SkyBeaver

Flying VX for the first time this weekend as an Alaska MVP Gold 75K

A couple of things are rather striking. First is that Alaska and Virgin America couldn't be more different. They seem to target different demographics entirely. The corporate cultures seem to be polar opposites. And Alaska customers are likely to be very disillusioned by the quality of the VX product.

The other thing that's puzzling is the terminal situation at SFO. This is Virgin America's home town and yet they don't even have a frequent flyer lounge in their own terminal? Seriously? Hard to see how this merger is going to be a success if the two airlines can't share a terminal and offer a reasonably consistent set of amenities to their regular customers. They're not even close to being able to do this now.

Has anyone heard anything on what the plans are to merge operations in San Francisco?

beckoa

Isn't there some significant construction in SFO right now? IIRC AS is temporarily in the international concourse. How temporary you might ask?

SkyBeaver

Alaska flies out of the international terminal and uses the Cathay Pacific frequent flyer lounge. Virgin America operates out of terminal 2 and shares it about 50/50 with American. Even though it's their home base, VX has no frequent flyer lounge at SFO.

Seems like AA would be unlikely to give up the very nice setup they have at SFO, and the Virgin America space in T2 isn't big enough to handle both them and Alaska.

The options for Alaska are to keep operating out of the international terminal with no VX overlap; pay AA handsomely to buy their presence in T2; move their combined VX + AS operations to T1 which is still underutilized.

jinglish

Someone who would know (possibly Missy, though I'm not sure) confirmed that Alaska's plans are to eventually combine operations in T2 and acquire lounge space there. That likely won't happen soon given the construction, though; I believe they're waiting for AA to move on to T3 after renovations.

sfozrhfco

T-1 is not underutilized. Half of the terminal is closed and is under construction. It will be years before the construction is completed and the old terminal is demolished and rebuilt. Until then, VX/AS can either cut flights and use the VX gates for their whole combined schedule or keep the split terminal set up.

Baze

The split terminal would be ok if AS/VX got an airside shuttle system working like UA did when it was using T1 & T3 during the T3 renovations.

jinglish

AS is even doing the same at LAX now between T3 and T6.

PDXPremier

And it only runs twice an hour....not very helpful unless you time it just right.

frankmu

We missed flights because of that damn shuttle

Baze

Well, you could have exited the secure area, walked to the other terminal and then recleared security. That was your other choice with the temporary split terminal setup.

dayone

Yup. For a few more months, there is the option to walk through the parking garage.

beckoa

I did this between T2 and T6 earlier in the month. Took about 15 minutes airside to airside, ended up going thru TSA at T-5 as it was late at night (and that's where we got thru the garage out). Stopped in the AC Maple Leaf Lounge...looked interesting, but not enough time there (spent too long at INO ) - They do have showers though.

Single_Flyer

Alaska is planning to move to T2 at SFO to join Virgin (timing TBD).

An Alaska Lounge is planned for the area above the TSA check point. No timeline for opening.

SFOPeter

Maybe in the interim they will fly all of the international flights... out of the international terminal.

brettsir

Alaska should be slowly moving to T2 as AA moves to T1 over the next year or two. There should be no reason not to open an Alaska lounge in the old admirals club space in T2, but then again this is the aviation industry, so it may be your new favourite tumi store in a few months.