Passenger Trains > Amtrak "we take care of the customer"

The reporter Alan Sloan describes a full refund voucher for his Acela fare when his train broke down recently.  And the view of Amtrak's chief marketing officer that Amtrak needs to "take good care of our customers so they come back and give us more money."


https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/when-amtrak-called-i-answered-and-got-a-travel-voucher-for-a-botched-acela-train/2019/10/08/cd2669fe-e933-11e9-9c6d-436a0df4f31d_story.html
 

First, I have been offered compensation in the form of miles by Delta for even minor things that have gone wrong....even without asking. Re: this apparently new Amtrak policy. So if you are on the NEC Acela and your locomotive craps out, you get a re-fund. But if you are out in the middle of no where on say  the Chief and your locomotive craps out you end up hours late you are basically screwed? With all the locomotive failures reported here on a regular basis, it would be interesting to hear from an passengers affected if they received any compensation for their inconvenience. 

Airlines miles are next to useless unless you fly often . Refunds or travel vouchers is what the average person would be able to use.

Is this the Warrington and Richardson "Satisfaction Guarantee" program all over again? 

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> First, I have been offered compensation in the
> form of miles by Delta for even minor things that
> have gone wrong....even without asking. Re: this
> apparently new Amtrak policy. So if you are on the
> NEC Acela and your locomotive craps out, you get a
> re-fund. But if you are out in the middle of no
> where on say  the Chief and your locomotive craps
> out you end up hours late you are basically
> screwed? With all the locomotive failures reported
> here on a regular basis, it would be interesting
> to hear from an passengers affected if they
> received any compensation for their
> inconvenience. 

Keep the people in the Northeast Corridor happy, because that's where the money is supposed to be. Make enough people on LD trains mad enough to fly next time, and Anderson will be closer to his goal of getting rid of LD trains.

I was on the WB California Zephyr several weeks ago from Chicago to Holdrege, NE.  We were about 3 1/2 hours late into Holdrege due to engine issues between Omaha and Lincoln.  I got an email from Amtrak and a voucher for future use.  It may be happening all over the system not just the NEC.

I found what smelled like urine in my berth on the first night night out aboard the Texas/Sunset...got a full refund of $450+ for just reporting it! This means I will ride in style to Winterail 2020! :)

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> Airlines miles are next to useless unless you fly
> often . 

You could not be more wrong.  

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DevalDragon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Airlines miles are next to useless unless you
> fly
> > often . 
>
> You could not be more wrong.  

Care to share with us the details on how airline miles are more useful than a refund or travel voucher?

DevalDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > DevalDragon Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Airlines miles are next to useless unless you
> > fly
> > > often . 
> >
> > You could not be more wrong.  
>
> Care to share with us the details on how airline
> miles are more useful than a refund or travel
> voucher?

That was not the starement. The statement was that airline miles were "next to useless."  Not true.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/19 16:26 by prr60.

What I find hysterical, along with all of the Amtrak bashers on Trainorders is the lack of knowledge. Since I began riding Amtrak in 1977, any bad experience, or very late train that I have experienced, I've always called Amtrak and I have ALWAYS received a voucher for future travel of some amount. My latest was for $500 when on train 8, we were delayed 9 hours due to a freight train ahead of us striking a truck in Bainville, MT in August. If you make an effort of a phone call, you will get something for being inconvenienced. Maybe try that instead of complaining on Trainorders..

DevalDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Airlines miles are next to useless unless you fly
> often . Refunds or travel vouchers is what the
> average person would be able to use.
Can't speak for anyone else, but we use our miles every year to get to some really cool places. 

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Is this the Warrington and Richardson
> "Satisfaction Guarantee" program all over again? 

I'm never gonna forget that, that was the most worthless program they had!

chess Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I find hysterical, along with all of the
> Amtrak bashers on Trainorders is the lack of
> knowledge. Since I began riding Amtrak in 1977,
> any bad experience, or very late train that I have
> experienced, I've always called Amtrak and I have
> ALWAYS received a voucher for future travel of
> some amount. My latest was for $500 when on train
> 8, we were delayed 9 hours due to a freight train
> ahead of us striking a truck in Bainville, MT in
> August. If you make an effort of a phone call, you
> will get something for being inconvenienced. Maybe
> try that instead of complaining on Trainorders..

I was on the phone trying to get some sort of credit for not only being being 17 hours late into Emeryville, CA (New Year's Eve into New Year's Day), but also for an attendant that went completely MIA when we sat up in the Sierra Nevada Mtn range for 7 hours waiting for a set of UP engines to be attached to our consist to get us "over the hill." I made up the bedroom I had myself. We arrived into Emeryville next day at 9:00 am. Attendant had been missing since 8:00 pm the night before. Made up no rooms for passengers that evening etc. He was there to collect his tip as we got off at Emeryville, only most of us did not tip because we were furious from the night before. I understand that we hit a snow storm and got stranded for a bit in the mountains, but to receive no service updates, no announcements, no attendant, no compassion or refund? I can repeat a few others like this over the years from 2005 to 2015 where I documented the lateness or bad service from onboard staff (takes a lot for me to write a letter), but rarely did I get a voucher. I may have gotten a partial refund, but even that was probably just a couple of times. Amount of times I wrote a letter to Amtrak is countable largely with one hand. Coast Starlight was late into Klamath Falls by nearly 8 hours. I actually decided to get off the train and rent a car from Klamath to Portland. I'd just had enough of the delayed train. Even after submitting copies of my receipt for the rental car, along with a letter explaining I just wanted a refund from Klamath Falls to Portland - NOTHING from Amtrak. Just an apology letter. Similar situation when I ditched the train in Reno to get a rental car to Sacramento to ensure I would make the Coast Starlight connection. Conductor said we would be "missing the connection" for sure due to UP freight traffic in/out of Reno and over the Sierras. Guess I had bad luck? And I kept my letters short, concise, and to the point without getting nasty. I just wanted to be reimbursed for unused ticket section. Conductor even gave me a note and indicated my departure at Reno or Klamath Falls. 

So it is not just automatic, and denials happen. 

I can not attest positive to your assertion at all - "any bad experience, or very late train that I have experienced, I've always called Amtrak and I have ALWAYS received a voucher for future travel of some amount."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/19 21:02 by jp1822.