Today I travelled to Leeds, for the 3rd time in the month travelling first class via Virgin East Coast on an early morning train from Morpeth to York. I figure that if I have to leave my home at 06:15 for the 06:38 train, or 06:50 for the 07:11 train, it’s worth paying the extra money and getting a decent breakfast on the train. Virgin’s staff however think differently. Food service doesn’t start until after Durham. When I politely drew to the steward’s attention to the fact I was getting off at York, she curtly told me that food was only guaranteed for journeys of 70 minutes or more (which I know). So, I replied that I had already been on the train for 40 minutes and had nothing. Yes, my breakfast did arrive just after Darlington, and just time to eat it before York, but I do think Virgin need to do better. Problems seem to centre around a crew change at Newcastle, which seems totally unnecessary for a train that only starts in Berwick or Edinburgh. And long gone are the days when staff walk down the train finding out customers’ final destination, and prioritising those not travelling all the way to London. Come on Virgin. It won’t cost you that much more money to do better. First class passengers deserve it.
