06-04-2014, 04:19 PM
It's unfortunate (and perhaps unforgivable) that the SW employees did not inform the passengers of the reason for the delays. Perhaps they themselves were not told. But that's an important part of transport customer relations; there are always going to be problems, and a well-informed traveler can at least understand, and even be sympathetic. I'm a little surprised, as SW has a reputation for being traveler-friendly, and seemed that way the couple of times I've used them.
Personally, I prefer the train. Traveling to Maryland from Boston, I can make better time taking Southwest to Baltimore, but I generally take Amtrak to DC: easier to get where I'm going (in Montgomery County), and I just like traveling by train. Much less crowded than airplanes, much less hassle with security, ability to walk around, fun watching the world pass by the window. Yes, there can be delays and problems, as last summer when the catenary over one track was down because of heat, but the conductors will generally explain what's going on.
The big problem is that there are so many places in the USA that you cannot get to by train. Instead you're stuck jammed into flying buses. Yeah, it's faster, but—what's the hurry?
/Mr Lynn
Personally, I prefer the train. Traveling to Maryland from Boston, I can make better time taking Southwest to Baltimore, but I generally take Amtrak to DC: easier to get where I'm going (in Montgomery County), and I just like traveling by train. Much less crowded than airplanes, much less hassle with security, ability to walk around, fun watching the world pass by the window. Yes, there can be delays and problems, as last summer when the catenary over one track was down because of heat, but the conductors will generally explain what's going on.
The big problem is that there are so many places in the USA that you cannot get to by train. Instead you're stuck jammed into flying buses. Yeah, it's faster, but—what's the hurry?
/Mr Lynn