Use of Chicago Metropolitan Lounge during delays

[mycalpal]

On my most recent cross-country Amtrak trip I was waiting to board the Lake Shore Limited at the new Chicago Metropolitan Lounge on Monday June 12th. The usual boarding time for Sleeping car passengers came and went. The moniter showed that the 48/448 was delayed and suddenly we were told that the LakeShore was boarding and to proceed to the gate. We get down to the gate and are herded into a lousy waiting area that they had "cleared" for the sleeping car/business class passenbers as the Lake Shore was again delayed. We were stuck there for nearly two hours before we finally boarded the Lake Shore. I have taken the Lake Shore many times over the years and have been delayed on many of the trips leaving Chicago, however with previous delays we were never kicked out of the old Metropolitan Lounge so they could close it. On at least two trips in the last few years we had comparable delays due to equiqment problems and we still boarded from the old Metropolitan Lounge. I just wanted to ask if the policy has changed with the new, larger Metroplitan Lounge? What has been the experience of other delayed sleeping car passengers at Chicago? Have things changed with the new lounge? Thank you.

 

[daybeers]

On my most recent cross-country Amtrak trip I was waiting to board the Lake Shore Limited at the new Chicago Metropolitan Lounge on Monday June 12th. The usual boarding time for Sleeping car passengers came and went. The moniter showed that the 48/448 was delayed and suddenly we were told that the LakeShore was boarding and to proceed to the gate. We get down to the gate and are herded into a lousy waiting area that they had "cleared" for the sleeping car/business class passenbers as the Lake Shore was again delayed. We were stuck there for nearly two hours before we finally boarded the Lake Shore. I have taken the Lake Shore many times over the years and have been delayed on many of the trips leaving Chicago, however with previous delays we were never kicked out of the old Metropolitan Lounge so they could close it. On at least two trips in the last few years we had comparable delays due to equiqment problems and we still boarded from the old Metropolitan Lounge. I just wanted to ask if the policy has changed with the new, larger Metroplitan Lounge? What has been the experience of other delayed sleeping car passengers at Chicago? Have things changed with the new lounge? Thank you.

I've seen other posters saying Amtrak has contracted out the staffing for the new Metropolitan Lounge, so the later they have to stay, the more they have to be paid. That's why they kick the passengers out if it gets too late. I understand subcontracting saves Amtrak money, but if I was a sleeping car passenger, I would be furious that I was not able to stay in the lounge.

 

[beenthere]

More times than just random. Sent this to Amtrak:

Quote:

[SIZE=10pt]Trip/Event Date: 6/13/2017[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Message:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]On June 13, 2017 the metropolitan lounge encounter a major meltdown. Train 59 - Chicago to New Orleans was scheduled to leave a 8:05 PM. Sometime prior to that time an announcement was made that departure was delayed until 10:05 PM - 2 hours late.

About 9 PM an announcement was made to the effect that all remaining waiting in the lounge were to be ushered to the known cattle pen to wait until boarding was announced. The state reason was that the metropolitan lounge was closing at 9:30 PM and all persons had to be removed.

Asking about red cap service, I was informed that such service information was not the responsibility of lounge gate checkers. They did not know whether red cap service would be available later than 9:30 PM nor were they going to find out.

The evening staff of June 13 was completely unresponsive to requests for factual information other than 'we're closing and you will have to leave'. No one was willing or able to make the decision to staff the lounge until the late departure was complete, citing overtime policy.

The train left at 9:48 PM through the completely chaotic boarding gate with no organization for sleeper class or those needing assistance.

Amtrak is again it's own worst enemy. Reservation xxxxxx[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Unquote.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Did get a response from Amtrak within 36 hours with a voucher for future travel - not much but I think the fast response says something about known issues.[/SIZE]

 

[RPC]

I took the LSL last spring and had a similar experience. At 11PM they closed the Metro Lounge and herded first class passengers into a separate area of the regular waiting room. We were allowed to board first, but we spent an hour or so with the "hoi polloi." No big deal for me, but I can understand the "I should get what I paid for" attitude.

 

[PVD]

Hours for the Club Acela locations and the Legacy Lounge in Chicago are clearly posted on the website, but not the Metropolitan Lounge. If the hours were cast in stone, there is no reason not to state that. If there is a lack of flexibility in closing time, let people know up front. It may or may not be a good policy, but that is a separate problem from the stupidity of ambushing people and shrugging your shoulders about it.

 

[KmH]

The vast majority of Amtrak stations do not have a metro lounge, some other sleeper car passenger waiting area, or Red Caps.

Consequently, is such is a bonus and not part of our ticket price?

 

[mycalpal]

I've seen other posters saying Amtrak has contracted out the staffing for the new Metropolitan Lounge, so the later they have to stay, the more they have to be paid. That's why they kick the passengers out if it gets too late. I understand subcontracting saves Amtrak money, but if I was a sleeping car passenger, I would be furious that I was not able to stay in the lounge. posted by daybeers

Thank you daybeers and everyone for your responses. It sounds like the new lounge is not as flexible as the old lounge was in terms of staying open for delayed passengers. I posted this as we were treated far better by the old Metropolitan Lounge when we were delayed at Chicago and I want to hear from other passengers who have been delayed at Chicago with the old lounge and the new?

 

[Skyline]

If the Metropolitan Lounge "must" close by 9:30pm, do passengers HAVE to go to the "cattle pen?" Why can't they go to the nearby "great hall" and wait for their train to be called for boarding?

 

[the_traveler]

True, but if they can say the hours for the Club Acela in WAS for closing is 9:30, why can't they advertise that the Metropolitan Lounge in CHI closes at 9 or whenever? :huh:

I have taken 66 from WAS many times, and it was announced that the CA closes @ 9:30. Since I always used a Red Cap to board, it was never a problem. I don't know what they would do if 66 had a major delay.

 

[Eric S]

If the Metropolitan Lounge "must" close by 9:30pm, do passengers HAVE to go to the "cattle pen?" Why can't they go to the nearby "great hall" and wait for their train to be called for boarding?

My guess, and it's just a guess, is that there is no reason they'd have to go and probably could wait elsewhere in the station if they so chose. In this case, and again it's just my guess, passengers in the Metropolitan Lounge were probably given the expectation that they were boarding when they were directed to the "cattle pen" area and may not have been told how long they would have to wait in that area before boarding.

 

[mycalpal]

My guess, and it's just a guess, is that there is no reason they'd have to go and probably could wait elsewhere in the station if they so chose. In this case, and again it's just my guess, passengers in the Metropolitan Lounge were probably given the expectation that they were boarding when they were directed to the "cattle pen" area and may not have been told how long they would have to wait in that area before boarding. posted by Eric S.

Thank you Eric, That is exactly what happened on my recent delay except we were told that we were boarding, even though they knew we were not, and then we were herded into a "waiting area" down by the gate. The coach passengers were actually in another holding pen in a dingy room behind us. To be fair the agent did the best she could dealing with some upset passengers who really just wanted to know what was going on and she did board us first as is the custom. But with no way of knowing how long the delay was going to be, none of us wanted to miss the boarding for the sleeping car passengers and get caught in the big rush when they boarded coach. While I do think they should have kept the lounge open for us, at the the very least Amtrak could have just told us the train was delayed and, as they needed to close the lounge, that they had saved a waiting area for us down by the gate.