Originally Posted by
sxf24
Let's stop with the stupid "chip" nonsense.
The reality is that we have access to more flights and are paying less for tickets - on average - then we ever have in the past. If you expect that pay less but continue receiving the same benefits, the only chip is the one on your shoulder.
Thank Alfred Kahn and the deregulation of the Airlines in 1978 for "more flights and paying less" but the reality is that: the airport experience is demeaning, you get nickled and dimed for everything including but not limited to checked luggage; Alaska's 737 is not a comfortable aircraft for a flight of any duration; the constantly oversold airplanes leads to problems with sufficient overhead space (aggravated by the charges associated w/checking luggage); Alaska-like all airlines pad their schedules to be able to show on time arrivals expecting delays one way or another. All in all, travel today stinks. I have no expectation to pay less for the same or more. I expect to get what I paid for. Alaska sold a product and then stripped it of its value. I actually prefer to use the word "strip" to "chip" because chip infers incremental changes for the worse. "Strip" says the whole panoply of changes have made the card worthless to me.