New Routes From Seattle Starting This Fall: RDU, BNA, CHS
Apr 29, 2015, 6:30 pm
#91
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: AS 75k
Posts: 922
Kind of off-topic, but back in the early 70's UA flew at least one, maybe two 727's daily nonstops between Huntsville AL and LAX due to the aeronautical industry based in HSV and the old EA a 727 nonstop from HSV to MCO- back in the days before Disney had changed the whole composition of Orlando-- for the same industry. EA also flew from HSV to SEA with one stop at STL. Odd routings that took CAB approval in those days, but that one or more companies could support.
And some say it's the pharmaceutical presence (among others) in the Triangle that keeps AA flying from RDU to LHR.
And some say it's the pharmaceutical presence (among others) in the Triangle that keeps AA flying from RDU to LHR.
Apr 29, 2015, 7:10 pm
#92
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
I wonder where AS would be today if DL had not poked them in the eye.
Do you think they would have embarked upon such an aggressive growth trajectory if DL had not started this war?
It seems to me that for a conservative (and well managed) airline, they have dialed up the risk considerably and sacrificed some yield / profitability for growth, to beat back DL...
As Travel Skills (Boarding Area blogger) quoted:
"By this fall, Alaska will serve 83 destinations from Seattle with 290 peak daily flights, “two-and-a half times that of Alaska’s nearest competitor” boasts Alaska in a jab against Delta in its press release about these new flights. "
Do you think they would have embarked upon such an aggressive growth trajectory if DL had not started this war?
It seems to me that for a conservative (and well managed) airline, they have dialed up the risk considerably and sacrificed some yield / profitability for growth, to beat back DL...
As Travel Skills (Boarding Area blogger) quoted:
"By this fall, Alaska will serve 83 destinations from Seattle with 290 peak daily flights, “two-and-a half times that of Alaska’s nearest competitor” boasts Alaska in a jab against Delta in its press release about these new flights. "
Apr 29, 2015, 7:13 pm
#93
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 734
This airline flat out needs more planes. These thin schedules don't provide enough flexibility for most people. And they are adding new routes by shoving Q400s up everyone's XXX on the west coast to free up the limited number of 737s they own. Please buy more planes.
Apr 29, 2015, 8:36 pm
#94
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 599
I love Alaska but most of their flights to the east-coast start early morning, taking the whole day which is a complete waste.
Why can't they have their flights start in the afternoon or evening, arriving on the east coast in evening/night, so we can save a work day!
Why can't they have their flights start in the afternoon or evening, arriving on the east coast in evening/night, so we can save a work day!
Apr 29, 2015, 9:32 pm
#95
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,953
Alaska is getting 30 new planes in 2015/2016 with pretty limited retirements. They aren't really hard up for planes to fly the schedule for the most part.
Apr 29, 2015, 9:58 pm
#96
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,951
If pricing is any indicator, most people want to take the morning flight and arrive during daylight hours EST. If anything, I wouldn't mind seeing the eastbound BOS flights from SEA/SAN move up an hour earlier to arrive a bit before dinner time. PDX-BOS is set up that way, arriving just before 4PM EST.
It sucks no matter what. I travel west-east every other month or so, as we have family on the west coast. I end up losing a day of work every time on the return.
Apr 29, 2015, 10:10 pm
#97
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
It's really a no-win scenario. If you leave in the afternoon, you don't arrive in the evening, you arrive at midnight. There's a ~3PM SEA-BOS flight that gets in around midnight EST for example. If you leave at night, straight up red-eye, arriving in the morning. SEA-BOS has an ~11PM departure, arriving at ~6:30AM EST.
If pricing is any indicator, most people want to take the morning flight and arrive during daylight hours EST. If anything, I wouldn't mind seeing the eastbound BOS flights from SEA/SAN move up an hour earlier to arrive a bit before dinner time. PDX-BOS is set up that way, arriving just before 4PM EST.
It sucks no matter what. I travel west-east every other month or so, as we have family on the west coast. I end up losing a day of work every time on the return.
