LNER airline style pricing trial, a less worse option?

[Bletchleyite]

I seem to recall, correct me if I'm wrong, that the proposed new ECML timetable includes an hourly Edinburgh "superfast" service calling at York, Newcastle and Edinburgh only?

This being the case, how about instead of this fare silliness applying to all journeys to/from those places, market that as a premium "Intercity Superfast" service or something, with fully market-priced fares and enforced compulsory reservation (and perhaps some other upgrades like free tea/coffee/water in Standard), and see how that goes, leaving the existing slower trains as they are? That'd be in line with what often goes on in mainland Europe.

If it was popular even when expensive maybe LNER would have a point. If nobody used it, let's drop this whole sorry mess ASAP.

 

[Trainbike46]

I seem to recall, correct me if I'm wrong, that the proposed new ECML timetable includes an hourly Edinburgh "superfast" service calling at York, Newcastle and Edinburgh only?

This being the case, how about instead of this fare silliness applying to all journeys to/from those places, market that as a premium "Intercity Superfast" service or something, with fully market-priced fares and enforced compulsory reservation (and perhaps some other upgrades like free tea/coffee/water in Standard), and see how that goes, leaving the existing slower trains as they are? That'd be in line with what often goes on in mainland Europe.

If it was popular even when expensive maybe LNER would have a point. If nobody used it, let's drop this whole sorry mess ASAP.

My understanding was that the faster train would replace 1 of the 2 hourly london-Edinburgh trains, so doing that could lead to overcrowding on the other remaining Edinburgh-London LNER service. Though it would be nice if they started running 3 Edinburgh services per hour the whole week.

Frankly, I think this attempt at increasing revenue by LNER is unacceptable, and (super) off-peak should be retained to cap the prices of advances; LNER should increase revenue by increasing passenger numbers (ideally in ways where the costs per passenger drops); I really don't see the market this 70-minute flex ticket is supposed to capture, and it certainly won't be simpler than an off-peak ticket

 

[Bletchleyite]

Even with the caveats I'd take DB's pricing over LNER's proposal.

I think we can expect a watered down version of the LNER trial to go nationwide, at least on point to point intercity routes. I don’t like the trial for the very reason it represents a fare rise, but I do see it as inevitable. Off Peak tickets are an anachronism and have been seen as such for over a decade, with Virgin fart-arsing about what to do with the “shoulder peak” (a complete fiction) since at least 2011.

In what way do you think it would be watered down?

The biggest thing they could change in my view that would make it tolerable, bar retaining the fare cap, would be removal of the £10 admin fee for changes. Ideally just allow refund of Advances to an evoucher so I could change to a pair of tickets for a break of journey, for instance. It's faffy but I could basically retain all my desired flexibility, just via different mechanisms.

 

[AlterEgo]

Even with the caveats I'd take DB's pricing over LNER's proposal.



In what way do you think it would be watered down?

The biggest thing they could change in my view that would make it tolerable, bar retaining the fare cap, would be removal of the £10 admin fee for changes. Ideally just allow refund of Advances to an evoucher so I could change to a pair of tickets for a break of journey, for instance. It's faffy but I could basically retain all my desired flexibility, just via different mechanisms.

I don’t anticipate the fare cap coming back. But I do think the 70min flexibility and refundability elements may be watered down as a concession.

I’d certainly hope for evoucher refunds for all non-Anytime tickets in the future. Not sure how likely that is to happen, but US airlines have been making this model work for four years now. They’re now effectively banks and can use the money held up in vouchers for their own purposes,l.

 

[island]

I’d certainly hope for evoucher refunds for all non-Anytime tickets in the future. Not sure how likely that is to happen, but US airlines have been making this model work for four years now. They’re now effectively banks and can use the money held up in vouchers for their own purposes

Much longer, in fact; it was possible even before the pandemic to cancel most bookings on US airlines and have stored ticket credit (less an "admin fee") good for one year from the original booking date.