# CUS Agents still don't get it.



## Jim G. (Oct 2, 2012)

We arrived at Chicago Union Station about 2:30pm. My wife and I, and my son and his wife, were going to wait for Lincoln Service #305 to take us home after a flight from Boston. I had carefully read the Select Plus brochure telling me that I had "unlimited access to all Amtrak First Class lounges for immediate family members traveling with me, or one non-family guest". When I arrived at the desk I gave the "person-in-charge" at her request, my Select Plus card, drivers license, and all tickets. She grudgingly admitted us but with a final statement loudly announed that "SHE" would allow it this time because they were not busy, but if they were, "SHE" would only allow my wife and I. At this point I figured I was ahead and just shut my mouth, thanked her, and had a snack, soft drink, and enjoyed the wi-fi. How much more pleasant it would have been if she knew the rules and with a smile welcomed one of Amtrak's best customers. Some people should be loading baggage.


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## Ryan (Oct 2, 2012)

What did Amtrak customer service say when you contacted them?


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## PRR 60 (Oct 2, 2012)

Jim G. said:


> We arrived at Chicago Union Station about 2:30pm. My wife and I, and my son and his wife, were going to wait for Lincoln Service #305 to take us home after a flight from Boston. I had carefully read the Select Plus brochure telling me that I had "unlimited access to all Amtrak First Class lounges for immediate family members traveling with me, or one non-family guest". When I arrived at the desk I gave the "person-in-charge" at her request, my Select Plus card, drivers license, and all tickets. She grudgingly admitted us but with a final statement loudly announed that "SHE" would allow it this time because they were not busy, but if they were, "SHE" would only allow my wife and I. At this point I figured I was ahead and just shut my mouth, thanked her, and had a snack, soft drink, and enjoyed the wi-fi. How much more pleasant it would have been if she knew the rules and with a smile welcomed one of Amtrak's best customers. Some people should be loading baggage.


There is no excuse for the rude behavior by the lounge attendant, but technically she is correct. Lounge access for family and guests of S+ members is not absolute. Under ClubAcela Customer Rules & Privilege is the following clause: _Amtrak reserves the right to restrict family and business associate access during peak periods._

The problem with the attendant is that she made it sound like she was doing you a favor letting you in: as if you did not have that basic right. What would have been the better tact would have had her welcome you to the lounge and say nothing about the possibility that, had the lounge been crowded, your guests may not have been allowed.


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## AlanB (Oct 3, 2012)

I'm restoring this topic to view since it does contain valuable information for those using the various First class lounges.

We got way off track here over something that initially got said. While a lot of what subsequently did get posted by various people wasn't exactly wrong or bad, there were some things that got said that weren't exactly nice. So rather than singling out people, I'm simply going to remove every post that had nothing to do with the theme of the post, which is how the agent reacted and the rules that govern access to a lounge. This is the fairest solution that I can think of. As the only other choice is to hack up several posts from various people.

Finally, to the item that sent things spiraling off on a not so nice tangent, I'm going to say the following. First, the item in question was not in the body of the post. It was in the topic title. Normally when a staff member edits a post, the BB automatically leaves a tag in the post that an edit was made. The same is true if the poster edits their post. Since this was the title, that automatic function does not work and the staff member who did the editing didn't realize that no tag was left.

Second, please keep this thread on the topic at hand. I will not entertain questions about what originally did get posted and the staff has been instructed to delete any further posts on that subject.


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## Ryan (Oct 3, 2012)

I'm still wondering what customer service had to say.


