Alaska continues to frustrate me more and more with their lack of cohesive technology. I thought their system upgrades were going to make things better, but boy have I been wrong.
I am one of those people that is willing to spend "a little bit more" for full-flex upgrade anytime fares. I validate that it's a U fare for my elite status and pay the higher fare.
After paying, I try to upgrade - and am ALWAYS told that there are no available "upgradable seats", even though 5-7 are available for purchase. Once those become available, I would be able to immediate upgrade.
What Alaska has been doing, is holding excessive amounts of first class seats for sale, until about 48 hours prior to departure. When the upgrade inventory is released, guess what?
PRIORITY IS:
75K on Upgrade Anytime Fare
75K on Prioritize by fare class (discounts included)
MVP Gold on Upgrade Anytime Fare
MVP Gold on Prioritized by fare class (discounts included)
MVP on Upgrade Anytime Fare
MVP on prioritized by fare class (discounts included)
So I can be looking at a first class cabin pretty much wide open, and choose to book an upgrade anytime fare, assuming I have a solid chance at upgrading. Alaska holds the inventory so late, that the NORMAL status upgrades happen first, prior to any upgrade anytime fares. I feel bad for MVP's, because they will never seen upgrades again. MVP Golds are already missing most all upgrades now.
At the end of last year, as an MVP Gold on an upgrade anytime fare with 5 open seats 72 hours prior to departure - I not only didn't get upgraded... but while at the airport I had 18 people ahead of me. The agent was cool enough to look at the upgrades that had processed and confirmed people upgraded were not upgrade anytime fares, but just normal 75K's - through normal upgrade processes on discounted fares.
If this is the case, all upgrade anytime fare will do for you - is put you at the highest rank(s) of your Elite Status class. With the abundance of 75k's now, the Gold benefit is gone. I get upgraded more frequently on United (as a gold too) than I do on Alaska...... From the Portland market...
Alaska has been making questionable moves making me decide that I likely am going to switch to an alternative, which I have never ultimately wanted to do..:
1. The new "upgrade" path
2. Lack of partner network upgrades (u never get them on delta)
3. Turboprops are slower/louder/more turbulent than CRJ's (longer flights)
4. Common routes to SFO/SJC/Calgary/Vancouver use more CRJ's than 737
5. Food in first class is attempting to get "too fancy", in which everyone opts for the "safe" meal, leaving anyone beyond row 3 with no choice.
6. While some mileage redemption rates can be low, they're pretty much never accessible. You must use 2x to 3x the miles that you would on a United or former Continental.
7. Lack of destinations going anywhere eastbound, forcing partner connections only on Delta (and Delta sucks for the record.)
8. Getting shut out of terminals .. (Anyone else have to experience that some flights out of SFO from Alaska are now going out of International terminals?)
9. My in ability of a long time elite to get on the TSA list
10. Very poor/limited functional technology. (From iphone App to website)
11. No TV's in seats. Digi-players are OK, but if you're flying to DCA - it should have different content for different directions.
12. Never have I once been invited to the MVP Gold or other meetings.
13. If a travel department handles your travels and makes a minor change to "bundled" travel like a hotel (even though it doesn't touch your reservation or confirmation codes, it will reset your upgrade if you've been upgraded.)
14. Million-Miler requirements with Alaska are difficult. Connections requirements should be added or a lower tier of million-miler. If your preferred airlines (outside of DCA/ANC/ORD) are maximum 1000 mile opportunities, it would take you 1000 flights to achieve (and partner flights aren't included!).
15. I hate getting the "Credit Card" pitch on every single flight that is taken, usually at the highest possible audible level on the intercom.
16. The bait/switch with the BOA Alaska Airlines Card
17. Static fares for first class... ALMOST always...
18. Lack of an "economy plus" type functionality being adopted by other airlines.
While I may sound negative and bitter, I still like Alaska for other reasons.
1. Friendly people, all the time.
2. Comfortable/modern planes
3. In-flight Wi-Fi
4. Very quick/efficient service
5. Communicative cabin/pilots
6. Very good about avoiding turbulent areas
7. Almost always on-time
8. Take advantage of boarding earlier than scheduled
9. Usually no "flight" problems
10. Can switch flights quickly and easily (free for Elites)
11. Positive approach and contributions to the Northwest area
I am begging, pleading and torturing myself just trying to make Alaska Airlines work for me.... but they keep alienating me every chance they get. Since it's January, I just took my first two Alaska flights... but it's easy to switch.
Any Alaska Airlines experts know what the heck is going on with this airline?
While I complain, I love Alaska for