Deep discounts if reserved by phone

[PaulM]

Stop playing word games. Do you see the cheaper price on the website?

Of course I do. The difference between the Premium and value (coach) fare for one person is the supplement for the premium option selected. Now ampologists will be quick to say that the the typical Amtrak patron is math challenged, so that doesn't count. But as someone said back when the bug was first discovered, all you have to do is add your choice to the cart and the supplement appears, no math necessary.

At one time, the number we're looking for appeared as soon as you clicked on a room choice. This changed at the same time the bug appeared.

Of course if you add a second passenger and add it to the cart, you see the higher supplement price. The dishonesty, sharp business practice, fraud, sleaze, embarrassing public relations scandal, whatever you want to call it, lies in the fact that only someone who had heard about the bug (AU member?) would likely know to call to get the correct price. Even a rail fan familiar with Amtrak's sleeper pricing formula (2xR + S) wouldn't know to call unless they accidentally entered 1 passenger and then went back to correct their mistake AND happened to notice the discrepancy.

I almost forgot the other way someone would know to call. I suspect the bug was discovered when someone consulted amsnag, which lays this number out for all to see, noticed the discrepancy with Amtrak.com, and then wondered what was wrong with amsnag.

 

[PRR 60]

The bug is only with the web booking. The Amtrak smartphone apps price the trips properly, as do the phone agents.

I think the "fraud" (my term) was probably a bit harsh. Knowingly allowing this bug to fester for seven months is negligent and incompetent, but likely not an intentional effort to increase revenue. I sadly don't think they are sharp enough to have planned a scam this clever.

 

[neroden]

Never attribute to malice what is adequately explained by incompetence, and all that.

(Actually, this isn't as good a rule as you might think -- a lot of people get far more offended if you tell them that they're incompetent than if you tell them that they're malicious.)

 

[Green Maned Lion]

This may be so but far too many people are too incompetent to be intentionally malicious. When they try to be they tend to fall flat on their face.

 

[Karl1459]

I was amazed because we paid about $1600+ when I took the exact same trip during Christmas of 2011 which they allowed booking 3 persons in one bedroom online.

Christmas time (and Thanksgiving) are Amtrak's busiest travel period(s). It is almost impossible to find a low fare - because many more people want to visit their family and/or friends!

I have noticed that while trains "in tis the season" before and after Christmas day are FULL, those moving on Christmas day are often lightly patronized.