texline
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2016
- Messages
- 131
I booked our Thanksgiving trip to Irvine early this year. Pleased with myself for getting the best fares. And then yesterday I got word event has been moved to Phoenix.
I wasn't sure how it would go but I called the member select number. I asked if it could be done and the rep said sure, not a problem. It took her a bit and we explained our new plans in detail. She kept putting me on hold. Finally she comes back and said she would fix it and I needed an additional $1500.00. What? Really? Can I use points? Ok she says, give me your PIN. She is gone awhile and comes back on. You can use points on one segment. I said great, let's do that. She said ok but we have to use your points and your wife's points. I said ok. She said she needed help doing it but she would fix it. Ok. No email confirmation.
I called again. I give my reservation number and explain where we left off. She pulls it up and says the transaction wasn't completed. I ask if we can fix it. On hold then back on. She asks if I am trying to use points and I say yes. She says we can't use points, holiday blackout. Ok. We explain again we want to go to Maricopa and catch the Phoenix bus. She sets it up and it is still very expensive and not in line with Amsnag. Ok I guess we have no choice.
The email confirmation now shows our last segment as Texas Eagle as our train. I call again. This person gets my information and pulls it up. Yes that is your train. No we want the Sunset Limited. Yes she says, same train. I ask her to humor me and put in Sunset Limited. She couldn't find it at first and then she did put in SL. Wow she says, that's a huge savings! I never knew that train was really two trains. Ok I said, let's fix it. Ok BUT the bus won't work. She asks for the bus number. Yes there is a bus but it is not a guarantee connection. I had mentioned the schedule and the announcement on it. She says the bus works for west bound, not eastbound. The bus leaves an hour earlier than the train. I noticed the time change in November and it leaves after the train. No she says, just too close so no guarantee. Ok drop the bus. Ok. Then the email confirmation - wrong dates.
If we are doing the whole trip now as a round trip, how could random dates on connections make sense. Another call. Ok we can line up the dates. Great. Ok we changed the dates, we need $300 more. Really? Yes the inventory is now gone on your return so you get Texas Eagle rate. Ok please lock it in. She did, said sorry for all the confusion.
I did check on-line and she was correct, it appears my SL bedroom sold out during the day.
Amtrak agents have always been great and I just got caught on one of those days. I didn't want to push it but I wonder if the new Phoenix bus is available both ways. It is a reminder to me in the future to use train numbers as well as names. That Texas Eagle price would have been ours but we had forum knowledge and that really helped so thanks once again to members.
I wasn't sure how it would go but I called the member select number. I asked if it could be done and the rep said sure, not a problem. It took her a bit and we explained our new plans in detail. She kept putting me on hold. Finally she comes back and said she would fix it and I needed an additional $1500.00. What? Really? Can I use points? Ok she says, give me your PIN. She is gone awhile and comes back on. You can use points on one segment. I said great, let's do that. She said ok but we have to use your points and your wife's points. I said ok. She said she needed help doing it but she would fix it. Ok. No email confirmation.
I called again. I give my reservation number and explain where we left off. She pulls it up and says the transaction wasn't completed. I ask if we can fix it. On hold then back on. She asks if I am trying to use points and I say yes. She says we can't use points, holiday blackout. Ok. We explain again we want to go to Maricopa and catch the Phoenix bus. She sets it up and it is still very expensive and not in line with Amsnag. Ok I guess we have no choice.
The email confirmation now shows our last segment as Texas Eagle as our train. I call again. This person gets my information and pulls it up. Yes that is your train. No we want the Sunset Limited. Yes she says, same train. I ask her to humor me and put in Sunset Limited. She couldn't find it at first and then she did put in SL. Wow she says, that's a huge savings! I never knew that train was really two trains. Ok I said, let's fix it. Ok BUT the bus won't work. She asks for the bus number. Yes there is a bus but it is not a guarantee connection. I had mentioned the schedule and the announcement on it. She says the bus works for west bound, not eastbound. The bus leaves an hour earlier than the train. I noticed the time change in November and it leaves after the train. No she says, just too close so no guarantee. Ok drop the bus. Ok. Then the email confirmation - wrong dates.
If we are doing the whole trip now as a round trip, how could random dates on connections make sense. Another call. Ok we can line up the dates. Great. Ok we changed the dates, we need $300 more. Really? Yes the inventory is now gone on your return so you get Texas Eagle rate. Ok please lock it in. She did, said sorry for all the confusion.
I did check on-line and she was correct, it appears my SL bedroom sold out during the day.
Amtrak agents have always been great and I just got caught on one of those days. I didn't want to push it but I wonder if the new Phoenix bus is available both ways. It is a reminder to me in the future to use train numbers as well as names. That Texas Eagle price would have been ours but we had forum knowledge and that really helped so thanks once again to members.
