I was informed today by an AMTRAK agent that my Business Class tickets (party of five) for a round trip to and from Kalamazoo, Michigan (Wolverine 355 and 352) over the weekend of 13-15 February 2015 are canceled and downgraded to coach. The initial story was equipment maintenance issues. The agent really did not seem to know why? Is AMTRAK discontinuing Business Class service, the cafe car or they do not have enough equipment?
I was told by another agent that I would have Business Class reservations for the return trip. Her story was that the equipment would not be available, or "I really do not know." How does AMTRAK know a month in advance that a business class coach woul not be available, or that a replacemnent is not available?
My suspicion was that AMRAK would prefer to sell Business Class tickets all the way to Chicago. My wife and I are traveling with our three grandchildren, who will be getting on at subsequent stations (Ann Arbor and Jackson) after we leave Troy, Michigan. Seating in Business Class is preferable so their parents know in which car we are traveling and so that each child could have a window seat.
Then, I was told by a customer service agent that Business Class was eliminated on 355 and one eastbound Wolverine (350?). The equipment was being removed and snack would be sold in a coach car not a buisness class car. This appears to be another AMTRAK effort to reduce customer services on their trains.
I will have to work with the conductor to save some seats for them. I am a supporter of AMTRAK, but this kind of poor customer service does not make it easy to sell rail travel to others. I now wonder what will go wrong with reservations on the Lake Shore Limited in June. Perhaps I will have to turn down my bed myself?
I was told by another agent that I would have Business Class reservations for the return trip. Her story was that the equipment would not be available, or "I really do not know." How does AMTRAK know a month in advance that a business class coach woul not be available, or that a replacemnent is not available?
My suspicion was that AMRAK would prefer to sell Business Class tickets all the way to Chicago. My wife and I are traveling with our three grandchildren, who will be getting on at subsequent stations (Ann Arbor and Jackson) after we leave Troy, Michigan. Seating in Business Class is preferable so their parents know in which car we are traveling and so that each child could have a window seat.
Then, I was told by a customer service agent that Business Class was eliminated on 355 and one eastbound Wolverine (350?). The equipment was being removed and snack would be sold in a coach car not a buisness class car. This appears to be another AMTRAK effort to reduce customer services on their trains.
I will have to work with the conductor to save some seats for them. I am a supporter of AMTRAK, but this kind of poor customer service does not make it easy to sell rail travel to others. I now wonder what will go wrong with reservations on the Lake Shore Limited in June. Perhaps I will have to turn down my bed myself?