Apr 11, 2016, 1:13 am
Last edit by: ashill
New Thread with 738 Fleet Tracking
739 thread with fleet tracking
Original Press Release
737-800s: Rows 6-10 are Premium
737-900/900ERs: Rows 6-9 are Premium
All 737-800s have been converted. 737-900s now in work. All aircraft to be complete by end of 2017.
Snack Box info from AKCuisine and Post 514:
3" x 3" x 2" box weighing in at 2.17 ounces. It's also "locally sourced - which translates to "Distributed by Oakfield Farms Solutions LLC, Grapevine, Texas."
Inside the box is 1.16 oz of Craisins (110 cal); 0.63 oz of unsalted almonds (100 cal); and a 0.375 oz square of Ghirardelli chocolate (50 cals) - total, 260 calories.
739 thread with fleet tracking
Original Press Release
Originally Posted by alaskaair.com/newsroom
Seats in the Premium Class section will have at least 35" of pitch, compared to 31" to 32" in the rest of the main cabin. To make room for the Premium Class while maintaining pitch in the main cabin, Alaska will reconfigure and reduce the number of seats available on some aircraft. Also, pitch in the First Class cabin will be increased from 36" to 41" providing a significantly enhanced experience for those customers.
Code:
Model Fleet count Current seats Reconfigured cabin (First class/Main cabin)(First class/Premium class/Main) 737-800 61 16/147 12/30/117 737-900/900ER 77 16/165 16/24/138 E175 15 12/64 12/12/52
737-900/900ERs: Rows 6-9 are Premium
All 737-800s have been converted. 737-900s now in work. All aircraft to be complete by end of 2017.
Snack Box info from AKCuisine and Post 514:
3" x 3" x 2" box weighing in at 2.17 ounces. It's also "locally sourced - which translates to "Distributed by Oakfield Farms Solutions LLC, Grapevine, Texas."
Inside the box is 1.16 oz of Craisins (110 cal); 0.63 oz of unsalted almonds (100 cal); and a 0.375 oz square of Ghirardelli chocolate (50 cals) - total, 260 calories.
Premium Class Discussion
Aug 26, 2016, 1:54 pm
#241
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723
An alcoholic beverage is already included in their "Preferred Plus seating" for all customers in the first row of economy and exit rows. As has been for awhile now, any person allocated a seat in Row 6 and exit rows get priority boarding and extra legroom. Most people just aren't aware of the priority boarding perk and free drink. As a 75k, I always am in these seats when I don't get upgraded and I have never once had a flight attendant proactively offer me the free drink because of my seat choice. Its only after I order that no payment is requested and they keep moving down the aisle. If they are going to add more rows with additional leg room and call it Premium economy, they should make the soft product much better or its still just preferred plus in the end. I think a "delta comfort plus" soft product policy would be the best with the snack basket (in the least) and unlimited drinks. And for those that want a hot meal and more leg room and space, then First will be the right choice.
Aug 26, 2016, 2:06 pm
#242
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Australia / USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 414
Yes, my point was that I don't think there will be much of a change in soft product...it will primarily be a hard product change and while row 6 does have some additional legroom, if you sit in E+ bulkhead on a UA flight, you'll see that the increased legroom is quite noticeable...priority boarding on AS isn't really a "perk" in my opinion....about 45 minutes before departure, everyone lines up and boards whenever they want to anyway....but that's a subject for another already existing thread....lol.
My theory: Id put money on it that they'll most likely give MVPG/75k complimentary access to seats at booking and offer MVPs free upgrade at a certain time before departure. The option to purchase a 'premium economy' seat would be available to all customers and an MVP would probably want to buy the seat especially on longer flights since for the first time, non-elite customers would be able to secure those seats at booking for a fee. Its been nice as an elite to have Row 6 and exit rows be blocked from non-elites until online-check in, but I bet AS will want to make more money and the seats will fill up much faster. Time will tell!
Aug 26, 2016, 2:25 pm
#243
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723
If theres no significant change to soft product, why change the name?! Then, the preferred plus policy could stay exactly the same with the exception of them amending it by stating the additional rows. I highly doubt this will happen.
My theory: Id put money on it that they'll most likely give MVPG/75k complimentary access to seats at booking and offer MVPs free upgrade at a certain time before departure. The option to purchase a 'premium economy' seat would be available to all customers and an MVP would probably want to buy the seat especially on longer flights since for the first time, non-elite customers would be able to secure those seats at booking for a fee. Its been nice as an elite to have Row 6 and exit rows be blocked from non-elites until online-check in, but I bet AS will want to make more money and the seats will fill up much faster. Time will tell!
