Way to spin a bunch of cuts, Alaska :rolleyes:
Nov 21, 2011, 7:04 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Way to spin a bunch of cuts, Alaska :rolleyes:
Just received the following email from AS, which manages to touch on several recent devaluations and tries (but fails) to put them in a positive light, which is rather insulting.
Dear jackal,
As the holiday season approaches, we wish to extend our warmest thank-you for flying with us, as well as to share some of the changes and enhancements we've made to our program and your travel experience this year.
2011 was full of big news for Alaska Airlines. Since last January we have:
Expanded service to Hawaii from the Bay Area and San Diego,
Announced new service between Seattle and Kansas City (beginning March 2012), and San Jose and Palm Springs (beginning February 2012),
Launched a new and improved alaskaair.com, making your online experience even easier,
Rolled out the new Alaska Airlines app for both iPhone and Android smart phones, and
Made our popular cheese and fruit platters available on even shorter flights (of as little as two hours or more).
And, should your travels take you beyond our network, we've expanded the special treatment you receive from our largest partners, American Airlines and Delta. Similar to what you may have already experienced with Delta, we are pleased to introduce these new American Airlines privileges, which are available on both paid flights and award travel:
Preferred seats, including bulkheads and exit rows
Priority check-in and boarding
Two free checked bags for you and your travel companions*
Priority AAccess printed on your boarding pass, allowing access to special TSA security lines at many airports
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees.
We'd also like to remind you of the changes to the Guest Upgrades program. Guest Upgrades issued after August of 2011 are electronic and can be booked directly on alaskaair.com; it's no longer necessary to call Reservations to use these upgrades. (Please note that the new upgrades are not valid on some Best Deal fares, but are valid on many fares below the normal instant upgrade qualifying fare level).
If you have any remaining paper upgrade coupons, please remember to use them for travel before January 1, 2012. For those who are shopping for instantly upgradeable qualifying fares, the conversion to e-upgrades should make more upgrade seats available.
Once again, thank you for your loyalty. We look forward to your continued feedback to make sure we're meeting your expectations, and we hope to see you soon on an Alaska Airlines flight or at an MVP Gold lunch in your area.
With thanks and warm holiday wishes,
Caroline Boren and Rick Rasmussen
As the holiday season approaches, we wish to extend our warmest thank-you for flying with us, as well as to share some of the changes and enhancements we've made to our program and your travel experience this year.
2011 was full of big news for Alaska Airlines. Since last January we have:
Expanded service to Hawaii from the Bay Area and San Diego,
Announced new service between Seattle and Kansas City (beginning March 2012), and San Jose and Palm Springs (beginning February 2012),
Launched a new and improved alaskaair.com, making your online experience even easier,
Rolled out the new Alaska Airlines app for both iPhone and Android smart phones, and
Made our popular cheese and fruit platters available on even shorter flights (of as little as two hours or more).
And, should your travels take you beyond our network, we've expanded the special treatment you receive from our largest partners, American Airlines and Delta. Similar to what you may have already experienced with Delta, we are pleased to introduce these new American Airlines privileges, which are available on both paid flights and award travel:
Preferred seats, including bulkheads and exit rows
Priority check-in and boarding
Two free checked bags for you and your travel companions*
Priority AAccess printed on your boarding pass, allowing access to special TSA security lines at many airports
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees.
We'd also like to remind you of the changes to the Guest Upgrades program. Guest Upgrades issued after August of 2011 are electronic and can be booked directly on alaskaair.com; it's no longer necessary to call Reservations to use these upgrades. (Please note that the new upgrades are not valid on some Best Deal fares, but are valid on many fares below the normal instant upgrade qualifying fare level).
If you have any remaining paper upgrade coupons, please remember to use them for travel before January 1, 2012. For those who are shopping for instantly upgradeable qualifying fares, the conversion to e-upgrades should make more upgrade seats available.
Once again, thank you for your loyalty. We look forward to your continued feedback to make sure we're meeting your expectations, and we hope to see you soon on an Alaska Airlines flight or at an MVP Gold lunch in your area.
With thanks and warm holiday wishes,
Caroline Boren and Rick Rasmussen
Nov 21, 2011, 7:52 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
I was similarly underwhelmed. The message would have been sweeter with a box of cookies..... 
Question:
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees.
Does this pertain solely to 75K's or all Golds? The way it's written could suggest that non-elite travelers traveling on an award ticket with miles from an MVPG would get the stated benefits. And I have a hard time believing that's the case.
Question:
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees.
Does this pertain solely to 75K's or all Golds? The way it's written could suggest that non-elite travelers traveling on an award ticket with miles from an MVPG would get the stated benefits. And I have a hard time believing that's the case.
