I’m not sure about the Academy Street/Union Street lounge, as I very rarely use it, but remember that there will be residual first class bookings in the system (from people who booked some time ago, or when it was thought that the new stock with Club en-suite rooms would be in use). I used the Highlander last week on a Club Ticket (bought in expectation of the new stock) and all rooms were made up with both bunks, but Club passengers still got the complimentary toiletries and the complimentary breakfast with a reserved place in the lounge.
In the evenings, the Highlander lounge is (based entirely on last week’s observations) a complete free-for-all; staff are not even allowed to save tables for regulars at the moment in the evenings, so they tell me. Basically, if you want a table, just get there early, regardless of what class you are travelling. The nonsensical ban on sharing tables with strangers also seems to have been done away with, at least for now, as the old-school team leaders both northbound and southbound (Scottish crews both ways) told guests just to ‘plonk themselves anywhere’. Heading north to Spean Bridge, I had a fantastic conversation with a lovely Norwegian businessman heading to Aberdeen; heading south from Inverness, I sat opposite a man who was so engrossed in his laptop he didn’t so much as acknowledge me when I greeted him, not that I minded. It’s just good that the limited space in the lounge is being used sensibly. I have been told that a reservation system may be introduced around the end of the year, once the new stock is running well on all routes, but that the lounge will remain a free-for-all for as long as the old stock is still used.
Another unpopular policy- the check-in system- has now been changed, at least for the Highlander. The chaotic queueing system has been replaced by a system whereby you check in with your dedicated carriage host, as in First Group days. The only difference is that you still fill in a card for your breakfast order. However, this card is now given to you by the host when you check in (to make sure that you have the right card for the class of travel which you booked, as first class passengers often found standard class order cards in their berths) rather than you finding it in your berth.
It’s almost like someone in senior management has been looking through this thread...Perhaps lots of passengers had given similar feedback. Either way, I think it’s a positive step and it does show (I think) that management are listening to (and taking seriously) legitimate concerns from passengers and staff.