We arrived back for the first time into Gatwick and then had to make our way across into London. Gatwick Airport Rail Station is very confusing, very difficult to make visual sense of what platforms are where and when are the next trains. Usual long queues at the few manned ticket sales so tried the ticket machines. Very clunky, unfriendly and so slow in response. After several offers of alarmingly overpriced tickets, must have made a wrong choice, succumbed and asked for help. Got a through ticket to the underground. Several departure displays all showing trains to Victoria. Took the earliest, rushed down to the platform only to be greeted by man who explained the train had left several minutes ago, but it was still showing on the departure screen. So this elderly couple had to manhandle heavy suitcases back up staircase. Okay station is undergoing refurbishment. Bewildered as to which platform to now use asked and was directed to another platform. Train standing there, got in and was taken to Victoria. Only to be greeted by a big red penalty fare display board and an eastern european uniformed member of staffing barring exit until a penalty fare had been paid for using the Gatwick Express.
So what is wrong? I am well used to an integrated train system, where non-stopping trains or slow stopping trains both take you to your destination, all for the same ticket price. An integrated system where your ticket on one train is also valid on another. An integrated train system. Gatwick Express is happy to put display boards up and staff an exit point to extract a penalty fare but is not prepared to differentiate itself at the point of boarding. No members of staff here warning of a fare supplement, no differentiation here on the platform that this was a special platform for a differentiated service, no ticket machines here to check you had a valid tick before entering that platform or train. No. Gatwick Express are more than happy to exploit an integrated service, lull unaware passengers into using its service and only then declare itself to reap its rich harvest of penalty fares. What is wrong? I was denied choice. I was deliberately misled, mis-sold a service misrepresenting itself as an integrated service. I was not out to exploit or take advantage of something I was not prepared to pay for. I was just catching a train, the next train to Victoria but then was ambushed by Gatwick Express.
Not that either the train or the service or the platform were in any way remarkable, just a permutation on any other 'franchise'. Gatwick Express could not even bother to explain on the train electronic display what tickets were not valid nor what premium ticket was required. No they are more than happy to take the penalty fare money, at the end. This is what riles. It is rampant abuse of innocent travellers. Gatwick Airport supplies a constant stream of new innocent travellers for them to abuse and extort their excesses. Judging by the exit staff bulging belly pouch stuffed with money, Gatwick Express is on to a well paying earner. Several hundred innocent victims an hour fall into their extortion trap. Adding an annual bonus £1M into their coffers. Why should they spend money to alert passengers before boarding their cash cow.
Because it is not fair play, it is not the British way of doing things. We should not take advantage, financial of otherwise, of foreign guests or from the unaware. The government, that oversees the provision, should be very concerned at this tarnish to our nations image.
