AS / VX Dysfunction

Old Mar 27, 2018, 11:27 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 150
Yes.

The call redirects from VX priority line >> AS started last week. When calling the VX Gold line from my personal phone (tied to my account), I've found I get redirected to AS. While calling the VX Gold line on a regular number not tied to a MP/Elevate account keeps you in the VX queue.

Called on Saturday to process upgrades for my JFK-SFO flight on Sunday. First phone redirected to AS, AS rep told me he had to push me back over to VX since it was their ticket/confirmation, and then got stuck on hold for over 20 mins. While on hold, tried calling again with a 2nd phone which did not redirect to AS. Was on hold with that line for another 20 minutes before someone finally picked up. What's the point of a priority line if you can't get through quickly?

Apparently there are only 20x remaining VX CSRs handling ALL VX ticketed flights. Makes sense as they begin the switch on 4/25 but craziness nonetheless.
FluxTZ is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 11:37 am
  #17  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NYC
Posts: 280
Originally Posted by FluxTZ
Yes.

The call redirects from VX priority line >> AS started last week. When calling the VX Gold line from my personal phone (tied to my account), I've found I get redirected to AS. While calling the VX Gold line on a regular number not tied to a MP/Elevate account keeps you in the VX queue.

Called on Saturday to process upgrades for my JFK-SFO flight on Sunday. First phone redirected to AS, AS rep told me he had to push me back over to VX since it was their ticket/confirmation, and then got stuck on hold for over 20 mins. While on hold, tried calling again with a 2nd phone which did not redirect to AS. Was on hold with that line for another 20 minutes before someone finally picked up. What's the point of a priority line if you can't get through quickly?

Apparently there are only 20x remaining VX CSRs handling ALL VX ticketed flights. Makes sense as they begin the switch on 4/25 but craziness nonetheless.
I had the same thing happen to me (with a 20 minute hold too), though apparently the AS/VX handoff went poorly and I got bumped due to a mismatch in ticketing.

This strikes me as unbelievably cheap.
bkojote is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 12:34 pm
  #18  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
Originally Posted by FluxTZ
Apparently there are only 20x remaining VX CSRs handling ALL VX ticketed flights.
I can't believe someone thought that was a good idea.

Has AS studied prior mergers and how to avoid a disaster? AA did pretty well with the US merger because they studied the UA/CO merger and thus managed to avoid meltdown.

And btw, the feedback I got was that VX needs to handle all VX operated flights, not just VX ticketed (I had an Alaska ticket).
Kacee is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 12:36 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 701
Originally Posted by Kacee
I looked for a master thread on this kind of thing but didn't see one.

I get the sense this is not getting better anytime soon.
Come 4/25 it will be substantially better; right now the problem is with any remaining legacy-VX tickets (984) in their system; while AS agents can help with certain things, they are much more easily able to make changes or reissue AS (027) tickets. For quite some time now, anything with travel occurring on or after 4/25 is going to be the latter, as virginamerica.com automatically redirects the user to alaskaair.com behind the scenes for issue in the AS system as an 027 ticket.

As we get closer and closer to 4/25, there will be fewer and fewer legacy-VX tickets out there.
eponymous_coward likes this.
Snowdevil is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 1:01 pm
  #20  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,337
I just flew on a 984 ticket booked through a third party website that booked into MCS. Everything's gone OK so far... I'm expecting the battle royale to be getting credit at 150% since VX-related content is being scrubbed.

For instance, https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...virgin-america now redirects to https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...earn-on-alaska... which is, um, not helpful since this was a 984 ticket flown on VX, not AS.

Fortunately...

https://web.archive.org/web/20170907...virgin-america



Now I'm worried I'm going to have to tell them "No, it wasn't an upgrade, I bought the ticket in MCS".
eponymous_coward is online now  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 1:31 pm
  #21  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
Originally Posted by Snowdevil
Come 4/25 it will be substantially better; right now the problem is with any remaining legacy-VX tickets (984) in their system; while AS agents can help with certain things, they are much more easily able to make changes or reissue AS (027) tickets.
I was on an AS ticket.
Kacee is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 2:01 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: US West Coast
Programs: Alaska 100K, Hyatt Gl, Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 353
Originally Posted by Kacee
Has AS studied prior mergers and how to avoid a disaster? AA did pretty well with the US merger because they studied the UA/CO merger and thus managed to avoid meltdown.
It would seem they did, as they are following the same process to changeover as AA/US did. Codeshare everything for 3 months and close the schedule on the disappearing airline at the end of that window, then wait for the number of tickets issued on the old stock to dwindle to zero.

They may have bet wrong on what staffing would be needed at which points in the process, but all signs point to AS heavily utilizing knowledge of both the AA/US and UA/CO missteps and successes.

