sfozrhfco

I would suggest you start taking the Thai chicken salad. Perhaps they will run out of them faster.

beckoa

So the A320's are keeping the current F seating config until early 2019 if I'm reading this correctly?

notquiteaff

IANAL, but wouldn't they be violating SEC Fair Disclosure regulations if they (AS) selectively disclosed material information to select individuals?

https://www.sec.gov/fast-answers/answers-regfdhtm.html

Carfield

Does anyone know if Alaska has many corporate contracts out from the West Coast, other than Seattle and Portland obviously? I wonder if they are somewhat pressured by their corporate clients about a real business class product on the premium transcontinental routes between LAX/SFO and JFK/BOS/DCA.

As a "returned" AS flyer, of course I will be happy to see Alaska introducing a sub-fleet of real first class on these premium routes. JetBlue is obviously doing well on the LAX-JFK and SFO-JFK market, given that it is rare to see $599 one way fare except on weekends and even the late night departures from East Coast is in the 600-700 range one way now. At the same time, I am not counting on it just because that is not Alaska Airlines' strength. Premium is really not what Alaska does well.

However, Alaska Airlines definitely cannot charge those outrageous $999 one way fare between LAX and JFK after they change those seats from sleeper seats to a recliner seat. They will either have to lower the price of first class significantly.

As of this point, I just want Alaska Airlines to release information about the new service on the former Virgin America planes after April 24, and what will happen to the entertainment system till they complete the reconfiguration? I am hesitant to book any long haul flights on these former Virgin America's routes for now. I actually book more JetBlue flights after April 24, till I find out the new details about the new combined service.

ou81two

They're in a weird situation. It's not like they can use low margin mainline flights to feed profitable international flights. Competing with the likes of Jet Blue would mean an entirely different product. Jet Blue features much more legroom and DirecTV IFE.

AS made it's way in Seattle fights and a lot of high margin routes. They kept competitors from expanding into the West coast with the Virgin purchase, but I still don't get how that becomes profitable.

ptownca

Having read many of your wonderful reviews on the VX forum, I think you would be horribly disappointed in the current VX/AS experience. I'm voting with my feet to go with B6 and as a NYC flyer I would do the same. The lack of maintenance/upkeep in the current VX fleet under AS management has been widely reported elsewhere here on FT. The last flight I had in F on AS was a greasy chicken dish which would not be acceptable in AF Y transcon.

While the food in VX F could be wildly loved or hated, the best VX meals were definitely a notch above Mint.

Just IMHO, but I have very very low expectations about AS led VX, now and in the future.

jiburi

Not sure if market would change AS minds, but currently for SEA, UA is also flying Lie Flat 757 flights once or twice daily to EWR, along with mixture of 320 and 739's. While UA seem to drop the lie-flat for peak summer travel, it wouldn't surprise me if UA change its strategies. AA on the other hand, is continuing with 738 flights. DL seem to be continuing the flight mixtures of flights, with one flight with lie-flat 752 daily and remaining flights with standard configured 757, 738 or 739 birds. B6 Mint nonstop JFK flights begin April 15, with second flight some time later.

There is definitely a premium market to chase for JFK/SFO or JFK/LAX, but I think most airlines agree, SEA can't pull in high dollars as SFO or LAX.

Jiburi

OhDoctor

Took advantage of the 30% coupon to re-book a bunch of AS flights into F, but wistful that the seats are still only one tiny step above B6 in Y. With basically every other airline competing in the transcon space offering lie-flats in J/F on at least some flights, is it inevitable that AS follows suit? It's like they've taken some weird stubborn stance on this and even downgraded the old Virgin recliners. I genuinely only consider AS when flying to actual Alaska for this very reason and I wonder how many people are in the same boast.

CurbedEnthusiasm

I disagree with your assertion that AS F seats are "one tiny step above B6 in Y." They are comfortable loungers that were the de facto standard in F for 40 years. Personally I find lie-flat seats on 4-5 hour transcon flights to be gimmicky. The flight times are too short to get any meaningful sleep that a lie flat bed could help with.

NoLaGent

I'm afraid the answer is no, they're not inevitable. And as you've mentioned, their decision to eliminate the VX seats and in fact, create a few F recliner cabin only reinforces that decision. Additionally, with their new AA partnership, there's no need to really keep a competitive F product in the SFO/LAX-NYC markets.

Xrayman

Wont fly red eyes any more. Would rather fly in a day prior and get rested up and be at my best for any domestic business travel transcon. When flying transcon 5 hour flight will typically be doing some work for several hours and thus lying flat is of no added value. When not doing work the other 2-3 hours on the flight prefer to be seated and reclined to watch a movie or eating/drinking, again lying flat is no added value and actually a detriment.

sltlyamusd

Agree with the others, and would add AS is operating fewer transcon flights to places like JFK, BOS and DCA compared to pre-pandemic, so even less reason to create a sub fleet.

OhDoctor

I guess I should add that with the newer hard products, lie-flat seats go hand in hand with cubicle-like spaces (Mint or Polaris, for example) that are far more conductive to business and a sense of privacy, if lying flat isn't your thing. If someone is telling me they genuinely prefer the AS F seats to Mint.. then I am truly baffled.

SF1K

That is very true. I do like the space/privacy and all around feeling of the lie flat seats during a domestic flight. Wondering if there will ever be a product evolution that has a domestic F seat that isn’t lie flat, but still offers some of those features.

RAD_PDX

What on earth are you talking about? How is an AS F seat only a tiny step above a B6 Y seat on a 6 hour transcon? 6-9 more inches of pitch + 3 inches wider...