At JFK in New York if you want to leave the airport by subway or railroad you are charged $8.25 as your leave the free Airtrain people mover. You pay your subway or train fare on top.I can’t think of another airport I have visited abroad that has the amount of bull**** you witness at the likes of Heathrow and Gatwick to try and entrap you into higher fares.
Oslo and Vienna airports have the same situation with a dedicated airport train on the same route being about double the price but only marginally slower. Not sure about entrapment but the local options there are not advertised.I can’t think of another airport I have visited abroad that has the amount of bull**** you witness at the likes of Heathrow and Gatwick to try and entrap you into higher fares.
At JFK in New York if you want to leave the airport by subway or railroad you are charged $8.25 as your leave the free Airtrain people mover. You pay your subway or train fare on top.
Paris Orly has the prominent €9.70 Orlyval to Antony RER station, and a tiny seemingly-forgotten tram stop in a corner somewhere that gets you to the edge of the metro 7 line for €2. Significant difference in journey times, though - more of a HEx/Piccadilly situation than a HEx/Crossrail situation.I can’t think of another airport I have visited abroad that has the amount of bull**** you witness at the likes of Heathrow and Gatwick to try and entrap you into higher fares.
The railway is heavily subsidised. There might be an argument for subsidy for a social railway but there certainly isn't an argument to subsidise people on business trips and going on foreign holidays, so if they are charged more for a dedicated service there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It isn't as though Gatwick Airport stops aren't displayed on the departure board for other services. They are and the photo in the OP is just a specially selected partial photo of the departure board to try and make a point.To repeat it’s completely the right thing to do if there’s no fare differential (and a 15 min service as was the case when the Gatwick Express was originally introduced). It’s completely wrong now.
There might be an argument for subsidy for a social railway but there certainly isn't an argument to subsidise people on business trips and going on foreign holidays
I travelled through London Victoria on Sunday and took a look at the departure board. The alphabetical list of stations in the "Next fastest direct train to" section does not include Gatwick Airport [GTW]. However, there is a large panel to the left of that list stating "Your next Gatwick Express train". I took the attached photo at 1240: the next "Gatwick Express" (sic) train is stated as "18mins". Although the platform had not yet been announced when I took the picture, this was clearly referring to the 1259 "Gatwick Express" service from platform 14. This service is timetabled to arrive at GTW at 1329, 30 minutes after departure. However, the train I caught, the Southern-branded service at 1246 would have given an earlier arrival - at 1317.
Many of us are well aware of the dubious advantages of the Gatwick Express-branded services, perhaps a 1-minute advantage in journey time (at the risk of an increased fare for the unwary) - but I was honestly taken aback how the departure boards might be seen to collaborate to lure the Gatwick-bound unaware to the "Gatwick Express" gateline.
(Image inserted as thumbnail shows part of the London Victoria departure board on Sunday 28th May.)
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When was this? Do you know who they were employed by / representing? And what was the price? is anyone here in a position to buy one of these tickets?At Pisa Airport I witnessed a lady working the queue boarding a Gatwick flight. She was selling tickets for the Gatwick Express hoping to find passengers who had never been to Gatwick presumably
It hasn't been a dedicated service for years!The railway is heavily subsidised. There might be an argument for subsidy for a social railway but there certainly isn't an argument to subsidise people on business trips and going on foreign holidays, so if they are charged more for a dedicated service there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
The point stands with or without a wide-angle panoramic view! In contrast, none of your points stand to scrutiny, in my opinion.It isn't as though Gatwick Airport stops aren't displayed on the departure board for other services. They are and the photo in the OP is just a specially selected partial photo of the departure board to try and make a point.
Not even that, ever if you just use the 13/14 gateline, luckily if a non GX train goes from those platforms they say to use other gatelines to avoid getting incorrectly chargedIn order to be charged the premium, you just have to use platforms 13/14.
sometimes say!Not even that, ever if you just use the 13/14 gateline, luckily if a non GX train goes from those platforms they say to use other gatelines to avoid getting incorrectly charged
Fair point, luckily I've rarely had the 'pleasure' of Southern from Victoria, never 13/14 thoughsometimes say!
