Originally Posted by
RAD_PDX
What is the terrible condition of the VX cabins that people are talking about? Do we have any pictures? I was last on one in December and my seat got stuck in recline but the condition seemed okay. From the way people are describing them, I'm picturing holes in the seats, dirty carpets and panels falling off the sides of the cabin.
Here is a picture of an F seat from my flight earlier this week. It's ugly... and entirely avoidable with basic maintenance. Some seats are notably worse.
As someone who owns an old car with premium leather, I know from experience that a little leather conditioner goes a long way towards maintaining the leather, cleaning the dirt and grime, and protecting the seat from premature wear. High-quality leather requires this sort of regular care. It's not expensive or complicated. The Airbus seats were in impeccable condition until a year ago. Since maintenance ceased on the seats last April, they have been in steady decline.
It's now at the point where I've witnessed passengers ask the FA why their seat had not been cleaned. In sum, it is a bad look for Alaska and turns off F rev customers. It also sends a message that the aircraft fleet is not being properly maintained, which is worrisome to people who care about safety. In the minds of customers, a visible lack of cosmetic maintenance connotes a similar lack of mechanical maintenance, even if it is not truly representative. It's the same logic in restaurants; seeing a dirty dining room makes one think the kitchen is also filthy. IMHO, that alone should make it worth the small cost to Alaska to properly maintain F seats (even if they are replacing interiors this year).
