Avanti First class experience.

[Scotrail314209]

I notice Avanti have got a "Summer First Class menu" on their website now, which I like the look of, but..

Even with the usual very good (imo) hot breakfast menu, I certainly wouldn't call it good value for money, considering the large premiums being charged for First Class tickets compared with Standard Premium. At the very least I think they should offer a high quality hot meal service in the evening (or even all day).

Oh hallelujah, they've finally ditched some of the vegan/vegetarian options. The previous menu was practically catered to it.

Not that it's a bad thing, but it did make the dishes sound extremely bland and boring.

 

[williamn]

The price differential*, to me, would necessitate an experience like Italo's Club Executive Class, not Standard Premium plus free drinks and about £1 worth of food. It really is exceptionally poor value.

* Ignoring Seatfrog which is a minority pursuit.

And a more consistent experience. Some crews are amazing and do prossecco and crisps after you board, and let you take your time ordering, some don't offer a pre meal snack and give you impression they just want the service to be over as soon as is possible.

I only upgrade using Seatfrog now as buying First outright is too expensive. As others have noted pricing doesn't seem tailored to demand. On Friday I was on the 18.40 Glasgow to Euston, usually a pretty quiet train. Standard was actually busy (maybe due to the train being part of the Rail Sale, my ticket in standard was an amazing £25), but First was 100% empty on departure, and Seat Frog upgrades hadn't been available on it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And a more consistent experience. Some crews are amazing and do prossecco and crisps after you board, and let you take your time ordering, some don't offer a pre meal snack and give you impression they just want the service to be over as soon as is possible.

Absolutely. At that fare, the service should, like premium airline service, be bordering on deferential - that is the passenger gets what they want when they want and nothing reasonable is considered too much effort. Any staff not happy with that need to find a new job in a chain restaurant or similar.

 

[Furrball]

Glasgow to Euston (using our complimentary tickets given when Avanti were handing them out like sweetsnin response to complaints)

Most seats occupied

Service totally underwhelming

3 X hot drink runs on the whole journey
Only 1 booze run south of Preston
Tables not cleared after food service until well over 30 mins everyone had finished
Tables cleared and service stopped 45 mins before expected arrival time

 

[james4578]

Absolutely. At that fare, the service should, like premium airline service, be bordering on deferential - that is the passenger gets what they want when they want and nothing reasonable is considered too much effort. Any staff not happy with that need to find a new job in a chain restaurant or similar.

And a more consistent experience. Some crews are amazing and do prossecco and crisps after you board, and let you take your time ordering, some don't offer a pre meal snack and give you impression they just want the service to be over as soon as is possible.

I only upgrade using Seatfrog now as buying First outright is too expensive. As others have noted pricing doesn't seem tailored to demand. On Friday I was on the 18.40 Glasgow to Euston, usually a pretty quiet train. Standard was actually busy (maybe due to the train being part of the Rail Sale, my ticket in standard was an amazing £25), but First was 100% empty on departure, and Seat Frog upgrades hadn't been available on it.

First class with Avanti seems a bit hit and miss , even if should at least have some perks. used the premium service with Virgin on occasions but currently intending to visit London for the first time since 2019 in July. Welcome a quieter carriage and would likely want to book 1st class at least one way (from Glasgow) but wondering if should wait till know information on strike days,cannot leave it too long though. However monitoring Avanti for the past week few additional first class seats have been sold in that time frame. However would be challenging if a train was cancelled at short notice.

 

[james4578]

Glasgow to Euston (using our complimentary tickets given when Avanti were handing them out like sweetsnin response to complaints)

Most seats occupied

Service totally underwhelming

3 X hot drink runs on the whole journey
Only 1 booze run south of Preston
Tables not cleared after food service until well over 30 mins everyone had finished
Tables cleared and service stopped 45 mins before expected arrival time

Hardly a great experience, so how many drinks did you have in total?

 

[Furrball]

2 cups of tea and a not very cold beer

 

[greyman42]

2 cups of tea and a not very cold beer

You would think that they would be able to keep beer in a fridge for first class passengers.

 

[james4578]

2 cups of tea and a not very cold beer

somewhat substandard, so only one alcohol /soft drinks round.

