Seagull travel . Huge price increases.

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I don't know if Seagulls Travel are quite as slick and organised as they may at first appear, and certainly this apparent nonsense just before the Norwich away game, of delaying departure times to some coaches, so that they seemingly didn't have to pay for an extra driver, seems a tad worrying. Are they cash strapped one wonders?

Sorry Cowfold Seagull but that is a stupid statement. If they needed a second driver as they do often over a season, then the ticket prices reflect this. No different to Costa Coaches, NW Seagulls, the old A21 Club etc. You work on filling a percentage of the seats to cover your costs and anything else is profit. Seem to recall Costa Coaches worked on having 35 seats to cover their costs back in the gory years when I travelled regularly with them. The Norwich trip was not the usual ST service. The club paid for the Norwich travel so you assume that they gave ST a budget to work and ST gave them two options - one driver or two - and the club chose the cheapest.

Some people on here who got something for nothing now seem to use it as a stick to beat ST with. Many on here have happily used them at some time over the last 5 years.
ST is a subsidiary of a business that has been running event travel for years. They have made generous donations to support various AITC causes over recent years.

They are usually open with their communications so if people are that concerned about the price raises, drop Darren Gallis a line and he will no doubt provide his justification

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

This season, as a Seagull Travel season ticket holder from Hailsham, paying in one lump sum, it has cost me £209-00 for 23 matches, £9-08p/match.
Considering the crap some people had to deal with with Ernests beloved southern rail operating such a piss poor service, eg people having to walk to Lewes after the Aston Villa match, I consider that a good price to pay.
Next season, I will pay £191-00 for 19 home matches, £10-08 /match. An increase of £0-97p per match.
Mine certainly hasnt increased by 30%.
If you dont like it, get the train.......if they are running and if they are stopping at Falmer, but be prepared to change at Lewes and get a Rail replacement bus sevice cos of engineering works.

You really meant that didn't you? I felt the sudden urge for you to get your feelings off your chest.

 

[durrington gull]

I would have expected the prices to have held considering he reduced amount of games.

This., Still effectively a rise but a modest one

 

[clapham_gull]

I'm STILL awaiting the MASSIVE increase from Seagulls under Haywards Heath.

Rumour is they are going to introduce a QUIET ZONE so you don't have to listen to the review of the referee as you hit the A27.




It's a bit random me coming down from London and getting off the train half way to get a coach/pint(s) but there I've been since we moved to Amex.

It was my brothers idea (who started Seagulls Over Burwash) for me to go down that way and what a good idea it was.

Makes a good old fashioned day of it for me (and everyone else) but I know how much goes on behind the scenes, particularly on match day.

All these new supporter/travel clubs are the unsung heroes and I've made a bunch of friends.

Thank you one and all.

 

[theboybilly]

Bus we had for Norwich wasn't a museum piece. Didn't check but maybe a couple of years old.

'They hire in all their buses and drivers it's not like they have any overheads that will go up......' - eh ? Maybe the coach owners have increased their prices.......?

I don't think ST would dare use their regular double-deckers to get people to Norwich. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to chance it. Our bus barely makes it to the top of Carden Avenue without running out of puff

 

[Steve.S]

I looked for me and my daughter who is still at college. So the cost for me coming from Hastings would be £482 a season thats over £25 a game. I agree with some that it's not a huge amount for one person, however if you are a parent paying for 2, it's expensive. It's almost the cost of my season ticket again. It would be helpful if they did a DD payment scheme. All they do is a two instalment payment and that's for only half of the cost, I would still have to pay £250 up front.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Steve in Japan]

It's a tenner a game for me with the new prices.....I reckon that's good value still. I direct my anger at SASTA whose all-round shiteness first led me to Seagulls Travel.

 

[OzMike]

Would have been nice to have seen this amount taken from the Sky money that the club will receive for promotion.
Over the season it would be small in comparison and it would also encourage the travelling fans.
Could be the start of a few unforeseen Premier League surcharges though I would hope not.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Just done the maths and mine would have gone up 15% if I renewed. Really don't get the 'it's only xx p per week brigade'. It's an increase of 15%. If you are willing to accept it then fine. But if Season Tickets went up 15%, I'm not sure there would be as many 'it's only a packet of fags ...' posts. If there are reasons for it then explain them in the renewal details - looks like the days of transparency are well and truly gone. Don't put up the price of a packet of crisps/chocolate bar/box of cat food. Change the size and hope no-one notices. Would be nice to be treated as adults sometimes. Costs go up so if they affect your price, say so.

I'm sure it still represents good value for money still, the increase isn't why I am not renewing and I'm certainly not going to rant about monopolies. I just don't get the sheer number of people who swallow a 15-30% increase with no explicit reason given with a shrug of the shoulders when they certainly wouldn't for other products/services.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Sorry Cowfold Seagull but that is a stupid statement. If they needed a second driver as they do often over a season, then the ticket prices reflect this. No different to Costa Coaches, NW Seagulls, the old A21 Club etc. You work on filling a percentage of the seats to cover your costs and anything else is profit. Seem to recall Costa Coaches worked on having 35 seats to cover their costs back in the gory years when I travelled regularly with them. The Norwich trip was not the usual ST service. The club paid for the Norwich travel so you assume that they gave ST a budget to work and ST gave them two options - one driver or two - and the club chose the cheapest.

