My friend is in charge of East Coast train crews so she’ll be happy you all rate them.

I always look for the 1st class tickets when I’m traveling somewhere, especially when i’m buying my super-saver-eight-months-in-advance-travel-on-a-tuesday-at-11:03-miss-it-and-it-costs-you-£300-to-get-home ticket

The coffee, wifi and comfy seats with legroom are worth that little bit extra cost

Firstly, who is that uses the toilets again? Oh yes, the passengers.
Writing a letter then slagging off the guard and make personal slights about him in what should be a factual complaint letter marks you out as “one of those people”. So what that he’s sat in the guards office, he’s probably doing his end of shift paperwork. Would you prefer a reach around and a quick polish of your shoes?
Why did you use the toilet if there was a note saying it was out of use?

Voyagers are not the nicest of trains granted.

Don’t hold you breath for a reply there sonny Jim, I’m still waiting for 3 refunds form Southern Trains dating back to Oct12. I held my breath for as long as i could but only managed 3mins tops.

1st on Southern is just a doiley resting on top of the dirty headrest, nothing more, no drinks, no biccies, naddda, now’t.

And thier Customer Service is staffed by overworked couldn’t give a toss types.

They once had a “meet the Managers” event on at London Bridge just before the Games last year, I went over to give them some stick but got embroiled in a scrumage to flatten the presentation decks and they ran oof into the ticket office.

Joke, and expensive joke thats what they are.

First world problem, and you’ve not even paid for it. I’m sure you’ll survive.

Writing a letter then slagging off the guard and make personal slights about him in what should be a factual complaint letter marks you out as “one of those people”

This^^ no need for writing that in your email.

Bigjim, the photo is of the functioning toilet, not the out of order one.

Twoniner, the situation with the guard is an inherent part of the situation.

If someone who is paid to do a public facing job, in what is meant to be a premium service, and they look like a tramp, fail to inform us as to why there is an absence of things we paid to receive, then spends his time sat on a floor forcing passengers to visit him to get answers and doesn’t once come out to say “sorry but…”, then it’s an issue.

If you think that’s acceptable than you set your bar pretty low.

There was a handwritten note saying out of order on the toilet in 1st class you say?
You still proceeded to enter, found it in the state you show in the picture and complain.
Are you lacking in braincells?

Am I not making myself clear? the picture IS NOT the first class toilet that was out of order, it is the one that was open for public use, as I clearly stated before you commented.

You mention brain cells Iolo, use them to read and digest things before you post.

A personal slur about the fitting of some ones suit and the fact that he is growing a moustache for a worthy cause?

If I received a complaint email like that it would be immediately deleted.

Why would you use the term ‘hostess’ to, loosely or otherwise describe a male train assistant?

I travelled Virgin 1st class last week (at my expense).

Did that cause people to be buried in mass graves?

Darkside, I used the term hostess in quotation marks because it’s the term CrossCountry use on their website, which I visited before emailing them, when they describe their First Class carriage.

I used it loosely because, in my eyes, it’s a word that conjures up images of service and efficiency, both of which were absent.

While I’m sure some of you are trolling me there are a number that seem to think this is perfectly fine and I should stop making a fuss; regardless of if I or my company paid for the ticket, if you got free holiday and the restaurant never had food and the pool was cold and filthy would you just walk away at the end and say “well, it was free”? I think not.

You must be great fun at parties Ben

Depends on the ‘hostess’ iolo

People aren’t saying it’s fine. They are taking exception to the manner of your complaint.

Molgrips, I genuinely think there’s nothing wrong with the email, I basically highlight that dirty toilets, poor service and scruffy uninterested staff don’t cut the mustard and I did it in a relatively light hearted fashion, senses of humours aside, I don’t see the issue with it.

If I don’t get a reply I don’t really care, it passed the time on the journey, I’d like to think that whoever read at CrossCountry saw the humour in it and isn’t as dour as the folk on here and you never know, someone might actually read and think “hey, it’s not cool, we’re selling a premium product and it’s not living up to what we say it will be, let’s up our game”.

Humour in complaint letter is not the right way to go about it.

Straight and factual. Otherwise it comes across as patronising or just petty.

I’m in xc first class as i write.

Toilets are fine
I’ve had a coffee, a bag of crisps, a biscuit and a hot pasta dish (Marconi cheese, with chicken) all very nice actually.

Did you mention that the toilets were dirty?
If he was a host, then there may not be a risk assessment in place for cleaning of the toilets, coshh etc.
His job may be primarily to host first class instead of a train manager.

just asked for a coke, got TWO cans. incredible service

warton – Member

just asked for a coke, got TWO cans. incredible service
– See more at: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/crosscountry-trains-1st-class-service-utterly-shte/page/2#post-5534317

Yes but did you get your Coke ?

Am I not making myself clear?

you were perfectly clear but they were so quick to flame you they did not care about the facts

Molgrips, I genuinely think there’s nothing wrong with the email, I basically highlight that dirty toilets, poor service and scruffy uninterested staff don’t cut the mustard and I did it in a relatively light hearted fashion, senses of humours aside, I don’t see the issue with it.

It didn’t read light-hearted, it read nasty and mocking. We’re not being dour, it really is your style that looks really snotty.

Maybe in person your complaint would have been taken as jest but without context, in a cold email it doesn’t work.

Nothing really to add, Bigyinn nailed it, you come across as ‘one of those people’ because of unnecessary tone of your complaint, it doesn’t read well, and reflects badly on you. It’s also about your expectations as much as anything. You were offered a drink. Sorry it wasn’t up to your standard, but he hardly came along and punched you. The toilet being out of order is one of those things, it’s not clear from your OP that that toilet is nothing to do with first class, so that’s a bit of a moot point IMO.

I’m signing off on this one as its obvious some of us just have a very different take on life.

Molgrips and Njee, given I say I can only find humour and go on to assure them it’s not a wind up I would think it was clear that all the preceding words had an element of jest to them.

I obviously underestimated peoples sensitivities.

it’s not clear from your OP that that toilet is nothing to do with first class

Indeed however the errors about his using the broken toilet come after this which is not even remotely vague

I’ve also taken a trip to the nearest bathroom, via the standard class carriage, as the 1st class toilet had a hand written note informing me it was out of order, the picture below shows what I found.

and in one case after this

the photo is of the functioning toilet, not the out of order one.

Who had the graciousness to have another pop at the OP when the error was pointed out..I mean best to save face and insult them when you made an error – its what we all do I assume:roll:

Whatever you think the complains makes it clear what toilet looked liked that

i have no issue with the complaint

you are complaining are you meant to sound happy in it?

Junkyard, we simply must travel together, we’d have a ball 😀

as long as you pay 😉

Any response to your “humorous” e-mail then OP?

just asked for a coke, got TWO cans. incredible service

You asked for drugs and got beer? Shocking. truly shocking. I will never use that train service.
Yours
Keith Richards.

just asked for a coke, got TWO cans. incredible service

You asked for drugs and got beer? Shocking. truly shocking. I will never use that train service.
Yours
Keith Richards.

[pedant mode] no, i asked for A coke, not SOME Coke [/pedant mode]

back on topic….

Anyone spotted Rita on their travels this week? Keen for a second opinion.