Passenger Trains > Comment Re: Excess and Oversize Baggage

I am taking a short trip on a Capitol Corridor train tomorrow. Received an email this morning with the subject line: Important Amtrak Alert (Reservation Number XXXXXX/Name). Concerned, I opened the message to find that it was only a notification of the new Excess and Oversize Baggage policy, which was fine. But since the original email, I have received 3 more. And because of the alert subject, I had to open each one to be sure that there was no problem with my trip. Each of the 4 messages was exactly the same. Overkill and anxiety-causing.

Fill a large bag with all the messages and take them on board. ;-)

VIA is even using a size box just like the airlines to determine what you can and can't take on board. It's a TRAIN which manyp people use to avoid just such restrictions.

Headline from the Fark link on the topic:

Inside the Amtrak board room: "Gentlemen, compared to the airlines we're slower, more expensive, less convenient and generally way more suckish, how can we be worse?"
"Baggage fees?"
"Brilliant"

Blame it on the airlines.  Other modes and hotels are discovering that, just like the airlines, they can nickle-and-dime everyone and pocket a whole lotta money.  

This cancer will continue to grow.  Pretty soon you'll walk into a supermarket and have to pay a fee to have your groceries bagged.  At a self-service gas station you'll be assessed a fee to use the squee-gee to clean your windshield.  At a walk-in movie theater, you'll be assessed a fee for the usher to tear your ticket stub off and direct you to the correct theater.  

When you think about it, a fee can be assessed for just about everything.  

As long as there's no consumer revolt, why not?  

Welcome to the New World Order.

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Blame it on the airlines.  Other modes and hotels
> are discovering that, just like the airlines, they
> can nickle-and-dime everyone and pocket a whole
> lotta money.  
>
> This cancer will continue to grow.  Pretty soon
> you'll walk into a supermarket and have to pay a
> fee to have your groceries bagged.  At a
> self-service gas station you'll be assessed a fee
> to use the squee-gee to clean your windshield.
>  At a walk-in movie theater, you'll be assessed a
> fee for the usher to tear your ticket stub off and
> direct you to the correct theater.  
>
> When you think about it, a fee can be assessed for
> just about everything.  
>
> As long as there's no consumer revolt, why not?
>  
>
> Welcome to the New World Order.

People will pay anything for convenience, but will be stingy on necessities. That's the first commandment of consumer marketing.

ABC News had a piece tonight about Spirit Airlines. The subject family got an $1100 quote for a family of four on a trip. After the checked bag fees, fees to sit together, fees to print  boarding passes at the airport, and fees to board early, the final price was $1900.  $200 more than United...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/15 18:58 by Lackawanna484.

I have an upcoming trip to the West Coast. I will be taking the train out and flying back. Going out for a three day conference and thought I would throw a train trip in as a way to take some sort of "mini vacation." Now being six foot tall, and having to bring both business casual and a suit, for what - a week (train + conference), my suitcase is never really "small." The main reason is because I am six foot and you put one sweater, collared shirt, dress shoes, and khakis in a suit case and it takes up space very quickly. So weight is typically not the issue. Size is. And if I am travelling coast to coast, I typically take a roomette between East Coast and MidWest and then Bedroom from Chicago to West Coast (just for the added comfort - again six foot plus tall). 

On the Viewliner roomette - if I go that route - the suitcase just occupies the other seat. And then bedroom - suitcase typically stays on lower level and I manage fine.

So this oversize baggage is going to be interesting on the next train trip I take. "Typically" my suitcase makes all the dimension sizes - even for airlines (first class). But I am a little concerned with these new policies.......It's just me on this particular trip.

On VIA I bring the same suitcase. They give me a hard time in the summer, but in the winter - especially when I tell them it's one person travelling in a bedroom (or cabin for two) - it's not an issue. Now if the wife comes along - we'll use a smaller suitcase for the room on VIA's sleeper and check the larger suitcase.

I am not saying we don't need rules or to disobey rules, but some fo the rules just get a little hard pending what is booked or in my situation, being 6'2" tall. Pants, shirt, sweater, shoes are bulkier. And I am not even talking about the suit yet.........  

Lackawanna484 Wrote:

> People will pay anything for convenience, but will
> be stingy on necessities. 

The problem is that someone, or some corporation, is getting to re-define, mix-up and/or blur the lines between what is a "necessity" and what is a "convenient perk."  

On the original California Zephyr, all of their dome seats were non-revenue and were considered a "perk" for all the passengers, to give them a more rewarding travel experience.  If that train was still running today, some savvy marketing person would probably realize that additional money could be made by charging an additional fee if someone wanted to sit up in the dome.  Excursions have for many years been sold on that basis.  You wanna ride in the dome, be prepared to hand over more money.  

It doesn't take long for the money-making venture to reach the point of absurdity.  A fee to use a restoom?  To print a boarding pass?  What's next?  Will restaurants start charging a fee to use their eating utensils?  The rationale is that you could have brought your own and saved some money.

Wow.  Look what we have to look forward to.

Raw capitalism at its finest.      



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/15 20:33 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.