Sep 24, 2016, 1:22 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Seat 2A

See below in the expanded wiki for the list of the reconfigured aircraft.

December 3, 2015 Alaska announced a reconfiguration of its fleet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaskaair.com/newsroom

Seats in the Premium Class section will have at least 35" of pitch, compared to 31" to 32" in the rest of the main cabin. To make room for the Premium Class while maintaining pitch in the main cabin, Alaska will reconfigure and reduce the number of seats available on some aircraft. Also, pitch in the First Class cabin will be increased from 36" to 42" providing a significantly enhanced experience for those customers.

Code:

Model Fleet count Current seats Reconfigured cabin
 (First class/Main cabin)(First class/Premium class/Main)
 
 737-800 61 16/147 12/30/117
 
 737-900/900ER 77 16/165 16/24/138
 
 E175 15 12/64 12/12/52

The first reconfigured aircraft - N536AS - entered service 9/25/16.

List of reconfigured aircraft:

737-800

N506AS
N508AS
N512AS
N513AS
N514AS
N516AS
N517AS
N518AS
N519AS
N520AS
N523AS
N524AS
N525AS
N526AS
N527AS
N528AS
N529AS
N530AS
N532AS
N533AS
N534AS
N535AS
N536AS
N537AS
N538AS
N546AS
N548AS
N549AS
N551AS
N552AS
N553AS
N556AS
N557AS
N558AS
N559AS
N560AS
N562AS
N563AS
N564AS
N565AS
N568AS
N569AS
N570AS
N577AS
N579AS
N581AS
N583AS
N584AS
N585AS
N586AS
N587AS
N588AS
N589AS
N590AS
N592AS
N593AS
N594AS
N596AS
N597AS

Total: 59 / 61 (97% complete)

Last updated: 12/18

Previous thread discussing PE

You can find the scheduled tail number of your flight here:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/as123
(replace as123 with as[your flight num])
However aircraft swaps are frequent, even up to the last hour.

Consolidated 73H reconfigured F/PE/Y 12/30/117 Thread [They're out there!]

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Oct 23, 2016, 9:28 am

#121

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,392

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyin'Hokie

Flew on a newly configured 737-800 last week, and was able to snap a couple of additional photos of the new first class seat pitch. The additional space is a significant improvement, but I am still very disappointed that we are losing 4 first class seats on the 800's. I see first class upgrades being even more limited for us 75K's, and I certainly hope that Premium Economy doesn't become Alaska's new "upgrade class." If that happens, the benefits of the program will be highly devalued in my opinion. Alaska appears to be becoming just like the big 3 airlines, and that is sad.

So, what exactly were they supposed to do to put more pitch in F and in some Y seats? F is really cramped on 16 F 738s and 739s.

I might note that as 12F 734s and 73Gs leave the fleet, they are effectively being replaced by 12F 738s, though there are way more 738s than those two types. So yes, this is a bit of a comedown. (Of course, there's also more E75s coming and replacing CRJ7s/Q400s with NO F.)

Last edited by eponymous_coward; Oct 23, 2016 at 9:35 am

Oct 23, 2016, 11:54 am

#122

jinglish

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: SEA

Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver

Posts: 2,036

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward

And those E175s are 12/12/52 versus the new 12/30/117 738 config. Upgrade chances are great, even for MVPs like me.

Oct 23, 2016, 6:50 pm

#123

sltlyamusd

Join Date: May 2003

Location: SFO, mostly

Posts: 2,204

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward

Agree that F was way too cramped previously. According to what's been posted, row 1 on the 738 now has 8 inches more legroom, and rows 2 and 3 have 6 more inches, so that is a big improvement compared to before. I think the decision to reduce F seating on the 738 was mostly based on their assessment of what mix of F/Y+/Y will maximize profits. From a cabin space perspective, it would have been totally possible to retain 4 rows of F on the 738 while still increasing legroom somewhat, but that would have resulted in a loss of six total seats as opposed to four.

