Avanti West Coast: Standard Premium

[class17]

From The Times today, Saturday 10 July 2021 (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pay-an-extra-75-to-travel-in-peace-you-bet-we-will-xwq35jc8t):

I am not sure I understand this, is this a summary of what she is saying?

Previously - Paid £45 for family to sit in First with accompanying complementary food/drink.
Now - Paid £75 for family to sit in Standard Premium with out the complementary food/drink.

I expect this is a weekday journey, but it doesn't state that.

 

[mmh]

I am not sure I understand this, is this a summary of what she is saying?

Previously - Paid £45 for family to sit in First with accompanying complementary food/drink.
Now - Paid £75 for family to sit in Standard Premium with out the complementary food/drink.

I expect this is a weekday journey, but it doesn't state that.

It does state that it was at the weekend.

 

[jfollows]

I am not sure I understand this, is this a summary of what she is saying?

My post includes the complete text of the article in today's paper (on the subject of this thread) which I quoted as well as gave a link to because it's behind a "paywall".

 

[jon0844]

If I wanted to be pedantic about that Times article, you don't even get the first class antimacassar in standard premium! You're literally paying for a bigger seat and more room, which in my experience rather a lot of people seem happy to pay for (I expect at the end of a busy day of work or a holiday, people will treat themselves and won't consider £15-25 too bad for 4 or 5 hours of their time).

I've used the at-seat service just once, and it was delivered very quickly but an item was missing and I didn't fancy a 5-car walk to the shop to say so.. and it was then I discovered that there's no way via the website to report a problem. All you get is a phone number for customer service, which didn't seem a good choice on a train that has poor mobile reception at the best of times.. so I wrote it off (it was a fizzy drink I could survive without).

Nevertheless, I can see this being more popular than walking to the cafe bar - especially when trains get busier again.

 

[Journeyman]

I am not sure I understand this, is this a summary of what she is saying?

Previously - Paid £45 for family to sit in First with accompanying complementary food/drink.
Now - Paid £75 for family to sit in Standard Premium with out the complementary food/drink.

I expect this is a weekday journey, but it doesn't state that.

What it's saying is it is worth the money for quiet and extra space. That's a no-brainer.

 

[jon0844]

What it's saying is it is worth the money for quiet and extra space. That's a no-brainer.

Not necessarily quiet though!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Good Morning: 1M07 0630 Glasgow-Euston has no Standard Premium Service, please advise customers before joining the train. (message from today- Saturday 10th July)

Also similar message a day or two ago on an early morning Glasgow to London service- both trains were 9-car Pendolinos.

I'm surprised if Avanti have managed to fill First Class on a Saturday, given the lack of cheap upgrades available at weekends now. Or is it a sign of how little capacity First Class has now?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

From The Times today, Saturday 10 July 2021 (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pay-an-extra-75-to-travel-in-peace-you-bet-we-will-xwq35jc8t):

For many people £75 is a weeks income (universal credit).

 

[jon0844]

For many people £75 is a weeks income (universal credit).

And? There's no obligation to upgrade.

 

[Newshound Mutt]

All it is is first class without the free grub. It's a crafty way of getting the 1st class carriages used during the week when normally they would be empty. But that's not a bad thing because it will free space in standard. I still think it's very poor value for money though

 

[class17]

What it's saying is it is worth the money for quiet and extra space. That's a no-brainer.

So pre Standard Premium on a weekend journey, she paid £45 for the family (£15 each Weekend First supplement), which gave her a first class carriage and complementary food/drink.

Post Standard Premium on a weekend journey, she pays £75 for the family (£25 each Standard Premium supplement), which gives her a first class carriage and without complementary food drink.

That to me doesn’t seem to be a good outcome for her, which is the bit I don’t understand why the change from Weekend Supplement to Standard Premium is a good idea for her.

I fully understand why Standard Premium is now a good option for her faced with the options of:

• Crowded Standard Class
• Quiet Standard Premium in a first class carriage (for just £15 per person)
• First Class, more expensive than Standard Premium

I think the previous option of Weekend First offered a better/less expensive option for the passenger, but I can see the advantage to the train company, as in this instance, it has generated extra revenue and reduced the need to provide additional catering facilities.

Apologies if I am reading too much into what appears to be a casual blog post.

 

[142blue]

It's not been £15 for years, certainly not on Manchester services

 

[Trackman]

It's not been £15 for years, certainly not on Manchester services

Last one on the Manchester was £25 I think, same price as Standard premium now.

 

[Butts]

I was looking ahead at Journeys from SAD to EUS and it seems to me Standard Premium is the same price Advanced 1st Class used to be roughly.

So effectively the cost of 1st Class has increased to the extent it is almost double the amount prior to the introduction of the new middle option.

Looks like the days of 1st Class cheapo travel has gone on Avanti.

 

[zwk500]

Looks like the days of 1st Class cheapo travel has gone on Avanti.

