AGR Blackout Dates

[ATXEagle]

Thanks to the advice of some of the good folks here at Amtrak Unlimited, I got all my plans organized and called AGR this morning to book a reward trip. I specifically arranged my travel plans to depart on December 31, because according to the AGR website:

Redemption for Amtrak Travel Rewards is not available for travel on certain trains and/or certain times and dates. For the period from January 3, 2010 through January 3, 2011, travel origination on Redemption awards may not occur on the following dates/times:

I am planning a two-zone reward trip and from what I read above, all that matters is that reward travel not originate on a blackout day.

Unfortunately, the agent wouldn't book my trip because she said that I'd be changing trains on Jan. 2, which is a blackout day. I tried to explain that my travel was originating on the 31st, so it didn't seem like the rule should apply.

I searched on this forum and also on Flyertalk, and found some contradictory information. Does anyone know if this is indeed the official policy?

If it is, I think AGR really needs to clarify their policy, because as written it doesn't conform to what the agent told me.

 

[the_traveler]

The rule is that you can not BOARD a train on a blackout date, but if you are ON a train on that date, it's OK!

 

Example: The 15th is a black out date. You are traveling from CHI to PDX, via LAX.

1) You start your trip on the 15th from CHI. You can NOT do that, because you are BOARDING the SWC on a black out date.

2) You start your trip on the 14th from CHI. You CAN do this, because you will already be ON the SWC on a black out date, but not boarding the train.

3) You start the trip on the SWC from CHI on the 13th. This segment is OK, but when you arrive in LAX on the 15th and board the CS, that can NOT be done (because the 15th is a black out date and you will BOARD a train)!

 

[ATXEagle]

Thanks! I guess that means it will be the airlines for me this Christmas then. I do think AGR needs to rewrite their rules, because as written it suggests that an itinerary can't originate on a blackout day.

 

[the_traveler]

I do think AGR needs to rewrite their rules, because as written it suggests that an itinerary can't originate on a blackout day.

It is written correctly. In example #3 above, while you are not starting on the SWC from CHI to LAX on a blackout date, you are starting on the CS from LAX to PDX on a blackout date!

 

[jmbgeg]

The rule is that you can not BOARD a train on a blackout date, but if you are ON a train on that date, it's OK!

 

Example: The 15th is a black out date. You are traveling from CHI to PDX, via LAX.

1) You start your trip on the 15th from CHI. You can NOT do that, because you are BOARDING the SWC on a black out date.

2) You start your trip on the 14th from CHI. You CAN do this, because you will already be ON the SWC on a black out date, but not boarding the train.

3) You start the trip on the SWC from CHI on the 13th. This segment is OK, but when you arrive in LAX on the 15th and board the CS, that can NOT be done (because the 15th is a black out date and you will BOARD a train)!

Exactly correct Traveler. That kept me from taking a Spokane to Fort Lauderdale award trip last holiday season (boarding a connecting train on a blackout date). If they allowed stopovers on AGR trips, that might of been workable with my plans, but they don't.

 

[PRR 60]

If you are taking the CZ from Chicago to San Francisco and you are leaving CHI the day before the blackout, will the trip be blocked because the bus from Emeryville to SF will leave in the blackout period?

 

[AlanB]

If you are taking the CZ from Chicago to San Francisco and you are leaving CHI the day before the blackout, will the trip be blocked because the bus from Emeryville to SF will leave in the blackout period?

Yup, that would block it if you tried to include it in the award.

You'd have to make a separate, paid reservation for the bus, in order to get the award for the rest of the trip.

 

[Rail Freak]

If you are taking the CZ from Chicago to San Francisco and you are leaving CHI the day before the blackout, will the trip be blocked because the bus from Emeryville to SF will leave in the blackout period?

Yup, that would block it if you tried to include it in the award.

You'd have to make a separate, paid reservation for the bus, in order to get the award for the rest of the trip.

If I were to take an AGR Trip from WAS to STP the day before a blackout date, I could not take the bus from ORL to STP on that ticket for the next day???.

Would I be stuck in ORL, since you cant purchase a bus ticket unless it's a trip to or from a train connection???

 

[AlanB]

If you are taking the CZ from Chicago to San Francisco and you are leaving CHI the day before the blackout, will the trip be blocked because the bus from Emeryville to SF will leave in the blackout period?

Yup, that would block it if you tried to include it in the award.

You'd have to make a separate, paid reservation for the bus, in order to get the award for the rest of the trip.

If I were to take an AGR Trip from WAS to STP the day before a blackout date, I could not take the bus from ORL to STP on that ticket for the next day???.

Would I be stuck in ORL, since you cant purchase a bus ticket unless it's a trip to or from a train connection???

You would not be able to get the bus ticket as part of the award reservation because of the blackout dates. However, since you still have a train ticket you would be able to buy the bus ticket. It doesn't matter how you got the train ticket, only that you actually have a train ticket and are connecting to the bus.

And now with the "new" AGR setup, the same agent should be able to handle both for you; that is to say, make the AGR train reservation first, then sell you the bus ticket and link the two together so as to form a guaranteed connection.

 

[FlyingBoat]

OK, then the terms should say cannot BOARD not cannot ORIGINATE.

Who in this world ever would consider Originate date would mean anything other than the date you start your trip on Amtrak!

 

[the_traveler]

OK, then the terms should say cannot BOARD not cannot ORIGINATE.

Who in this world ever would consider Originate date would mean anything other than the date you start your trip on Amtrak!

By the same token, if they say you can not BOARD on the blackout date, that would be confusing to many passengers also! Say you're on the SWC and get to ABQ on the blackout date, or on the CZ and get to DEN on the Blackout date, or on the EB and get to Havre on the blackout date, the conductor announces a smoke/fresh air break. Some people may be confused, and not get off because they would have to BOARD the train on a blackout date!

In the above example, while you are not ORIGINATING your trip from CHI on the SWC on a blackout date, you are ORIGINATING your trip on the CS in LAX on a blackout date!

I know it's bad to talk about airlines on AU

, but (besides the time confusion) that is why many flight depart at 11:59 PM or 11:55PM - so you don't originate on a blackout date!

 

[FlyingBoat]

In my case, the 11:59PM departure time is what hurt my plans on trying to do a Den to MSP trip leaving on 10/6. I would board CS train in Sac on 10/7 at 11:59PM so they couldn't book it. One minute later in the schedule and it would have been OK!

FWIW, "Boarding" makes more sense to me, and that is the word you used in your explanation, which helped clarify it to me.

I didn't realize airlines would do this too, if switching planes and it falls on a different date, that it would not be allowed if that date were a blackout date? I have had an overnight layover for an international flight. The second leg must not have fell on a blackout date. I always thought the Airline would count the origination date as the date you left your starting city, not any other dates where transfers may occur.

 

[Rail Freak]

As the Travelor will tell you, us Southern Boys are easily confused BUT. I think of it as " You cant start a segment of your journey (train change) on a Black Out Date"

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