bmi diamond club - OT: The Trans Manche Super Train...

...otherwise known as Eurostar.

I've noticed coaches 1 and 18 are made up of 4 seats around a table, with no 'airline' seats.

Now....how to get these? The weekday early morning (0534) and evening (2043) trains I've been getting recently seem to be totally unoccupied in both these cars, which makes it nice to stretch out in with colleagues. I presume this area is for families?

Sorry...I would have posted this in the BA forum, but seeing as it relates to bargain-basement travel on proletariat cattle-trucks I thought it was more at home here. ;)

Sorry...I would have posted this in the BA forum, but seeing as it relates to bargain-basement travel on proletariat cattle-trucks I thought it was more at home here. ;)

:D

Where would the BD forum be without the train chat? Probably in the same state as the airline ;)

I've noticed coaches 1 and 18 are made up of 4 seats around a table, with no 'airline' seats.


Don't know how to get them but train companies love airline seats - they can cram more passengers into the same space and also they are reckoned to be safer.. oh and you can cram more passengers in ! I remember someone from Virgin explaining this to me with the launch of the Voyager trains years ago, and that after research they decided that passengers didn't like tables and preferred airline seats with airline style at seat radio channels - so out came the tables & restaurant and in went airline seats and virgin radio. Well they left in a few tables, but sadly no restaurant.

..Thankfully GNER don't partake in such spin, and have nice restaurant cars for tasty meals. Nicer sounding trains too

Oh goody! Another train thread. I do love the bmi board! :D

The family area in these coaches are those with the half tables which families can request. There are 16 family seats in each coach arranged in bays of four. An automatic door separates the rest of the coach. The majority of seats on this side have a full size table although there are 2 rows of airline-style seats at either end (next to the automatic doors). This area used to be reserved for full-fare Standard ticket holders only and usually the seat next to you was blocked. However, I think anyone can now can request to be seated in coaches 1 or 18, as I have done so recently when travelling with friends on cheapo tickets.


At the moment you still can't choose which coach you'd like to travel in (unless booking by phone). However, Eurostar is quite good at trying to reaccomodate you if you have already purchased your tickets. You can either call them or go to the station to change your seats there and then, subject to seats being available. Either way you'll have to use the manual check-in instead of the automatic check-in as your new seat assignments have to be printed on new boarding passes. Or, if you've already checked in, you can go to the information point (at Waterloo) and they'll change your seats and issue new boarding passes for you.

Sorry...I would have posted this in the BA forum, but seeing as it relates to bargain-basement travel on proletariat cattle-trucks I thought it was more at home here. ;):D :D


makes it nice to stretch out in with colleaguesOne presumes this is the "most FANTRASTIC french birdie from the paris office" who you want to <ahem> stretch out with... :D :p

They will happily change seats for you at Waterloo (best to call in advance and then just get the change actually implemented at the manual check-in desks).

Alternatively, some travel agents (particularly of the corporate variety) seem able to get you these seats even on el cheapo non-changeable tickets.

One presumes this is the "most FANTRASTIC french birdie from the paris office" who you want to <ahem> stretch out with... :D :p

"Wot?"


PS Thanks for the tips chaps. we do all our booking through a corporate TA so see what they can come up with.

"Wot?"
Indeed. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5389996&postcount=35) ;)