Jan 4, 2017, 7:30 pm
Last edit by: Calchas
Welcome to the Alaska Airlines Flame-Free Q&A Thread for 2017!
Anyone is welcome to ask anything, even the most basic questions, in this thread without having to fear a snarky response. In this thread, there's no such thing as a dumb question--we were all new to Alaska Airlines, FlyerTalk, and even the whole idea of mileage programs once and needed some help navigating the ropes. We're here to help you do just that!
That said, if you want to do a little reading to see if your question has been previously discussed, links to some of the most common and extensive topics in this forum are listed in our FAQ thread -- click here to check it out.
Special care will be given in this thread to trying to provide answers in a clear manner with minimal use of acronyms and jargon.
If you need to contact someone for help, here's a current list of our forum's team:
Ambassadors (Our Greeters--members who have specifically volunteered to welcome and mentor newbies and monitor this thread):
ANC RED-EYE
baliktad
beckoa
golfingboy
Moderators (Our Janitors--members who have volunteered to do housekeeping/keep the forum in order)
ryandc99
jackal
You are welcome to send a private message to any of these individuals for assistance, but you'll generally get a faster response and broader palette of answers if you simply post your inquiry here in this thread.
Note to FlyerTalk members who enjoy the ability to take advantage of loopholes--if someone posts something that exposes information you'd rather not be public, please remember this is a Flame-Free thread, and harsh or snarky posts are not permitted. Although FlyerTalk itself does not censor posts that share information, members are free to edit their own posts to remove information. If you wish to request any poster to remove information they have shared publicly, please do so politely and respectfully.
Welcome, and we look forward to providing any assistance we can!
~the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan forum team~
For the 2016 version of this thread, please click here
Anyone is welcome to ask anything, even the most basic questions, in this thread without having to fear a snarky response. In this thread, there's no such thing as a dumb question--we were all new to Alaska Airlines, FlyerTalk, and even the whole idea of mileage programs once and needed some help navigating the ropes. We're here to help you do just that!
That said, if you want to do a little reading to see if your question has been previously discussed, links to some of the most common and extensive topics in this forum are listed in our FAQ thread -- click here to check it out.
Special care will be given in this thread to trying to provide answers in a clear manner with minimal use of acronyms and jargon.
If you need to contact someone for help, here's a current list of our forum's team:
Ambassadors (Our Greeters--members who have specifically volunteered to welcome and mentor newbies and monitor this thread):
ANC RED-EYE
baliktad
beckoa
golfingboy
Moderators (Our Janitors--members who have volunteered to do housekeeping/keep the forum in order)
ryandc99
jackal
You are welcome to send a private message to any of these individuals for assistance, but you'll generally get a faster response and broader palette of answers if you simply post your inquiry here in this thread.
Note to FlyerTalk members who enjoy the ability to take advantage of loopholes--if someone posts something that exposes information you'd rather not be public, please remember this is a Flame-Free thread, and harsh or snarky posts are not permitted. Although FlyerTalk itself does not censor posts that share information, members are free to edit their own posts to remove information. If you wish to request any poster to remove information they have shared publicly, please do so politely and respectfully.
Welcome, and we look forward to providing any assistance we can!
~the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan forum team~
For the 2016 version of this thread, please click here
2017 Alaska Airlines *FLAME-FREE* Q&A thread: all welcome, new and old!
Jan 9, 2017, 2:13 pm
#61
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
I have discovered (?) a very frustrating AS IT glitch.
I booked a trip online XXX-SEA and SEA-XXX; each flight is on two different days. I used the option of looking for flights with MVPG GGU upgrade availability (in the hopes of finding a GGU to use). Given the fare difference, I did NOT purchase the U fare on the first flight, but DID purchase it on the second flight.
I was able to find a GGU
and wanted to apply to the second flight. But the website booked it in T class (even though at the close of booking it did give me the option of applying a GGU -- but I didn't have one at the time). Now, the AS Twitter rep is saying the whole itinerary is booked in T and therefore neither segment is eligible to apply a GGU.
