Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - So, a bit of a dustup on FB today for AS...

http://www.ktvz.com/news/Bend-man-s-Facebook-post-sparks-firestorm-airline-action/-/413192/15970294/-/bke71d/-/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/notes/alaska-airlines/update-on-redmond-passenger/10150959812186073

https://www.facebook.com/notes/alaska-airlines/update-on-our-redmond-passenger/10150961454476073

Saw that. As I was not there and there seems to be two sides of the story, I can't make an opinion other than AS tried to do the right thing after the incident for that person to get him on his way. But obviously alotta FB users jumping to conclusions against AS's favour from what it seems...

Facebook ehhhhhhj
Fanatics with gossip like info
These non flyers vow to never fly Alaska ever
They will fly As if the price is right.
90% bs on there

No FB access....but read the news story- what an odd change of events...

Seems AS reacted to this a bit more then the elimination of our 1K booking bonus and companion certificate modifications.

Facebook ehhhhhhj
Fanatics with gossip like info
These non flyers vow to never fly Alaska ever
They will fly As if the price is right.
90% bs on there

So is it worse then FT? ;)

This incident has become a huge issue all over country because of FB. Surprised not more info on here about the circumstances. I am only hearing one side of the story so would like to hear both sides since this is bound to blow up big time for AS and probably already has. If the guy was drunk then he didn't deserve to fly but the witness who talked with the man for a long time claims he wasnt so I suppose someone could have mistaken the older man's parkinsons for being drunk but they said he also smelled of alcohol...would like to know the details since this is going to be a huge issue for them over the next few months.

In contrast with SWA, AA and other airlines, AS does not have anyone at the curb at the airports I most commonly frequent (and I am gold so I travel a lot) to ask to come to the car with a wheelchair and/or help with the bags They insist one walk to whereever their counter is (sometimes the equivalent of 1/4 or 1/2 a block's distance) AND STAND IN LINE and wait for as long as it takes and then they may, when and if it suits them, phone someone to bring a wheelchair and come help. They are oblivious to the fact that once the call is placed it can take 20+ minutes for the wheelchair to come, even after I explain to them that I cannot stand that long or walk far enough to find waiting chairs in the terminal and that I fly back and forth for medical treatment, which I either am about to have or have just had , and am feeling unwell.


And the attitude I hear from them when I insist I cannot walk back to the chairs to wait and or can't stand any longer in line is one of disbelief that anyone could possible have some need that does not match their rules (which are extremely disabled unfriendly)


A phone to pick up and call or a sign with a phone number to call for help for AS disabled assistance would not require AS to man a curbside checkin, but
when mentioned noone seemed interested in improving things. "This is how we do i"t is all I hear I have mumbled that ADA rules are to allow disabled poeple travelling alone to have all the same ability to get to and from the planes at the airport as everyone else even without a companion, but when mentioned it makes ABSOLUTELY no difference to them.


I am only making nondisabled people aware of the fact there is noone at the curb, just inside the door, or at the ticket counter who will not just tell one to stand in line and wait (and I always travel in F) until they HAVE TIME TO CALL A WHEELCHAIR

If this couple did not check off that they needed assistance when they booked their tickets, any competent ticket agent could have seen (especially when pointed out to them) that they needed help and have asked "is there anything I can do to assist you?" or "how can I help you?"

If I were training ground or air employees on how to treat those who may have additional needs either of those would be the first thing I would teach them to utter (with a smile and concern, not condescension or derision)

I have been greeted upon first entering plane by AS FAs with "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU????" (something one might expect out of the mouth of a two year old, rather than the "face" of the airline in charge of one's safety.

I wish this poor coverage (and I hope it proves untrue, but tend to doubt it due to some past experiences of mine) prompts Alaska to reexamine their treatment of/services for the disabled. It would not take much time and certainly no money to remedy the situation as it is one of attitude and procedures.

Alaska's phone agents are, I believe, the industry's best and most of the reason why is attitude in my opinion. Certainly their airport ground personnel and FAs with a little training could be as well. At present they pale next to SWA's whose handling of the disabled
is top-notch exceeding by far that on BA F and others.

I have brought the lack of ability to request curbside help and the disabled-unfriendliness of their policy of only calling a wheelchair from the ticketing desk and only after one waits in line to the attention of many AS ground personel, BR personnel etc and asked for them to give feedback. They shrugged me off and could not be bothered.

Should any AS employee monitoring this forum wish further feedback feel free to PM me as I don't like to complain without trying to improve things.