Nov 21, 2011, 8:38 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: AS, AA, DL, LAN, SPG
Posts: 88
The same reduction in benefit is for MVP & MVPG as well. I too was underwhelmed by the email. Alaska needs to stop trying to spin their reductions as benefits. It's insulting to us as customers that they consider us so naive.
Nov 21, 2011, 10:12 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
I see what happened, after reading the email AS sent me. They are customized to the elite level of the recipient. Mine speaks to Golds; jackal, as a 75K, got one that referenced his tier.
Nov 21, 2011, 12:41 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees.
I don't get it ~ As a 75K, this seems like a good thing, not a bad thing. We're talking about non-elites traveling on award tickets. Their primary benefit is and should be the free ticket that they're being given.
As an example, this past summer I flew my nephew up to Alaska. He's no kid (he's almost 40), has flown often and yet was thrilled to have a free ticket and trip up to Alaska. He has no status with Alaska and had no complaints with his seats somewhere behind the exit rows.
Again, his primary benefit was that free ticket. I have absolutely no complaints with Alaska reserving the best seats on the plane for its elite members. I also like that his reservation wasn't subject to any change or redeposit fees.
I don't get it ~ As a 75K, this seems like a good thing, not a bad thing. We're talking about non-elites traveling on award tickets. Their primary benefit is and should be the free ticket that they're being given.
As an example, this past summer I flew my nephew up to Alaska. He's no kid (he's almost 40), has flown often and yet was thrilled to have a free ticket and trip up to Alaska. He has no status with Alaska and had no complaints with his seats somewhere behind the exit rows.
Again, his primary benefit was that free ticket. I have absolutely no complaints with Alaska reserving the best seats on the plane for its elite members. I also like that his reservation wasn't subject to any change or redeposit fees.
Nov 21, 2011, 1:02 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
I've been flying Alaska Airlines since 1976 and have been a Mileage Plan member since 1984. In the next few months, I will log my one millionth mile on Alaska. While I certainly agree that over the past few years AS has made some seriously deep cuts to its once fine service, I just don't see them here. Let's look over the points in this email:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
2011 was full of big news for Alaska Airlines. Since last January we have:
Expanded service to Hawaii from the Bay Area and San Diego GOOD
Announced new service between Seattle and Kansas City (beginning March 2012), and San Jose and Palm Springs (beginning February 2012) GOOD
Launched a new and improved alaskaair.com, making your online experience even easier GOOD I guess, though I never had any complaints with the old one
Rolled out the new Alaska Airlines app for both iPhone and Android smart phones GOOD
Made our popular cheese and fruit platters available on even shorter flights (of as little as two hours or more) Is this another way of saying these platters are replacing something more substantial?
And, should your travels take you beyond our network, we've expanded the special treatment you receive from our largest partners, American Airlines and Delta. Similar to what you may have already experienced with Delta, we are pleased to introduce these new American Airlines privileges, which are available on both paid flights and award travel:
Preferred seats, including bulkheads and exit rows
Priority check-in and boarding
Two free checked bags for you and your travel companions*
Priority AAccess printed on your boarding pass, allowing access to special TSA security lines at many airports EXCELLENT
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees. GOOD
Once again, thank you for your loyalty. We look forward to your continued feedback to make sure we're meeting your expectations, and we hope to see you soon on an Alaska Airlines flight or at an MVP Gold lunch in your area.
With thanks and warm holiday wishes,
Caroline Boren and Rick Rasmussen
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
2011 was full of big news for Alaska Airlines. Since last January we have:
Expanded service to Hawaii from the Bay Area and San Diego GOOD
Announced new service between Seattle and Kansas City (beginning March 2012), and San Jose and Palm Springs (beginning February 2012) GOOD
Launched a new and improved alaskaair.com, making your online experience even easier GOOD I guess, though I never had any complaints with the old one
Rolled out the new Alaska Airlines app for both iPhone and Android smart phones GOOD
Made our popular cheese and fruit platters available on even shorter flights (of as little as two hours or more) Is this another way of saying these platters are replacing something more substantial?
And, should your travels take you beyond our network, we've expanded the special treatment you receive from our largest partners, American Airlines and Delta. Similar to what you may have already experienced with Delta, we are pleased to introduce these new American Airlines privileges, which are available on both paid flights and award travel:
Preferred seats, including bulkheads and exit rows
Priority check-in and boarding
Two free checked bags for you and your travel companions*
Priority AAccess printed on your boarding pass, allowing access to special TSA security lines at many airports EXCELLENT
We've also made a change that increases the availability of preferred seats for Gold 75K members. When non-elite travelers book an award ticket with miles redeemed from a Gold 75K member's account (and the Gold 75K member is not traveling), they will no longer be eligible to receive Gold 75K benefits such as preferred seats and bag fee waivers. They will not, however, be subject to change or redeposit fees. GOOD
Once again, thank you for your loyalty. We look forward to your continued feedback to make sure we're meeting your expectations, and we hope to see you soon on an Alaska Airlines flight or at an MVP Gold lunch in your area.