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## calwatch (Oct 3, 2012)

The fact is that people on this board have complained about the women at the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago many times. They clearly are frustrated at their job, but to be fair the mechanics of the situation don't help. People can't seem to form one line, they come in on the outside (in which case they get yelled at, even if they legitimately could be there), and too many people show up there at once. When you deal with them outside of the crunch situation with 70 people trying to check their stuff, they are more pleasant (although not as pleasant as they should be). What probably should happen is that there is a bypass line for people who do not need to check in, manned by an additional person who would otherwise have the task of tidying up the place when a train hasn't arrived at the station, and the line to check in clearly marked on the ground or with the airline-style retractable dividers. It's not "first class", but it makes it less chaotic,. The bypass would be for people who have their colored passes already, as well as for Select+ who would show their Select+ card to get in. The folks that are checking in for the train wait in another line.


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## the_traveler (Oct 4, 2012)

That coud be good, but not possible for 2 reasons. Select+ members still have to check in upon entering. Also, the door to the baggage holding room is directly accross from the check in desk. There is not enough room to make 3 dedicated lines by the door. Oh yeah, you would need a 4th line for people leaving, or for Red Caps helping those with baggage!


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## Everydaymatters (Oct 4, 2012)

I agree that changes to the check-in process could alleviate some of the problems. However, the problem I encountered on return from the Seattle Gathering last year was at a slow time. In fact, I was the only person at the check-in desk. I was the only person in that entire area - from the door to the seating section. The lady was incredibly poor at customer service. Alan knows about it, but I asked him not to say anything about it because at the time I had laryngitis. I opted to give her a pass because maybe she couldn't hear me that well. She was beyond belief! Even though I had laryngitis, she should have treated me much, much better than she did. By the way, I had been in a sleeper that day and should have been allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge.

Now, a year later, it sounds like things haven't changed much. Although it wouldn't help with the problem I encountered, I can't help but to think that things might move more efficiently if a smaller check-in desk was placed right by the doorway to the lounge. From what I have been reading on this forum, some changes this past year have helped somewhat. Obviously, more changes are needed.


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## jis (Oct 4, 2012)

calwatch said:


> The bypass would be for people who have their colored passes already, as well as for Select+ who would show their Select+ card to get in. The folks that are checking in for the train wait in another line.


I didn't realize that people who already had colored passes had to stand in any line. At least I never have. I have always bypassed the line and waved the pass at them and been waved through.

I don;t think Select+ card holders could be waved through as quickly since they do need to look at the card more closely than at a colored pass in typical situations.


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## AlanB (Oct 4, 2012)

jis said:


> calwatch said:
> 
> 
> > The bypass would be for people who have their colored passes already, as well as for Select+ who would show their Select+ card to get in. The folks that are checking in for the train wait in another line.
> ...


Agreed! And in fact that's why they have the passes, so that you don't wait in line. I always simply walk by waving my pass in the air where they can see it. I usually try to make eye contact with one of the agents as I slowly walk by and invariably at least one looks up and nods. I have seen people just fly by with a pass get stopped because the agent didn't see it, hence why I take my time and make eye contact.


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## TimePeace (Oct 4, 2012)

I recently used the Met Lounge twice during a one week period, for a few hours each time. While not using any select status, I just showed my ticket when I first got there, stashed some luggage at the redcap room, used the facilities, had coffee and snacks, and came and went as I saw fit until whatever boarding time they had given to me.

Point being, I didn't encounter any rudeness. There was one situation where some folks were VERY confused about train and gate numbers, times and accomodations, and the desk staff seemed pretty patient and helpful while I was there.


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## Amtrak Cajun (Oct 4, 2012)

On my recent trip. I used the Metro Lounge, and the agents on duty were quite nice. Maybe they were different agents though. YMMV.


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## RRrich (Oct 4, 2012)

A few months ago I went to the Metro lounge. There were three folks there - me and two females behind the desk, talking. After waiting perhaps a minute I proceeded into the lounge without bothering with them.

The heck with them


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## TimePeace (Oct 4, 2012)

RRrich said:


> A few months ago I went to the Metro lounge. There were three folks there - me and two females behind the desk, talking. After waiting perhaps a minute I proceeded into the lounge without bothering with them.
> 
> The heck with them


A patient fellow.


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