rtabern
Conductor
I am curious WHO is heck is working weekends at the call centers? and are there seriously no managers available what-so-ever on Saturdays?
Usually once a month, since moving to far NW Wisconsin a little more than years ago, we take the Empire Builder from Tomah to Glenview and back to visit family, friends, and to volunteer with the Indiana Dunes State Park. Much better and more relaxing than driving 90/94. We even spend the extra money and points to get a roomette both ways usually. After having our February and March trips cancelled --- I heard that our April and May trips were going to be canned too due to the continuing service cuts. I was not happy finding out about this on the forum here instead of an e-mail or call from Amtrak first.
Anyway, when I checked this morning, we still had ACTIVE reservations on the cancelled trains.
After 1 hour and 13 minutes on hold, I got through to someone at the call center.
I explained the situation to the representative who seemed like she was bored out of her mind from the minute she picked up the phone. I explained that I tried to cancel the reservations online, but for whatever reason the internet site was still going to charge me a $63 (x2) cancellation fee... despite Amtrak cancelling the train. She didn't seem to get it until I repeated myself three times... then she actually asked if I could call back on Monday... "when we have managers here" --- as she was not sure how to cancel my reservations without charging the cancellation fee!! I said no... I work on Monday... and need to take care of this now and can't sit on hold for that long or even longer. Then it dawned on her I should not be charged a fee because Amtrak cancelled the train and it was some sort of glitch in their systems. She put me on hold and talked to someone else it felt like.
I said if it was any easier --- just give me a voucher for the $252.80 (x2) --- as we would certainly use it.
She said she could only issue a refund and not a voucher then. She did finally figure out how to take off the cancellation fee.
I worked in travel enough to know if someone wants a voucher over a refund -- definitely give them that -- as you keep their funds then!!!
Crazy. But said people are being told to call back on Monday because the weekend agents can't do simple things such as figure how to take off the cancellation fee from a train Amtrak cancels.
*sighs*... I am really losing hope for Amtrak this past year. People are rallying for TWO daily trains from CHI-MSP... Amtrak can't even figure out a way to do ONE daily train on a regular basis. Pathetic! Either run the LD trains daily... or just go ahead and cancel them totally is what I think... not running daily LD trains just make them even more novelty transportation.
Usually once a month, since moving to far NW Wisconsin a little more than years ago, we take the Empire Builder from Tomah to Glenview and back to visit family, friends, and to volunteer with the Indiana Dunes State Park. Much better and more relaxing than driving 90/94. We even spend the extra money and points to get a roomette both ways usually. After having our February and March trips cancelled --- I heard that our April and May trips were going to be canned too due to the continuing service cuts. I was not happy finding out about this on the forum here instead of an e-mail or call from Amtrak first.
Anyway, when I checked this morning, we still had ACTIVE reservations on the cancelled trains.
After 1 hour and 13 minutes on hold, I got through to someone at the call center.
I explained the situation to the representative who seemed like she was bored out of her mind from the minute she picked up the phone. I explained that I tried to cancel the reservations online, but for whatever reason the internet site was still going to charge me a $63 (x2) cancellation fee... despite Amtrak cancelling the train. She didn't seem to get it until I repeated myself three times... then she actually asked if I could call back on Monday... "when we have managers here" --- as she was not sure how to cancel my reservations without charging the cancellation fee!! I said no... I work on Monday... and need to take care of this now and can't sit on hold for that long or even longer. Then it dawned on her I should not be charged a fee because Amtrak cancelled the train and it was some sort of glitch in their systems. She put me on hold and talked to someone else it felt like.
I said if it was any easier --- just give me a voucher for the $252.80 (x2) --- as we would certainly use it.
She said she could only issue a refund and not a voucher then. She did finally figure out how to take off the cancellation fee.
I worked in travel enough to know if someone wants a voucher over a refund -- definitely give them that -- as you keep their funds then!!!
Crazy. But said people are being told to call back on Monday because the weekend agents can't do simple things such as figure how to take off the cancellation fee from a train Amtrak cancels.
*sighs*... I am really losing hope for Amtrak this past year. People are rallying for TWO daily trains from CHI-MSP... Amtrak can't even figure out a way to do ONE daily train on a regular basis. Pathetic! Either run the LD trains daily... or just go ahead and cancel them totally is what I think... not running daily LD trains just make them even more novelty transportation.
