WebTraveler

You guys, chill out, if you are diverted to Oakland or San Jose, Alaska will put you on a bus to SFO. You are not stranded in Oakland or San Jose. Yes, its a bus ride, but the other option is sitting on your bottom in Seattle or Portland waiting for your flight. You will get to where you want to be - OR you can opt out and take BART or other transportation.

On the back end its a little more difficult if you think your flight in SFO, but the plane is really loading in Oakland to go to Portland. But Alaska will get you where you need to go without additional expense.

sfozrhfco

The point is that AS is doing what is best for them rather that what is best for their customers. As Spin said, if this is the way AS deals with it, the better option is to take another airline. Other people may not care about going to another airport while many busy business people would prefer to sit in an airport and get some work done or move to another flight than to be stuck in traffic on a bus after ending up at another airport. AS made their choice and passengers who value getting back to SFO without a bus connection will make theirs as well.

ucdtim17

That is debatable (as evidenced by this thread). Your definition of what's best for customers seemingly doesn't consider downstream customers whose options are a plane that arrives (from OAK/SJC) on time and delivers them to their destination(s) on time or one that comes from SFO with a 2-4 hour delay. If Alaska's options are inconveniencing a portion of customers on two flights to run four more on time, or running 6 flights 2-4 hours late (and dealing with all the missed connections and other downstream effects), it seems clear the option that is best for the greatest number of customers is the first.

PV_Premier

OP should add a poll to the thread so we can see how divisive this issue really is

spin88

I was at one time the master of the UFC poll (so much so that they took away that functionality) but I have NO idea how to do a poll on FT.

My guess is that the truth is that on the inbound (to SFO) some non-SFO based fliers probably don't mind that much. If I am flying down from Seattle and have a meeting in downtown, a "divert" if I know how to use mass transit to OAK is probably preferable. But, most travelers DON'T know their way around, and a bus ride in traffic is IMHO less pleasant than just sitting in the airport with a delay (where you can use the lounge, go to the bathroom, get food stretch your legs). Less stressful all around.

I think it is a bigger, much bigger, issue on the outbound. Much like I would not be POed beyond belief if my JFK plane landed at EWR (provided the airline then paid my extra charges into Manhattan, but if an airline e-mailed me a few hours before my flight that I would be leaving from EWR not JFK I would blow a gasket.

My guess is that this - and the posts here tend to support that guess - really POes SFO based fliers, who are not usually going downtown or to their office, but home. They don't want to have to sit around for a bus, then sit on a bus for an hour or more, but so Alaska can try to minimize delays.b

jiburi

I would bet that the answer for the diversion will evolve over time but at present, I'd bet VX aircrafts will likely be prioritized for SFO and continue to fly in/out of SFO regardless of ATC delay, as VX operation and staffing currently work in/out of SFO supporting SFO hub, whereas, AS aircrafts and staff are more likely based elsewhere.
Jiburi

ucdtim17

Anecdotally, I have seen one A320 go to SJC and zero to OAK so far. I expect that'll change by next winter, given that the SEA-SFO schedule is mostly A320 at this point and PDX-SFO will probably be moving that direction.

WebTraveler

And there are OTHER customers affected by delayed airplanes. When Alaska flies to many destinations ONE time a day this can be a big deal if the connection is missed.

You have a choice, choose United or Delta. It's not uncommon they cancel a spoke flight when it messes up the connection system.

WebTraveler

This is what I don't get. You're sitting somewhere. Whether it's in SFO waiting for the fog to clear or in Seattle or Portland waiting for your plane to get there for your flight. Seems to me you are sitting somewhere and have lost time. At least you have a decent ETA by rerouting to Oakland.

spin88

Option One: Sit on the plane for two hours, land in OAK. Wait around at least 30-40 minutes for bags to arrive and everyone to get on the Bus. Sit on a bus in traffic for an hour + (at 7 pm on a Friday when this flight would have arrived, it would have taken more like one hour and 30 minutes. Arrive at SFO.

Option Two: get told there is a "flow control delay" and our departure time is now one and a half hours later, I (a) go a little later to the airport, (b) go to/spend more time in the AMEX lounge, have food and drink, or (c) get something to eat/drink in the terminal while waiting. Fly on my normal flight, arrive at SFO one and a half hour late.

Option Three: Try to jump on an earlier flight, which is also delayed to SFO, if I succeed (usually at the cost of a decent seat) arrive on time.

No one is going to pick Option One (or no one in their right mind). The only person who would go with the OAK diversion is someone who is barting/ubering it someplace that is convenient to OAK. They win, but then they could have booked a flight to OAK in the first place....

fly18725

Your options seem to consider inconsistent baggage (I guess people check in less favorable options and carry on for ones that are better to you) and ignore an original complaint about loosing seat assignments.

Basically, you only like Delta and admit to owning Delta stock. You’re going to make negative comments about Alaska (or United) no matter what they do.

ucdtim17

Yes you've made it clear you don't like it, but for many people it's either preferable or not a significant inconvenience. And for the (potentially) hundreds of downstream customers, who you don't seem to care about, an on time diversion is vastly preferable to a 2-4 hour delayed plane that came from SFO.

We don't seem to be turning over any new ground here.

spin88

??? Fake News. I invested in Delta when Jeff was putting United in the toilet, made serious $$$$. Where United was going was obvious to everyone except the Hunter Keays of the world. But I have not invested in any airline since AS bought my VX stock. Haven't touched an airline in several years, nor would I now. You know this since I have revealed these facts when discussing UA's financial results. Not sure your point here....

I am actually quite favorably inclined to AS, they were the airline I grew up with, and my first FF program. But I am not a fanboy for any airline, nor am I associated with an airline's management team. And I might add that United does not do what AS evidently is, that is going to cause me to look more at UA/DL and skip booking on AS on SEA-SFO flights that might get impacted by flow control (aka afternoon/evening flights).

This said, not quite sure what your substantive point is? What are you talking about "inconsistent baggage"? The bus only leaves when everyone is on - which means you don't leave until the last row is off the plane, gets to baggage claim, gets their bag, and gets on the bus. Doing the OAK/SJC bus thing you are at the mercy of the slowest passanger.

Aliquot

You seem to be one of the few people who don't need to be somewhere at specific time. Your 1.5 hours delay is highly optimistic. SFO delays are usually 2.5-4. When I buy a ticket I want to get where I am going as close to the time I was expecting as possible. On other airlines I get there 4 hours late or have to fight for empty seats after the flight cancels. In that situation I call getting to my destination only 1 hour late a win.

WebTraveler

They're still sitting somewhere, like in the Seattle airport, for hours.