Does Alaska suck now?
Jun 13, 2018, 6:53 pm
#46
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
Because the real business world does not operate by power users and hobbyists maximizing mileage redemptions for First Class flights on 5-star carriers through obscure award charts and maximizing routing and stopovers.
Look through Alaska's own data and you'll see the majority of redemptions are for AS on their own metal.
By this metric, not bloggers and Flyertalk hobbyists salivating over CPM and suites, they are failing as award space on their own metal is becoming tighter and Alaska continues to offer no long-haul international service and are losing partners left and right.
I will be earning 75K status again this year, with a much different (and significantly worse) landscape than just a few years ago, sad really. I now wonder if it’s worth becoming 75k again this year or not.
Jun 13, 2018, 11:07 pm
#49
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: South Florida
Programs: DL GM, SPG GOLD, UA DIRT, AA PLAT, US (RIP), Hilton HHonors
Posts: 705
I think you’ve already hit it as to why the do not suck now... they did used to be amazing and now they’re kind of like “meh” but what really sucks is that they’re still better than the other options out there...
Jun 14, 2018, 5:07 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: AS, QF, SK
Posts: 127
There's a study that came out on the topic. Every time I search for a Qantas business reservation the only thing I can find is a mixed fare with AS business from SEA to LAX and then coach to Australia. I've been asking them to fix this for a good 4 years now.
Their web team says that this can't be done. They could filter is on the front end, but they're too stupid to do that. You might have found a Qantas reward fare, but they're not easily found and AA has more options.
Their web team says that this can't be done. They could filter is on the front end, but they're too stupid to do that. You might have found a Qantas reward fare, but they're not easily found and AA has more options.
We're in this weird boat where we're sitting on a crap-tonne of AS miles and really don't know how we're going to begin to spend them. AS is down to something like 17 partners (they had over 30 a few years ago, I think), and with the AF/KL partnership ending, no viable way into Europe anymore (because I'm not going to fly garbage like Condor or pay BA's extortion petrol surcharge). QF is out for reasons just stated. CX is a tough redemption. EK's award chart got shot to hell. KE and JL might be fair game, but they don't go to our favourite places.
It's really amazing to look at just how far and how fast the programme has fallen. DL really boxed AS into a corner when they became enemies and DL went after not only AS, but its family, too.
Jun 14, 2018, 6:41 pm
#53
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,320
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Jun 14, 2018, 11:25 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: AS, QF, SK
Posts: 127
They'll survive just fine, but they'll never be more than a regional player. Their entire consumer base basically revolves around 4 cities on the same stretch of I-5. It's an airline I desperately WANT to support, but they go out of their way to make it infeasible.
Jun 15, 2018, 12:37 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
Also, that's the first time I've heard 1142 miles of freeway referred to as "the same stretch." I get your point, but you are being very dramatic.
Jun 15, 2018, 8:15 am
#56
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Between SFO and STS
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, United Serf, Delta Gold
Posts: 731
Jun 15, 2018, 8:22 am
#57
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
As long as most of the west coast continues to be an engine of economic growth and development, it seems like a pretty good strategy to be a regional player.
Jun 15, 2018, 8:34 am
#58
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA ExecPlat; AF Gold; UA GS; Hyatt L. Globalist; Marriott Plat; Hilton Diamond; National EE
Posts: 6,167
The increase in F legroom and the roll out of Premium Class have made AS better. The improved catering also cannot be overlooked, though I wish there were more Crater Lake vodkas.
Jun 15, 2018, 9:20 am
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
California alone is now the 5th largest economy in the world. (Of course, this is subject to fluctuation because of relative currency values.) Add WA, OR, AK and HI, and you are probably still at 5th, but still ... this is not an insignificant market all by itself.
Jun 15, 2018, 9:48 am
#60
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 116
I feel like people using this "regional" label is very misleading especially when you're talking about the United States. The BIG3 are the largest airlines IN THE WORLD, i don't think people appreciate how large these airlines operations are. Southwest is up there when you consider passengers carried. Give Alaska some time, there will be growing pains and mistakes. You wouldn't complain about BA not having a hub in Russia (apples to oranges i know) but logistics of operating an airline throughout the US arent as easy as just starting a hub on the east coast. Businesses that don't grow, die, business 101