Personally my list of complaints is longer than than the things I've been impressed with. Consequently, my current feelings are that NXEC are slightly worse than GNER were.
COMPAINTS
1. Punctuality - Worse. Definately worse. Been delayed nearly every morning and most evening (Admitedly evening journies have so far tended to be only a few mins)
2. Seat reservations - Cocked up. Missing every morning last week, asked for a table seat both ways but only got one going down despite there being plenty of unreserved table seats on my usual servic home.
3. Customer communications - Much worse: -
Changes to schedule during Xmas week and last week but absolutely no communications to regular customers.
Trains that are clearly delayed still showing as on-time on departure boards.
Little or no explanations when things have gone tits up.
Only the odd appology.
4. Charging for short term parking - Didn't take long. How long before they try to charge motorbikes and then push bikes?
5. Fare increases - High? Yes but GNER would have implemented a similar or worse increase.
6. Wifi not working. I've tried to use it most evenings but I can count the number of times I've been successful on one hand.
7. Guards with no bottle. (Well at least 1) There were 2 lads smoking out the window on one of the old 125's just before Xmas. Every passenger in both adjacent coaches knew what was going on becasue we could 1. see them and 2. smell them. Guard walks into coach 1, checks tickets and walks into the vestibule seconds after they finish and just as they are returning to their seats in coach 2. He ignores the whole episode as if it never happened despite everyone staring at the culprits an d the onvious smell of ciggi smoke in both coaches and all over them.
8. Tickets hardly checked. Personaly, I've had my ticket check on perhaps 1 in 3 jourines since NXEC took over. Fare dodgers cost me money in increased fares.
PRAISE.
1. Free WIfi. (When it works).
2. Free 1st class ticket for 2 anywhere on the line.
3. New compensation scheme - Seems fairer in theory but won't know how good or bad it is reality until I renew next autumn.
4. Nope, can't think of anything else just yet.
What about any other passengers? What's your experience been like? Also what is the opinion amongst staff? Are they better or worse to work for than GNER?