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 Humiliated and Belittled by Amtrak Staff
Posted Tue April 28, 2009 12:00 pm, by Melissa L. written to Amtrak
Write a Letter to this Company
I feel I was treated unfairly and belittled by your staff. On my trip west on the Empire Builder, I boarded the train at 4:00 a.m. The conductor took my ticket as I boarded, and half an hour later, a different conductor came to my room with part of the ticket. He said that the conductor who had boarded me had accidentally taken my return ticket. I put the ticket away in its envelope.
Upon boarding my return train back east on the Empire Builder, the ticket agent in Portland told me that I was missing a piece of my return ticket. I explained the circumstances and he told me that he would get into trouble for letting me board. Then he lectured me on the importance of caring for my tickets and that it would cost $313 to board the train -- even though I had already paid almost $800 for the trip in advance!
Eventually he gave me a written piece of paper that said I had misplaced my return ticket. He did not make me pay for the ticket; however, I felt belittled for something that I had no control over.
On board the train, the conductor clucked when he saw my note and said that I better take better care of my tickets in the future.
This experience took what should have been the most relaxing way to travel and made me very upset and fearful for the rest of the trip. I was worried that the baggage claim worker or the VIP room worker would accidentally keep part of my ticket and I would not get home, as the ticket agent told me it is my sole responsibility to make sure the Amtrak staff does its job.
I hope that you will reevaluate your customer service. I take the train to Portland because of the comfort and relaxation I get from the ride. The on-board service is FANTASTIC.
However, I feel I was treated very poorly and now I am nervous about taking Amtrak again. How am I to know which part of the ticket the conductor is to take? Am I to challenge the conductor confrontationally and say, "Did you give me all of my ticket? Did you do your job right?"
In addition, I would love to see Amtrak go paperless so that the document is not so critical for travel.
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I hope you will pardon me if this question is too invasive - but are
you young or young looking? I'm in my twenties but could pass for
fifteen on the right day. I tend to get talked down to alot,
especially when it comes to "grown up stuff" like my metro tickets or
buying cigarettes.
Like when I thought you could use a metro ticket twice in a row so I
didn't buy a second ticket for my brother. The guard person started
lecturing me about how it was my responsibility to know these things.
When I stood up a little straighter and used my "grown up voice" to
tell him I'll remember that next time, and I'll also remember the way
he treated me when I didn't know what to do, and I'll remember to tell
his supervisor that (glance at his name tag) Bill was super helpful
but I think that next time I'll just take my car blah blah blah......
he apologized.
Plus if I don't use the grown up voice for cigarettes they'll sit
there and give me the third degree on what it says on my ID.
Just a thought
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They were nice enough to give you the ticket trusting that you were
not lying to them. So why not give them the same trust back again.
If you felt like they they were belittling you then I doubt you would
want someone else to feel the same way, especially since it would not
be the same person who spoke to you that way. Ask if this is the
correct part of the ticket when the conductor hands it back...if he
asks why then explain that someone gave you the wrong one previously
and now you always check to make sure thats all.
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I would have thought they could somehow give you a replacement ticket.
I mean, who trusts a handwritten note? You must have an honest face!
I'm glad you didn't have to pay for a ticket all over again!
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by Just Jeffrey Posted Wed April 29, 2009 @ 12:49 PM
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Good letter. While a customer should keep track of their tickets,
this is a case where the conductor made a mistake. It was discovered,
but they didn't give you the entire ticket back.
As for the paperless thing, this is one of the things that reminds us
how quaint rail travel is. Would an airline let you board the plane
and then, when the plane was in the air, ask for tickets? No.
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by Giselle Posted Wed April 29, 2009 @ 8:41 AM
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Excellent letter and a valid complaint! Good luck!
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SHARED LETTERS 
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