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Title: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: CJB666 on July 11, 2018, 15:29:44 Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train ... then takes up two seats himself
Mark Boon - Operations Director of Southern Rail's parent company Govia Thameslink - told passengers to stay out of the carriage on a packed service, as he plonked his bag down in the next seat. Passenger Emma Fitzpatrick (inset) took a photo of him with his things spread over two seats while other passengers had to squeeze into the rammed doorway of the adjoining carriage. The photo sparked outrage on social media among Southern Rail passengers who have endured months of delays and strikes. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5941487/Rail-boss-took-two-seats-ordering-commuters-class-packed-train.html (https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/11/09/4E1D44C100000578-5941487-image-m-3_1531298709411.jpg) Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: bobm on July 11, 2018, 15:52:07 It is contained in the article linked to - but in case the link dies for any reason in the interests of balance, here is the rail company's response.
Quote A Govia Thameslink spokesman said: 'Passengers need a first class ticket to travel in first class and there were other people with first class tickets in this compartment. 'This was an 11am off-peak service running just six minutes late and, while the front coaches were busy, there were seats and space in the rear coaches, as Mr Boon explained.' Posted for the record in my role as an admin. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: Thatcham Crossing on July 11, 2018, 17:39:28 He might well have been entitled to do what he did (by that I mean sit in first class, and use a spare seat for what looks like a drivers rucksack), but to throw his weight around like that suggests the only thing he's capable of managing is a PR disaster for his employer!
Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: martyjon on July 11, 2018, 18:09:24 Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train ... then takes up two seats himself Mark Boon - Operations Director of Southern Rail's parent company Govia Thameslink - told passengers to stay out of the carriage on a packed service, as he plonked his bag down in the next seat. Passenger Emma Fitzpatrick (inset) took a photo of him with his things spread over two seats while other passengers had to squeeze into the rammed doorway of the adjoining carriage. The photo sparked outrage on social media among Southern Rail passengers who have endured months of delays and strikes. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5941487/Rail-boss-took-two-seats-ordering-commuters-class-packed-train.html (https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/11/09/4E1D44C100000578-5941487-image-m-3_1531298709411.jpg) Looks as if he might have nicked the antimacassar from the headrest of the seat he is sat in. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: trainbuff on July 11, 2018, 18:23:20 Clearly no guard to help order the situation. Maybe if he had kept them their would have been no need to act as he did. Just maybe........Devils Advocate!
Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: grahame on July 11, 2018, 18:33:21 Also on the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44799659) where it's the fifth most read item of news
Quote A Govia Thameslink manager is under fire for telling passengers to stay out of a crowded train's first class cabin. Emma FitzPatrick tweeted a picture of Mark Boon, head of network operations for Govia Thameslink Railway. She said he told passengers not to occupy the "empty" first class section on a "very packed" train on Tuesday morning "while he took up two seats". Govia Thameslink said all passengers needed a first-class ticket to travel in that section. Ms FitzPatrick and Mr Boon were on a Southern service that arrived at London Victoria shortly before midday on Tuesday. Mr Boon sat at a table in first class and placed his bag on the empty seat next to him, telling passengers without first class tickets they would need to remain in the standard class section. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: Timmer on July 11, 2018, 19:10:57 The rights or wrongs of his actions aside, this is disastrous PR for massively under fire GTR. Along with the story given, the picture looks awful of those standing behind him whilst his bag gets a seat.
Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: TaplowGreen on July 11, 2018, 20:33:41 The rights or wrongs of his actions aside, this is disastrous PR for massively under fire GTR. Along with the story given, the picture looks awful of those standing behind him whilst his bag gets a seat. It just serves to further demonstrate how totally inept & out of touch TOC senior management are, and the contempt in which they hold their customers, and I very much include Hopwood in that equation.......let them eat cake! (.....if there's a buffet on the train to sell it to them! Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: eightonedee on July 11, 2018, 20:56:13 ...to say nothing about possible misuse of an antimacassar!
Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: broadgage on July 11, 2018, 21:30:28 He is of course correct in that a first class ticket must be held to use first class.
It sets a poor example to take up a seat with his bag. Reports in todays newspaper also state that standard class elsewhere on the train was less crowded. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: Timmer on July 11, 2018, 21:41:52 He is of course correct in that a first class ticket must be held to use first class. I think it’s possibly the attitude in the way it was handled. Why was he handing out his business card?It sets a poor example to take up a seat with his bag. Reports in todays newspaper also state that standard class elsewhere on the train was less crowded. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: broadgage on July 11, 2018, 21:51:01 I have seen a senior FGW manager evict standard class passengers from first class on a busy train. Some years ago.
Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: paul7575 on July 11, 2018, 22:18:09 I wonder if the person who took the photo, and thereby got their 15 mins of fame, had a first class ticket?
Paul. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: JayMac on July 11, 2018, 22:50:11 I wonder if the person who took the photo, and thereby got their 15 mins of fame, had a first class ticket? I don't. Pointless supposition. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: TaplowGreen on July 12, 2018, 06:28:47 I have seen a senior FGW manager evict standard class passengers from first class on a busy train. Some years ago. I have seen a train manager having to almost physically evict GWR staff sitting in First class on an overcrowded Penzance-Paddington Sunday train (they ran in those days) in order to allow a couple of elderly paying customers to sit down (the call had already been made over the tannoy for those travelling on staff passes to give up their seats, they didn't identify themselves but another member of the crew recognised them and pointed them out to the TM). Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: CJB666 on July 12, 2018, 07:16:19 I've even seen staff on Connect and GWR and SWR and NR (in orange) with their feet up on the opposite seats.
Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: broadgage on July 12, 2018, 19:25:06 I wonder if the person who took the photo, and thereby got their 15 mins of fame, had a first class ticket? Paul. I doubt that we will ever know for certain, but to me it seems very unlikely that they had a first class ticket. Most first class ticket holders, IME welcome the removal of standard class ticket holders and are therefore most unlikely to complain about such removal. Title: Re: Govia Rail boss orders commuters OUT of first class on a late and packed train Post by: TaplowGreen on July 12, 2018, 21:35:38 I wonder if the person who took the photo, and thereby got their 15 mins of fame, had a first class ticket? Paul. I doubt that we will ever know for certain, but to me it seems very unlikely that they had a first class ticket. Most first class ticket holders, IME welcome the removal of standard class ticket holders and are therefore most unlikely to complain about such removal. I'm sure it's happened somewhere, but I don’t think I've ever seen someone completely miss the point quite so spectacularly! This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |