More trouble with AGR Reservations

[saxman]

This kind of irks me.

I used points to go from West Palm Beach to Boston on train 92 and then 66 from WAS on March 2nd. Since my friend in WPB was not going to be around I decided to change the reservation to be from Miami instead. So called AGR, and requested I get on the same train in Miami. Seems pretty simple. And I knew my sleeper would be available seeing how MIA to WPB is Receive only. Well I was put on hold while she changed the reservation and she came back and said she put me on Train 98 on March 3RD! I told her I couldn't travel on March 3rd, it needs to be March 2nd. She said there was NO train available on March 2nd. I said thats not true, I just checked online, and there are sleepers on both 92 and 98. She said thats what the computer said, so I asked her to just change it back to the original departure from WPB. Well now she couldn't do that because she already cancelled, and the computer was showing no departures available. Great! I hung up and called Amtrak Reservations. Amtrak told me that my reservation had been cancelled all together, and she couldn't modify or reinstate it because it was an AGR ticket. I asked her if there was indeed availability for roomettes on March 2nd. She their was, but only a certain number of sleepers was allocated for AGR points, and they were all used. HUH?!

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought if a sleeper was available, it was mine, for AGR points, no matter what. Has something changed?

Anyway, I call AGR back and get another guy. He had a hard time finding my original reservation, but finally did, and I told him what happened. He was a little more helpful, and somehow booked me in a roomette for train 98 on March 2nd. He said 92 wasn't available. So I got the day I wanted now at least, but I really wanted to take 92 and connect to 66.

Now also note that on March 2nd and other days, 92 is running two hours earlier and is renumbered as "1092." I'm going to call back and see if I can change it to 92. This is my last chance before the weekend.

 

[the_traveler]

I had no trouble changing my AGR reservation. However, when I read the emailed confirmation, it was trouble. I was booked on the correct trains, but the travel date was input as "4/5/09" instead of "3/4/09"! A quick call (and 20 minutes of changing) got it corrected!

 

[AlanB]

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought if a sleeper was available, it was mine, for AGR points, no matter what. Has something changed?

It always has been that way and I haven't heard of any change. But that doesn't mean that there hasn't been one that wasn't announced. And it would be a very unwelcome announcement, although not exactly an unexpected one.

It may well be too late now, but I would have gotten a supervisor on the line and told them that at a minimum you want the original reservation back, as the first agent had no right to change the date on you without warning.

 

[PRR 60]

...I asked her if there was indeed availability for roomettes on March 2nd. She their was, but only a certain number of sleepers was allocated for AGR points, and they were all used. HUH?!
Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought if a sleeper was available, it was mine, for AGR points, no matter what. Has something changed?

Probably the agent was simply clueless, but it is not impossible that AGR has quietly imposed limited inventory on AGR sleeper awards. AGR is known to change policies with no notice. If true, that would be a major program downgrade.

An interesting experiment would be to search out a train with just one roomette left, and then call AGR and try to book it. If they offer that train, then we would know that all is well. But if they indicate no AGR availability, then we know that the good times are indeed over.

 

[saxman]

...I asked her if there was indeed availability for roomettes on March 2nd. She their was, but only a certain number of sleepers was allocated for AGR points, and they were all used. HUH?!
Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought if a sleeper was available, it was mine, for AGR points, no matter what. Has something changed?

Probably the agent was simply clueless, but it is not impossible that AGR has quietly imposed limited inventory on AGR sleeper awards. AGR is known to change policies with no notice. If true, that would be a major program downgrade.

An interesting experiment would be to search out a train with just one roomette left, and then call AGR and try to book it. If they offer that train, then we would know that all is well. But if they indicate no AGR availability, then we know that the good times are indeed over.

Well as far as my conversation, my first phone call with AGR, the lady simply said her computer did not offer anything for the 2nd or March. I could see online though, that there were more than one room available on both trains. My second phone call with another guy with a room being indeed available for March 2nd. The two calls were about 15 minutes apart. The other question is with the Amtrak agent. She informed me AGR has a different system, and she said its because AGR rooms were soldout. I'm really hoping this is because someone is clueless.

 

[RRrich]

Many of us have found that if you don't like what an Amtrak agent tells you, hang up and call again. It appears that this is even more true with AGR.