Some people on here who got something for nothing now seem to use it as a stick to beat ST with. Many on here have happily used them at some time over the last 5 years.
ST is a subsidiary of a business that has been running event travel for years. They have made generous donations to support various AITC causes over recent years.

They are usually open with their communications so if people are that concerned about the price raises, drop Darren Gallis a line and he will no doubt provide his justification

I don't have any intention of dropping Darren Gallis a line, I personally have no axe to grind with Seagulls Tavel, I've never used them in the past, and I'm unlikely to in the future.

I was simply reiterating what other posters have been saying on here. Playing devil's advocate if you will.

 

[dazzer6666]

Just done the maths and mine would have gone up 15% if I renewed. Really don't get the 'it's only xx p per week brigade'. It's an increase of 15%. If you are willing to accept it then fine. But if Season Tickets went up 15%, I'm not sure there would be as many 'it's only a packet of fags ...' posts. If there are reasons for it then explain them in the renewal details - looks like the days of transparency are well and truly gone. Don't put up the price of a packet of crisps/chocolate bar/box of cat food. Change the size and hope no-one notices. Would be nice to be treated as adults sometimes. Costs go up so if they affect your price, say so.

I'm sure it still represents good value for money still, the increase isn't why I am not renewing and I'm certainly not going to rant about monopolies. I just don't get the sheer number of people who swallow a 15-30% increase with no explicit reason given with a shrug of the shoulders when they certainly wouldn't for other products/services.

It's the actual cash amount that has the impact in your pocket, not the %. Use the % figure as a stick to beat ST with if that's what you want to do, and the cash figure to work out whether it's really something worth worrying about.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

It's the actual cash amount that has the impact in your pocket, not the %. Use the % figure as a stick to beat ST with if that's what you want to do, and the cash figure to work out whether it's really something worth worrying about.

So you'll be delighted when all of your groceries that cost £1 now go up to £1.20 each as it's only 20p out of your pocket per item? They raised their prices by 15-30%. If there is a reason then fine but they haven't given one that I have seen. My income has gone up 0% this year. Other items have gone up by varying percentages. Taken in isolation, the increase in their prices would not have an effect on a lot of peoples pockets but lots of other things that are cheap have gone up. You can't keep shrugging because it is only a relative small amount of money. People will decide for themselves whether it is worth it but I genuinely do not get the idea that people are happy for a large percentage increase with no given reason because it isn't that much money.

 

[dazzer6666]

So you'll be delighted when all of your groceries that cost £1 now go up to £1.20 each as it's only 20p out of your pocket per item? They raised their prices by 15-30%. If there is a reason then fine but they haven't given one that I have seen. My income has gone up 0% this year. Other items have gone up by varying percentages. Taken in isolation, the increase in their prices would not have an effect on a lot of peoples pockets but lots of other things that are cheap have gone up. You can't keep shrugging because it is only a relative small amount of money. People will decide for themselves whether it is worth it but I genuinely do not get the idea that people are happy for a large percentage increase with no given reason because it isn't that much money.

Never said I was 'delighted' or 'happy' about any of it, and can't see that anyone else has either - more indifference than delight I would say. As you say, people will decide for themselves - and as you can see on here there is a mix of complete outrage ('disgrace', 'monopoly abuse'), and almost complete indifference.

 

[Lush]

Wouldn't surprise me if it's not a lot to do with increases in insurance, if my car insurance is anything to go by. Probably fewer companies that will insure coaches too, so harder to get a competitive quote. Especially if they're looking to insure themselves against things like motorway closures causing lateness, breakdowns, last minute fog cancellations etc.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Never said I was 'delighted' or 'happy' about any of it, and can't see that anyone else has either - more indifference than delight I would say. As you say, people will decide for themselves - and as you can see on here there is a mix of complete outrage ('disgrace', 'monopoly abuse'), and almost complete indifference.

And it is the indifference I can't understand. Yet another First World problem and there probably are increased fuel/hire costs. The amount is minimal in the scheme of things. I don't get the argument it is OK to put something up by a large percentage compared to inflation because it is a relatively small amount.

 

[Weststander]

And it is the indifference I can't understand. Yet another First World problem and there probably are increased fuel/hire costs. The amount is minimal in the scheme of things. I don't get the argument it is OK to put something up by a large percentage compared to inflation because it is a relatively small amount.

Gives the tight-fisted something to moan about, again. There'll be other uproars should the price of ale, teas and programmes go up more than by RPI.

 

[rippleman]

Whether you look at RPI, headline inflation, average pay increases, fuel costs, a 30% increase would seem to be extremely difficult to justify on any economic grounds. The only honest answer really would be "because we can".

TBH the club could probably have hiked ST prices by 30% and still sold the same number, although not necessarily to the same people. This is where we are so remarkably lucky that Mr Chairman is a lifelong fan and understands the club and the fans inside out.

 

[amexer]

I will now use park and ride. They have offered a good service but how can this increase be justified without an explanation. They are of course well set and all but a monopoly

 

[Gazwag]

If they needed a second driver as they do often over a season, then the ticket prices reflect this.

I don't think this comment is correct, must admit I never use ST for away games, but the coaches I use always have two drivers for journeys to Birmingham and further north and the cost is generally £20 to London, £30 to Birmingham/Cardiff, £36 Yorkshire, £38 Preston, mile for mile its cheaper with 2 drivers than 1.

Of course the coaches I go on are not run for profit

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Gives the tight-fisted something to moan about, again. There'll be other uproars should the price of ale, teas and programmes go up more than by RPI.