Amtrak To Raise Fees Paid To Travel Agents

Amtrak is hoping to take some business from the airlines by taking advantage of the squabble between the air carriers and travel agents.

Amtrak has scheduled a news conference today to announce an increase in the commissions it pays to travel agents during the spring travel season.

Major airlines recently aroused the ire of the travel agents by capping commissions at $25 on oneway fares and $50 for round trips, instead of the standard 10 percent of the ticket price.

Full details of the Amtrak plan were not immediately available, but sources said the railroad would raise its commissions to between 12 percent and 15 percent for the coming months, with no cap.