 

[Furrball]

somewhat substandard, so only one alcohol /soft drinks round.

Two soft drinks runs but as was 0940 departure, alcohol only from Preston

The ability to serve cold drinks in first class actually cold has been a long standing issue....

 

[james4578]

Two soft drinks runs but as was 0940 departure, alcohol only from Preston

The ability to serve cold drinks in first class actually cold has been a long standing issue....

oh right, you would think they would have sorted real cold drinks by now.

 

[greyman42]

Two soft drinks runs but as was 0940 departure, alcohol only from Preston

The ability to serve cold drinks in first class actually cold has been a long standing issue....

Seriously, has anyone any idea what the issue is?

 

[Jimini]

Seriously, has anyone any idea what the issue is?

Maybe they haven't been officially trained up on the new fridges yet

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

As if the only current hot option on the “enhanced” evening menu is a pimped up Ham & Cheese Toastie.
Croque Monsieur, if you will. More like Crap Monstrosity.

Non, Merci. Au Revoir. Bonjour, British Airways.

 

[py_megapixel]

As if the only current hot option on the “enhanced” evening menu is a pimped up Ham & Cheese Toastie.
Croque Monsieur, if you will. More like Crap Monstrosity.

Non, Merci. Au Revoir. Bonjour, British Airways.

Or you could just slum it in Standard like the rest of us and buy a nice meal when you get there

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Or you could just slum it in Standard like the rest of us and buy a nice meal when you get there

I went up to Manchester in Standard Premium from Stoke taking an hour due to diversion (no guard to take the upgrade fare, lucky me) and back down to Gloucester by CrossCountry Standard when returning to Cardiff. Had an M&S picnic on board both ways. Rather pleasant actually.

Both reducing the capacity drastically and decreasing the quality of service have shifted me away from first class travel.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As if the only current hot option on the “enhanced” evening menu is a pimped up Ham & Cheese Toastie.
Croque Monsieur, if you will. More like Crap Monstrosity.

Non, Merci. Au Revoir. Bonjour, British Airways.

Have you seen that "First Class" "breakfast" BA were serving that is all over Twitter?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I went up to Manchester in Standard Premium from Stoke taking an hour due to diversion (no guard to take the upgrade fare, lucky me) and back down to Gloucester by CrossCountry Standard when returning to Cardiff. Had an M&S picnic on board both ways. Rather pleasant actually.

Both reducing the capacity drastically and decreasing the quality of service have shifted me away from first class travel.

I would still like to see Avanti drop SP - but then also drop the complimentaries from 1st other than maybe tea, coffee and water and price it down to the SP price. That is, make it Euro 1st, the "hard product" (which is pretty good) at about 1.5 times the relevant Standard fare.

Do that and I'll go 1st every time.

 

[Butts]

Have you seen that "First Class" "breakfast" BA were serving that is all over Twitter?

Only a sucker has that - far better to fly Economy and have one in the 1st Class Lounge at T5

 

[Butts]

I went up to Manchester in Standard Premium from Stoke taking an hour due to diversion (no guard to take the upgrade fare, lucky me) and back down to Gloucester by CrossCountry Standard when returning to Cardiff. Had an M&S picnic on board both ways. Rather pleasant actually.

Both reducing the capacity drastically and decreasing the quality of service have shifted me away from first class travel.

You forgot to mention restricting Lounge Access to 1 Hour Before and massively hiking the prices.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

You forgot to mention restricting Lounge Access to 1 Hour Before and massively hiking the prices.

I've already said I find it impossible to believe anyone can spend over an hour in one of their lounges without getting morbidly bored, but I'm with you on the second.

 

[Butts]

I've already said I find it impossible to believe anyone can spend over an hour in one of their lounges without getting morbidly bored, but I'm with you on the second.

Euston is the best I've been in recently, easy to pop out for a smoke as well.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Euston is the best I've been in recently, easy to pop out for a smoke as well.

What happens if you don't smoke? How easy is it then to pop out?

 

[Butts]

What happens if you don't smoke? How easy is it then to pop out?

Indeed quite simple

I was referring to it's location before the barriers "landside" hence no faffing about going in and out.