$119 Acela Saturday Fares (WAS-NYP) - No upgrades?
Mar 17, 2015, 11:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: Amtrak Select Plus, Marriott Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,123
$119 Acela Saturday Fares (WAS-NYP) - No upgrades?
Not eligible for upgrade? What gives? Wish I had read the fine print before booking.
Edited to add: There is no fine print when booking - it is only in the separate terms of the promo.
Edited to add: There is no fine print when booking - it is only in the separate terms of the promo.
Last edited by vatraveler; Mar 20, 2015 at 8:16 am
Mar 17, 2015, 4:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: PHL
Programs: AA(PPro), UA, AGR, BW(Plat), HH, WoH, MB(S)
Posts: 778
You're still getting an Acela trip at a fare lower than the normal low bucket. If an upgrade is essential, you could cancel, apply the value to an eVoucher, then buy-up to a fare that permits upgrades.
Mar 20, 2015, 7:20 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ
Programs: AGR Executive, UA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Platinum, HH Diamond
Posts: 274
I don't know when you get to see the fine print but I tried to book the fare and all the way till the payment page I did not see the restrictions! It's crazy that Amtrak expects the customers to read their mind!!
Or am I missing something and if that then it still doesn't prove that the restriction is clearly visible?
Or am I missing something and if that then it still doesn't prove that the restriction is clearly visible?
Mar 20, 2015, 7:43 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: Amtrak Select Plus, Marriott Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,123
I don't know when you get to see the fine print but I tried to book the fare and all the way till the payment page I did not see the restrictions! It's crazy that Amtrak expects the customers to read their mind!!
Or am I missing something and if that then it still doesn't prove that the restriction is clearly visible?
Or am I missing something and if that then it still doesn't prove that the restriction is clearly visible?
Mar 20, 2015, 8:01 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ
Programs: AGR Executive, UA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Platinum, HH Diamond
Posts: 274
This is very annoying. It should state it before it accepts the payment!
I only take the Acela if I can upgrade to First because Acela Business is Zoo with suits having teleconferences and breathing on each other's neck! and since I only go up to WIL the time difference between the Regional and the Acela is minimal.
The only time I can justify paying those ridiculous fares is if someone else is paying for my ticket (client or vendor) or if I get to go in Acela First. Otherwise Regional Business is lot quieter and relaxing...
I only take the Acela if I can upgrade to First because Acela Business is Zoo with suits having teleconferences and breathing on each other's neck! and since I only go up to WIL the time difference between the Regional and the Acela is minimal.
The only time I can justify paying those ridiculous fares is if someone else is paying for my ticket (client or vendor) or if I get to go in Acela First. Otherwise Regional Business is lot quieter and relaxing...
Mar 20, 2015, 10:08 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Amtrak does leave gaping holes in their terms. I recall trying to find out what "other restrictions" that might apply to a fare I was looking at using and there was no link on the web page and I even called in to ask and they had no clue what else might apply. 
Mar 20, 2015, 11:01 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: PHL
Programs: AA(PPro), UA, AGR, BW(Plat), HH, WoH, MB(S)
Posts: 778
You're right, and I stand corrected.
I looked at the link for the promo, and the prohibition for upgrades was listed there. But, I just tried a dummy booking, and it not shown anywhere in the booking process - not in the info for "Saver" fares and not in the "Terms and Conditions" link after putting the selection in the cart. It is a shoddy sales practice.
I looked at the link for the promo, and the prohibition for upgrades was listed there. But, I just tried a dummy booking, and it not shown anywhere in the booking process - not in the info for "Saver" fares and not in the "Terms and Conditions" link after putting the selection in the cart. It is a shoddy sales practice.
Mar 20, 2015, 7:12 pm
#8
In Memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: HH Diamond, Amtrak Exec
Posts: 3,262
I looked at the link for the promo, and the prohibition for upgrades was listed there. But, I just tried a dummy booking, and it not shown anywhere in the booking process - not in the info for "Saver" fares and not in the "Terms and Conditions" link after putting the selection in the cart. It is a shoddy sales practice.
Until Amtrak can find the money to replace ARROW, this type of scenario will continue to play out.
Mar 21, 2015, 4:27 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: Amtrak Select Plus, Marriott Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,123
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.0.3; en-us; HTC_T120C Build/IML74K) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30)
Probably won't do this again. The Saturday Regional I take is way less crowded.
Probably won't do this again. The Saturday Regional I take is way less crowded.