Was this not largely the point? Standard premium covers the 'just a little bit more' segment of the market leaving "proper" First to be target at higher ends of the market.

 

[Butts]

Was this not largely the point? Standard premium covers the 'just a little bit more' segment of the market leaving "proper" First to be target at higher ends of the market.

It does not make it any more palatable for "freeloaders" like me !!

If they had improved the 1st Class Offering it may have had more validity/credibility as a "half way house"

 

[Bletchleyite]

It does not make it any more palatable for "freeloaders" like me !!

If they had improved the 1st Class Offering it may have had more validity/credibility as a "half way house"

They are planning to improve the "proper" 1st offering, and charge more for it accordingly.

 

[Butts]

They are planning to improve the "proper" 1st offering, and charge more for it accordingly.

Are we talking about BA Club Standard onboard and in the Lounges ?

If this happens will Standard Premium gain some freebies - tea/coffee/biscuits ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are we talking about BA Club Standard onboard and in the Lounges ?

No details have been published yet that I know of.

If this happens will Standard Premium gain some freebies - tea/coffee/biscuits ?

No.

 

[tspaul26]

If this happens will Standard Premium gain some freebies - tea/coffee/biscuits ?

Image shows clip from the film Caddyshack with the subtitle “You’ll get nothing and like it!”

 

[Trackman]

Are we talking about BA Club Standard onboard and in the Lounges ?

There was a survey not long back with sample menus, it was all very fancy.
In fact I don’t think there was a ‘normal’ dish on it and I’ve never heard of most of the dishes but I do remember a ‘Manchester egg’ as I had a google about it, which is basically a black pudding pickled scotch egg.

 

[eroded]

Hello from Standard Premium on today's 10:20 EUS-MAN (the first off-peak departure).

Standard class is rammed (every seat reserved), so have upgraded to Standard Premium.

One consideration that I'm not sure has been discussed - the First Class PA system still plays in Standard Premium carriage G, so we are told about the First Class menu offering that won't be served.

I can see this resulting in disappointment/confusion - I wonder if they will be able to disconnect the carriage from the First class PA?

So we're now at Milton Keynes and the guard hasn't taken payments yet. So some bloke has just got off here without paying at all!

 

[yorkie]

Hello from Standard Premium on today's 10:20 EUS-MAN (the first off-peak departure).

Standard class is rammed (every seat reserved), so have upgraded to Standard Premium.

One consideration that I'm not sure has been discussed - the First Class PA system still plays in Standard Premium carriage G, so we are told about the First Class menu offering that won't be served.

I can see this resulting in disappointment/confusion - I wonder if they will be able to disconnect the carriage from the First class PA?

That's a major oversight in my opinion

So we're now at Milton Keynes and the guard hasn't taken payments yet. So some bloke has just got off here without paying at all!

How do you know they didn't pay? Did they say something?

It does not make it any more palatable for "freeloaders" like me !!

That's probably the intention!

People getting really cheap 1st tickets and asking for as many freebies as possible are hardly good for business

 

[eroded]

How do you know they didn't pay? Did they say something?

I was first to board the carriage, and to the best of my knowledge it's not yet bookable in advance?

But yes I suppose he could have purchased an upgrade from the guard on the platform before departure or something theoretically...

 

[yorkie]

I was first to board the carriage, and to the best of my knowledge it's not yet bookable in advance?

But yes I suppose he could have purchased an upgrade from the guard on the platform before departure or something theoretically...

I believe it's not uncommon for train crew travelling as passengers to be placed there too.

 

[Journeyman]

I think this is fairly typical of on-board revenue collection at the moment. It seems very hit and miss. On some services it's back to pre-COVID standards, on others you won't see anyone at all.

 

[Watershed]

How do you know they didn't pay? Did they say something?

Standard Premium is an onboard only upgrade at the moment.

 

[williamn]

I don't know if I've just been lucky but having found that 1st class upgrades disappeared on Seatfrog when Standard Premium first was introduced, they are now back, and I upgraded to 1st for £20 each way London-Glasgow, which is cheaper that Standard Premium AND you get limited food. That said, that limited food isn't great still 'due to Covid'.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Last one on the Manchester was £25 I think, same price as Standard premium now.

It appears Standard Premium is the same price as Weekend First was but available all week, yes. Personally I consider it good value.

 

[Journeyman]

I don't know if I've just been lucky but having found that 1st class upgrades disappeared on Seatfrog when Standard Premium first was introduced, they are now back, and I upgraded to 1st for £20 each way London-Glasgow, which is cheaper that Standard Premium AND you get limited food. That said, that limited food isn't great still 'due to Covid'.

Interesting, but personally I find the "auction" style of Seatfrog a really annoying gimmick. I don't like the competitive element, where you don't really know how much it's going to cost, or if you're guaranteed to "win" an upgrade. I've scored a couple of successes on it with LNER, but I'd far rather just be quoted a price, and decide whether I want to pay it or not.