Ministers and civil servants no longer get to travel First Class I hear, so who exactly does these days? It occurred to me yesterday, as I walked what felt like several miles down a platform past empty First Class carriages with their inviting china cups on tables and mellow lighting, that the age of First Class travel might be over.
I eventually reached a run of carriages with not an empty seat in sight. Standard Class with bucket loads of families heading for London on the first week of their summer holidays.
As the friendly train crew apologised for the crowding and hoped it wouldn’t spoil my enjoyment of the journey, I kept thinking about the vast acres of empty First Class up front. Tumbleweed drifting through the plush pile carpet.
I don’t think I’ve ever travelled First Class on business – though I am only a humble hack rather than anything important, if you see what I mean.
I guess there are times of the day when First is used, probably on 5am trains taking bowler-hatted gents into the City. I don’t know, I’m never up that early, perhaps these people still exist, carrying tightly furled umbrellas and pondering over the Financial Times.
Let’s face it, as a nation we look pretty broke right now. I don’t know about you but I don’t feel exactly over-flush myself. I’m on holiday the next couple of weeks – so you’ll be spared my ramblings – but I’m so broke I’ll probably go no further than the back garden.
So many companies are tightening their belts, cutting back on travel and certainly beginning to frown on First Class.
So what about having First Class on trains before a certain time in the morning and five-ish in the evening for those last remaining people who use First Class, so they can enjoy their free tea and caviar; and making all except one carriage Standard for the rest of the day I wonder? A quick win on increasing capacity.
The same of course goes for air travel. Business people are increasingly exploring budget airlines they wouldn’t have been seen dead on three years ago – even if they have to carry their own luggage, eat their own warm sandwiches and sew their own parachute. Even for those international travellers who do use their flag carrier, there’s a herd movement down from First to Business, and for previous Business travellers to something called Premium or even standard. Airlines such as Quantus have reconfigured their A380s to cut back on First Class (which so isn’t a cheap thing to do) and done away with First Class to, for example, San Fransico from some destinations.
And railways have not been slow to follow suit. Try travelling First Class on the Chiltern route.
When I were a lad British Rail trains were either First Class or, strangely, Third. I’m not sure why that evolved, or what it said about the British class system of the 1970s! Did they not want the middle class to travel? I think it more likely to be one of those historical quirks that are all part of growing up and being British.
Hard pressed train operators need to make their money, and First Class brings in welcome extra dosh; but in these fast moving times, with that dreaded double-dip on the horizon, perhaps its time for us second class citizens to shout up?
As ever, I’m pondering aloud and not espousing any Institute official view at all.
Perhaps something to discuss at your next Region’s meeting or drop us a line on? Or send me a letter – by 1st or 2nd class post though?
David Jinks
Editor
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