Just flew on purchased first class tickets from Cancun to Lax. This is almost a 6 hour flight, departing at 5:40 p.m. (dinner hour). Yet, first class service is a "snack." Are they kidding? Plus arrive at LAX and rather than having a gate so first class passengers can deboard quickly AS passengers all must exit out of the rear of the plan to board a bus to the international terminal. So first class passengers are last to arrive at customs for the flight. By now AS should have secured gates at LAX for its international flights from Mexico. Between the poor food service, or lack thereof, and the extra hour at least of being bused upon arrival at LAX why would anyone pick AS over DL or MX. Well, AS is leaving this market this summer anyway.

What on earth did you expect? Im sure it said snack at booking What did they serve as a snack? Ive had snack designations and ended up with a diinner. CO definately has better meals in F and I can see that if thats what you were hoping for you would be rather disappointed. As for pax in F getting off first, Ive been on more than 1 DL 757 where the FA doesnt hold up Y class and leaving F you have to battle your way off the aircraft with a Y parade exiting the aircraft

I expect a 6 hour international flight with a 5:40 p.m. departure would have dinner for first class passengers who are paying a premium (or maybe I was the only one not on an upgrade). As to exiting the plane, it is not only the exiting from the rear that is not the best business move if you want folks to buy FC it is that AS still has no international gates at LAX despite all of the Mexico flights. This adds at least an extra hour of time for arriving passengers from Mexico who must deplane by the rear and than board a bus. This alone makes the other carriers a much better option. I would think by now AS could acquire international gates at LAX.

If I recall correctly, AS is getting intl gates with the move to T6 at the end of this year...

and you still havent divulged what you were actually given as food. Just complaining about it being called a "snack" Extremely broad term for AS F

Well, AS is moving to Terminal 6 at the end of the year which will end this bussing charade because passengers will be able to deplane through the jetway at T6 and then walk through an underground tunnel to T7 for customs.

The reason AS parks the international flights at T3 upon arrival is so they don't have to tow the planes from remote stands or TBIT over to T3, which wastes time. Also, gate space is limited at TBIT. But, it means they have to deplane through stairs since T3 has no customs or immigration facilities. I have seen them deplane through forward and aft stairs at LAX, so I'm not sure why on your flight they made everyone get off through the rear. I think normally they try to get people in F off first.

CUN-SEA gets a full dinner service, I'm not sure why CUN-LAX is still getting the snack service, but I agree that it should be dinner. Probably something to do with it being a "low yield" market. I would be disappointed if I were paying too...

As for food, IMO, I think all flights [except red eyes] 3+ hours should have a 3 course meal similar to what they do on transcons. I was a little appalled when I found out that SEA-ORD "dinner" service is the same as what they serve on LAX-SEA [salad with a small portion of meat and chocolate for dessert]...

The LAX customs issue has been answered a few times above...

Mexico Flights
Notice it seems to cover all Mexico flights, not just LAX-CUN, so you'd expect SEA-CUN to be about the same. I guess it's that low yeild thing.

I really think the cheeseburger option should be in addition to the mini-meal, not one or the other. It isn't like they're going to sell your F meal to a Y pax if you don't eat it.

I don't know if it is still the case, but MEX received a full Transcon-type meal service (at a time when the resort destinations including CUN was cut to the snack).

My flight on CUN-LAX last year was a smallish meal (chicken and salad). My daughter's was the cheeseburger. I thought it was fine.

Well, as a FF, you knew what to expect. The OP paid for F on a six-hour flight and expected true F service. Unfortunately, the OP should have done more research.

I flew MEX-LAX a few months ago, and the breakfast was pretty much the same thing you get on a transcon flight. Don't think it had menus and can't remember if there was a choice or not, but otherwise it was about the same.

I see you do alot of flying on CO so perhaps your expectations are based upon your experiences with them. And indeed, CO would offer you a much nicer First Class service on a six hour flight. Though once among the industry's best on short to medium haul routes, Alaska's First Class service now seems to be predicated upon the reality that most First Class passengers are traveling on free upgrades.

So - you essentially get what most people pay for. That is to say, not much.

The best way to take alot of the sting out of Alaska's "First Class Lite" service is to do like most people do and don't pay full fare for it.

I have to say I was recently served a full dinner (no courses) on a 2.5 hour flight on UA from ORD-DEN in F. I think that regardless of yields a 5+ hour flight in F warrants at the very least a full dinner.

I've also done the "arriving in LAX from Mexico on AS, F gets off last" thing with AS and I was very irritated. Trust me, getting off dead last is not the same as an FA not holding back the Y pax on an 757, it's much worse.

Fortunately, this will end with the move to T-6.