Re: Airport Line Lack of Patronage? (NSW, the only state to have one open in Australia at the moment)

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@pcug.org.au>]

Dave Proctor <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
b6EZ4.24$pz4.461081@news0.optus.net.au">news:b6EZ4.24$pz4.461081@news0.optus.net.au...
> "David Bennetts" <davibenn@pcug.org.au> wrote in message
> 3936f569@newshost.pcug.org.au">news:3936f569@newshost.pcug.org.au...
>
> > There are quite a few factors in this.  Some of which I am aware from
the
> > local press and my brother's recent experience on the line:
> >
> > 1.  It costs more than the airport bus to use the link
>
> I can't see them keeping the access fee at its current level for very
long.
> Perhaps they will drop it to match the current KST fares.
>
> > 2.  There is virtually no publicity at the airport that the line has
> opened
> > for arriving passengers
>
> And none on the planes either. The international terminal is well
> signposted, but the domestic terminals are appalling.
>
> > 3.  The lack of baggage facilities on trains
>
> People often don't know about this until they show up, so this would not
be
> discouraging patronage. Discouraging repeat custom possibly.

For outbound passengers from Sydney, this would have to be a big factor.
All the bad press in the papers and on TV, radio etc over the last couple of
weeks wouldn't have helped here.  All trains should have luggage racks in
the end compartments, a couple of seats should be removed and racks
installed to allow for shopping, prams, schoolcases etc - irrespective of
the airport line coming into existence.  Further racks could readily be
installed above the remaining seats in the end compartments.  Remember the
red rattlers - they originally had racks.



>
> > 7.  CityRail's present unreliable timekeeping is becoming legendary - if
> > you've got a flight to catch the plane won't wait
>
> People generally arrive well before their flights are due to depart, so a
> train being 10 or even 30 minutes late often will not have an impact. I
for
> example often arrive at 1500 for a 2230 flight (but this is because the
bar
> in th Golden Wing lounge opens at 1500).

Even if you had an hour up your sleeve before leaving a city circle station
Cityrail could stuff it up - you're only supposed to have to wait 15 minutes
between trains, and the journey is supposed to take ten minutes from
Central.  What about the guy who waited 24 minutes before boarding an
airport train at Wynyard, then when it got to Circular Quay the announcement
that  the train wasn't going stop at the airport - he abandoned Cityrail
there and got a taxi to make sure he caught the plane!



> > 8.  Security (or lack thereof) on trains/platforms at night
>
> At the airport stations?

Probably not so much there as on the train and at the destination.   You're
not as mobile if you have luggage, and feel a bit more vulnerable if
travelling at night.  If you're in a strange city it feels much safer to get
a bus or taxi.

Regards

David Bennetts