Should rail staff be obliged to salute their First Class passengers?

Question

I was very dissapointed to find that none of the staff on First Great Western saluted either me or any of their other First Class passengers as we boarded the train. Are other rail companies equally slack on this point? Surely it's not much to ask, and the very least one might reasonably expect after paying close to £200 for a ticket. Even EasyJet guarantees you a seat!

I shall be pressing hard for FGW to have their on board staff form a guard of honour outside Carriage A at every station stop. If they can't manage a salute, at least a bow or a curtsey is surely in order .

Answer 1

Absolutely shocking state of affairs sir.

I always said that giving the lower classes the vote was the thin end of the wedge

Before you know it the ticket offices will be demanding cash instead of placing the fare on your account.

.

Answer 2

My Dear Lord,

I was absolutely appalled to learn that you were not saluted by the staff of First Great Western upon you arrival at their train.

When I worked for them we were highly trained to spot such dignitaries as yourself and routinely not only saluted them but licked their boots to boot. I blame the falling standard of society in general, particularly those educated at Eton, who now make up a large proportion of FGW staff. They do, however, know how to spell "disappointed" correctly.

Such a shame, too, old chap, that none of them had the damned decency to show you exactly where the first class carriages were situated on your train. Unforgivable! It's not as if someone as important as your good self had the time or inclination to actually find them for yourself, Sir, is it?

I am indubitably curious as to how someone such as your good self has learned that a gutter operator such as easy Jet actually guarantees one a seat. Surely someone of your stature has not actually travelled with these Boeing 737 pirates?

British Airways First Class every time, what, old chap?

P.S. Your horse threw a shoe on the way to the station. It bounced off the road, smashed the windscreen of my Mercedes and took out a set of traffic lights in Praed Street.

I kindly suggest, Sir, that you get your horse MOT'd before making any further accusations against FGW.

Answer 3

Strange, they always salute me.  It's surprising how many archers from Agincourt are still around.

Answer 4

You travelled First (perhaps better described as Worst) Great Western... what do you expect?

Although having said that, East Midlands Trains, Cross Country and London Midland are scarcely any better at making their First Class passengers feel 'First Class'.  They don't even call you 'sir' anymore.

Answer 5

I will excuse the staff not giving me a salute in first class as long as their hands are otherwise employed rolling out the red carpet for me and handing me a complimentary sherbert. Otherwise dash it all, it's just not cricket.

Answer 6

Dearest Charles, I've discovered why you have been having the problems you've been having in First Class. Those Sun readers who you rightly threw off the train were in fact standard class passengers, and you appear to have sat in the wrong coach... you see, coach A is in fact STANDARD class (and the Quiet Coach).Try the other end of the train and report back on your experiences.

Yours,

etc.etc

Answer 7

Although I am from Australia, I can emphasise with your question.

I fully believe that First Class passengers should be saluted, or at least a bow of the head. First Class is expensive, so one should expect certain extras to be included.

When I travelled First Class (Gold Kangaroo Class) on the GHAN, although, the Staff were extremely polite, however none saluted Gold Class passengers.

Extras aside, it certainly has to have a touch of the old world era, the touches that made train travel so romantic and exhilarating.

Answer 8

For what you pay for a ticket you should get the full Pullman treatment - luxury car with individual seats, meals served at your seat, silver service, every car with its own attendant catering for your every wish, etc, etc.

Answer 9

Standards have slipped on other rail companies as well, the good old days of the GWR when Isambard was in charge of building new lines have long gone now that FGW are in charge.

£200?  At least a first-class ticket does guarantee a seat, but it is totally wrong that rail staff don't salute the first-class passengers upon boarding the train, as they are paying far more than any of the staff could afford to themselves, and are probably paying most of their wages.  A bow or curtsey as appropriate would, like you say, also be sufficient.

It would also be nice for the AA or RAC to introduce first-class membership with a distinctive badge so whenever your chauffeur is driving you from your estate, that any passing vehicle repair and recovery staff salute you for being a member of their service.

Answer 10

There is just no respect any more, it appears that those half wits that cannot get a job at  the big M as a floor sweeper are being employed as rail guards…you can tell by the shifty vacant look in their eyes ?

It is absolutely shocking that the aristocracy should have to travel in the same train as the lower classes, segregation should be reintroduced, it’s a poor show that some ruffian could be allowed to purchase a 1st class ticket after winning on his lottery scratch card…..Ban them all to the cattle carts I say.

Answer 11

No way. those days are long gone and for one thing look at the volume of trains on the railways the staff arms will be up and down all day long.

Answer 12

i do not think they should have to salute anyone except royalty

Answer 13

At present all the staff is required to salute are company officials and I for one find this to be extremely unacceptable.