My theory: Id put money on it that they'll most likely give MVPG/75k complimentary access to seats at booking and offer MVPs free upgrade at a certain time before departure. The option to purchase a 'premium economy' seat would be available to all customers and an MVP would probably want to buy the seat especially on longer flights since for the first time, non-elite customers would be able to secure those seats at booking for a fee. Its been nice as an elite to have Row 6 and exit rows be blocked from non-elites until online-check in, but I bet AS will want to make more money and the seats will fill up much faster. Time will tell!
Aug 26, 2016, 2:26 pm
#244
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723
If theres no significant change to soft product, why change the name?! Then, the preferred plus policy could stay exactly the same with the exception of them amending it by stating the additional rows. I highly doubt this will happen.
My theory: Id put money on it that they'll most likely give MVPG/75k complimentary access to seats at booking and offer MVPs free upgrade at a certain time before departure. The option to purchase a 'premium economy' seat would be available to all customers and an MVP would probably want to buy the seat especially on longer flights since for the first time, non-elite customers would be able to secure those seats at booking for a fee. Its been nice as an elite to have Row 6 and exit rows be blocked from non-elites until online-check in, but I bet AS will want to make more money and the seats will fill up much faster. Time will tell!
My theory: Id put money on it that they'll most likely give MVPG/75k complimentary access to seats at booking and offer MVPs free upgrade at a certain time before departure. The option to purchase a 'premium economy' seat would be available to all customers and an MVP would probably want to buy the seat especially on longer flights since for the first time, non-elite customers would be able to secure those seats at booking for a fee. Its been nice as an elite to have Row 6 and exit rows be blocked from non-elites until online-check in, but I bet AS will want to make more money and the seats will fill up much faster. Time will tell!
Aug 26, 2016, 2:50 pm
#245
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Australia / USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 414
The current "preferred plus" seating is essentially the same legroom that existed before it became "preferred plus" so what they're doing different this time around is actually adding more legroom by removing seats which is all UA did without changing the soft product. I too like the idea of a soft product change but not if that means less access to these seats that I currently have access to at booking on all fares. I'd gladly give up a "free" snack to not have to pay extra for seat I have free access to now.
Aug 26, 2016, 4:44 pm
#246
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
At AA as (LT) Plat, I get free selection of MCE seats at booking time. Golds at AA get a 50% discount on paying for MCE if travelling on a paid ticket, and due to an internal AA issue are locked out of MCE if travelling on an award ticket.
At UA as a Silver (through Marriott), I get free E+ only at 24-hour check-in (if it's still available then, that is).
(I don't have any status at DL so I don't know how anything about how it works there.)
So there's free anytime and then there's free only at check-in.
Aug 26, 2016, 5:56 pm
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
i have noticed in a couple of recent longer flights that DL is slowly starting to differentiate their C+ product as I would expect they ought to for the gross premium they're charging for it. in fact, i recently elected to forego a paid upgrade to F on a C+ award ticket because (1) i wasn't planning to check bags (2) snacks and drinks are free in C+ (3) all entertainment is now free on DL and (4) DL-non premium transcon/INTL meals are nothing to write home about...better food can be purchased in Y or the airport and i had a 2 hour layover in ATL (read - one flew south). oh, and on the DL 739's, the legroom in C+ is equivalent to F more or less.
if it was the UA E+ product i would have bought the upgrade because there it really is just a few more inches of legroom and nothing else. so in that case, DL left $270 on the table by making C+ "too appealing"...
my skypeso award ticket was 17.5K one way, main cabin was 12.5K, F was 40K. i feel like i definitely hit the value sweet spot on my redemption.
HOWEVER, one area that DL is really failing IMO with C+ is on short flights. ATL-SAV for instance, no snack basket, no drinks whatsoever (not even water). yes, it's a 60 minute flight, but on a flight like that no way in heck i'd pay anything extra for what amounts to 3" of legroom over main cabin.
so it will be interesting to see what AS does with this from a soft product perspective. if they do something like DL, i bet it sells well. if they do something like UA, i bet its mostly there for the elites to get moved up into. AS doesn't sell F as well as either UA or DL, so i'm not sure they'd want to go hot and heavy on the soft product at risk of cannibalizing existing F sales. but maybe a happy fairy will visit the F cabin for some soft product upgrades along the way too.
if it was the UA E+ product i would have bought the upgrade because there it really is just a few more inches of legroom and nothing else. so in that case, DL left $270 on the table by making C+ "too appealing"...
my skypeso award ticket was 17.5K one way, main cabin was 12.5K, F was 40K. i feel like i definitely hit the value sweet spot on my redemption.
