Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Very disappointed in the policy regarding end of SFO/LAX and award travel

A rant.

I have probably redeemed 2 million plus miles on LAN partner awards mostly via LAX. The AS SFO/LAX route is ending, fine and good, I'm not even debating that here. However, on my next trip, SFO/LAX is still operating on my southbound departure day. There is plenty of award space in "A". AS refuses (on more than 1 occasion) to put us on that flight, because it would create an open jaw (as the trip already has a stopover). The return flight is already past peak holiday season and is a cheap one way. But this outbound flight, which AS still flies, and which is now creating an "AS-created open jaw" is causing me to purchase two tickets SFO/LAX which on that day, are about $100 a pop, and I really can't shop it around much because we will likely have 3 pieces of luggage (limiting me to AS and UA without incurring more baggage fees). This is a real disappointment for an airline that usually does the right thing, but in this matter, they have really dropped the ball, and is a really south-of-expected move, as this was always included in part of the award AND they don't even have to go to the expense of getting me home at the end of the trip. :td:

Not sure if you want to schlep bags or yourself from T1 to TBIT, but for the last several weeks, WN has been running SFO-LAX fares for various amounts between $29 and $39 o/w. These are usually still up the day before departure. That'll at least soften the blow of having to buy a ticket, plus there aren't any bag fees....

Not sure if you want to schlep bags or yourself from T1 to TBIT, but for the last several weeks, WN has been running SFO-LAX fares for various amounts between $29 and $39 o/w. These are usually still up the day before departure. That'll at least soften the blow of having to buy a ticket, plus there aren't any bag fees....

On the particular day of travel, WN is as bad as the rest. Thanks, though.

A rant.

I have probably redeemed 2 million plus miles on LAN partner awards mostly via LAX. The AS SFO/LAX route is ending, fine and good, I'm not even debating that here. However, on my next trip, SFO/LAX is still operating on my southbound departure day. There is plenty of award space in "A". AS refuses (on more than 1 occasion) to put us on that flight, because it would create an open jaw (as the trip already has a stopover). The return flight is already past peak holiday season and is a cheap one way. But this outbound flight, which AS still flies, and which is now creating an "AS-created open jaw" is causing me to purchase two tickets SFO/LAX which on that day, are about $100 a pop, and I really can't shop it around much because we will likely have 3 pieces of luggage (limiting me to AS and UA without incurring more baggage fees). This is a real disappointment for an airline that usually does the right thing, but in this matter, they have really dropped the ball, and is a really south-of-expected move, as this was always included in part of the award AND they don't even have to go to the expense of getting me home at the end of the trip. :td:

No guarantees, but if AA or any other airline you don't have status on is competitive in fare, you might be able to get them to check bags for free without oneworld status if you're connecting to an international trip, even on a different ticket, particularly if you have AA interline the bags to LAN (which shouldn't be a problem).

Or, will AS put you on an AA flight up to SFO as a partner?

(I've never tried anything like either of these suggestions, so please correct me if I'm spreading misinformation.)

No guarantees, but if AA or any other airline you don't have status on is competitive in fare, you might be able to get them to check bags for free without oneworld status if you're connecting to an international trip, even on a different ticket, particularly if you have AA interline the bags to LAN (which shouldn't be a problem).

Or, will AS put you on an AA flight up to SFO as a partner?

(I've never tried anything like either of these suggestions, so please correct me if I'm spreading misinformation.)

Its only one AS partner per reservation, so that would be a no go...

Can you book SFO-LAX on your departure day and then LAX-SEA/PDX/???-SFO on AS on the return? Then just throw-away the return segments you don't want.

I think it just plain sucks that I can't get from the SFO/OAK to LAX on AS or QX.

I think it just plain sucks that I can't get from the SFO/OAK to LAX on AS or QX.

you mean DIRECTLY :)

Why not go from STS?