Oct 25, 2016, 1:06 pm

#124

dave1013

Join Date: Feb 2005

Location: JNU

Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold

Posts: 2,893

Confirmed on AS 70, 11/16.

Checked the seating map thru a dummy rez, the plane is a reconfigured -800.

Tried to reserve a seat in what is to become PE (9C) and it wouldn't let me.

Nor was I allowed to reserved a seat in rows 11, 12, or 15.

I settled for a seat in row 17 but this is a disturbing portent of things that appear to be coming.

Ticket is K-class, for the record.

This appears to mean that PE seats can only be reserved at purchase for certain fare classes. Ergo, it becomes the new "upgrade".

Oct 25, 2016, 1:09 pm

#125

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,392

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave1013

This appears to mean that PE seats can only be reserved at purchase for certain fare classes. Ergo, it becomes the new "upgrade".

Might want to read the entire thread before pronouncing ex cathedra. Being unable to assign seats on a dummy booking doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means. Go call AS if you want a seat in the not-yet-PE section on an -800.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderlust4life

UPDATE: Just called AS and they said that they've blocked those rows until the official soft product rolls out and the majority of aircraft systemwide have been reconfigured. Agent said its just too premature to announce anything but said they do have internal memos they can't disclose to the public. When I said only the old/current Preferred plus policy is on the website, the agent then said there is a "link" but then stepped back and said "sorry its internal."

With all this said, the agent said that until further notice, once a booking is made, they are still able to assign those blocked seats to elites of any level including partner elites. They are just blocked by the computer for bookings. And she said once policies are in place, then those seats will become unlocked and could be available for purchase or free etc. Agent just wouldn't say exactly how theyll be able to be selected and by who etc.

Agent also assured that if a seat is secured complimentarily etc prior to the official program rolls out, then the seat is protected and not taken away UNLESS changes are made to reservation causing the deselection of that respective seat.

Oct 25, 2016, 1:42 pm

#126

wanderlust4life

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: Australia / USA

Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold

Posts: 414

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave1013

I think you may be doing something differently to get this outcome.

I just attempted a booking for this flight on the same day on this aircraft in the same fare class and it allowed me to select a seat.

Here are photos to demonstrate its possible.

Please try to reattempt to see if you get the same result. If they are still blocked to you, the only thing I can think of is that given you are Gold and I am a 75k, then perhaps only 75ks will have access to the seats. I highly doubt this though. Even the agent on the phone said that they value their elites a lot and dont want to make considerably negative moves towards tier benefits. And as re-posted above in the previous post, Customer Care can assign a blocked seat to an elite of any level until the official policy rolls out.

Attached Images

Last edited by wanderlust4life; Oct 25, 2016 at 2:36 pm

Oct 25, 2016, 2:06 pm

#127

dmodemd

Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Kirkland, WA

Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*

Posts: 3,657

I predict 75Ks will have access to PE at booking while Golds will be later, MVPs T-24... The current system behavior seems to be consistent with that.

Oct 25, 2016, 2:32 pm

#128

dave1013

Join Date: Feb 2005

Location: JNU

Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold

Posts: 2,893

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward

Might want to read the entire thread before pronouncing ex cathedra. Being unable to assign seats on a dummy booking doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means. Go call AS if you want a seat in the not-yet-PE section on an -800.

And you might want to read the first line in my post.

To be more clear, I had a confirmed reservation. After that process was over (done by corporate travel), I started a separate dummy rez to check out how many seats were showing in F. There were 12. End of dummy rez.

Last edited by dave1013; Oct 25, 2016 at 4:55 pm Reason: Clarity

Oct 25, 2016, 2:32 pm

#129

wanderlust4life

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: Australia / USA

Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold

Posts: 414

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmodemd

I predict 75Ks will have access to PE at booking while Golds will be later, MVPs T-24... The current system behavior seems to be consistent with that.

