FlyerTalk Forums - First Class Competitive

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When we book on AS in F cabin , we pay a premium for a certain level of comfort and service.
We have paid a premium to book Airbus metal in F. ��.
still try to make sure our flights are on Airbus metal when flying AS. Non functional seats, tray tables etc should be compensated. Saying it is not available after door closure does not make it right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcoll (Post 29807177)

We have paid a premium to book Airbus metal in F. ��.
still try to make sure our flights are on Airbus metal when flying AS.

You realize that at some point in the future, AS is going to do aircraft swaps between Boeing and Airbus, right?

This is not to excuse maintenance issues or say there should be no compensation for poor maintenance, but “Hey I expect Airbus on this route” isn’t going to wash forever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielonn (Post 29741053)

I did a cost analysis for my upcoming trip leaving 6/28 returning 7/3 to LAX and I had a Alaska Discount Code. My flight in economy would be $170-S179 . Delta Comfort Plus would be $218 so I booked Alaska ffirst class for $218 and paid the $28 in taxes.

I feel thst if I had to purchase Delta Comfort Plus I woul look at the cost of AS first class with included bag,lounge access etc. Priority pass holders seem to be denied entry at AS lounges.

Cost for First is roughly $37 more so you save on the$50 bag and airline club access plus the drinks and snacks in the lounge and in the sky. Not to mention 175 percent bonus miles

In the future I would gladly pay a bit more to fly in FC consisering it covers two checked bags plus lounge access drinks and more. I addef it up and if I took the Y flight even in thecPreferred cabin it would still cost me to check my bag as I like to bring liquids wiyu me llke shampoo.

Thoughts?

This is quite confusing, especially as it seems to imply that Delta Select Comfort is synonymous with Alaska First Class. Do you mind rewriting it and possibly using a spell check?

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward (Post 29809201)

When I mentioned that we paid a premium for VX F, it was earlier this year, before the final assimilation of VX. Fares for VX F were higher than AS F until April 25th. I realize that the expectation of certain equipment on certain routes is not realistic. Flights get cancelled and swapped all the time. " Always hoping for the best and prepared for the worst. " A smile and saying Please and Thank you also never hurts to make ones travels more pleasant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyborg (Post 29814539)

Thanks to all for helping me understand the competitiveness of AS F in my home market and airport (IAD). It seems as though AS F is not competitive in F and will be less so as it eliminates the VX F seats in the near future. For my travel it appears UA transcon in F on carefully selected widebody/intl aircraft with *A gold access to the IAD lounges will provides a better product than AS in this case.

V/r,

-Cyborg

Note that the replacement F seats are supposed to have footrests and more pitch than any other airline's domestic standard 2 cabin plane. As I look at the current UA schedule, you'd be relegated to one SFO/IAD flight a day, leaving SFO just in time for bed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyborg (Post 29814786)

In the end game the loss of VX F seats with VS clubhouse access makes AS noncompetitive in this market. I will miss VX and remain dissapointed that AS has not risen to meet the bar set by the company they acquired specific to the IAD market.

It's completely competitive with AA on IAD-LAX (they don't use lie-flats; they use a 738 with ordinary recliners, and AA doesn't have a lounge on the IAD end, just like AS), and with UA on LAX/SFO/SEA-IAD for all but a handful of flights.

The bottom line is VX wasn't drawing enough customers like you with the high bar they set.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyborg (Post 29814844)

As for the High bar and customers, I can only speak for myself. If you have data to support there were not enough customers like me, please share it with us.

Airlines don't remove profitable services simply to spite customers, as their duty is to make profits for shareholders. That's my data: AS could have converted their pmAS fleet to VX standards, had they wanted to. To suggest otherwise is to essentially accuse the ALK executives and board of fiduciary mismanagement; that they are deliberately downgrading the fleet to make LESS money. The evidence suggests otherwise: the VX fleet did not generate premiums outside of a few routes (if that), and that when AS had the chance, they decided a fleet conversion to what UA/AA/DL/AS use on the vast majority of their routes (recliner F) was justified.

Also, it's perfectly possible for AA to fly IAD-LAX with their A321 or B757 fleet, equipped with lie-flats. They do not do so. This also is data that suggests that pricing premiums for enhanced F services don't exist on all transcon routes.

This is an argument that's been hashed over about 537743857452 times in this forum. Yes, it sucks that not enough people want to buy enough white recliner seats with oodles of pitch to make it work economically. VX offered a great F product. But a lot of routes simply won't support it. Even B6's Mint product needs an A321 (with lots of coach seats in the back) to make it work, they aren't offering it across 100% of the network like VX did, and as far as I know, they do not intend to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyborg (Post 29814991)

AS is not competitive in F for the IAD to SFO/LAX market when compared to UA in this case.

I'll take it under advisement that AS is no longer my goto F carrier on this route at this time.

What you're choosing to ignore is that Alaska IS competitive with UA's onboard F hard product IAD-SFO.
Tomorrow, June 1, United is flying SEVEN 737-800/900s on the route, with a virtually identical onboard F seat to AS.
They're also offering ONE 757 flight, with lie-flats.
I don't give two spits which airline you fly; but to cast AS as being wholly dissimilar to United is, frankly, completely false.

this is quite a normal price, if you about this