At home I require nothing less than total prostration and complete subservience from my staff and God knows I pay them far far less then rail staff members.

I do understand your feelings, I have established an "incentive" fund for some of our railroad exectuive freiends down at the club to consider this.

Expect some movement on this shortly, those chaps are completely open to bribes and I fully expect complete compliance in a very short time.

Toodle OO.

Answer 14

Thank You Charles I thought it was just me. When I explained to my wife that I was five and a half hours late home because of an  impasse caused by not one but three Automobile Association officers who refused to to salute me before I allowed them to investigate my Rover, she was incredulous. Now how we ended up rolling around in the carpark I can not say. Strangely enough I did get a rather flaccid salute of the custody Sargent.

Anyway Charles to cut a long story short (oh too late you say)

the moral of the story is simply don't let them get away with it, it pays off in the end. Got to go now to pick up the Rover from the pound. £400's a steep but the principle you know.

(I vote for Sir Terry as best answer. look at me breaking the rules again)

Answer 15

Rather disappointing... US rail staff doesn't even KNOW how to salute or even genuflect

I'd settle for the staff learning to wind their watches

Answer 16

A quick 1 finger or 2 finger salute is very easy for you Sir. If you ever pass through My station, I will tell alll My staff to give you the appropriate salute.  By the way can i see your Ticket Sir .... Oh dear out of date, tut tut.....

Answer 17

i am very dissapointed you think you deserve a salute.just because you paid 200 for a seat doesnt make you any better than the rest of the customers on board,it was your choice to pay that money.being a conductor myself everyone gets the same level of service..a good one so never think your any better than anyone else on board because we wont and never will see it

Answer 18

Yes i think all rail companies should acknowledge First Class patrons. The doorman at Harvey Nicholls in Leeds acknowledges everyone who enters those premises, even if they go in for a browse and a quick squirt of Aqua Di Gio, so in effect he is greeting you free of charge.

You could always get your own back on FGW by weeing in the sink and all over the floor of the toilet.

Answer 19

d**n it all are there no standards left ,these companies need to take there staff in hand all passengers [except third class of course]should be bowed to and first class should receive a salute or you should receive a refund or the site of the porter or whom ever getting a d**n good thrashing

Answer 20

no they shouldn't

Answer 21

Well the next time you come to Euston I'll salute you & I'll let sit in my First Class Seat....(I forgot if you work in the railway company that i know,you have to pay for your seat! Actually you had better not take my seat as in my in my case i got cucked off a train at Doncaster for having the wrong ticket!)

I'll still salut you mind....

Joolz

Answer 22

Indeed my dear. And they don't even hold the train back when one is delayed, even after one has asked the driver to phone ahead.  Outrageous.  Mind you, the present punctuality rate ensures this is a rare occurance.  

But the most pressing issue is...what happened to porters?  One cannot get a chap to carry one's bags these days and is forced to travel with a strapping young lad.

Answer 23

do you salute to the driver of the train, after all he has your life in his hands

Answer 24

As well as demanding a salute, I would suggest that you write to Great Western and tell them to reintroduce broad gauge railway lines, to accommodate upper crust arses.

Answer 25

it would only be the right thing to stand to attention and salute,

shocking behavier!

next they'll be making you open the doors by hand

Answer 26

Hello, Earth to Lord Charles. Don't be daft. I would be grateful that staff are polite and helpful without saluting. Good luck on your hare-brained whatever.

Answer 27

No! I do not think any rail staff member sould have to solute a first class passenger. So what, you ride first class, that's means you're rich, but it doen't mean that your better than anyone else!

Answer 28

I rode first class on Amtrak here in the U.S. and I was lucky they didn't flip me the bird as a boarded.

Answer 29

Do a Norfolk accent for this:

Waa arrrrr yu liak?  Whaa' yu wan' i' sum maaan servan's 'rund yu a' al toimes, ma derrr.  Tha' waaaa yu dun' 'ave tu waaa' furr tha serrvis yu requirrrrrr.

Translation:

What are you like?  What you want is some man servants around you at all times, my dear.  That way you don't have to wait for the service you require.

Answer 30

£200!!! hardly a small fortune, some proper lords are paying in excess of £350 for tickets, these are the types who get saluted, have red carpets and a band playing their arrivals complete with personal escort to the train to carry yours bags.

I mean even the commoners in steerage class pay more than £200, for sitting in overcrowded carriages with dirty seats and filthy tables

Answer 31

It's about time the lower orders were made to travel in open cattle trucks as they did in the early days of the railway. It is only when we return to standards such as this that we can properly call ourselves 'Great Britain' again. And, of course, any staff of the organisation you mention who fail to observe the respect due to 1st class passengers should be soundly flogged in full view of the 3rd class passengers in order that they should know their place!