Competitive Price Guarantee (After 24 Hours) Ending 9/1/2018
Aug 7, 2018, 11:57 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,371
Wow. AS is obviously to the point where they think they're big enough to not need to have customer-friendly policies to set themselves apart from the big three (or keep up with WN). Pretty striking.
One of the things that has long struck me about AS is that their customer service -- broadly defined to include both a fair fee structure and actual interactions with AS in person, over the phone, and through the web -- for no-status customers was at least as good as AA's or DL's for mid-tier elites (ie MVP Gold equivalent).
Pure speculation alert: this leads me to wonder ....
One of the things that has long struck me about AS is that their customer service -- broadly defined to include both a fair fee structure and actual interactions with AS in person, over the phone, and through the web -- for no-status customers was at least as good as AA's or DL's for mid-tier elites (ie MVP Gold equivalent).
Pure speculation alert: this leads me to wonder ....
Aug 7, 2018, 12:07 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
MVPG just became much more valuable... but now if a price drops, you have to cancel your existing ticket and book a new one... so what you could previously do, you can effectively still do... just with more time commitment.
Aug 7, 2018, 12:10 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 608
It also makes me wonder how long the $125 change fee will last before they up it to $200 like all the others. For a MVP or non-elite, the lower change fee is about all that sets them apart from the other three now. For the vast majority of travelers that are MVP or lower, there's really no incentive at all to being loyal anymore. Schedule and price will rule the day. Where routes overlap, WN is a no-brainer.
Aug 7, 2018, 12:28 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
Or call them and have it done over the phone, which would probably keep your seat assignments.
Aug 7, 2018, 12:33 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: PNW
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Explorist, M Life Gold, Wyndham Diamond, Caesars Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 19
hmmm now its a matter of time Alaska switches to revenue base mileage plan. My biggest 3 reasons why I chose to stay loyal with Alaska, 60 day no change fee, guaranteed lowest flight, and miles base reward system.
Aug 7, 2018, 12:49 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP , Delta Gold Medallion, "Credit Card" status for various hotels
Posts: 672
I think they are still planning on continuing mileage-based accrual, at least for now. I received an “insight community” survey a month or so ago that was trying to find the best way to market it as a differentiator compared to other airlines.
Aug 7, 2018, 12:51 pm
#23
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
It also makes me wonder how long the $125 change fee will last before they up it to $200 like all the others. For a MVP or non-elite, the lower change fee is about all that sets them apart from the other three now. For the vast majority of travelers that are MVP or lower, there's really no incentive at all to being loyal anymore. Schedule and price will rule the day. Where routes overlap, WN is a no-brainer.
Aug 7, 2018, 12:54 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Aug 7, 2018, 12:57 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: PNW
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,551
I really hope AS doesn't touch MP. It's the only thing is really has going and the only thing that keeps most people flying AS. I do get nervous partner earning/redeeming devals like EK/LA tec but so far, they havent been enough where it's making me look elsewhere.
Aug 7, 2018, 1:12 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG, Alaska Lounge, HHonors Silver, Bonvoy Gold, National Executive
Posts: 455
Aug 7, 2018, 1:13 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Personally, I have never claimed a low price guarantee. Once I am happy with an itinerary and confirm a reservation I don't go back and check pricing. Typically, I purchase eligible fares, utilize a companion certificate and apply GGU's.
James
Aug 7, 2018, 1:15 pm
#28
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: AS 100K, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 876
Makes keeping Gold very valuable. Keep knocking things off and eventually it will be far more efifcient to just switch back to Delta. More partners, better routing, more options. Mileage based and Customer Service are the only remaining items left.
Aug 7, 2018, 1:19 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 87
The guaranteed airfare credit (and a direct SEA-IND) was the main thing that pushed me from UA this year. Luckily I was able to hit MVPG w/ Amazon's 20k EQM challenge, so I still effectively have it, but this move is a big downer.
Gonna try to plan an Australia or Africa trip to use my ~120k miles before a deval, but not particularly motivated to start building up another balance after that :/
Gonna try to plan an Australia or Africa trip to use my ~120k miles before a deval, but not particularly motivated to start building up another balance after that :/
Aug 7, 2018, 1:20 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
Argh....so, as a MVPGold I would have to cancel my existing Rez, redeposit the returned value into My Acct & than buy the lower priced ticket. This makes the Gold designation more valuable but everyone else sees Alaska’s vaunted Customer Service getting sacrificed on the altar of shareholder returns....