Broadly edited

In contrast with SWA, AA and other airlines, AS does not have anyone at the curb at the airports I most commonly frequent (and I am gold so I travel a lot) to ask to come to the car with a wheelchair and/or help with the bags They insist one walk to whereever their counter is (sometimes the equivalent of 1/4 or 1/2 a block's distance) AND STAND IN LINE and wait for as long as it takes and then they may, when and if it suits them, phone someone to bring a wheelchair and come help. They are oblivious to the fact that once the call is placed it can take 20+ minutes for the wheelchair to come, that I cannot stand that long or walk far enough to find waiting chairs in the terminal and that I may have just had a medical treatment and not feel well.


And the attitude I hear from them when I insist I cannot walk back to the chairs to wait and or can't stand any longer in line is one of disbelief that anyone could possible have some need that does not match their rules (which are extremely disabled unfriendly)
.

Here are the DoT rules and guidance on the subject:

28. Where should assistance begin in moving from the terminal entrance (or a vehicle drop-off point adjacent to the entrance) through the airport to the gate for a departing flight? Where should assistance end in moving from the gate to the terminal entrance (or a vehicle pick-up point adjacent to the entrance) after an arriving flight? Define the terms “terminal entrance” and “vehicle drop-off point adjacent to the entrance.”

Answer: A passenger with a disability is entitled to assistance, on request, in moving from the curb at the entrance to the airport terminal from which his/her flight is operating, through the airport and to his/her aircraft seat for departure and from his/her aircraft seat to the curb at the entrance to the airport terminal upon arrival. “Terminal entrance” refers to the area where passengers can directly enter a terminal after arriving by ground transportation, which could include by automobile or other means of public transportation, such as by bus, train, or subway. It does not include parking garages or car rental areas adjacent to an airport terminal. “Vehicle drop-off point” refers to the location where ground transportation vehicles are permitted to drop off individuals at the curb or other immediate entrance to an airport terminal.

Passengers arriving at a terminal entrance where an airline has no employees (neither its own nor contractors on its behalf) at the curbside or other vehicle drop-off point (e.g., a subway walkway directly connecting the subway facility to an airport terminal entrance) are responsible for entering the terminal (or having an individual do so on his or her behalf) to request assistance from his or her airline. Although not required by our rules, carriers are encouraged to consider the feasibility of installing a well-marked telephone or other means by which airline passengers can contact the appropriate airline in such situations.


And here's where you can find information on filing air consumer disability complaints:

http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/CP_DisabilityandDiscrimination.htm

Thanks for posting the dot info.

My point is not only that they do not have curbside employees or contractors (although the other airlines do), and that they have no buttons or posted phone numbers to call, but that when one enters the terminal the employees they have cannot be bothered to help but rather instruct you to walk, yes walk, to the lines for the ticket agents , stand in line as long as it takes to get assistance and then find your own way to sit down and wait for the wheelchair

the other employee ie the one i spoke to who is not engaged will not help as he/she states the rule is one can only request a wheelchair from the ticketing agent and those agents will not interrupt themselves and stop for the ten seconds or so it takes to radio a wheelchair pusher request while they are helping others and will not do so between customers already in the line

once put in a wheelchair, they will push the person in the wheelchair to the front of any line and have them served next. Cutting in the que. Why is it ok to cut to the front of the line when the wheelchair has arrived and the passenger is seated comfortably but why was it not ok to interrupt what the ticketing agents were doing for a few seconds TO MAKE A CALL ON THE RADIO FOR A WHEELCHAIR PUSHER before the wheelchair arrived, when the passenger truly was is in need of the wheelchair and could not stand/walk/ PROCEED SAFELY?

Thanks for posting the dot info.

My point is not only that they do not have curbside employees or contractors (although the other airlines do), and that they have no buttons or posted phone numbers to call, but that when one enters the terminal the employees they have cannot be bothered to help but rather instruct you to walk, yes walk, to the lines for the ticket agents , stand in line as long as it takes to get assistance and then find your own way to sit down and wait for the wheelchair


And my point was you should make your point to the DoT.

Facebook ehhhhhhj
Fanatics with gossip like info
These non flyers vow to never fly Alaska ever
They will fly As if the price is right.
90% bs on there

Agreed. Some of the comments on there made for a good laugh. No one commenting knows the truth at this point. As in all cases I'll wait to make a judgment until all facts are made available but they may not happen in this case.

