channa

And without working for the airline, we won't be able to get that data. So you have a foolproof retort to any complaint since we can't get hold of bulletproof insider data.

pushmyredbutton

I don't think that's true at all. It has everything to do with SFO, and more specifically the diversions and operational issues that occur, unique to AS, at this particular airport. While separate from the SFO diversion issue, failing to adequately remove RON planes from gates is an issue I've only experienced with AS at SFO with a sample size of hundreds.

Pointing out AS's specific failings is hardly trashing the airline; I've seen numerous constructive suggestions on how AS could mitigate a large number of these failures by increases in notifications, IT infrastructure, or simply staffing. As it stands, the operational issues that exist at SFO are indeed unique to AS.

fly18725

I’m confused. I said occasional issues with getting RONs on and off batters has nothing to do with diversions, THE TOPIC OF THIS THREAD. You disagreed, but in the next sentence admitted they’re separate issues?

In general, this discussion is getting absurd with posters claiming Alaska is unique in having delays and diversions in one of the most congested and delay prone airports in the country. Could Alaska do better? Absolutely, particularly with how it communicates.

It is hard to take constant complaints from the same 4-5 posters seriously, particularly when a handful drowned the United forum with the same type of complaints for years post merger. I understand that airline mergers are tough, particularly when you’ve made an emotional connection with the aquiree. The road will be rocky at time for everyone, but at the end of the day it is a company made up of thousands of fallible people. Mistakes will happen and decisions will be made that you don’t like. At that point, you have a choice: be miserable or move on.

I’m making my choice and diverting my attention from this thread.

tom911

Good bye. It will be hard to carry on without your participation, but there's enough of us here that fly the airline (do you?) to hopefully keep the thread alive.

fly18725

Yes, I do.

Bretmd

channa

I never recall UA having a diversion tendency at a hub airport.

The only parallel I see between the AS/VX and UA/CO merger is the sense of arrogance by the dominant airline misunderstanding the new customer base. Though in AS's case, it's a lot more muted than CO's.

You seem to have a low tolerance for complaints about an airline, even if the issue is causing frustration and problems for its customers. I recognize that AS has a very strong following. But that's not the case here in the Bay Area. They don't get the same benefit of the doubt that they do in the PNW.

WebTraveler

Give me a break. Stop whining about all of this. If you do not like flying Alaska because it does not meet your needs, then fly someone else. To say this never happens to any other airline at SFO is patently false and is a ridiculous statement. Get real. You can whine and complain, I just hope you are not next to me on the next flight. It gets old.

NoLaGent

The only one who seems to be whining is you, but I'm not here to attack or berate other posters, so I simply ask that you offer up some data.

If you claim that planned diversions to OAK/SJC either to/from SFO are practiced by other airlines, please show us. I've been flying to/from this station for over 40 years and have never witnessed it on any other carrier, but I would love to be proven wrong.

And if you claim this only applies to the previous posters RON comments, then I'll just suggest you stop whining and that everyone should stay on topic, which I'm pretty sure is planned diversions, right?

channa

This is 100% unique to AS.

Others may have an occasional unplanned diversion, but planning a diversion and operating from a different airport is unique to AS.

PV_Premier

today's twitter fun, sounds like this guy had a connection in SFO and ended up diverted to SJC, causing him to misconnect. wonder if the diversion decision was made in the air or again not well communicated prior to departure from his origin in SLC.

ucdtim17

Seems like an every day thing now, with very normal June weather.

(And to state the obvious, if AS took a 2 hour delay on this flight he would very likely have missed his connection as well. Don't plan a connection involving OO/QX at SFO, just like you shouldn't plan an express connection on UA at SFO if you can't miss your connection.)

Eastbay1K

Yes, and others may have a rolling delay and eventual cancellation, but never a planned diversion.

I'd bet that UA, as a percentage of passengers, has more misconnects and people just abandoning their trips because of IRROPS than any other airline at SFO. Of course, I base this statement using the same orifice full of gas that many other posts in this thread emanate.

NoLaGent

Except there's only low clouds (which are already clearing) and the average delay is 1 hour. This is nothing for SFO and UA's operations are not even experiencing those delays.

Just another data point that this is specifically an AS issue here.

https://www.flightview.com/airport/S..._Francisco-CA/

(You can filter those results by carrier if you're interested in confirming my point about UA today.)

channa

SFO ATC seldom rolls. They have a reasonably good idea of the weather, issue a wheels up, and you go with it. This is not some unpredictable thunderstorm where they don't know what it's doing to do or how long it's going to take. As someone who has been using the airport for 20 years, it's reasonably well orchestrated. Dumping someone into a non-hub with fewer connection options doesn't help them. Neither does adding over an hour of travel time (bag reclaim, figure out the bus, then an hour up to SFO if there's little/no traffic).

Looks like they diverted this SLC-SFO flight 2 days in a row to SJC now. And the weather is decent today...just some normal June stuff:

Due to WEATHER / LOW CEILINGS, departure traffic destined to San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA (SFO) is currently experiencing delays averaging 1 hour and 1 minute.

It's going to take them more than 1 hour and 1 minute to get their bags, figure out where the bus is, get everyone on, get to SFO, reclear security and get ready for the connection. The drive time alone is about an hour right now.