The fact that they already have a (tentative) joint labor agreement with the FAs, when UA only achieved that last year, is also a good sign of them learning from past mergers and prioritizing appropriately.
CalanMan is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 6:37 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ANC
Programs: AS MVP, Club 49, Global Entry, National Emerald Club, Hilton Silver
Posts: 1,391
On hold with AS, who is calling VX support team, as they do not transfer us over anymore. Trying to get MCS upgrade processed for flight that leaves T-14. Booking screen shows plenty of availability. Then at airport tomorrow I will try to pay up to F from MCS.

Edit: It only took about a half hour or so for the MCS upgrade to process, after being put on hold 2 or 3 times. It wasn't bad though since I was enjoying a relaxing garden with my Apple Air Pods while on the call.

Last edited by AKLifetimeFlyer; Mar 27, 2018 at 7:14 pm Reason: updated info
AKLifetimeFlyer is offline  
Old Mar 28, 2018, 10:07 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: Alaska Gold 100k
Posts: 958
I've had nothing but one screw up after another. Tranfer in SFO where app says one gate, display another and neither gate is correct. Several times flight changes between ticketing and flight by me causing boarding agent to say "Oh you are already on board" or "you need to see the agent at the desk" and even being sent to a check in line for the wrong plane. On board though I have been upgraded to F once even though I didn't even think was possible. I have never gotten an upgrade to premium though, or whatever VX calls it. Honestly I am not excited about the A320s being all the planes in the west coast vs. what are already packed 800 series planes with 159 seats down to 146 on the current 320s which I assume will be less once the 12F, and 30 premium seats are installed.
Waitlisted is offline  
Old Mar 29, 2018, 11:29 am
  #25  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 81
Originally Posted by pushmyredbutton
Lately, they haven't responded to any of my concerns either by AlaskaListens or the feedback form when it comes to AS/VX issues and how they've been leaving me stranded/middle seat/standby etc.

Not sure what's up, but it's totally turning me off to the brand.
This has been my experience. The only way I've been able to get any responses from AS is if I camp on the phone until I finally get someone who cares.
Skyjumper is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2018, 8:03 am
  #26  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 243
Originally Posted by Kacee
Anyone else running into this sort of dysfunction dealing with VX flights as they "integrate" with AS?
Yep. And the agent also insisted that I needed to pay the baggage fee. I am 75K
InTheShed is offline  
Old Apr 13, 2018, 9:34 am
  #27  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,751
Originally Posted by Skyjumper
This has been my experience. The only way I've been able to get any responses from AS is if I camp on the phone until I finally get someone who cares.
As an update, I finally got a response to my AlaskaListens and Feedback form request from a month ago.

In fairness it was a pretty personalized response from the station manager blaming 'marriage issues'. Two $125 codes ended up coming my way.
pushmyredbutton is offline  
Old Apr 13, 2018, 11:24 am
  #28  
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 48
Originally Posted by bkojote
Yep.




Ive had just about everything go wrong on the 5 flights Ive taken with them this year- I got bumped entirely from a flight in February, got an involuntary downgrade with duplicate seat assignments today. Ive had MCS upgrades fail entirely as well. These were very straightforward tickets booked on Alaska and confirmed over the phone (always call to check your upgrade request went through) and at the check in desk, but at this point until the door closes its a crapshoot.

I booked everything with low expectations but even those havent been met. This is to say nothing of the fact their east coast ops dont seem particularly resilient.
sounds exactly my experiences. Worst part is half the time the agents try to make it seem like the problems are somehow my fault.
Tankerman is offline  
Old Apr 13, 2018, 11:55 am
  #29  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 493
The upside: 2 weeks ago flying VX PVR-SFO with Alaska 2:1. Originally bookend an AS flight but then it was cancelled and I was put on a VX flight. 24 hours before I see there is availability to purchase an F upgrade for both of us. Call VX - they say there is a problem with the ticket and they can't upgrade it. Call AS - they can't do it, transfer me back to VX with a handoff telling that they should do it, still can't do it, problem with the ticket. Go to airport checkin the next day and ask to do a paid upgrade. They say no problem, print out the tickets, and then can't get the system to go to the screen to take payment. They get a supervisor. They call the US. Still can't do it. Eventually just give me the upgrade for free.

The downside: Yesterday was at EWR for AS EWR-SJC F seat and got there early to avoid traffic. See that there is a VX EWR-SFO leaving in 45 minutes. Asked if I could standby for an F seat if available. They say no, can't do that now, have to wait for 2 more weeks.

Indeed it will be great when the VX systems are gone and everything will be on AS despite its quirks. I only have 1 more AS/VX flight in the interim.
SFOPeter is offline  
Old Apr 13, 2018, 12:49 pm
  #30  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
Originally Posted by SFOPeter
The downside: Yesterday was at EWR for AS EWR-SJC F seat and got there early to avoid traffic. See that there is a VX EWR-SFO leaving in 45 minutes. Asked if I could standby for an F seat if available. They say no, can't do that now, have to wait for 2 more weeks.
In 2 weeks, those flights will be AS and subject to free upgrades for MVPs and higher. In other words, there won't be any F seats to standby for, so the net outcome will be the same.
channa is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.