In my opinion, what's also laughable (in a "you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying" sort of way) is how AS lowered itself into the pit along with most of the other commenters/posters. Especially the part where they speculated about this fellow's alleged state of inebriation. It would have been more effective if they had zipped it until they complete their investigation, then release the facts that bear on the situation. I realize it's not an invasion of privacy to release the info they did, but IMHO it was in extremely poor taste.

In my opinion, what's also laughable (in a "you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying" sort of way) is how AS lowered itself into the pit along with most of the other commenters/posters. Especially the part where they speculated about this fellow's alleged state of inebriation. It would have been more effective if they had zipped it until they complete their investigation, then release the facts that bear on the situation. I realize it's not an invasion of privacy to release the info they did, but IMHO it was in extremely poor taste.

Agreed. I'm sure that post didn't get a review by the legal department, either. Regardless of what the actual set of facts are, the public doesn't need to know everything instantly, other than "We take the allegations very seriously and are thoroughly investigating the matter." The range of facts could be anything from "the guy was faking a disability and was seriously intoxicated" to "a grievous, discriminatory event was caused by Alaska Airlines," or something in between.

Agreed. Some of the comments on there made for a good laugh. No one commenting knows the truth at this point. As in all cases I'll wait to make a judgment until all facts are made available but they may not happen in this case.

It will all blow over in a week or two. It happens with every major event. Its the usual threat of a boycott, hope you go bankrupt, an exploitative here and there. Only thing a little different here is most of those complaining have never heard of Alaska Airlines or don't even live close to a city that has or will ever have service.

It will all blow over in a week or two. It happens with every major event. Its the usual threat of a boycott, hope you go bankrupt, an exploitative here and there. Only thing a little different here is most of those complaining have never heard of Alaska Airlines or don't even live close to a city that has or will ever have service.

The only thing a little different here is that the company responded in a public setting that the other side was a little drunky.

The only thing a little different here is that the company responded in a public setting that the other side was a little drunky.

Unbelievable. Did RyanAir buy AS when we weren't looking?

Here are the DoT rules and guidance on the subject:

[INDENT]It does not include parking garages or car rental areas adjacent to an airport terminal.

The consolidated rental car facility in ANC had to contract with Huntleigh (the wheelchair provider at ANC) separately to provide for wheelchair assistance from the rental facility. Previous to that, calls to Alaska requesting wheelchair assistance at the rental facility were fruitless, even though it is a shorter walk to the rental facility than it is to the Era gates.

A message from the President of Horizon Air posted on FB just now...

I've seen a lot of concern by our customers about the treatment of the gentleman who flew out of Redmond, Oregon, to see his daughter. Now that we've been able to largely complete our review, which I've been overseeing throughout the weekend, I'd like to share some information with you. First and foremost, we've determined that we could and should have handled this better and I apologize to our passenger on behalf of all of us at Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines.



I’m happy to report the gentleman has been able to visit with his daughter after arriving at his destination before noon on Saturday. We are providing him with complimentary roundtrip flights for this trip and have offered free tickets for another visit down the road. We're also working with Open Doors Organization, a disability advocacy group that focuses on travel issues, to learn from this customer’s experience and to help us with our ongoing care for passengers with disabilities. Alaska and Horizon have partnered with various disability organizations for years to help our employees better serve our customers.



This experience has reminded us of the importance of assisting passengers with disabilities and making sure every one of them receives the special care they may need. The information we've gathered during our review will certainly improve our efforts going forward. I'd like to say again that we're sorry for the experience of this customer and thank everyone who has brought this to our attention.



Glenn Johnson

President, Horizon Air

Thank you ALF for posting that.

The Open Doors reference is good. There are other areas of the operation that could use some tweaking and I hope get addressed, e.g., public affairs and when to make statements on social media about passengers being inebriated (or not).

Did this customer not travel with a companion? :confused::confused:

Where is the outrage at the daughter who let her father (who obviously was not in control of his faculties, neither was his travelling partner) get on a plane??

Did this customer not travel with a companion? :confused::confused:

Where is the outrage at the daughter who let her father (who obviously was not in control of his faculties, neither was his travelling partner) get on a plane??

You may wish to read some more. The Facebook poster was not the victim of the poor treatment by AS, but a witness/Good Samaritan. Also, Parkinson's Disease is characterized by motor function impairment that is not consistent from day to day. A patient who can function perfectly well one day may (especially if under stress) have great difficult with the same task the next.

Like it or not, the Americans with Disabilities Act and various other legislation gives disabled and impaired people the right to travel, and the airlines are required to help them. It seems to me that the empathy required to aid a fragile and disabled passenger would result in better service for us able-bodied people the rest of the time.