This really does blow for Bay Area elites, because the cancellation of this route does eliminate connection possibilities for AS elites (Mexico, DCA, and other regional cities such as PRC, FLG, etc). Your biggest issue was the fact that Alaska plays a key role in allowing you to connect on AS to LAN in LAX.

I know this is frustrating, but according to this link:

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4593753/

LAN is intending to start a nonstop service between SFO and SCL and I hope this will relieve some [not completely] of the issues of not being able to connect on LAN via LAX.

If AS would just solve the issue of multiple airlines on an award itinerary there would be no problem for Bay Area MP members. SFO-LAX on AA connecting to LAX-ZZZ on DL, QF, etc.

LAN is intending to start a nonstop service between SFO and SCL and I hope this will relieve some [not completely] of the issues of not being able to connect on LAN via LAX.

The guy who writes a reliable SCL blog has this item, too. It doesn't help with many other issues (like certain Mexico destinations), but if the route sticks, it will shave about 5 hours from each direction of my trips to Chile and Argentina.

Save a corner of the crying towel for me! I suppose the few passengers who *DO* use the SFO - LAX flight don't put money in the pocket of AS on these particular flights, but eliminating this particular route really does put another speedbump in the road that leads me to complete AS loyalty. I use this route for LAX business and connection to DCA flights. As wildway suggests, Santa Rosa is an option, but wastes time in the morning and, as an elite, I loose the opportunity for F seating and F bonus miles.

Additionally, with every adjustment to the Bay Area schedules, AS is alienating more Bay Area fliers due to connection difficulties. I'm pretty loyal, but when I am forced to do an over nighter in SEA just to make a flight to ATL, then I really have to consider why I am being so loyal. Many of the longer haul flights require me to spend an extra day or two on the road due to scheduling. I'm fortunate enough I can make it work, but at some point I will have to reconsider where I spend my money. I hope that the Bay Area is recognized as a principal market and not just a fly or stop over in the future.

Additionally, with every adjustment to the Bay Area schedules, AS is alienating more Bay Area fliers due to connection difficulties. I'm pretty loyal, but when I am forced to do an over nighter in SEA just to make a flight to ATL, then I really have to consider why I am being so loyal. Many of the longer haul flights require me to spend an extra day or two on the road due to scheduling. I'm fortunate enough I can make it work, but at some point I will have to reconsider where I spend my money. I hope that the Bay Area is recognized as a principal market and not just a fly or stop over in the future.

With the exception of DCA, AS really isn't focused on getting "us" to the East Coast. It is a plus when I can make one of those routes work, but it doesn't always happen, schedule or fare-wise. (They can make $ on us by not doing anything, such as when we buy a ticket on a partner airline that pays AS for the miles) However, they were focused on getting us to Southern California (OAK/SNA, SFO/SAN, SFO/PSP, STS/LAX and SFO/LAX) and to much of Mexico. Now, they are not.

Well, it's pretty hard to compete on NorCal/SoCal routes with a) WN's turn times, frequencies and solid efficiency, and b) VX and B6 running cut-rate fares as LCCs. I would say that AS has made the determination it might as well not bother in this economy. AA's retrenching in this area, too (their SJC hub is withering away to nothing).

Right now, what seems to be left for AS CA-based service are whatever vestiges of former service have survived, plus whatever QX can run that won't get stomped on by WN (so mostly second-tier service to places like STS and SBA), and some one-offs where AS is trying to make a route work that another airline couldn't (OAK-KOA/OGG, SJC-AUS). There doesn't seem to really be a consistent theme outside of that, and I dare say it has to make AS a pretty uninspiring choice for a Bay Area elite that doesn't do a ton of flying to the Pacific Northwest and looking for somewhere to take their FF business, especially given that DL (AS's preferred codeshare partner, or so the marketing would tell us) is nonexistent in the Bay Area on doing NorCal/SoCal flying, and AA isn't much of a partner past full EQM. I imagine the next MVPG lunch in the Bay Area won't be very happy.