Cabin Design, Service and Passenger Loyalty

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jis

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Even though most self respecting railfan rail passengers will swear that they are completely different from air passengers, actually I suspect most of the principles outlined in this article in AvWeek, applies equally to rail passengers.

http://aviationweek.com/farnborough-airshow-2018/5-ways-how-considered-cabin-design-inspires-loyalty-and-generates-profit

Indeed this may be the reason that people are willing to pay significantly higher fares for Acelas even though the running times are marginally different, specially east of New York.

Comments from rail aficionados who have ridden both Amtrak and Brightline also strongly indicates that ambiance, staff attitude and consistency has a lot to do with what people love or hate.
 
But as it says...the bottom line is still the err....bottom line for most...
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The "bottom line bottom line" applies for a lot of people on controlled expense accounts. With that being said, that 28% bit is more substantial than I think a lot of people might think at first...I have no hard evidence, but I would suspect that those 28% of passengers probably comprise more than 28% of trips.

With that being said, staff attitude and consistency count for a lot. As a friend of mine noted when dropping me off at Amtrak in Orlando after I'd shown him Brightline, his impression that Amtrak didn't have their act together was pretty stark. At Brightline you basically need ten minutes in order to check a bag; at Amtrak, the staff can be pushy about the 30 minute deadline (which is really not needed).
 
The "bottom line bottom line" applies for a lot of people on controlled expense accounts. With that being said, that 28% bit is more substantial than I think a lot of people might think at first...I have no hard evidence, but I would suspect that those 28% of passengers probably comprise more than 28% of trips.

With that being said, staff attitude and consistency count for a lot. As a friend of mine noted when dropping me off at Amtrak in Orlando after I'd shown him Brightline, his impression that Amtrak didn't have their act together was pretty stark. At Brightline you basically need ten minutes in order to check a bag; at Amtrak, the staff can be pushy about the 30 minute deadline (which is really not needed).
The 30 minutes rule might be standard. It appears not to be necessary. But what about nyp? Or Chicago. The small stops might have only one agent who cannot be two places at once.
 
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