Today May Have Been AS's Worst Showing Ever
Jun 14, 2018, 1:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: AS, QF, SK
Posts: 127
Today May Have Been AS's Worst Showing Ever
Took a trip to New Yok for leisure. I should have known better than to go back to the well given the amount of problems I've had on AS metal starting East.
The itinerary: SEA>DAL>LGA>DAL>SEA. F class.
First, the trip out. Flight from SEA was uneventful (as per usual, AS is great if you're originating 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean). However, our pilots in DAL decided to get cute and undercut the petrol they were going to need to get us to LGA. They ended up waiting on the tarmac so long that they ended up needing to go back and fill up again. Problem is, between the time they realized they had to go back and the time they finished filling up, a storm had rolled in and we had to wait 2 hours for it to pass. So instead of getting in at a reasonable 9 pm, we didn't pull into our hotel in Tribeca until after midnight.
Irritating, but it happens. But today, oh, let's talk about today, because this one is for the record books.
Again, LGA>DAL>SEA, F class. The flight leaving LGA has mechanical problems. Because AS doesn't believe in putting a hub or even a secondary hub more than 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, it took a couple of hours to fix, as they had to have a circuit board brought in from far, far away. By the time the plane starts loading, we're informed that if we get on the plane, we're going to end up stranded in DAL, as we'll have no chance of making our connecting flight.
AS's solution? A VX flight leaving JFK a little later, going to LAX in F, and from there we can have our pick of flights back up to SEA which may or may not come with an upgrade. I'm actually pretty OK with this, as VX's transcon F offering is light years better than anything AS has ever offered. The lie-downs are fantastic. Just one problem: We head to JFK, only to find that THAT plane has had mechanical issues, and the flight isn't going to leave.
AS's next solution? "Go back to LGA. We're going to put you on an American flight to ORD and then on to SEA". The problem there is the flight to ORD didn't have any seats for us.
AS's NEXT solution? Hop in a car and go to Newark, then get on a flight to PDX. Oh, and F seats are officially completely out of the picture. For those unaware, the drive from LGA to EWR takes over an hour. THIS flight actually takes off (shocker), albeit also late, but there are few hells greater than 6+ hours in coach when you were supposed to be in F. Oh, and by th is point we're starving - we didn't eat, because we figured the airlines were going to feed us. I forgot how vile TD's coconut chicken dish is.
So we arrive in PDX at 7:20. Right when our last puddle jump to SEA was going to start boarding. We dart over there (don't know why, we should have seen what was coming), only to find our plane isn't there because - you guessed it - it too had mechanical problems, this time in Boise. We finally board at 8:20 (for the record, this is roughly the time we were supposed to land), and then promptly sit at the gate, not moving an inch, until 9:40 - with no air conditioning, so it was pushing 90, it was stuffy, and there were some smells. We ran the math, and it would have actually been quicker for us to rent a car and drive back up to Bellevue.
The service on this flight was interesting - the lone attendant decided to get into a long, drawn out conversation with a bloke in row 2, so only the 1st 2 rows got drink service. Then, when we finally did land in Seattle, after 10 pm, she made sure to have another nice long conversation with the guy who's job it is to set up the ramp so that we can get off the plane. So we all got to sit there awhile whilst she had her talk.
Then, just to add insult to injury, we're at the baggage claim stand (12) that our luggage was supposed to come off of. And, to be sure, many PDX fliers got their bags. We sat there looking stupid for over 20 minutes, only to realize that AS had decided as one final "F you" to us to have our bags and those of a couple of others...come down baggage carousel 11.
It's not secret that I (and many others) have had an ever-increasing amount of problems when flying AS in the last year or 2, but this one likely takes the cake for the biggest, most epic consistent F up in one day of any airline I've ever had the misfortune of patroning. Between going between LGA (twice!), JFK, and EWR, and our itinerary including cities like DAL, ORD, LAX, and PDX as this comically bad series of events just kept piling on, it almost seems as though they've set out to drag the bar below ground.
The itinerary: SEA>DAL>LGA>DAL>SEA. F class.
First, the trip out. Flight from SEA was uneventful (as per usual, AS is great if you're originating 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean). However, our pilots in DAL decided to get cute and undercut the petrol they were going to need to get us to LGA. They ended up waiting on the tarmac so long that they ended up needing to go back and fill up again. Problem is, between the time they realized they had to go back and the time they finished filling up, a storm had rolled in and we had to wait 2 hours for it to pass. So instead of getting in at a reasonable 9 pm, we didn't pull into our hotel in Tribeca until after midnight.
Irritating, but it happens. But today, oh, let's talk about today, because this one is for the record books.
Again, LGA>DAL>SEA, F class. The flight leaving LGA has mechanical problems. Because AS doesn't believe in putting a hub or even a secondary hub more than 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, it took a couple of hours to fix, as they had to have a circuit board brought in from far, far away. By the time the plane starts loading, we're informed that if we get on the plane, we're going to end up stranded in DAL, as we'll have no chance of making our connecting flight.
