ANC RED-EYE

Thanks beckoa for starting the thread. Just got back from the breakfast. Unfortunately I did not take notes...so I'll just record what I remember:

First...thanks AS, nice event, nice breakfast. It's great to be invited to these events - makes one feel appreciated as a customer.

Key players in attendance: Uncle Rick (of course), missydarlin, Elliot of facebook and twitter fame. A one million mile flyer - didn't catch his name. Otherwise the routine AS folks - reps from each department including Gold desk, FA, Boardroom, etc. Key absences noted by me: Bank of America - maybe they didn't want to draw attention to their new SOE changes.

Uncle Rick's updates:

New potential partnerships in discussion with (drum roll please) ICELAND AIR!!! (yes, I'd totally welcome that one!), Kenmore Air (floatplanes and Caravans out of Seattle to nice recreation areas). Nothing official yet on either - sounded like discussions were somewhat early.

Review of existing partnerships: Air Pacific highlighted, Continental ending (it was pointed out that with no EQM's and difficult award seats, this was probably the least valuable of our domestic partners anyway).

Platinum - still in the works. Much less commitment than I've seen recently discussed on FT. No set date for rollout. Stressed again that great care would be taken NOT to decrease any benefits of MVPG status if a higher tier is rolled out. It was pointed out that MVPG is already a pretty small group of customers (~30K), which is less than most airlines upper tier. Focus would be on special recognition for a few of the highest level customers.

Upgrades - tweaking the system again. Want to make sure that those who purchase value and above fares have the best chance at upgrades, so revenue management should be automatically upgrading those customers at the 36 hour mark into any available F seat regardless of U availability to make sure that they don't lose the upgrades once check in opens.

The new Delta - getting the elite benefits we had with NW has been slower in coming than we'd hoped. Delta system should recognize status for boarding and check in by the end of the year (without waving the card). For now, wave the card, and you should get treated like a skyteam elite for everything besides upgrades. Let them know if there are any stations (anywhere in the world) where that does not happen and they will work on it. Domestic upgrades (except for Hawaii) should work by March 2010. Working on waiving baggage fees for MVPG!!

Wifi - slower than we were hoping. Other airlines have done it faster because they are using land based system which is cheaper and less complicated, but would never work for our market (Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico). Hope by the end of 2010. Fee system to be worked out but will likely include one time use and subscription options. Discount for golds? Mileage redemption?

My Wallet - hopefully full functions should be in place by end of 2009 to include depositing unused and partially unused ticket credits, which would be transferable into any MP customers wallet.

New routes (the schedule guy) - review of new routes in 2009. 10 new routes. (Note - no mention of upcoming new destinations unless I missed something).

Q&A:

Q: When there is an aircraft swap, how do you decide who gets downgraded?
A: Good question. Not just row 4. Procedure is kind of poorly defined. Golds are supposed to be accommodated first. Generally speaking, lowest status passengers, most recently upgraded, or last checked in are most likely to get booted.

Q: Can we update the digi player more frequently? For those of us that fly a couple times per month, it is worthless by the 3rd flight.
A: Updated every 2 months. We'll work on it. DigiPlayer XT is on trial on HI routes. Perhaps once we get in-flight WIFI, we'd have the option for a broader selection with the satellite connection...but note that the DigiPlayer currently does not have internet capabilities, so that is a hypothetical consideration and would require a new system. No one asked why movies get recycled and put back on (i.e. is Australia really on the digi AGAIN?)

Q: Sometimes when I buy a higher fare for the instant upgrade, it's only available on DEN-SEA, but not SEA-ANC. That sucks and is worthless.
A: Remember to use the "hover" function to see which flights actually have U. Hopefully getting upgraded on one segment is better than not getting upgraded at all. The best way to fly first class all the time is to purchase F fares. (This poster did not have a lot of patience for this question...so the sarcasm represents my eyes rolling - Rick was much more PC).

Q: Sometimes on ANC-ADQ there are last minute aircraft swaps, and I get bumped from F to a middle seat in row 16. I hate row 16 because it is the last row to deplane. I think row 29 should be premium seating on the combi because it is first off. I'd rather not fly at all than ever sit in the middle seat in row 16.
A: Uhhhh...sorry. We'll take your feedback and revisit the premium seating allocations on the combi configuration.
ANC RED-EYE's A: Are you kidding me? Row 16 on the Combi is the BEST coach seat in the fleet - it has more legroom than ANY F seat in the fleet. I see the objection about a middle seat...but I'd take row 16 middle over row 29 middle any day. Isn't that like a 45 minute flight anyway? You're lucky AS even flies to ADQ. Oh yea, and how long does it even take to deplane a fully loaded Combi? 2 minutes? You're right, row 29 could also be allocated to premium seating...but it would be a distant second choice to row 16.

Q: Will the ANC-ORD red-eye ever come back? I hate having to lose the entire previous day to traveling and connect in Seattle just to make a lunch meeting in DCA. I used to be able to fly out the night before.
A: Daytime flights sell better than red-eyes, period. With the economy down, and the schedule scaled back, red-eyes were the first to go. As traffic picks up and we can justify keeping the aircraft in the sky more, red-eyes will return. No promises on which routes - it will all be run by supply and demand.

Q: Since there are so many red eyes out of ANC, do you think the boardroom could stay open longer?
A: We tried it 2 summers ago. Did not increase memberships or visits...but we couldn't pour enough Amber to keep up with the demand. Extra staffing, and the extra alcohol bill made it a clear loser on the books. Who knows...maybe now it would work, we have a different schedule. If we try it again, it will be during summertime (high season). Oh, but come to the wine tasting event today from 2-7 anyway, because we already bought that wine from Dunham Cellars, and it is really good.
What RED-EYE thinks Rick probably really wanted to say: Alaskans drink too much. We can't afford to keep your boardroom open any longer, and besides, if we did we'd probably have to deny way too many people boarding on their flights, which would just be another pain in our @$$. We're never going to try that again, but at least we know you'll ask that question every year at the MVPG events, and we have a good answer.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll spare you any further commentary...less my comments from the peanut gallery become any less professional. Let me know if there are questions, or if I missed anything...and see everyone at the boardroom at 2??