Discount code V851?

[Grill Master]

After looking at different routes I have decided on taking the Southwest Chief from CHI-LAX. I found the promotion code V851 20% off, sponsored by the red hat society. It says you have to be a member of the society. I just wondering If you by the ticket online and pick it up at the station, are they going to ask to see your membership card?

 

[the_traveler]

They may - or they may not.

I'm not saying to use it, but it's up to your conscience. If your conscience says it OK with using it, you can. Just be prepared that IF they ask for proof, and you do not have it, they may make you buy a new ticket at the current bucket! (I personally would rather use something like AAA, NARP or senior - that I'm entitled to use - for a lesser % off.)

But if your conscience says go ahead and take a chance, you may want to.

 

[Tony]

It says you have to be a member of the society.

Remember, Amtrak knows who you are. They can easily provide the Red Hat Society a list of their members who have taken advantage of the discount. The Red Hat Society could always reply back, that you aren't a member.

Fraud is fraud, and fraud is criminal. It all depends on the mood of some specific person at Amtrak to pursue it, or skip over it.

 

[Rafi]

If I'm not mistaken, Red Hat Society members must be women, and when gathering, generally wear purple blouses and red hats. So you'd better dress the part.

Rafi

 

[AKA]

I might pay money to see that. Let me know if you come thru CLE.

 

[Grill Master]

Yeah, I dont look anything like the Red Hat Society. I was just wondering cause it was so easy to put the code in, I thought maybe this was something thats commonly done.

 

[RailFanLNK]

I was at a Red Hat Society get together just last Saturday, there was 84,000 of us. It was for the Huskers game at Memorial Stadium!!!!! :lol:

 

[BlueJeanGirl]

Grill Master sez....I just wondering If you by the ticket online and pick it up at the station, are they going to ask to see your membership card?

What they said, but adding a different perspective...

Perhaps as you purchase the ticket, perhaps not, depending on the ticket agent. If you purchase your ticket through the machine, then no, no-one will ask for proof of discount eligibility at time of purchase.

However, even so, you may be asked to provide said proof at the time of the ticket lift. I routinely ask AAA members, Student Advantage members, and International Students for proof of discount eligibility (as in, "Oh, I see you purchased this on your AAA discount, and it says right on the face of the ticket I need to see your AAA card. Do you have that handy so I can verify this?"), in addition to asking for ID from our randomly-selected passengers (and those who purchased their tickets through the mail, or at the machine.)

In other words, be prepared to provide proof. If you haven't the proof, be prepared to purchase a new ticket (at the on-board fare and current bucket) and you will likely have to surrender the fraudulently-purchased ticket.

Travel light!

~BJG

 

[sky12065]

Grill Master sez....I just wondering If you by the ticket online and pick it up at the station, are they going to ask to see your membership card?
What they said, but adding a different perspective...

Perhaps as you purchase the ticket, perhaps not, depending on the ticket agent. If you purchase your ticket through the machine, then no, no-one will ask for proof of discount eligibility at time of purchase.

However, even so, you may be asked to provide said proof at the time of the ticket lift. I routinely ask AAA members, Student Advantage members, and International Students for proof of discount eligibility (as in, "Oh, I see you purchased this on your AAA discount, and it says right on the face of the ticket I need to see your AAA card. Do you have that handy so I can verify this?"), in addition to asking for ID from our randomly-selected passengers (and those who purchased their tickets through the mail, or at the machine.)

In other words, be prepared to provide proof. If you haven't the proof, be prepared to purchase a new ticket (at the on-board fare and current bucket) and you will likely have to surrender the fraudulently-purchased ticket.

Travel light!

~BJG

I presume from your answer that you may be an Amtrak employee and in what you say is in that capacity.

I am a member of both AAA and AARP and have use it on most trips. I never buy tickets at the station or at a kiosk as I use an H rooms. I also usually purge all but necessary items from my wallet before leaving on my trips. Had I accidentally removed one of those membership cards then were made to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for another ticket because didn't have my membership card, I would have been livid, :angry2: absolutely livid over such action, and all for the relatively small amount saved using one of the membership cards? If anything it should be the equivilent of the discount and not the purchase of another ticket! And what if I couldn't cover the cost of a new ticket? Would you have put a handicapped passenger off the train when you obviouly already had the lions share of the fees?

BTW, If I remember right, the discount is 10% on the coach fare (not sure if it included room) for both AAA and AARP where as its 15% for 62+ senior. Someone please correct me if I'm off on the discount information.

 

[AlanB]

I am a member of both AAA and AARP and have use it on most trips. I never buy tickets at the station or at a kiosk as I use an H rooms. I also usually purge all but necessary items from my wallet before leaving on my trips. Had I accidentally removed one of those membership cards then were made to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for another ticket because didn't have my membership card, I would have been livid, :angry2: absolutely livid over such action, and all for the relatively small amount saved using one of the membership cards? If anything it should be the equivilent of the discount and not the purchase of another ticket! And what if I couldn't cover the cost of a new ticket? Would you have put a handicapped passenger off the train when you obviouly already had the lions share of the fees?