Vaguely recall, on an inbound domestic flight into Gatwick Airport some years ago, and not necessarily operated by British Airways, that (full price?) Gatwick Express single rail tickets were available from the onboard crew. This was offered as a "beat the ticket queue" service. Was over a decade ago, mind you.When was this? Do you know who they were employed by / representing? And what was the price? is anyone here in a position to buy one of these tickets?
I think only Easyjet do this route and their website says 20% discount on Gatwick Express so it could be part of that arrangementWhen was this? Do you know who they were employed by / representing? And what was the price? is anyone here in a position to buy one of these tickets?
Do you have a link please?I think only Easyjet do this route and their website says 20% discount on Gatwick Express so it could be part of that arrangement
Which also raises the question of whether you can avoid the premium even if it is a GX train - is there some sort of removable barrier? I wasn’t aware of the PAYG rules having any notion of tapping in in the wrong place.Not even that, ever if you just use the 13/14 gateline, luckily if a non GX train goes from those platforms they say to use other gatelines to avoid getting incorrectly charged
I can't see a version in English! I have quoted the relevant section belowDo you have a link please?
It's not mentioned at https://www.easyjet.com/en/help/preparing-to-fly/gatwick-airport
translated from the easyjet website said:If you are traveling to or from central London, Gatwick Express offers a fast and regular service between London Victoria Station and Gatwick Airport. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and if you buy your train tickets immediately after booking your easyJet flight by clicking on the link on the confirmation page, you can save up to 20% on regular fares. Nothing could be easier or more practical to collect your tickets. Simply insert the credit card used during payment (or your confirmation number) into the vending machines located in Gatwick and Victoria and your tickets will be printed immediately.
Please note that to benefit from these exceptional prices, you must book your train tickets immediately after having booked your flight, by clicking on the Gatwick Express link on the booking page which will be displayed with your easyJet confirmation number and information on your flight.
For more information on this service, call +44 (0) 845 850 1530.
So your argument is people shouldn't be shown the fastest services to their destination is that right? Where else does that apply?A few minutes here or there doesn't matter to any reasonable airport passenger.
Well for a start this is wrong. It's not dedicated. These are the only fast services to Brighton most of the time and nearly all of them serve somewhere other than just London Victoria abd Gatwick Airport.Gatwick has its own dedicated service so they direct Gatwick passengers onto those services keeping all other services free of huge amounts of luggage blocking doors and gangways. What's the issue?
Was that webpage last updated some time around 2007?I can't see a version in English! I have quoted the relevant section below albeit in French.
I think that this is something you've just made up to make yourself sound good.There might be an argument for subsidy for a social railway but there certainly isn't an argument to subsidise people on business trips and going on foreign holidays, so if they are charged more for a dedicated service there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Indeed; it states there will be a link in the booking confirmation email but I see no evidence of that still being the case today.Was that webpage last updated some time around 2007?
There is also a sign above the gate line telling people to use the other, correct, gates but that’s only useful if people look at itsometimes say!
That's bad, but unsurprising considering the well-known Gatwick Express methods. I was looking at this board the other day; I never noticed the Gatwick issue, but I find it amazing they feel the need to have Carshalton and Carshalton Beeches as well as Crystal Palace and Gipsy Hill, but not a single station between Sydenham & London Bridge, including London Bridge itself.
Supermarkets do it ALL the time. When I worked in retail, the way in which we advertised products would be considered a scam 24/7. Retail are the Kings of customer manipulation.
sometimes say!
A Gatwick Express uniform? How can Gatwick Express afford to have staff at airports around the world?In reply to Yorkie, the lady at Pisa Airport was in a proper uniform and I am sure an agent of Gatwick Express. As I did not buy a ticket I do not know what she was charging.
I would be surprised if they were actually wearing GX uniform in Pisa!A Gatwick Express uniform?
They were described as being an "agent" (of GTR); I refer you to this definition:How can Gatwick Express afford to have staff at airports around the world?
a person who is paid to buy or sell products or provide a service for a company, but who is not a regular employee:
I would be surprised if they were actually wearing GX uniform in Pisa!
I’ve had the on board crew pushing tickets for the Gatwick Express fairly often on my travels en route back to LGW (EasyJet).
Most people from Victoria aren't going beyond Crystal Palace.