I noticed a press release yeaterday, where Alaska had purchased software to help weed out duplicate
bookings.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030325/255011_1.html It has been my observation that the yield managmement systems used by AS may not be quite as thorough as those of some of the other trunk carriers. As an example, I have been using the Miami service since its inception. On several occcasions, significant numbers of first class passengers have come off, proceeded directly to the podium, and checked back in. Mileage runners do not typically buy high fare tickets. Secondly, if they are grabbing a lot of the premium inventory, it works against the company's attempt to build patrongage for the product in unfamiliar markets. The IT system should have seen that, and priced the inventory to regulate it. I suspect the company knows its weaknesses, and purposely doesn't file competitive tariffs from So. California. I should think that a flight which normally takes 5 to 6 hours on a direct routing, but via SEA would be closer to 10 hours, on 737's, would mostly appeal to mileage runners as well. AS has to know that. Nothing wrong with mileage runs, but in this instance, I would think it works against what they are trying to build.
[This message has been edited by deelmakur (edited 03-26-2003).]