I've hesitated to call AS reservations this weekend knowing they were swamped with the weather-stuff in the PNW, but I'm hoping someone there will be able to dig deep enough to see that indeed segment two was booked in U, even though a GGU wasn't applied at time of booking. Otherwise, I simply wasted the $40 upcharge for booking that segment in U.
Surprised that AS' website will let you book two different fare classes for one itinerary yet cannot actually ticket such correctly.
Any ideas?
I booked a trip online XXX-SEA and SEA-XXX; each flight is on two different days. I used the option of looking for flights with MVPG GGU upgrade availability (in the hopes of finding a GGU to use). Given the fare difference, I did NOT purchase the U fare on the first flight, but DID purchase it on the second flight.
I was able to find a GGU
and wanted to apply to the second flight. But the website booked it in T class (even though at the close of booking it did give me the option of applying a GGU -- but I didn't have one at the time). Now, the AS Twitter rep is saying the whole itinerary is booked in T and therefore neither segment is eligible to apply a GGU.I've hesitated to call AS reservations this weekend knowing they were swamped with the weather-stuff in the PNW, but I'm hoping someone there will be able to dig deep enough to see that indeed segment two was booked in U, even though a GGU wasn't applied at time of booking. Otherwise, I simply wasted the $40 upcharge for booking that segment in U.
Surprised that AS' website will let you book two different fare classes for one itinerary yet cannot actually ticket such correctly.
Any ideas?
I'm not familiar with the peculiarities of using GGUs (MVP only...never had one), but I do know that if you book a single itinerary with different fare types on different segments, the entire itinerary will inherit the rules of the most restrictive segment. For example, say you book one segment at a low-fare non-refundable price and the next segment at a fully refundable price (because that was all that was available on that segment). If you tried to change that second segment, leaving the first one alone, you would still pay a change fee even though that segment was technically fully refundable (assuming you're not MVPG, of course).
Did you do a low price guarantee claim by any chance? If so, this (usually) will drop you into an ineligible fare bucket.
Since you are booked into T, just call and ask for an upfare to a GGU eligible fare for that segment. They won't charge you a change fee for it, just the fare difference
Jan 9, 2017, 2:13 pm
#62
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,027
Sorry to be a pest on this thread
If I use my (MVP status) miles for a single segment Q400 flight, and my spouse uses her (no status) miles for the same flight, can I call and get her in the exit row with me even if we're obviously therefore on different PNRs?
If I use my (MVP status) miles for a single segment Q400 flight, and my spouse uses her (no status) miles for the same flight, can I call and get her in the exit row with me even if we're obviously therefore on different PNRs?
Jan 9, 2017, 2:18 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
Edit to add: I am now recalling that someone here mentioned difficulty with this with agents who weren't aware, so if you get resistance, HUACA.
Jan 9, 2017, 2:36 pm
#65
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
Who is the first operating airline? If it's Alaska, go ahead and pay. I've never had an issue.
Jan 9, 2017, 2:42 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
I made this table a while back to break down AS fare buckets. I updated it a bit to reflect recent changes, though there still may be mistakes.
Jan 9, 2017, 3:15 pm
#67
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,833
Jan 9, 2017, 3:17 pm
#69
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,833
Edit: double posted, sorry.
Jan 9, 2017, 3:37 pm
#70
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 398
When booking an AA flight as an elite, can you pick your complimentary preferred seating immediately?
Reason i'm asking is because a friend and I will probably purchase 2 separate one way tickets for the flight. If both of us are MVP, then we should be able to still select seats next to each other while booking, correct?
Reason i'm asking is because a friend and I will probably purchase 2 separate one way tickets for the flight. If both of us are MVP, then we should be able to still select seats next to each other while booking, correct?
Jan 9, 2017, 4:41 pm
#72
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Jan 9, 2017, 7:10 pm
#74
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,027
I have a couple of $100 AS discount codes.
Is it possible to apply both online for a one-way flight for two people?
Is it possible to apply both online for a one-way flight for two people?
Jan 9, 2017, 7:17 pm
#75
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968