Amtrak today announced the expansion of its popular 'Reserved Seating' option (formerly called 'Seat Assignment') as the latest of its efforts aiming at delivering a 'New Standard of Travel.' Beginning August 3, Acela Business Class customers can take advantage of the Reserved Seating amenity without any extra fees.
The Reserved Seating option offers one provision for passengers' peace-of-mind while traveling amid the COVID-19 pandemic by enabling them to view and select their seats prior to departure, including those available in the Quiet Car. This affords them the advantage of seeing a snapshot of the overall passenger density in each car and the ability to choose a seating area accordingly, to support social distancing.
As part of Amtrak's set of aggressively enhanced sanitation and safety protocols in place throughout its stations and trains, all passengers and employees are required to wear face masks or appropriate alternative face coverings while onboard trains and at stations.
It's also limiting bookings on most trains to allow adequate spacing in seating areas; ensuring air quality using onboard filtration systems that supply a fresh-air exchange rate of every four-to-five minutes; and monitoring social distancing in high-traffic areas, with plastic barriers installed at busy customer-service counters and signage in place to identify safe personal distances.
"As Amtrak delivers a new standard of travel, reserved seating is one of several new initiatives we are undertaking in support of expanded health and safety protocols," said Amtrak President and CEO, Bill Flynn. "By providing customers with an easier and safer boarding process that limits people moving through the trains trying to find a seat, we are able to meet customer expectations for safer travel."
Customers will be automatically assigned to a seat upon purchasing their tickets, but are provided the option to change their seats using an interactive seating map available on the Amtrak website or app. Contact center and station agents, and conductors, also have the ability to modify customer's seat assignments. New exterior and onboard signage is being installed on Acela trainsets, and on station platform locations along the Northeast Corridor (NEC), to help customers quickly find their designated rail car and reserved seats.
As part of Amtrak's New Standard of Travel commitment to safeguarding the passenger experience, only window seats will be available to book while Acela continues to operate at reduced capacity, ensuring that customers are afforded the space to stay effectively physically distanced. Seat maps will display aisle and rear-facing seats as blocked. Those traveling with companions or as part of a group will be assigned seats in separate rows but may choose to sit together once onboard.
Although Amtrak has accelerated the rollout of Reserved Seating in response to the current pandemic conditions, the company plans to continue with this enhancement post-COVID-19, including aboard the new Acela trainsets that are slated to debut in 2021. It plans on using employee and customer feedback from the present deployment to inform future improvements to the program.
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