If that ends up being the case, then everyone below 75k like golds mvps and partner elites should book asap and call to get an assigned seat per the current published policy. Once the new policy gets posted, it'll be too late.

I'm really anxious to see how this impacts the first class upgrade scheme for elites.

Oct 25, 2016, 2:33 pm

#130

dave1013

Join Date: Feb 2005

Location: JNU

Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold

Posts: 2,893

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderlust4life

I think you may be doing something differently to get this outcome.

I just attempted a booking for this flight on the same day day on this aircraft in the same fare class and it allowed me to select a seat.

Here are photos to demonstrate its possible.

Please try to reattempt to see if you get the same result. If they are still blocked to you, the only thing I can think of is that given you are Gold and I am a 75k, then perhaps only 75ks will have access to the seats. I highly doubt this though. Even the agent on the phone said that they value their elites a lot and dont want to make considerably negative moves towards tier benefits. And as re-posted above in the previous post, Customer Care can assign a blocked seat to an elite of any level until the official policy rolls out.

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried again, and this time it worked. Must be a timing thing. Or maybe you "broke the ice"!

Oct 25, 2016, 2:43 pm

#131

wanderlust4life

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: Australia / USA

Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold

Posts: 414

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave1013

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried again, and this time it worked. Must be a timing thing. Or maybe you "broke the ice"!

Glad to hear it worked on your end! I don't understand why Alaska won't just post the policy even if it's effective at a later date. It makes me wonder if they don't want to post it because it'll be really depressing and they don't want an influx of bookings prior to the effective date which would mean loss of revenue for them. My partner is gold and my parents are mvps and they all want to know what's going on too.

Oct 25, 2016, 5:04 pm

#132

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,392

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmodemd

I predict 75Ks will have access to PE at booking while Golds will be later, MVPs T-24... The current system behavior seems to be consistent with that.

That would be significantly worse than AA and UA. Not to mention...

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave1013

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried again, and this time it worked. Must be a timing thing. Or maybe you "broke the ice"!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderlust4life

Glad to hear it worked on your end! I don't understand why Alaska won't just post the policy even if it's effective at a later date.

There could be any number of reasons (affected by the merger, not signed off yet, and so on). The sky may even, in fact, not be falling.

I'm fairly confident AS's policy will be pretty good, like their change fees, own-metal EQM requirements, lack of change fees for Gold (better than AA/DL/UA), etc.

Oct 25, 2016, 8:51 pm

#133

QXflyer

Join Date: Feb 2015

Programs: AS MVP

Posts: 220

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmodemd

I predict 75Ks will have access to PE at booking while Golds will be later, MVPs T-24... The current system behavior seems to be consistent with that.

I sat in PC the other day as a MVP on a mileage redemption though

Oct 26, 2016, 11:19 am

#134

pdxasflyer

Join Date: May 2003

Location: PDX USA

Programs: AS MVPG, AA, BA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG, Hertz 5*

Posts: 690

I could be misreading a number of posts here, so my apologies, but I don't think that PE will be the new 'upgrade'. Yesterday, I completed a booking with my corporate travel agency to SNA and LAX. Both segments - according to seat maps - have reconfigured planes.

Via my corporate travel agent, I was able to select row 6 and 17, with no issues. Further, I went into my record on AS.com once it was ticketed and my seating assignments had not changed. G and R fares.

Both row 6 and 17 are listed as preferred plus and were marked with 'paid seating'-types of icons on my corporate travel site (which typically means I can't select them until I get to the record on as.com).

So, call me confused, as I can't seem to figure out if the sky is falling here??

Oct 26, 2016, 12:14 pm

#135

flytoeat

Join Date: Jan 2001

Posts: 2,838

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxasflyer

So, call me confused, as I can't seem to figure out if the sky is falling here??

You're not confused. There's just rampant speculation going on in the absence of facts.