Amtrak has been doing this for long enough that I assume that they have a complete set of rules, and that many agents are not knowledgeable of those rules - Are we taking advantage of those who do or don't know the rules? Whatever!

With AGR, since the new management has not been in place long I find it conceivable that they do not yet have rules for all situations - and the folks here can come up with some doozies of situations (the Slidel Loophole). Or perhaps like Amtrak agents, not all agents know where to buy a clue.

In any event, keep the faith for as long as possible - we are just trying to get all we can UNDER THEIR RULES!

 

[Ispolkom]

Many of us have found that if you don't like what an Amtrak agent tells you, hang up and call again. It appears that this is even more true with AGR.
Amtrak has been doing this for long enough that I assume that they have a complete set of rules, and that many agents are not knowledgeable of those rules - Are we taking advantage of those who do or don't know the rules? Whatever!

With AGR, since the new management has not been in place long I find it conceivable that they do not yet have rules for all situations - and the folks here can come up with some doozies of situations (the Slidel Loophole). Or perhaps like Amtrak agents, not all agents know where to buy a clue.

In any event, keep the faith for as long as possible - we are just trying to get all we can UNDER THEIR RULES!

Words of wisdom! I am convinced that we know much more about their rules than they do. Especially now that they have new agents who don't even recognize stations in North Dakota (unlike the previous group). Just be patient and firm, and be willing to stop and call back in a couple of days.

 

[soitgoes]

The other question is with the Amtrak agent. She informed me AGR has a different system, and she said its because AGR rooms were soldout. I'm really hoping this is because someone is clueless.

Most Amtrak agents know next to nothing about AGR awards. Some even maintain they aren't allowed to touch them, even though there are circumstances where they are allowed to make changes. Amtrak agents make things up about AGR all the time.

 

[Rail Freak]

The other question is with the Amtrak agent. She informed me AGR has a different system, and she said its because AGR rooms were soldout. I'm really hoping this is because someone is clueless.

Most Amtrak agents know next to nothing about AGR awards. Some even maintain they aren't allowed to touch them, even though there are circumstances where they are allowed to make changes. Amtrak agents make things up about AGR all the time.

You make a good point however, I was talking to an "AGR Specialist". Didn't have the foggiest! It's amazing they would allow people with such obvious inexperience to operate as AGENTS. But having the Specialist put you on hold for every question to ask their superviser, may be OJT(on the job training)!! <_<

 

[soitgoes]

You make a good point however, I was talking to an "AGR Specialist". Didn't have the foggiest! It's amazing they would allow people with such obvious inexperience to operate as AGENTS. But having the Specialist put you on hold for every question to ask their superviser, may be OJT(on the job training)!! <_<

If you were talking to an AGR specialist you were talking to one of the contract employees at AGR, not to an Amtrak res agent.

 

[Rail Freak]

You make a good point however, I was talking to an "AGR Specialist". Didn't have the foggiest! It's amazing they would allow people with such obvious inexperience to operate as AGENTS. But having the Specialist put you on hold for every question to ask their superviser, may be OJT(on the job training)!! <_<

If you were talking to an AGR specialist you were talking to one of the contract employees at AGR, not to an Amtrak res agent.

OK? :huh:

 

[soitgoes]

OK? :huh:

I thought saxman66 said he/she called Amtrak reservations after calling AGR and that that agent made some comment about how there must not be AGR availability.

That is to what I am referring.

Amtrak res agents (not AGR agents) know very very little about AGR.

Some AGR agents are also not very well-informed.

 

[diesteldorf]

I was in Chicago Union Station 2 weeks ago and went up to one of the ticket agents at a main window. I gave him my reservation and he pulled it up in the system. Looked at it and said it was an AGR reservation and he wasn't allowed to touch it. I explained to hi tha it wasn't, that it only had my AGR # on the reservation and was made on the weekend when AGR was closed.

I really was not in a good position to argue and didn't really care except that my reservation was going to cancel in an hour and I was going to Glenview that evening within 1/2 hour. Luckily, I called up Amtrak and spoke to a specialist, since the regular agent could not extend my reservation even for 1 day. She was very surprised and extremely apologetic.

Since I already had an old pair of Hiawatha tickets that I purchased previously, I caught the train and left it to the agent in Glenview to ticket my current reservation. He was happy to do it and all ended well.