AS's solution? A VX flight leaving JFK a little later, going to LAX in F, and from there we can have our pick of flights back up to SEA which may or may not come with an upgrade. I'm actually pretty OK with this, as VX's transcon F offering is light years better than anything AS has ever offered. The lie-downs are fantastic. Just one problem: We head to JFK, only to find that THAT plane has had mechanical issues, and the flight isn't going to leave.
AS's next solution? "Go back to LGA. We're going to put you on an American flight to ORD and then on to SEA". The problem there is the flight to ORD didn't have any seats for us.
AS's NEXT solution? Hop in a car and go to Newark, then get on a flight to PDX. Oh, and F seats are officially completely out of the picture. For those unaware, the drive from LGA to EWR takes over an hour. THIS flight actually takes off (shocker), albeit also late, but there are few hells greater than 6+ hours in coach when you were supposed to be in F. Oh, and by th is point we're starving - we didn't eat, because we figured the airlines were going to feed us. I forgot how vile TD's coconut chicken dish is.
So we arrive in PDX at 7:20. Right when our last puddle jump to SEA was going to start boarding. We dart over there (don't know why, we should have seen what was coming), only to find our plane isn't there because - you guessed it - it too had mechanical problems, this time in Boise. We finally board at 8:20 (for the record, this is roughly the time we were supposed to land), and then promptly sit at the gate, not moving an inch, until 9:40 - with no air conditioning, so it was pushing 90, it was stuffy, and there were some smells. We ran the math, and it would have actually been quicker for us to rent a car and drive back up to Bellevue.
The service on this flight was interesting - the lone attendant decided to get into a long, drawn out conversation with a bloke in row 2, so only the 1st 2 rows got drink service. Then, when we finally did land in Seattle, after 10 pm, she made sure to have another nice long conversation with the guy who's job it is to set up the ramp so that we can get off the plane. So we all got to sit there awhile whilst she had her talk.
Then, just to add insult to injury, we're at the baggage claim stand (12) that our luggage was supposed to come off of. And, to be sure, many PDX fliers got their bags. We sat there looking stupid for over 20 minutes, only to realize that AS had decided as one final "F you" to us to have our bags and those of a couple of others...come down baggage carousel 11.
It's not secret that I (and many others) have had an ever-increasing amount of problems when flying AS in the last year or 2, but this one likely takes the cake for the biggest, most epic consistent F up in one day of any airline I've ever had the misfortune of patroning. Between going between LGA (twice!), JFK, and EWR, and our itinerary including cities like DAL, ORD, LAX, and PDX as this comically bad series of events just kept piling on, it almost seems as though they've set out to drag the bar below ground.
Jun 14, 2018, 1:33 am
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Jun 14, 2018, 2:37 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
I partially live in NYC so going from LGA> JFK > EWR by car is a total nightmare just by itself.
Unfortunately it sounds like you had some really bad luck like something you’d see in the “out-of-towners.” Im sorry for your ordeal and I do feel for you, but unfortunately bad things can happen like this when you fly. You can be certain Alaska will take care of the trip and go above and beyond what you paid for the trip given what you had to go through. You might’ve already gotten the standard $125 cert sent to you from their head of passenger comfort “Wayne Newton” but if you explain the full story, AS will certainly compensate you for the whole trip I would imagine.
I have to wonder though, if the delay was mechanical why didn’t you just immediately insist they put you on the next flight on another carrier to Seattle out of LGA? We’re you upgraded and didn’t want to take the downgrade? You wouldve still gotten miles for your original itinerary given that it was a delay that was their fault and would’ve saved a lot of heart attack running around the New York area.
Unfortunately it sounds like you had some really bad luck like something you’d see in the “out-of-towners.” Im sorry for your ordeal and I do feel for you, but unfortunately bad things can happen like this when you fly. You can be certain Alaska will take care of the trip and go above and beyond what you paid for the trip given what you had to go through. You might’ve already gotten the standard $125 cert sent to you from their head of passenger comfort “Wayne Newton” but if you explain the full story, AS will certainly compensate you for the whole trip I would imagine.
I have to wonder though, if the delay was mechanical why didn’t you just immediately insist they put you on the next flight on another carrier to Seattle out of LGA? We’re you upgraded and didn’t want to take the downgrade? You wouldve still gotten miles for your original itinerary given that it was a delay that was their fault and would’ve saved a lot of heart attack running around the New York area.
Jun 14, 2018, 8:12 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,640
Be sure you contact AS and ask for a refund for the difference between F and Y fare since you could not be re-accommodated in F. This should be provided in cash, not a voucher, given that you experienced a mechanical failure (within the control of AS).
Jun 14, 2018, 9:26 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,629
While that was not the most pleasant day ever (and I am reminded of a 35 hour trip home from Paris once upon a time). You got home safely. You have a story to tell. You will likely get some decent compensation for the experience. It was a really bad day. We've all that them. They suck.