You might be livid, but you would still be wrong. I quote from the Amtrak website:

Please note that you must show your AAA membership ID card when you pick up your ticket, and you must carry your card with you onboard the train.

While I think it unlikely that they'd leave you standing at a station, it would be within their rights to do so, since you had failed to follow the rules.

BTW, If I remember right, the discount is 10% on the coach fare (not sure if it included room) for both AAA and AARP where as its 15% for 62+ senior. Someone please correct me if I'm off on the discount information.

The discount is 10% off of coach seating only, it does not include the accomodations. And AARP doesn't get you anything, only AAA or NARP get's you 10%. Being a senior, with some way of proving it like a drivers license, is good for 15% off coach/railfare only.

 

[the_traveler]

You might be livid, but you would still be wrong. I quote from the Amtrak website:

Please note that you must show your AAA membership ID card when you pick up your ticket, and you must carry your card with you onboard the train.

While I think it unlikely that they'd leave you standing at a station, it would be within their rights to do so, since you had failed to follow the rules.

Maybe it is in the rules, but I have never been asked to show my AAA card on the train. (Even when I picked up my tickets at the QT.) I have been asked to see the card at the ticket window, but never on the train.

 

[AlanB]

You might be livid, but you would still be wrong. I quote from the Amtrak website:

Please note that you must show your AAA membership ID card when you pick up your ticket, and you must carry your card with you onboard the train.

While I think it unlikely that they'd leave you standing at a station, it would be within their rights to do so, since you had failed to follow the rules.

Maybe it is in the rules, but I have never been asked to show my AAA card on the train. (Even when I picked up my tickets at the QT.) I have been asked to see the card at the ticket window, but never on the train.

I've never been asked for my card either on the train. But that doesn't mean that I leave it at home, as there is always a first time for everything. And since it is required to have the card, I sure wouldn't recommend leaving home without it.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I too have never been asked to display my AAA Card (but you do have to give your # when making your res) but I always have it anyways because of all the other discounts you can get with it.

 

[sechs]

I think that we've discussed before using a discount to which one is not entitled. Even if theft sits well on your conscience, on the off chance that you are caught, even the lightest of consequences is not to be desired.

 

[BlueJeanGirl]

sky12065sez.....I presume from your answer that you may be an Amtrak employee and in what you say is in that capacity.

I am a member of both AAA and AARP and have use it on most trips. I never buy tickets at the station or at a kiosk as I use an H rooms. I also usually purge all but necessary items from my wallet before leaving on my trips. Had I accidentally removed one of those membership cards then were made to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for another ticket because didn't have my membership card, I would have been livid, :angry2: absolutely livid over such action, and all for the relatively small amount saved using one of the membership cards? If anything it should be the equivilent of the discount and not the purchase of another ticket! And what if I couldn't cover the cost of a new ticket? Would you have put a handicapped passenger off the train when you obviouly already had the lions share of the fees?

BTW, If I remember right, the discount is 10% on the coach fare (not sure if it included room) for both AAA and AARP where as its 15% for 62+ senior. Someone please correct me if I'm off on the discount information.

***** ***** *****

Yes, Sky, I am an Amtrak conductor. And while you may be livid, angry, disappointed, or upset when I point out to you that right on the face of the ticket is the statement that your membership card is required (and few discounts are granted on board; most discounts are honored only when your reservation is made 3 or more days in advance of travel), being removed from the train is at the conductor's discretion, for whatever reason. Your attitude plays a huge part in whether I pursue an issue, let it go, or something in between.

If you purchase a discounted ticket, please be prepared to show you are eligible for that discount. If you are unable to show you are eligible for a discount, please be prepared to purchase a new ticket and surrender the ticket you may have purchased inappropriately.

(In reality, I'm most likely to ask you to pay the difference between the discounted fare and whatever fare is standard. I do this with passengers whose grandmother, for example, purchased the ticket, on a senior discount, and the passenger appears to be under the age of 62...again, however, the demeanor, attitude, responses, and general cooperation of the passenger determines how I handle a situation.)

I would humbly suggest that you ensure your paperwork is in order before you travel, including proof of eligibility for discounted fares, to help prevent the potential for an unpleasant traveling experience.

I choose not to pursue or argue this topic any more.

Travel light!

~BJG

 

[AlanB]

BJG,

Just as an FYI, if you click the "reply" button in the bottom right corner of the post you want to reply to, then you won't need to retype whatever the person you are replying to typed. Clicking reply will automatically copy the text for you, and insert some special coding to make it show up as a quote.

Then all you need to do is to roll down to the bottom of the typing box, and start typing your reply after the text that was quoted for you. This should be easier for you than retyping everything, and it makes it a bit more readable for everyone else.

