Confused About Pricing

[tonys96]

Tony, if you're so torqued off about it, maybe you should call Amtrak and ask them about it instead of raging at us. We don't work there.

Did not mean to sound "torqued off"....apologize if it read that way. But this is something that Amtrak could fix with a little blurb on the site to call Julie to get the correct fare. There is no need to be an apologist for Amtrak on this one...there is a problem they are aware of and could easily fix, but so far have chosen not to do so. I do hope they figure out a way to refund the overpayments, but I suspect it would be too costly to try to do.

It is messed up enough to get the OP to mention it. The OP was confused, I doubt they were the only ones who were.

Just read this post from Jim:

"I talked to Customer Relations after I Posted about this "Bug" a Couple of Weeks ago! I was told that Amtrak's Crack IT Department was "On It" but with the Mess Going on in WAS and the Roll Out of the New AGR Web Site perhaps they haven't gotten it entirely Solved Yet?? (ie Roomettes OK/Bedroom Bookings still Ripping Off On-Line Bookers!)"

So Amtrak is aware of this snafu, and has not posted a notice on the site to call to get the correct fare.

 

[Ted Bell]

I love word games. What does OP mean? When I was in high school it meant Ocean Pacific. Good times.

 

[SarahZ]

OP = Original Poster, i.e. the person who started the thread.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Tony, if you're so torqued off about it, maybe you should call Amtrak and ask them about it instead of raging at us. We don't work there.

I happen to think this is a rather substantial mistake that has outlived a reasonable resolution period and is exacerbated by a lack of information from Amtrak as to what is going on and how to avoid it. We don't get paid by Amtrak but I do believe that our comments help to set the bar for what is generally expected of Amtrak by fellow consumers. I work in IT myself so I can understand if a fix is currently bogged down in coding or testing or scheduling waiting for more resources from a limited pool of talent. That being said I cannot understand the lack of any warning or alert that people selecting bedrooms online may end up overpaying by accident.

 

[train person]

It is quite pathetic/inept/criminal that despite Amtrak seemingly being aware of this 'feature' (avoid using the word 'bug' to avoid outraging the pedants) they are still selling sleeping accommodation in a way that overcharges certain customers.

The average Joe ain't going to be aware of it unless you do what all normal right thinking intending passengers do when booking travel on a website and double and triple check prices using the app and calling….

Surely until its fixed selling sleeping car space to 2 customers should be disabled, or a warning placed on the website. The fact that neither has been done speaks volumes about the attitude of Amtrak to its passengers, even more so if refunds to those so affected are not forthcoming. Truly useless.

 

[NW cannonball]

Whether this problem with the website is a "bug", an "oversight", a "problem that our IT is fixing" , or a ripoff --

Needs to be fixed "real soon" -- like a week ago.

Right?

I'm not writing Amtrak - yet - seems like enough people may have done. And it has not affected me personally.

One more day is inexcusable - whether bug, glitch, whatever.

If it shows up again on Thursday -- inexcusable - time to write the Congressman -

 

[TrainLoverJoy]

The bug has been fixed. The website now reports the same accommodation charge regardless of the number of people.

Edit:

I may have spoken too soon - looks like bedrooms are still hosed up.

That makes it even more unlikely that it's a policy decision, why would there be a different policy for bedrooms and roomettes?

The bug has not been fixed. In checking the original date/destination I refered to at the beginning of this thread, I'm still getting the wrong, way-too-high price when checking for one person, then two.

 

[SarahZ]

Tony, if you're so torqued off about it, maybe you should call Amtrak and ask them about it instead of raging at us. We don't work there.

I happen to think this is a rather substantial mistake that has outlived a reasonable resolution period and is exacerbated by a lack of information from Amtrak as to what is going on and how to avoid it. We don't get paid by Amtrak but I do believe that our comments help to set the bar for what is generally expected of Amtrak by fellow consumers. I work in IT myself so I can understand if a fix is currently bogged down in coding or testing or scheduling waiting for more resources from a limited pool of talent. That being said I cannot understand the lack of any warning or alert that people selecting bedrooms online may end up overpaying by accident.

Agreed, but my point was that we were all discussing this and complaining about it, but had anyone actually called to report it? It would be nice to get some actual info from Amtrak (which Jim Hudson posted in another thread, but I didn't read the update until I'd posted that comment in this thread). So now it's kind of moot, I suppose.

 

[TrainLoverJoy]

I hate the new reservation screen on amtrak.com....and particularly the math involved.

I am completely confused about the formulas for figuring prices. I checked several random dates, and it seems to be the same. For example: Texas Eagle, April 29. Base value coach price is $169. When asking price for one person with a roomette, it says $629, with one room left at this price. If you ask about 2 people in the same roomette the price should go up $169....but it goes up $292 to $921...with 3 rooms left at this price. What is going on!!!

In doing some further checking, I found out the problem is way worse than I thought. I checked about 20 different dates for both the 421 and 422, and 19 of the 20 way overcharged when adding the 2nd person. The price was correct with one person in the roomette, but adding the 2nd almost doubled what the base coach price should be.

 

[tonys96]

I hate the new reservation screen on amtrak.com....and particularly the math involved.

I am completely confused about the formulas for figuring prices. I checked several random dates, and it seems to be the same. For example: Texas Eagle, April 29. Base value coach price is $169. When asking price for one person with a roomette, it says $629, with one room left at this price. If you ask about 2 people in the same roomette the price should go up $169....but it goes up $292 to $921...with 3 rooms left at this price. What is going on!!!

In doing some further checking, I found out the problem is way worse than I thought. I checked about 20 different dates for both the 421 and 422, and 19 of the 20 way overcharged when adding the 2nd person. The price was correct with one person in the roomette, but adding the 2nd almost doubled what the base coach price should be.

Must not be "fixed" yet.

 

[Ryan]

From Amtrak:

Thank you for contacting us

The sleeper cost should remain the same whether there are one or two passengers in the room. As you stated, the only increase should be the rail fare for the second passenger when booking online.

If you continue to see a higher sleeper charge when requesting two passengers, we ask that you contact an Amtrak Internet Support Agent at our toll free number (1-800-872-7245) and they will assist you. Select the number 0 immediately to avoid the automated information menu.

Ask the initial agent who answers your call to transfer you to the Internet Support Desk. This desk is open every day from 8am to 11pm ET.

We hope this information is helpful.

I highly encourage anyone running across this to call.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I think we All need to Call Amtrak,(Me Again!!!) they seem to be Draging their Feet on Fixing this Problem which is Known to Management and the IT Dept! :help:

 

[tonys96]

Margie's brother was looking for info on a trip on the TE/SL to N.O. I told him to call, and he got the correct pricing (still too high for him, though) but he asked about the site problem and agent told him they were aware of it.

 

[PaulM]

I wonder if the revenue management guys are able to figure out if revenue has increased or decreased with the de facto major price increase? If the former, once the bug is fixed, then it would be silly of them not to increase prices or equivalently adjust the number of rooms in each bucket. After all, tickets are being purchased at whatever price shows on the website.

If you question the use of the word major:

One example: CHI to PDX Nov 9
1 Senior (Discount)$147.90
1 Bedroom $802.00
Subtotal $949.90

2 Senior (Discount) $295.80
1 Bedroom$1053.00
Subtotal $1348.80


I call a $251 increase in the BR supplement major, equivalent to about a 2 bucket difference.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

"Yes we're aware of the dual pricing elasticity test and are watching it closely before 'fixing' it." h34r: