I've read reports of "aggressive staff" on Heathrow Connect. I've not yet used the service so I was wondering if anyone here has, and what their perception is?
Can anyone else share their experiences?
CJB on [url said:news://uk.railway]Being[/url] in the travel industry it is about time pressure was put on First
Great Western Link / BAA to do something about lightening up the
aggressive tone of the announcements to passengers on the new Heathrow Connect trains.
The actual tone is from an aggressive male - what happened to the sexy
female announcements on the London Underground and National Rail
Southern / SWT services?
However the MAIN issue of concern is the announcement that if
passengers do not have the correct ticket then they may be issued with
a penalty fare. This simply is not customer friendly towards overseas
visitors who do not understand the British penchant for penalty fares
on our trains. It is also arrogant in the assumption that passengers
want to ride for free. However it does not make allowance for
passengers wishing to purchase tickets on board.
We have travelled on such special airport services in Oslo and also in
Stockholm. On these, especially in Sweden, the announcements are
friendly, the staff are helpful, and it is possible to purchase tickets
on board. They do NOT have aggressive announcements warning of the
imposition of penalty fares if the correct tickets are not purchased
before boarding. Neither do they have intimidating and aggressive
revenue protection staff as they do on First Great Western Link
services.
Over the years I have witnessed many hapless and unwitting overseas
tourists being harassed and bullied by jobsworth ticket railway
inspectors and also bus drivers. However the new Heathrow Connect
service has to be the very worst at this.
Can anyone else share their experiences?