HOWEVER, one area that DL is really failing IMO with C+ is on short flights. ATL-SAV for instance, no snack basket, no drinks whatsoever (not even water). yes, it's a 60 minute flight, but on a flight like that no way in heck i'd pay anything extra for what amounts to 3" of legroom over main cabin.
so it will be interesting to see what AS does with this from a soft product perspective. if they do something like DL, i bet it sells well. if they do something like UA, i bet its mostly there for the elites to get moved up into. AS doesn't sell F as well as either UA or DL, so i'm not sure they'd want to go hot and heavy on the soft product at risk of cannibalizing existing F sales. but maybe a happy fairy will visit the F cabin for some soft product upgrades along the way too.
Last edited by PV_Premier; Aug 26, 2016 at 6:02 pm
Aug 26, 2016, 8:58 pm
#248
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Australia / USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 414
Free meaning what exactly?
At AA as (LT) Plat, I get free selection of MCE seats at booking time. Golds at AA get a 50% discount on paying for MCE if travelling on a paid ticket, and due to an internal AA issue are locked out of MCE if travelling on an award ticket.
At UA as a Silver (through Marriott), I get free E+ only at 24-hour check-in (if it's still available then, that is).
(I don't have any status at DL so I don't know how anything about how it works there.)
So there's free anytime and then there's free only at check-in.
At AA as (LT) Plat, I get free selection of MCE seats at booking time. Golds at AA get a 50% discount on paying for MCE if travelling on a paid ticket, and due to an internal AA issue are locked out of MCE if travelling on an award ticket.
At UA as a Silver (through Marriott), I get free E+ only at 24-hour check-in (if it's still available then, that is).
(I don't have any status at DL so I don't know how anything about how it works there.)
So there's free anytime and then there's free only at check-in.
Aug 27, 2016, 5:07 pm
#249
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG, Alaska Lounge, HHonors Silver, Bonvoy Gold, National Executive
Posts: 455
I know the F seat map on the -800s is already starting to show just 3 rows, but has there been any noticeable change in the Y seat map? I'm just wondering if there will be a lot of last minute seat assignment changes this fall for those that booked a pre-mod aircraft but got a post-mod aircraft on the day of departure.
Sep 3, 2016, 9:06 pm
#251
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: BLI
Programs: AS G75K
Posts: 175
Sep 5, 2016, 11:51 pm
#252
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: AS MVP Gold; AE; AA Platinum; Club Carlson Gold; SPG Gold; HHonorsGold, Accor Platinum
Posts: 223
It's September now...any updates on upgrades? I see that my November SEA-FLL 800 shows 3 F rows now.
On some other forums there have been plane by plane updates of up upgrades to planes (ie listed by fin number)
On some other forums there have been plane by plane updates of up upgrades to planes (ie listed by fin number)
Sep 8, 2016, 3:43 pm
#253
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,441
I'm looking at booking a OGG or HNL-SEA flight from Jan 1-5 and seeing no avail. in F because we're down one row of F now. Happy to sit in premium economy and WL for F but really, I have no idea what I'm getting in PE nor which rows will be PE as nothing is really listed.
Until each flight is configured, I wish they would sell us the illusion that we have an F seat.
lala who has in x million years never missed an upgrade to or from Hawaii
Until each flight is configured, I wish they would sell us the illusion that we have an F seat.
lala who has in x million years never missed an upgrade to or from Hawaii
Sep 8, 2016, 5:03 pm
#254
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723
I'm looking at booking a OGG or HNL-SEA flight from Jan 1-5 and seeing no avail. in F because we're down one row of F now. Happy to sit in premium economy and WL for F but really, I have no idea what I'm getting in PE nor which rows will be PE as nothing is really listed.
Until each flight is configured, I wish they would sell us the illusion that we have an F seat.
lala who has in x million years never missed an upgrade to or from Hawaii
Until each flight is configured, I wish they would sell us the illusion that we have an F seat.
lala who has in x million years never missed an upgrade to or from Hawaii