Alaska Air MAJOR ISSUE? No saver award space!
New here and need some insight from the board into what I see as a major problem/issue:
I am a FF on Alaska Air and for many years, have enjoyed their service. Throughout the years I have accumulated many FF miles and the time has come to use them. I go to to book travel to Hawaii and want to fly first class. Naturally, I go to their awards page and look at how many miles I need to fly see pic attached with terms.
Basically:
From continental US to Hawaii
40,000 miles one way, non-refundable
80,000 miles one way, refundable
I proceed to book 2 passengers for a first class, round trip, non-refundable ticket in January. Looks like it would be 160,000 total.
When I look at my choices during online booking, all I see are single tickets at 80,000 one way (160,000 round trip) available. The miles cost total would be 320,000 for two round trip tickets! Not the 160,000 as shown on their award chart.
So I look at different dates, weeks out, only 360,000. Look at months out, only 320,000. Look at different 4 different islands to where they fly, only 360,000.
This can't be right, so I call Alaska Air. The agent looks at the options and doesn't find a non-refundable ticket available until NEXT SEPTEMBER, 2018!
HUH??? ...?? REALLY??? Those are my internal reactions.
I ask to speak to a manager and I get the run around about how those tickets are not available, they have been bought, lots of timeshare people flying, etc. Yes, sure but for 12 months, on every flight!?!? I mean first class is available, I just can't get a non-refundable miles ticket.
Here's the way I see it:
We all know Black Friday Ads......"Buy this TV for $800 dollars, its a great deal!!" You get to the store only to hear that ONE TV in the ad has been sold but they have another TV for $1600. That's what's happening here, IMHO except I am not even getting a better TV for $1600, it the exact same one. In this case with Alaska Air, it the exact same seat for twice the miles cost!
They are forcing me to use double the miles for the exact same seat when there is no availability to 4 different locations for 12 months.
There seems to be something a miss here.
Does any one else see a problem with this? I have always had a great experience with Alaska Air but now that they are getting bigger, it seems very shaddy to be to pull this kind of bait and switch IMHO.
Am on off base here?
I feel taken advantage of.
Thanks for any insight the board can provide.