[Article] Iarnród Éireann cites standards for 66% rise in first class upgrades

[Mark Hennessy]

Iarnród Éireann cites standards for 66% rise in first class upgrades


IARNRÓD ÉIREANN has defended increases of up to 66 per cent in the price of first-class upgrades on its Dublin-Cork services, writes Paul Cullen.

Last Wednesday, the company increased the cost of an upgrade from €12 to €20 per journey on off-peak trains.

The supplement for a first-class seat on peak services was increased from €32 to €35. Some fares on the Dublin-Sligo line were also increased by an average of €1.50 to €2.

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said since new trains were put on the Dublin-Cork route, the standard of all services was very high. Previously, off-peak trains had been of a lower standard.

“The service now is immeasurably superior to what was there before,” he said, and this was the reason for the increase in supplement charges.

First time I can remember Irish Rail upping fares in the middle of the year.
No doubt budget shortfalls from the ongoing industrial actions need to be met somehow.

As usual, the customer is shafted.

[Mark Gleeson]

Definitely dodgy business practice, the fare is unregulated

However Irish Rail have broken the rules since they have increased the regulated single fare to Sligo from 38.00 to 40.00 without prior approval

[crc]

Well I paid the €12 to upgrade to City Gold on the 6pm train to Cork last Friday. There was only about 12 people in the carriage; I reckon the fare increase can't be due to a lack of capacity, just gouging.

In any case, I doubt I'd pay €20 extra. I could justify paying €12 for myself now and again (particularly if I was feeling tired that day), but not any more

[MOH]

Originally Posted by Barry Kenny"

“The service now is immeasurably superior to what was there before,” he said, and this was the reason for the increase in supplement charges.

Don't suppose they'll be giving refunds for those who upgraded in the past for a service 'immeasurably inferior' to what we have now?

[Mark Gleeson]

Gone first twice, ok so bigger seat and table aligning with window (you get the window and table on the 22k). At no point was I offered any refreshments, no at seat service in fact no sign of any staff beyond the ticket checker. All quite disappointing really. Service reliability, cancellations and delays are still unacceptable

Sadly first class fares are unregulated we can't do anything about them

Irish Rail have probably worked out the bulk of first class seats are occupied by people on company business, so the cost isn't a big issue to them. Of course this is also a scam to get money out of people at busy weekends, since the website will say all standard class seats are gone despite 140 odd seats been available people like sheep will book first since they think its the only way to get that train.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by MOH

Don't suppose they'll be giving refunds for those who upgraded in the past for a service 'immeasurably inferior' to what we have now?

As someone who used to use first class regularly I can tell you that what Barry has said is bull****. No-one uses first anymore because all the benifits are gone, and because no-one is using it they have to put up the fares to cover their losses.

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Of course this is also a scam to get money out of people at busy weekends, since the website will say all standard class seats are gone despite 140 odd seats been available people like sheep will book first since they think its the only way to get that train.

A scam a journo might take an interest in, perhaps?

[Mark Gleeson]

But prove it, some investigations are ongoing. Lots of searching through the fares matrix currently to find any other 'revisions'. Irish Rail are up to something and we have avenues to force Irish Rail to actually reserve the increases. We are currently awaiting a answer as to who signed off on the increase

[markpb]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Of course this is also a scam to get money out of people at busy weekends, since the website will say all standard class seats are gone despite 140 odd seats been available people like sheep will book first since they think its the only way to get that train.

They're hardly 'sheep' if they believe what the ROC say on their website. I might not like IR but if the site says it's sold out, I wouldn't be overly hard on myself for believing it.

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by markpb

I might not like IR but if the site says it's sold out, I wouldn't be overly hard on myself for believing it.

Agreed, if the computer says 'No' so to speak, how can you question what they say? How is an ordinary passenger supposed to know what is going on behind the scenes?

[Mark Gleeson]

Website says no seat available in standard, what do you assume, you assume that in fact all seats have gone. You then blindly select first since you have no choice really, you need that train. You can't blame the passenger for going for the first option, they are being mislead.

Just imagine you where booking a long distance flight and where told all the tourist seats where sold and bought first only to find half the plane was empty?

You can imagine that Irish Rail stand to make a small fortune if Cork, Kerry or Tipperary get to Croke Park this year. Will those passengers in first find empty seats in standard, they thought didn't exist?

There is no way to know how many seats Irish Rail actually made available online once the train is marked as sold out. Typically its less than half of the standard class seats, but on sometimes its all bar 28, you can't tell but as of yet I've never seen every seat available online.

I recall a incident of the website saying the train sold out, I board and find less than 30 people in the last two coaches

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

I recall a incident of the website saying the train sold out, I board and find less than 30 people in the last two coaches

Last years AI semi final against Kerry I was told that I needed a booking charge and that there was no seats ect ect in Cork. Get on train = Plenty of seats.

On the way back down, mad panic because IE had been saying all day that every train after 5 was booked up. I enjoyed my half empty carraige back to Cork that evening on the 7 O'clock, nice and quiet, and no reserved names on any seats.

[Thomas Ralph]

Well, when at most two standard class carriages offer reserved seats on most services, what are you to expect?

[Mark Gleeson]

The problem is you go online, website says all standard is gone. Few people know how many seats where available online, sometimes its two coaches, sometimes its four coaches you don't know

But you assume every seat is gone when the sold out icon is shown.

[Colm Moore]

Is it a matter of the computer only knowing about bookable seats (i.e. it doesn't know about hte unbookable seats), so when all bookable seats are sold out, it says "SOLD OUT". Grounds for a complaint to the NCA?

Aren't they obliged to sell you the cheapest suitable ticket?

[Mark Gleeson]

I'm sure Irish Rail have a cover story

There is no binding obligation to offer the cheapest ticket, just a throwaway remark in the charter

As we all know two tickets might be cheaper

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by tralph

Well, when at most two standard class carriages offer reserved seats on most services, what are you to expect?

not on this day. I was told by the staff, in person, in Kent that there "are no seats on any trai out of Dublin after 5pm" and that if I wanted to come back same day I'd have to get the 5pm.

[Thomas Ralph]

I've seen IÉ stop boarding a train because it was overcrowded exactly once, ever. (And it was the 1800 to Cork last Friday.)