Originally Posted by
IADCAflyer
Pass travel is a perk. Some may be conductors repositioning; some are staff traveling. Employees make themselves known to conductor or assistant conductor and then the conductor gives thumbs up or down. Usually not an issue, but sometimes they may grouse - especially if the trains are full. I find that its more likely to find a less accommodating conductor on the Acela as opposed to the Regionals.
Interesting. So it's not done through central reservations (listing for standby) like the airlines do? It's just a walk-on-and-conductor-informally-approves kind of thing?
Originally Posted by
IDontWearSocks
But if Amtrak is financing this activity, could they not go on the lower fare routes/options? I see the Amtrak associates on Acela and NE Regional business class. These are busy routes that a full fare customer could be paying for....especially weekday morning Acela routes.
Whether it's done like the airlines or just a walk-on thing, it doesn't affect you or your ability to buy a seat on the train. Since confirmed, paying passengers come first, you'll always be able to buy a revenue seat, and employees will travel only if there are empty seats left over.
Originally Posted by
IDontWearSocks
i know airlines do something similar, just doesn’t seem such a common practice.
Actually, it is very much a common practice on planes. Ever notice the standby list on your flights? I've been on flights where there were 40-50 people on standby. A good chunk of the people on that list are employees "non-revving"; the remainder are friends and family of employees using (limited-issue) buddy passes or displaced revenue passengers who couldn't travel on their original flights or want to try to get out on an earlier flight. Employees traveling off-duty don't generally wear their work clothes, so they blend in a lot more. I've sat next to dozens of off-duty pilots, flight attendants, station managers, etc.