25 replies to this topic

[Steve4031]

There is a balance here. The attendant is trying to board the passengers in an orderly manner. They are focusing on the seating diagram. So I understand their reluctance to address questions about changing seats. In this case it is best to go with the flow. It's like working with flight attendants on an airline. It's better to follow directions.

However I agree that the entire system of assigning seats is not helpful. As a single traveler I resent being the second single to board and then be assigned to an aisle. If I wait, on a full train no windows are left. On some occasions I played the game but the attendant still refused my request with open window seats available. This all about the desire to seat families together.

This entire process is why I wait to have money to go in a sleeper.

[Texan Eagle]

Yes, Obey... DURING THE SEATING PROCESS.... Seriously. I have found that doing this little step makes or breaks an Amtrak trip. . I like to think of the seating process like a mandatory "Life Boat Drill" on a cruise ship if it makes you feel better. Everyone must obey during this little initial period, then after that point, you may request whatever you like from the crew for the remainder of the cruise. If the seating process stresses the Coach Attendant the most, why make it even more diffucult for him/her?

Doesn't really help. If you read my original post, I was assigned a seat from the "check in koisk" at the station, quietly went up and sat at the aisle seat though I desperately wanted a window seat, let everyone settle down, let the attendant put that paper thingie over my seat and then went to an empty window seat, yet the attendant came and made me get up from there. Later, as I mentioned, at three different times, the onboard staff made me get up from an empty pair of seats in a half empty train stating "it will get all full at the next station" which never happened. All the way to Albuquerque all three coach cars had about 50% occupancy but just for the heck of it the staff kept insisting that everyone sit crammed in one half of the coach only.

[henryj]

Yes, Obey... DURING THE SEATING PROCESS.... Seriously. I have found that doing this little step makes or breaks an Amtrak trip. . I like to think of the seating process like a mandatory "Life Boat Drill" on a cruise ship if it makes you feel better. Everyone must obey during this little initial period, then after that point, you may request whatever you like from the crew for the remainder of the cruise. If the seating process stresses the Coach Attendant the most, why make it even more diffucult for him/her?

Doesn't really help. If you read my original post, I was assigned a seat from the "check in koisk" at the station, quietly went up and sat at the aisle seat though I desperately wanted a window seat, let everyone settle down, let the attendant put that paper thingie over my seat and then went to an empty window seat, yet the attendant came and made me get up from there. Later, as I mentioned, at three different times, the onboard staff made me get up from an empty pair of seats in a half empty train stating "it will get all full at the next station" which never happened. All the way to Albuquerque all three coach cars had about 50% occupancy but just for the heck of it the staff kept insisting that everyone sit crammed in one half of the coach only.

What would happen if you took that little paper thingie with you and stuck it over your new window seat?

[rrdude]

I wanted to PUNCH my screen when I read about one poster's so called "Golden Rule". The Golden Rule SHOULD BE FOR AMTRAK STAFF, not Amtrak passengers.

Gawd it must be great to be a current day employee, where you

• Cannot be fired for any reason. (short of murder with witnesses)
• Can treat the traveling public, (they used to be called "your guests", who btw PAY your salary) like doo-doo.
• Hardly do your job at all, when you ARE on the job.

My apologies to all of the current respectful, honest, hard-working Amtrak employees. You know who you are, it is your scum-bucket "I'm-just-here-to-collect-a-pay-check" brethren who are a minority that give all of you a bad name.

I understand the poster's rationale for "obeying", they want to have a good, fun, non-confrontational trip.... But "if in Rome, the Romans are slaughtering babies just for the fun of it", it doesn't mean we have to join in.................

Edited by rrdude, 11 December 2011 - 09:06 AM.

[GPSTraveler]

Why would this possibly make people upset? When you go to your gate at the airport, you MUST obey while you are in the security line. Everyone must go though this process (removing metal items, putting laptops in a seperate bin) etc... Now, how ridiculous would it be to be the only guy who requests to leave your belt on, while everyone else knows the drill. No one is going to think that you are being singled out if you get into trouble because you are not following the Golden Rule. This is exactly what I mean by the Golden Rule..... nothing more. If you wanted to change the rules while waiting in the security line in the airport, or a customs or immigration line, your trip is going to become difficult for no reason at all. This is a fact.

The Amtrak seating process is the same kind of thing. When the coach attendent seats you, you do not move to another seat without his/her permission, otherwise you are going to have a more difficult trip. If he/she gives you permission and they log your change of seating position, then no problem.

I am not trying to tick everyone off here, this is just what I have learned from personal experience. The coach attendent (on Amtrak Trains) REALLY hates it when passengers move out of their assigned seats. For all I know, they are all trained to stop this activity, its a culture thing. Perhaps, on Via Rail in Canada or Virgin Trains in the UK, Everyone CAN get up and move to another seat. If the corporate culture permits it, why not?

I really don't think this is a good employee, bad employee kind of argument. Look at it this way... On a Cruise Ship people must follow orders during the life boat drill, in an airport people follow directions from the TSA while going through the security line, On Amtrak Trains people must obey the coach attendent during the seating process. Is this really so difficult? Different transportation, different culture....

I wanted to PUNCH my screen when I read about one poster's so called "Golden Rule". The Golden Rule SHOULD BE FOR AMTRAK STAFF, not Amtrak passengers.

Gawd it must be great to be a current day employee, where you

• Cannot be fired for any reason. (short of murder with witnesses)
• Can treat the traveling public, (they used to be called "your guests", who btw PAY your salary) like doo-doo.
• Hardly do your job at all, when you ARE on the job.

My apologies to all of the current respectful, honest, hard-working Amtrak employees. You know who you are, it is your scum-bucket "I'm-just-here-to-collect-a-pay-check" brethren who are a minority that give all of you a bad name.

I understand the poster's rationale for "obeying", they want to have a good, fun, non-confrontational trip.... But "if in Rome, the Romans are slaughtering babies just for the fun of it", it doesn't mean we have to join in.................

Edited by GPSTraveler, 22 December 2011 - 11:43 PM.

[Steve4031]

It is the people enforcing the procedures onboard Amtrak and at the airport that are inconsistent. A professional, courteous TSA employee helps make the trip through security tolerable. Such an employee can also respectfully and politely manage unusual situations and requests.

A incompetent TSA employee can make the trip through security a miserable process, or even worse embarrassing and demeaning.

While most airline passengers are annoyed by the security process, they deal with it because it is a true safety issue.

The Amtrak seating procedure when seats are assigned is OK if the attendant is able to manage requests for window seats, etc. A control freak attendant makes the process miserable and an imposition.

I agree it is best to start of being polite in any situation whether its TSA or dealing with Amtrak employees. When you get an incompetent do nothing, report them. If it is bad enough, tweet it. Send a message to @Amtrak. It is true they just tweet back to call customer service.

However, if enough tweets are out there about incompetent crews, IMHO, someone will take notice.