Well, I thought I had read all the rules, but I manged to shoot myself in the foot.
This was my first AGR trip: round trip from KIN (Kingstown, RI) to PDX. I booked the westbound trip through ABQ so I could take the Coast Starlight from LAX to PDX , then booked a straightforward return PDX, CHI, WAS, KIN.
Since I had read this forum, I knew to ask the agent for business class on the Northeast Regional segments. So I said to the agent, "I understand I am eligible for business class on the KIN/NYP and WAS/KIN segments?" From this I learned my first lesson, the answer "Yes you are" does not mean the agent actually books the BC segments.
When the agent read the trip back to me I got a bit flustered because she had booked me on the Capitol Limited from WAS to CHI on the westbound segment rather than on the Lake Shore Limited from NYP/CHI as I had requested. We finally got that straightened out, she seemed to be rushed, so I didn't make her go over everything again.
Next surprise was that my confirming email did not have an itinerary, just a summary of departure dates. I wasn't too comfortable with this, but I said, "oh well, they must have it under control", and spent the rest of my time trying to figure out if we should stay in Albuquerque or Santa Fe for our one night layover.
The next mistake was not picking up our tickets right away. Since I had paid for a couple of long distance trips, I had the idea in my head that the trip could be canceled until such time as I pick up the tickets. My wife has some disability issues so that I really don't like committing to anything too far in advance. So this, of course, turned out ot be a big big mistake, since I can apparently exchange the tickets anytime -so the earlier the better for AGR trips.
Anyway, when I picked up the tickets, just a week in advance, I realized that I had not gotten business class on either of the regional segments. Now I am a big guy, and the extra room in business class makes a difference. Plus, I like the free coffee. This was last Friday, the day before Memorial Day Weekend, so I rushed home and called the AGR reservations number.
So the agent, who I will name Ted, explained to me that I could return the tickets, the points would be credited and I could rebook the trip. So I said to Ted, well, since I leave June 1 to go to PDX it is not likely I am sending those tickets back! But, do you think we have the time to get the return leg tickets to Minneapolis, credit the points, and rebook the trip? So, again, another big mistake because the whole conversation thereafter was whether or not there was enough time to exchange the tickets. We decided there was, so Saturday I express mailed my tickets to Minneapolis to be credited and rebooked.
So of course, you know how that ended. Later Saturday afternoon I idly looked into getting the Cardinal back instead of the Capitol Limited. I was kind of surprised to see all the roomettes were booked. Gee, same on the Lake Shore Limited. Then, BAM, it hit me, and in an absolute panic I discovered, yes indeed, all roomettes on the Capitol Limited were booked too! The entire Memorial Day Weekend I fussed and fumed over my return trip, and a call to the AGR center confirmed my worst fears, there was no way to stop the cancellation process, I even requested and spoke to a supervisor, but to no avail.
So I can get back, maybe. It seems that if I pay for PDX to LAX, I can book LAX to ATL, and then ATL to KIN and get a roomette all the way - of course I now have $440 dollars for CS plus a night in LA - so much for my free trip. Or, oddly enough I can still book PDX to BBY (Boston) in a roomette and then try to catch the Last NE regional from BBY to KIN. But there is only an hour between trains, and last year the Lake Shore on time record was terrible!
And, we will have to see what is available when those points finally get credited - I might not have a choice.
Next time I will be smarted, but I sure screwed up this time.
This was my first AGR trip: round trip from KIN (Kingstown, RI) to PDX. I booked the westbound trip through ABQ so I could take the Coast Starlight from LAX to PDX , then booked a straightforward return PDX, CHI, WAS, KIN.
Since I had read this forum, I knew to ask the agent for business class on the Northeast Regional segments. So I said to the agent, "I understand I am eligible for business class on the KIN/NYP and WAS/KIN segments?" From this I learned my first lesson, the answer "Yes you are" does not mean the agent actually books the BC segments.
When the agent read the trip back to me I got a bit flustered because she had booked me on the Capitol Limited from WAS to CHI on the westbound segment rather than on the Lake Shore Limited from NYP/CHI as I had requested. We finally got that straightened out, she seemed to be rushed, so I didn't make her go over everything again.
Next surprise was that my confirming email did not have an itinerary, just a summary of departure dates. I wasn't too comfortable with this, but I said, "oh well, they must have it under control", and spent the rest of my time trying to figure out if we should stay in Albuquerque or Santa Fe for our one night layover.
The next mistake was not picking up our tickets right away. Since I had paid for a couple of long distance trips, I had the idea in my head that the trip could be canceled until such time as I pick up the tickets. My wife has some disability issues so that I really don't like committing to anything too far in advance. So this, of course, turned out ot be a big big mistake, since I can apparently exchange the tickets anytime -so the earlier the better for AGR trips.
Anyway, when I picked up the tickets, just a week in advance, I realized that I had not gotten business class on either of the regional segments. Now I am a big guy, and the extra room in business class makes a difference. Plus, I like the free coffee. This was last Friday, the day before Memorial Day Weekend, so I rushed home and called the AGR reservations number.
So the agent, who I will name Ted, explained to me that I could return the tickets, the points would be credited and I could rebook the trip. So I said to Ted, well, since I leave June 1 to go to PDX it is not likely I am sending those tickets back! But, do you think we have the time to get the return leg tickets to Minneapolis, credit the points, and rebook the trip? So, again, another big mistake because the whole conversation thereafter was whether or not there was enough time to exchange the tickets. We decided there was, so Saturday I express mailed my tickets to Minneapolis to be credited and rebooked.
So of course, you know how that ended. Later Saturday afternoon I idly looked into getting the Cardinal back instead of the Capitol Limited. I was kind of surprised to see all the roomettes were booked. Gee, same on the Lake Shore Limited. Then, BAM, it hit me, and in an absolute panic I discovered, yes indeed, all roomettes on the Capitol Limited were booked too! The entire Memorial Day Weekend I fussed and fumed over my return trip, and a call to the AGR center confirmed my worst fears, there was no way to stop the cancellation process, I even requested and spoke to a supervisor, but to no avail.
So I can get back, maybe. It seems that if I pay for PDX to LAX, I can book LAX to ATL, and then ATL to KIN and get a roomette all the way - of course I now have $440 dollars for CS plus a night in LA - so much for my free trip. Or, oddly enough I can still book PDX to BBY (Boston) in a roomette and then try to catch the Last NE regional from BBY to KIN. But there is only an hour between trains, and last year the Lake Shore on time record was terrible!
And, we will have to see what is available when those points finally get credited - I might not have a choice.
Next time I will be smarted, but I sure screwed up this time.
