Originally Posted by gongbo

MVP Gold, Just my experience of the partnership for a recent flight to/from China. Several findings:

1. They actually don't allow Alaska MVPG to use their lounge
2. They occasionally change your selected seat and give to other people who pay extra, without letting you know
3. Their airport staff can be quite unprofessional and dishonest.

It was my second time to use Hainan airline to travel to China. Since this time I traveled to Xian, Guangzhou and Beijing, so tried all 3 times to use their lounges with the Alaska MVP gold card. Xi'an ok, but both Guangzhou and Beijing got rejected. Called Alaska airline, they suggested me to complaint to Hainan airline and but mentioned Alaska can do nothing about it. I also called Hainan airline just to figure out where is the problem, they suggested me to ask their own mileage program for a reason and then transferred my call. Since I can't input their mileage program number, it basically hang up after the transfer. So still don't know why their lounge doesn't accept MVPG.

I picked seats on their website after booking with them. On the returning flight after checkin, I notice my seat has been changed from aisle D to window seat A without letting me know. I talked to their airport staff, they told me they changed the plane, and the new plane has no D seat anymore. They put me in another aisle seat 59G after I requested, which is at the last row right besides the toilet.

After I board, I found the flight is exactly same as the one I booked, and there are D seats. I asked their flight attendant, and she told me that their airport staff will occasionally put people in the front row to the back if someone else would pay extra for that front seat you already select.

Anyway, doesn't quite feel the partnership bring you any values other than the mileage. Next time would definitely try JAL to travel to asia.

Originally Posted by CDKing

Who do you slip the 50 to? GA or check in agent? How do they know who offered more?