 

[sky12065]

Yes, Sky, I am an Amtrak conductor. And while you may be livid, angry, disappointed, or upset when I point out to you that right on the face of the ticket is the statement that your membership card is required (and few discounts are granted on board; most discounts are honored only when your reservation is made 3 or more days in advance of travel), being removed from the train is at the conductor's discretion, for whatever reason. Your attitude plays a huge part in whether I pursue an issue, let it go, or something in between.
If you purchase a discounted ticket, please be prepared to show you are eligible for that discount. If you are unable to show you are eligible for a discount, please be prepared to purchase a new ticket and surrender the ticket you may have purchased inappropriately.

(In reality, I'm most likely to ask you to pay the difference between the discounted fare and whatever fare is standard. I do this with passengers whose grandmother, for example, purchased the ticket, on a senior discount, and the passenger appears to be under the age of 62...again, however, the demeanor, attitude, responses, and general cooperation of the passenger determines how I handle a situation.)

I would humbly suggest that you ensure your paperwork is in order before you travel, including proof of eligibility for discounted fares, to help prevent the potential for an unpleasant traveling experience.

I choose not to pursue or argue this topic any more.

Travel light!

~BJG

BJG,

Thank you for your response! Perhaps if I realized some of the things you explained to me with your response, (like just charging price "difference") there wouldn't have been my post in the first place.

Putting what I just said aside, there is no argument to be made and truthfully, I have to eat humble pie over this! -_- Yes, I was wrong in what I stated and apologize! But don't ask me exactly why I stated what I did! Although there are a couple of personal reasons that come to mind, I'm still really trying to figure it out for myself and I know that that's not how I would have reacted in reality.

Matter of fact I had a more serious problem than this issue facing me several years ago on an Amtrak trip where I didn't even come close to reacting with a "livid" attitude and Amtrak employees went well above and beyond in resolution of my problem.

 

[Walt]

Maybe it is in the rules, but I have never been asked to show my AAA card on the train. (Even when I picked up my tickets at the QT.) I have been asked to see the card at the ticket window, but never on the train.

I would be more concerned that with a larger, 20%, discount, it might become more likely Amtrak will ask for proof. Plus, being a member of the Red Hat Society is more unusual than AAA, and again, might make it more likely Amtrak will ask for proof.

 

[frj1983]

On a previous post I had mentioned that I was never asked for my NARP card and I always carry that with me, along with my AARP card, along with my AAA card...hey we could start a whole new acronym thing here at the Amtrak Forum! :lol:

But I always refer back to my Boy Scout training and it's motto: "Be Prepared!"

 

[Walt]

From their website...

Amtrak invites Red Hat Society members to save 20% off the best available rail fare. Reservations are required at least 3 days in advance of travel. For a complete list of destinations, routes and schedules visit www.amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL. Show your Purple Perks Membership card when picking up your tickets.

(So it is not just any membership, but a Purple Perks membership)

Not valid for local travel in any Northeast Corridor services, including for Acela Express and Metroliners. Not valid on Auto Train, Joint Amtrak/VIA Rail service and the 7000-8999 series Thruways.

Blackouts apply November 22-29, 2006; December 16, 2006-January 2, 2007; January 13-16, 2007; February 17-20, 2007; April 13-17, 2007; May 26-29, 2007; September 1-4, 2007.

(not sure why 2008 blackout's aren't listed. Is the discount still valid?)

 

[p&sr]

Yes, Sky, I am an Amtrak conductor.

Dear BlueJeanGirl, Welcome to the Group! Great to have you on board.

 

[cohusker]

Hello - My wife used V851 from DEN to LNK and back this summer. (I got the code from flyertalk.com). No one ever asked her to show ID to use the code.

 

[Guest]

Hello - My wife used V851 from DEN to LNK and back this summer. (I got the code from flyertalk.com). No one ever asked her to show ID to use the code.

There is still LOTS of time left for an audit to catch it, and some uniformed dudes to show up to take your wife away. h34r:

 

[sky12065]

Hello - My wife used V851 from DEN to LNK and back this summer. (I got the code from flyertalk.com). No one ever asked her to show ID to use the code.

There is still LOTS of time left for an audit to catch it, and some uniformed dudes to show up to take your wife away. h34r:

Don't worry cohusker, your wife is probably safe from Amtrak; but from Guest, that may be a different story! :lol:

 

[Tony]

Don't worry cohusker, your wife is probably safe from Amtrak; but from Guest, that may be a different story! :lol:

I would be more concerned about the Red Hat Society. They charge for their higher level of membership that gives the discounts like the one with Amtrak. I am sure they will, eventually, check to make sure that a member who isn't paying the extra membership upgrade fee, isn't using (abusing) their discounts.

Of course, the Red Hat Society will quickly find out that your wife isn't even a member at all.

I would worry! :unsure: