I wasn't going to make ANOTHER daily post about the NMBS, I really really really didn't want to do it... but then the NMBS just had to be itself again, so *sigh* settle down kids... it's story time!
As some of you may know by now, I take the train Mechelen - Brussel Nord. I take this train at 7.44 in the morning and 16.11 in the evening. As more of you probably know, this train is incredibly busy and almost always late! This morning was no different, but that's not what this complaint is about.
As the train stopped in front of me, I was standing at a first class carriage. This train usually consists of +- 10 carriages of which 2 first class (all are double decked). However the location of the first class carriages is random every day, so I didn't exactly predict that that's where I'd get up.
Seeing as the train was packed like always, I decided to go sit in first class. This has never been an issue when it's busy as first class is usually only 20-30% occupied whilst second class is always 110% occupied. Usually the train conductors explicitly "declass" a carriage or they just don't make any remarks when second class passengers sit in first class.
Today was different. Today my train conductors were two 40-something worn-out soccer wives that decide to converge on the lone commuter and scorn those who dared sit in first class (aka: "me"). Now I know I was in the wrong, but as a commuter you'd expect two things: kindness and understanding of the situation. I got neither.
I was immediately asked to pay extra or leave the carriage. When I pointed out that it was super busy they scoffed it off and said "I still saw some empty seats, it's not our job to go and point them out for you". Wowzers! Not wanting to get into an argument with the "May I speak to your manager" type at 8 in the morning, I decided to just bail and rant on reddit.
Now I'm not sure if I should complain to the NMBS about this as they'll just point out that I wasn't following the rules and blabla. I'm aware of that! But it's more so the attitude of the train conductors that bother me as well as the fact that there is WAY too much space in first class and WAY too little in second class.
/rant