Originally Posted by
rowsign
The first two times I flew in the VX 1st seats was pre-Alaska purchase and one time mine did not work and the VX FA had to return it to it's upright position. The Second trip my daughter was seated next to me and if I recall correctly her seat was completely non-functioning. I liked VX. I like Alaska. These seats have been an issue for a long time and I personally was never a fan of the "big white seat". Others, including many business friends, swear by the darn things and still miss VX....to each their own.
Sure, the (former) white seats take a little getting used to, and yes they do have issues now and then (like any luxury item with 100+ moving parts), but that's manageable with regular service. Most of the reclining issues can be fixed with a little lubricant and sometimes a new motor swapped in quickly by someone familiar with the seat design. A specialized seat mechanic was on call in each airport, even east coast outposts (so yes, extra cost, but anyone buying the VX fleet had to know this was required for those fancy seats). My understanding from GAs is those mechanics have since been let go, which is a contributing factor to seats being left broken.
For frequent fliers, features such as the back massager (controls hidden in armrest), adjustable lumbar support, custom-moldable headrest (a big deal for those of us over 6 feet looking to snooze), and extra-long footrest with enough room, even in the bulkhead, are valuable features worth paying a premium for. As a bit of a clean-freak, it's the dirt and grime on the leather that bothers me the most. I haven't yet resorted to putting the blanket on top of the seat, but will probably start doing that. I am tempted to bring some of the leather wipes I have for my BMW which would remove some of the unsightly discoloration, but I'm betting the last year of neglect has left the leather permanently damaged and beyond easy repair.
Since fleet interior refurbs are continuing to lag behind schedule, I'd advise anyone flying AS F on an airbus series to be prepared for issues.