wrote in message
news:84f83726-fdaf-4a2c-bc8f-c9a143f33e01@2g2000hsn.googlegroups.com...
> On 11 Sep, 08:53, tony sayer wrote:
>> >Eurostar came out fighting last night, saying that it welcomed
>> >competition and interest from airlines "had been expected". It added
>> >that airlines had "a lot to learn" before they could compete.
>>
>> Ummm.... The rail industry could learn a lot from the ticketing that the
>> airlines have got down to a fine art;)....
>
> Like selling tickets for one journey in one seat only and having
> nothing to do with "turn up and walk on" fares.. yes anyone could do
> that and end one of the unique aspects of rail travel.
>
> The selling of airline tickets and rail tickets has, IMO, very little
> in common.
>
> Tony
I disagree, at least in part. If I want to fly somewhere I can simply turn
up at the airport and buy a ticket. Just like the railway it will cost me
more than if I book in advance. The difference is that when I buy the air
ticket I know I'm going to get a seat (allowing for overbooking) with a
train, even though I may have bought the priciest ticket I may not even get
a seat. And in the airline world, if the seats are all full, I don't get
on.
I believe that you have to look at different parts of the
ticketing/fares/reservations issues in different ways. I have no problem
in booking in advance if I'm going a distance to get a better fare and that
to me fits with the airline paradigm. The issue revolves around "walk up"
fares. As I said in the airline world you get a seat and, in many ways, on
a long distance train (I have no definition for this term), I see no reason
why the same rule cannot be applied.
Selling tickets for a short distance/local journey (again no definition) is
a different kettle of fish. I actually reckon that the railways are moving
in the right direction. They are segmenting fares and making different
offers in different markets. The issue is that much of the great British
public haven't yet cottoned on to what is going on (which I blame on the
railways for not getting their marketing right).
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Now, having said all that I actually read the "The rail industry could learn
a lot from the ticketing that the airlines have got down to a fine art"
comment slightly differently. I read it in terms of electronic ticketing
and the ability to do away with paper. It means I can walk into an airport
with nothing except my photo ID, collect my boarding pass and board. In
practice, I can print my boarding pass at home and some airlines will SMS me
the boarding pass. I accept the railways are moving in the same direction
(Chiltern Railways mobile phone ticketing and DB print at home spring to
mind) but I do question whether the railways would have ever thought about
such innovations where it not for the airline ET changes.
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