AGR Trying to Save Sleeper Inventory/Increase Revenue?

[diesteldorf]

Just booked a one-way 2 Zone Deluxe Bedroom for my parents from Miami, FL to La Crosse, WI (30,000 points)

When the agent was getting ready to book the last segment on the EB from Chicago to La Crosse, WI, she said: "And because it's just a 5 hour ride, they will be fine in coach."

It wasn't nasty in any way but I was surprised and said that 30,000 covered bedrooms the entire way. She agreed and made the change.

I know AGR will put people in coach on regional trains unless you ask for business, but this was the first I had ever been confronted with this in sleeper class.

 

[NY Penn]

I mean, it IS unprofitable for them to give away free rooms...

So you can't really blame them for coming to this eventually. The good thing is that the agent immediately added the bedroom when you asked for it.

 

[Anderson]

I've run into this. I tend to be picky about the trains I take to/from RVR because of the variable dining service, and I'll emphasize "Yes, I do want the sleeper WAS-RVR so that I can get into the diner right off".

 

[dlagrua]

I mean, it IS unprofitable for them to give away free rooms...

So you can't really blame them for coming to this eventually. The good thing is that the agent immediately added the bedroom when you asked for it.

Your assumption is incorrect.

The sleeper rooms bought with AGR points are not free but paid for by the merchants that you deal with and by Chase Bank that sponsors the AGR card. They BUY points from Amtrak as sales incentives. In many cases we BUY points as well. The only points that are given away without any compensation to Amtrak are the ones given directly by Amtrak. In this one case the points given by Amtrak serve as an incentive for you to take the train and its debatable whether they lose or make money on them. Many people take extra train trips to accrue points and this means extra business for Amtrak.

 

[the_traveler]

When the KWD->KCY->LAX->PDX->CBS loophole was open last year, we had a bedroom on the EB. But being cheap

from CBS to home, I only had a roomette! And from CBS to CHI, they allowed us to stay in the bedroom.

Thus on the portion from CBS to CHI, we had BOTH a bedroom AND a roomette on the same train!