paper-style ones?

If so are their reservations still enforceable?
 

35B

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Are LNER keeping tha reservation displays turned off and no paper-style ones?

If so are their reservations still enforceable?
I travelled a couple of weeks ago, and the displays were on on both trains.
 

Falcon1200

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I recently bought return tickets and booked seats for two family members on LNER and their seats were together. I (travelling on a staff pass) then booked seats for myself, and on both outward and return journeys I was able to change the reservations given to seats next to the others; This was a simple process. However I fully agree that compulsory reservations on all LNER services is very much a retrograde step.
 
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