Am new as an Alaska Airlines customer. I'm a long-time AA Platinum in the Washington DC area. Travel to the west coast from DC about 6 times a year on business. Do another 12 or so business trips a year, mostly to Texas or Chicago, occasionally to Europe or Asia (once, maybe twice a year).

I faxed Alaska my AA credentials and they matched me to MVP Gold. I then did a business trip from DCA-SEA-SFO-SEA-JNU-SEA-DCA. Although I was tempted to apply these flights to my AA account (to keep my AA status), Alaska Airlines did something that totally blew me away and made me want to seek them out. My first leg, DCA-SEA, was showing as F0,U0 a week out and Y0 too for that matter. I had originally given my new AS Gold number with the reservation. The night before the flight, the load factors were just as bleak, so I was prepared at the last minute to add my AA number cause I figured I might as well get AA credit if I'm going to end up in coach on the longer flights where it really matters. I used the automated checkin machines at DCA the next morning and, lo and behold, my seat assignment was now 2C. The same thing happened throughout this trip. Moreover, AS upgraded a colleague from my San Francisco office travelling with me SFO-SEA-JNU without batting an eye. I was so blown away. Those of you who travel AA as a Platimum or Gold will totally understand what I mean. Half of my AA flights the last 6 months I have ended up in a middle seat in economy and AA seems to feel that's an acceptable seat assignment to regulary make to someone who brings them 50K miles a year in business. Go figure!

Granted, the state of domestic first is nothing to write home about- Alaska included. But I must say that so far I'm absolutely impressed with Alaska Airlines! I'm headed to DFW from DCA this week and it will be as an Alaska MVP Gold, even though I'm an AA Plat too. What can AA do to me? Put me in a middle seat- they do that anyway as a Platinum. Not feed me? Don't get me started. Anyway, I just wish Alaska had more than their current 3 daily flights out of DCA.