Stobart and Flybe combined have approx. 25 ATRs and 50 or so Q400s. With Stobart now calling the shots, one has to wonder what that will mean in the long run for Virgin#s turboprop fleet.
Originally Posted by
SealinkBF
Not actually true though. Virgin Trains scored 60% satisfaction, with lowest operator (Southern) at 39% and the minnow Grand Central at the top at, er, 70%. (Which magazine). Not great figures but we are talking about UK Rail.
Generally speaking, the idea of franchsing or licensing a brand is that positive connotations will benefit a new product so that you sort of piggy-back instead of building a new brand. To discuss whether or not there are other train operators with even lower satisfaction or reliability levels than Virgin Trains sort of misses the point the idea behind branding. Apparently they are not on top of the table and there are some issues unless all these articles are made up. And in terms of the impact of marketing disasters, they are not really old - remember the old saying that it takes years to win (back) a customer, but only the blink of an eye to lose him.