If pricing is any indicator, most people want to take the morning flight and arrive during daylight hours EST. If anything, I wouldn't mind seeing the eastbound BOS flights from SEA/SAN move up an hour earlier to arrive a bit before dinner time. PDX-BOS is set up that way, arriving just before 4PM EST.
It sucks no matter what. I travel west-east every other month or so, as we have family on the west coast. I end up losing a day of work every time on the return.
Apr 29, 2015, 10:39 pm
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,377
Exactly this. Going east, 8-9 hours are going to pass on the clock no matter what. Which 1/3 of your day do you want to spend on an airplane? Opinions will vary widely. Personally, I prefer the daytime flight, where I just work from my laptop. I try to put together a set of tasks that I can do without needing Internet access. That's not something everyone can do, though. I suppose if every route had three flights - morning, 3-4pm, and red-eye, people could pick the option they hate the least. Then everyone would be... happy?
May 1, 2015, 4:12 pm
#99
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,627
I already know the answer to this with the risk-averse crowd here (
), but thoughts on booking a separate ticket connection at SEA for RDU-SEA (9:00p arrival) to SEA-SMF (9:35pm departure). I guess MCT is 40 minutes, I thought it was 30 or 35, as AS.com isn't showing it as an option 
The other, less desirable option is to fly DL for RDU-BWI, then AS BWI-SEA-SMF where I'd have a 2.5hr separate ticket connection in BWI.
), but thoughts on booking a separate ticket connection at SEA for RDU-SEA (9:00p arrival) to SEA-SMF (9:35pm departure). I guess MCT is 40 minutes, I thought it was 30 or 35, as AS.com isn't showing it as an option The other, less desirable option is to fly DL for RDU-BWI, then AS BWI-SEA-SMF where I'd have a 2.5hr separate ticket connection in BWI.
May 2, 2015, 8:43 am
#100
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Hilton Honors Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, SPG Gold, National Exec Elite
Posts: 1
Oh man, if they announce Pittsburgh I will be so happy. That was home for me and my folks would love it
May 2, 2015, 9:19 am
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,377
I already know the answer to this with the risk-averse crowd here (), but thoughts on booking a separate ticket connection at SEA for RDU-SEA (9:00p arrival) to SEA-SMF (9:35pm departure). I guess MCT is 40 minutes, I thought it was 30 or 35, as AS.com isn't showing it as an option
The other, less desirable option is to fly DL for RDU-BWI, then AS BWI-SEA-SMF where I'd have a 2.5hr separate ticket connection in BWI.
), but thoughts on booking a separate ticket connection at SEA for RDU-SEA (9:00p arrival) to SEA-SMF (9:35pm departure). I guess MCT is 40 minutes, I thought it was 30 or 35, as AS.com isn't showing it as an option The other, less desirable option is to fly DL for RDU-BWI, then AS BWI-SEA-SMF where I'd have a 2.5hr separate ticket connection in BWI.
You must be checked in with a valid boarding pass at the gate no later than 30 minutes before your flight. Being late may cause the cancellation of your reserved seats and/or your entire reservation.
As long as you don't turn into a whiny DYKWIA if your bet turns bad, sure, go for it! What's the worst that can happen? A night at a nearby hotel?
May 3, 2015, 1:04 am
#102
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
Ticketed for the Inaugural (at last) SEA-RDU! Splurged to K class and burned certs as well, flight still has U3 if others want to join.
May 3, 2015, 8:04 am
#103
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
May 3, 2015, 5:27 pm
#104
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 BB: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.694 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
Excellent- a welcoming party.
PHL was pretty good- had food and even the mayor made an appearance IIRC
PHL was pretty good- had food and even the mayor made an appearance IIRC
May 3, 2015, 9:34 pm
#105
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
Programs: AA ExPlat, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 909
No inaugural, but couldn't be feel luckier as a Duck fan to have booked a long weekend to BNA three days before the Titans drafted Marcus Mariota and discovered that the Titans have a home game on the Sunday I'm there. $444 r/t on a K fare upgraded with gold guest codes.
