AGR Sleeper Reservations Cancellation Policy (Rescinded)

[JayPea]

Aw, shucks! You mean all the ranting, raving, fist - waving, not to mention bitching, and moaning, was all wasted? . Seriously, that's very good news. Gives me faith that there are some organizations out there that actually listen to customers. Kudos to AGR!

Not wasted. That is what resulted in the change. I'm glad sanity prevailed.

Oh, I know. I was just having some fun . For the record, I did contact AGR myself, letting them know I was unhappy with the proposed changes. As I said previously, it's great to know AGR actually listens to their customers, in this case anyway.

 

[Ryan]

Glad to see my faith in AGR wasn't misplaced.

 

[Steve4031]

What are "impossible bookings"?

 

[AlanB]

What are "impossible bookings"?

Things like booking the 4 PM Acela out of DC, along with the 5 PM & 6 PM Acela out of DC. Or booking the Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle on Monday and again on either Tuesday or Wednesday, where clearly if you caught the Monday train you cannot then catch one of the other trains.

 

[TimePeace]

Wait - you mean the sky isn't falling?

Darn. There go the chances of those who were all done with AGR forever giving away their points to folks like me who didn't see it as the end of the (AGR) world.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What are "impossible bookings"?

Things like booking the 4 PM Acela out of DC, along with the 5 PM & 6 PM Acela out of DC. Or booking the Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle on Monday and again on either Tuesday or Wednesday, where clearly if you caught the Monday train you cannot then catch one of the other trains.

Those are examples of DUPLICATE bookings. Impossible bookings are unique enough to not break the duplicate rule but are still nonetheless impossible. For instance, booking Chicago to Seattle on Monday with another separate booking of New York to Miami on Tuesday. There is no possibility that the same person can complete both trips as ticketed even though they are not duplicates.

 

[AlanB]

What are "impossible bookings"?

Things like booking the 4 PM Acela out of DC, along with the 5 PM & 6 PM Acela out of DC. Or booking the Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle on Monday and again on either Tuesday or Wednesday, where clearly if you caught the Monday train you cannot then catch one of the other trains.

Those are examples of DUPLICATE bookings. Impossible bookings are unique enough to not break the duplicate rule but are still nonetheless impossible. For instance, booking Chicago to Seattle on Monday with another separate booking of New York to Miami on Tuesday. There is no possibility that the same person can complete both trips as ticketed even though they are not duplicates.

No, that's not entirely correct either. While I did indeed include the description for duplicate in my post, namely the Acela example, I also included the "impossible"description in my post. I quote from the Amtrak website:

Impossible bookings are reservations on trains for which it is impossible for the passenger to travel on both or all, such as a bedroom Seattle - Chicago on two consecutive days, or two separate reservation records between which a connection is not possible.

So my example for the EB is indeed an "impossible booking."

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good News and Thanks to AGR Insider and the folks @ AGR that have Common Sense! (It's Rare in Washington!)

 

[colobok]

What are "impossible bookings"?

Things like booking the 4 PM Acela out of DC, along with the 5 PM & 6 PM Acela out of DC. Or booking the Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle on Monday and again on either Tuesday or Wednesday, where clearly if you caught the Monday train you cannot then catch one of the other trains.

Those are examples of DUPLICATE bookings. Impossible bookings are unique enough to not break the duplicate rule but are still nonetheless impossible. For instance, booking Chicago to Seattle on Monday with another separate booking of New York to Miami on Tuesday. There is no possibility that the same person can complete both trips as ticketed even though they are not duplicates.

So what are they going to do with those duplicated or impossible bookings?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

What are "impossible bookings"?

Things like booking the 4 PM Acela out of DC, along with the 5 PM & 6 PM Acela out of DC. Or booking the Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle on Monday and again on either Tuesday or Wednesday, where clearly if you caught the Monday train you cannot then catch one of the other trains.

Those are examples of DUPLICATE bookings. Impossible bookings are unique enough to not break the duplicate rule but are still nonetheless impossible. For instance, booking Chicago to Seattle on Monday with another separate booking of New York to Miami on Tuesday. There is no possibility that the same person can complete both trips as ticketed even though they are not duplicates.

So what are they going to do with those duplicated or impossible bookings?

Cancel the latest ones booked.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What are "impossible bookings"?

Things like booking the 4 PM Acela out of DC, along with the 5 PM & 6 PM Acela out of DC. Or booking the Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle on Monday and again on either Tuesday or Wednesday, where clearly if you caught the Monday train you cannot then catch one of the other trains.

Those are examples of DUPLICATE bookings. Impossible bookings are unique enough to not break the duplicate rule but are still nonetheless impossible. For instance, booking Chicago to Seattle on Monday with another separate booking of New York to Miami on Tuesday. There is no possibility that the same person can complete both trips as ticketed even though they are not duplicates.

So what are they going to do with those duplicated or impossible bookings?

Amtrak has stated they will attempt to contact the customer and clarify the primary ticket. The primary ticket will be allowed to remain in effect without modification but any other tickets that break the rules against duplicates and impossible scheduling will either need to be canceled or rescheduled. If Amtrak is unable to reach the customer they will consider the most recently booked ticket to be the primary and cancel any other tickets that break the duplicate and/or impossible rules when combined with the primary ticket.

 

[TinCan782]

I can understand Amtrak's POV regarding cancellations...losing possible use (sale) of a room because of a last minute cancellation. But, 15 days? Maybe 3 or less?

Anyway, its been recinded for the time being which is good for AGR members. Afterall, a "free" AGR ticket was being used by what are likely Amtrak's best customers.

John

 

[AlanB]

Frensic,

It wasn't so much the last minute cancellation that was the problem, Amtrak understands that things can happen that can cause one to cancel. The problem is more with people who book things thinking that just maybe they'll take a trip. Or booking on two successive days so that they can pick which day they want at the last minute. I believe that this had more to do with abuse of the liberal policies for canceling than it did with the average person needing to cancel last minute because of an emergency or some other circumstance beyond their control.

I suspect that AGR will continue to look for other ways to crack down on the abusers, without hitting the rest of us over the head with a sledgehammer like this policy would have done.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, Amtrak, for listening and rescinding the proposed change.

And yes, it was rightfully a big deal to some of us, especially re health emergencies. The proposal was unreasonable and potentially very costly. Points are not easy for some of us to accumulate as there are no trains nearby. Glad they reconsidered. They can address the abuses in a different way.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Very happy to learn of AGR reconsideration of the previous policy. Agree that the abusers who double book and try to play games with the system should be rooted out. Now it is time to book some more Amtrak trips and enjoy the ride.

Thanks to AGR and those who protested and hopefully influenced decision making. It is what America is all about