surreal experience on virgin trains

littlerock

Today we travelled up to Scotland on a Virgin train.

Shortly after departing, an announcement on the PA said there was free WiFi for everyone onboard who had booked online with Virgin Trains - remember that, Virgin Trains. We managed to log in only to be met with a screen saying we had 15 free minutes but after that a charge was required. Unless you had booked on line with Virgin Trains, then WiFi was free if you entered the access code sent in your confirmation email. So i looked it up but there wasn't a code in my email. So I found the "train manager' and showed the email to him.

TM: "Oh yes, well your email is from Virgin Trains, not Virgin East Coast" .
Me: "But you just announced free WiFi for everyone who booked direct online with Virgin Trains. Here is my email to prove I did."
TM: "This isn't Virgin Trains, we are a different company."
Me: "Excuse me? Thus isn't a Virgin train?".
TM: "No this is Virgin East Coast which is a different company".
Me:" But the PA announcement about the WiFi said Virgin Trains, it did not say Virgin East Coast ."
TM: " But you are on a Virgin East Coast, which is what it meant. The free WiFi does not apply to you because you booked with Virgin Trains".

When I booked the tickets online, I just did a search on trains to Edinburgh and found a web site called Virgin Trains and chose the train we were currently on. This it turned was a Virgin East Coast train. For some reason best known to them, Virgin East Coast referred to itself on its PA announcements during the journey as Virgin Trains. Which is a different company. Why? Anyone's guess. And totally confusing. It was all a waste of time anyway as it was a crappy wifi service.