For many if not most Americans, Amtrak just isn't much of an option. If you are along the NEC and want to go somewhere on the NEC, fine. But I regularly travel from Lansing, MI to Washington DC, or on to Trenton, and i have to drive 100 miles down to Toledo to catch the Capitol Limited. I COULD take Amtrak from the Lansing station back to CHicago, and board the Capitol there, but that another half a day and doubles the fare. Each way. Amtrak has a bus service from Lansing (and other Michigan cities) down to Toledo, but it is a 3-1/2 hour ride. I can drive to Toledo in less than an hour and a half. Not many AMericans are that interested.
To me the train is a lovely leisurely experience. But listening to my fellow travellers, when the train is an hour or two or three or four late, I often hear "Well this is the last time I ever take a train again." around me. They think of the train as transportation To somewhere, while I think of it as PART of my vacation.
When I got married, I flew to Las Vegas, no train to take. How about Denver to Houston, or Reno to Taos, or Omaha to Memphis, Buffalo to Philadelphia, and so on. Air may be getting more and more of a hassle, but the train just doesn't offer a competing option in most cases. I wish it did. My family were railroaders, I grew up with trains, I love train travel. But i can't get there from here. So I doubt the airline woes will have much impact.
Besides, the Capitol is sold out every trip already.
There's another thing that probably wasn't mentioned, after the Paris attacks last year the recommended time for arriving at the airport before your flights BOARDING time(not departure) is now 2 Hours for domestic flights, it has been and will remain 3 hours for International. However, for those that fly Southwest and other budget carriers, it is normal for them to arrive anywhere from 2 hours to 15 MINUTES before DEPARTURE, not even 15 MINUTES before BOARDING, and then they blame TSA for missing their flight. You also have waiting time at Curbside check-in if you use that, or at the ticket counter if you don't pre-check in print your boarding pass(if not using an electronic boarding pass that is).
Granted TSA is also understaffed at many airports, but it isn't because of a lack of planning, that can be directly attributed to the Republican Congress not willing to double the Security fee that is paid on each ticket 2 years ago, from a paltry $6 to $12, which would have increased the budget for staffing. Don't even suggest going to a private contractor for security, they still have to follow the same TSA procedures, so there's no gain with that, except for not having to pay benefits and only offering a higher wage as at least one of the grandfathered in airport contractors does.
dakotafred What the airlines should charge for is carry-ons.
What the airlines should charge for is carry-ons.
IIRC, some airlines are already considering this.
I am surprised that in what meager advertising Amtrak does, that they don't highlight their ease of boarding - no matter how much luggage you think you need for your trip vs. the airline fees for luggage and all the other 'extras'.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
"Flexibility" and "seizing the moment" are not in the Amtrak senior management vocabulary.
MidlandMike There is more carry-on baggage because the airlines started for charging for every checked bag. This is an airline created problem.
There is more carry-on baggage because the airlines started for charging for every checked bag. This is an airline created problem.
Nail on the head. My wife is just off a round trip to North Carolina involving 3 planes each way. She said the unnecessary stuff people were dragging on board and trying to jam overhead was simply ridiculous. Made for slower seating and deplaning, too.
Watched a TV News program on an NBC station this evening. The subject was highlighting passenger boarding problems at various major airports.
The problerm was more passengers flying with more carry-on and checked baggage. It was exacerbated by staffing issues at the T.S.A. who has apparently not anticipated the rise in travel this Spring, and beyond.
There were stories about missed flights by passengers who could not get cleared through the TSA staffed check points, and apparently, suffered delays of more than a couple of hours, due to the lack of TSA provided personnel. Mentioned as problematic, were Dallas, Chicago, NYC area air ports, as well as West Coast one's as well.
Personally, I don't fly enough to even have an opinion on this. I am just wondering if AMTRAK might have some way to become more and more attractive to travelers who must fly from airports that have delays and cause missed flights?
I am not sure if one is delayed by obvious problems of getting boarded onto their chosen flights. Will they be reimbursed for their costs? Or is that person responsible for tickets bought on the flight ,and missed by a failure of the airline, and Federally mandated rules?
I have not experienced any problems on AMTRAK to date. It seems that airline and airport problems for passengers would be a golden opportunity for AMTRAK to jump on and take advantage of the opportunity. [my2c]
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