With thanks and warm holiday wishes,
Caroline Boren and Rick Rasmussen
Last edited by Seat 2A; Nov 21, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Nov 21, 2011, 2:35 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,391
You forgot one.
It's the Delta-ization of AS, continuing on apace, I suppose (AS's Guest Upgrades are resembling DL's Platinum Medallion Upgrades in having fare class restrictions)- though they certainly haven't reached the Pretty Much Useless stage they have at DL (though AS doesn't fly international).
And I say Delta-ization because... I looked at award space on an AS ticket, SEA-LAS, just for fun. Cost of ticket in cash? $90. Cost of ticket in miles? 20,000. Classic SkyPesos™ move.
We'd also like to remind you of the changes to the Guest Upgrades program. Guest Upgrades issued after August of 2011 are electronic and can be booked directly on alaskaair.com; it's no longer necessary to call Reservations to use these upgrades. (Please note that the new upgrades are not valid on some Best Deal fares, but are valid on many fares below the normal instant upgrade qualifying fare level).
It's the Delta-ization of AS, continuing on apace, I suppose (AS's Guest Upgrades are resembling DL's Platinum Medallion Upgrades in having fare class restrictions)- though they certainly haven't reached the Pretty Much Useless stage they have at DL (though AS doesn't fly international).
And I say Delta-ization because... I looked at award space on an AS ticket, SEA-LAS, just for fun. Cost of ticket in cash? $90. Cost of ticket in miles? 20,000. Classic SkyPesos™ move.
Nov 21, 2011, 3:11 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
We'd also like to remind you of the changes to the Guest Upgrades program. Guest Upgrades issued after August of 2011 are electronic and can be booked directly on alaskaair.com; it's no longer necessary to call Reservations to use these upgrades. (Please note that the new upgrades are not valid on some Best Deal fares, but are valid on many fares below the normal instant upgrade qualifying fare level).
You're right, and I agree with your points. Still, these electronic guest upgrades are primarily for upgrading others. As a 75K, I've been quite satisfied with the number of times that I've been upgraded, with some of my upgrades coming off tickets purchased using the lowest fares.
I looked at award space on an AS ticket, SEA-LAS, just for fun. Cost of ticket in cash? $90. Cost of ticket in miles? 20,000.
Although I've had pretty good success booking award space for myself or others, I've seen more than a few instances such as this. Definitely room for improvement.
You're right, and I agree with your points. Still, these electronic guest upgrades are primarily for upgrading others. As a 75K, I've been quite satisfied with the number of times that I've been upgraded, with some of my upgrades coming off tickets purchased using the lowest fares.
I looked at award space on an AS ticket, SEA-LAS, just for fun. Cost of ticket in cash? $90. Cost of ticket in miles? 20,000.
Although I've had pretty good success booking award space for myself or others, I've seen more than a few instances such as this. Definitely room for improvement.
Nov 21, 2011, 3:48 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SEA
Posts: 12,485
Nov 21, 2011, 4:17 pm
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Wirelessly posted (beckoa's PWP wondrousdevice3.0: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.0.0.261 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
U consider the email this morning a reminder to write AS with my displeasure of tying a fare restriction to upgrade certs and nullifying benefits the BR membership had over other brands (by eliminating non-travel access)
U consider the email this morning a reminder to write AS with my displeasure of tying a fare restriction to upgrade certs and nullifying benefits the BR membership had over other brands (by eliminating non-travel access)
Nov 21, 2011, 4:54 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AS MVPG, CO, NW(now DL), Flying Blue
Posts: 6,554
hmm didnt realize there were people that actually read all those emails AS sends 
I mustve deleted that one. Somehow they have 3 emails of mine(biz, personal, and the one I use for most all internet transactions) so I get it all 3 times and half time I skim over it quick and trash bin it.
I mustve deleted that one. Somehow they have 3 emails of mine(biz, personal, and the one I use for most all internet transactions) so I get it all 3 times and half time I skim over it quick and trash bin it.
Nov 21, 2011, 8:31 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,391
Nov 21, 2011, 9:40 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,259
Nov 21, 2011, 10:44 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 227
Nov 21, 2011, 10:58 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,259