Last edited by dayone; Jun 14, 2018 at 4:12 pm Reason: Redacted reference to edited title.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:44 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,629
I will tell you that I enjoyed telling people about my nightmarish story of that 35 hour trip home from Paris [redacted], despite the other fact that I had 2 perfectly pleasant on time segments in F on that same aircraft.
Last edited by dayone; Jun 14, 2018 at 4:17 pm Reason: Redacted reference to edited title.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:58 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The bottom line here is that OP chose to fly a connection between SEA (Northwest of US) to LGA (Northeasy of US) via DAL (South) rather than B6, AA, or DL, all of which offer nonstop service.
OP's rant about fuel xDAL points to a simple lack of understanding. If too much fuel is onboard for the projected route, the aircraft must hold while it burns fuel prior to landing. If the delay is not known at the time of departure, it is a waste of time and money as well as a poor environmental choice to circle LGA for an hour or two,
OP's ultimate point regarding AS's base is, of course, correct. That won't change. AS flies TCON, but it does not have a full route network and thus LGA and other East Coast airports are and always be outstations. This is especilly true of LGA and DCA, both of which are slot-controlled, meaning that some other carrier must drop a rotation before AS can even think about picking one up.
OP's rant about fuel xDAL points to a simple lack of understanding. If too much fuel is onboard for the projected route, the aircraft must hold while it burns fuel prior to landing. If the delay is not known at the time of departure, it is a waste of time and money as well as a poor environmental choice to circle LGA for an hour or two,
OP's ultimate point regarding AS's base is, of course, correct. That won't change. AS flies TCON, but it does not have a full route network and thus LGA and other East Coast airports are and always be outstations. This is especilly true of LGA and DCA, both of which are slot-controlled, meaning that some other carrier must drop a rotation before AS can even think about picking one up.
Last edited by dayone; Jun 14, 2018 at 4:17 pm Reason: Redacted reference to edited title.
Jun 14, 2018, 10:10 am
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
While it sounds like a very stressful day, I am very surprised that the LGA-DAL-SEA itinerary is even considered a legal connection. Looking at the schedule, if you flew yesterday, I can surmise you were on the 11:20 am flight, scheduled to arrive at 2:29 pm and connect to DAL-SEA leaving at 2:50. It appears to have arrived in DAL 13 minutes late, which would have been just enough to totally kill your connection. Even if you were on the crack of dawn LGA-DAL (which it appears you weren't, since it arrived early), the scheduled layover there would have been only 26 minutes before going to SEA. I guess 20 min is the MCT, but still too close for comfort in my book for any flight originating in LGA.
I guess these very tight connections will all be a moot point once AS drops this route...
I guess these very tight connections will all be a moot point once AS drops this route...
Jun 14, 2018, 10:28 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 116
What are you talking about? None of the airlines you mention fly to LGA from SEA non-stop. They all fly into EWR or JFK like AS. Guessing the flight through DAL was cheaper and thats why the OP subject them self to possible connection problems. Or maybe wanted some extra EQM.
Last edited by dayone; Jun 14, 2018 at 4:18 pm Reason: Redacted reference to edited title.
Jun 14, 2018, 10:47 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NYC
Posts: 280
Oh man, I had so many issues flying out of JFK in the post-merger pre-integration days earlier this year, including getting bumped 3 times (once for weight/fuel, twice because my ticket got double assigned.) And I’m sure you know 7 hours stuck in JFK T7 is not anyone’s definition of fun (fortunately you can technically access other terminals!) It got to the point where I actually booked a backup ticket on JetBlue after later flights started getting cancelled (and sure enough, it did.)
Jun 14, 2018, 10:56 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
Jun 14, 2018, 11:19 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, 1MM
Posts: 377
Wow, talk about a series of unfortunate events, I hope you to relay your feelings to AS and also get compensation for bags coming out after the 20 minute mark. The OP mentioned "the lone FA.." If they were flying on Horizon, the Q400 has two flight attendants (unless it was a SkyWest CRJ200) and I haven't had a drink in the last 4 shuttles I have been on due to "weather" or "brevity of the flight". Has anyone been on a 400 with just one FA?
Jun 14, 2018, 11:48 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
That's impossible, it would be against FAA regulations, since they require 1 FA per 50 seats, this is usual for jets and I assume, someone correct me, if it also extends to props. So there will always be two FAs.
Also, https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/our-aircraft/q400
http://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_gu...c!OpenDocument
Also, https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/our-aircraft/q400
http://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_gu...c!OpenDocument
Last edited by safari ari; Jun 14, 2018 at 11:53 am
Jun 14, 2018, 11:52 am
#15
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
Wow, talk about a series of unfortunate events, I hope you to relay your feelings to AS and also get compensation for bags coming out after the 20 minute mark. The OP mentioned "the lone FA.." If they were flying on Horizon, the Q400 has two flight attendants (unless it was a SkyWest CRJ200) and I haven't had a drink in the last 4 shuttles I have been on due to "weather" or "brevity of the flight". Has anyone been on a 400 with just one FA?