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Details/Discussion of Saver (Basic Economy) "X" Fares

Old Nov 27, 2018, 7:54 am
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Last edit by: NoLaGent
How are Saver fares different?

Saver fares do include some restrictions on booking, refunds, changes, and seat selection.

These restrictions include:
  • Limited seating may be available at the time of purchase. Most seats will be assigned at check-in.
  • We cant guarantee that parties of two or more will be seated together.
  • No refunds are allowed beyond the first 24 hours after ticketing.
  • No changes, including same-day confirmed changes, are allowed for Saver fares.
  • No standby is allowed for Saver fares, even for elite status guests.
  • If a guest is a no-show for any flight during a trip, all other flights within that trip are automatically canceled, with no refund available.
  • Saver fares cannot be combined with any other fare types on the same itinerary.
  • Saver fares are non-transferable.

Elite status benefits you do get when you buy a Saver Fare:
* Priority check-in
* Priority boarding group
* Baggage fee waiver
* Express security line at select airports (for MVPG+)
* Refreshments (alcoholic drink or chocolate for MVPG+)
* Complimentary inflight entertainment player - available on coast-to-coast and Hawaii flights (for MVPG75k, while they last)
* Bonus miles (by elite level)

Elite status benefits you don't get when you buy a Saver Fare:
* Access to preferred seating (certain seats behind Premium Class or in the exit rows)
* First Class upgrades, when available
* Premium Class upgrades, when available
* Waived change fees for MVPG+
* Complimentary same-day standby/flight changes for MVPG+

Full info here: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...perience/saver
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Details/Discussion of Saver (Basic Economy) "X" Fares

Old Nov 7, 2018, 2:56 pm
  #181  
T2A
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska MVPG
Posts: 206
Saver showing up with the app with no fares listed yet


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Old Nov 7, 2018, 3:04 pm
  #182  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,834
Originally Posted by Often1
This solves both problems:

Some people are quite happy and others not so.
Yes and No. It all comes down to implementation. Like with AA, if you are not elite and pay extra to avoid basic fares and are not booking months in advance, most if not all of the seats are already blocked from selection unless you pay even more to select an aisle or window. In this case, unless I were prepared to pay both for the seat fee and the higher fare, I would never book on AA--unless with all those extra costs AA still provides the best value for that flight. I would start looking around at either B6/WN/JetSuiteX who don't yet have saver fares or would look at DL/UA to see what their seat options are. The people that are keeping themselves captive to one carrier may want to overpay for the same product. Everybody else has even more incentive to check out the competition to see which carrier provides the best value on any given itinerary.
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Old Nov 7, 2018, 4:49 pm
  #183  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 227
I am a bit biased, but also an #avgeek . I think at the end of the day this will help bring more guests to AS who may not choose to fly AS because Brand XYZ was $X amount cheaper. AS can now compete with Brand XYZ.

How does it impact current guests? I think it helps current guests. Those guests purchasing Saver Fares will board last (as will their carry-ons). Most FT'ers do not fall into this group. Even those who do probably have Status. Status will allow you to board early.

It also allows AS to possibly compete in markets they may have been shut out of before. It makes AS a stronger company and hopefully, that helps their loyalty members (you).
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Old Nov 7, 2018, 4:56 pm
  #184  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
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Originally Posted by MagicCarpetRider
I think at the end of the day this will help bring more guests to AS who may not choose to fly AS because Brand XYZ was $X amount cheaper. AS can now compete with Brand XYZ.
That assumes that AS is going to use this to drop fares to compete with, say, NK on routes that they both serve. While that may be the case, what's been seen more frequently with the other carriers is that the Y- fare sits where regular economy used to be.
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Old Nov 7, 2018, 9:05 pm
  #185  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
Originally Posted by jinglish
That assumes that AS is going to use this to drop fares to compete with, say, NK on routes that they both serve. While that may be the case, what's been seen more frequently with the other carriers is that the Y- fare sits where regular economy used to be.
From some perspectives thats ok. Fuel and labor costs are going up and if you can find a way to still offer some of the same fares that benefits consumers.
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Old Nov 7, 2018, 9:55 pm
  #186  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Originally Posted by jinglish
That assumes that AS is going to use this to drop fares to compete with, say, NK on routes that they both serve. While that may be the case, what's been seen more frequently with the other carriers is that the Y- fare sits where regular economy used to be.
They are not going to offer NK type fares. That would only be shooting themselves in the head to fix a minor headache. They are using this to INCREASE revenue. Why would they market a bunch of seats at an even lower price than they have now when they would have to substantially increase all the rest of the tickets to make up for that plus charge more to get the expected revenue increases? AS does not have the ULCC model where they can make up the low fare by charging for carry ons, checking in at the airport, etc.
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 4:30 am
  #187  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75k, Hyatt Globalist, National Executive Elite
Posts: 272
So basically people in BE could pay $25 getting into PE rather than pay $20 getting into normal Y? Or do they pay $20 + $25 to get the PE seat? If they only need to pay $25 I could see there probably will be no future for elite upgrading into PE
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 10:36 am
  #188  
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Originally Posted by eddiehuang97
So basically people in BE could pay $25 getting into PE rather than pay $20 getting into normal Y? Or do they pay $20 + $25 to get the PE seat? If they only need to pay $25 I could see there probably will be no future for elite upgrading into PE
You will have to buy up to be able to pay extra for premium seat so possibly $50 + 119 or $20+ 25 depends on route and what the cost spread ends up being
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 11:17 am
  #189  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: DL PM, New Sagaya
Posts: 1,278

I am curious if the access to PC from Saver is based on paying the fare difference to Y or is limited via reduced inventory? This is from the PC FAQ's on the AS site.

Last edited by williwaw; Nov 8, 2018 at 11:17 am Reason: Add attachement
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 11:18 am
  #190  
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 103
It will be interesting to see how this upcharge to PE will play out. I remember, from the earlier discussion, that when BE was first presented they also included a comment about variable pricing for PE with their ancillary pricing strategy . Since I no longer have AS status, I always pay for PE when I fly in Y. When this thread started I decided that if I came across a BE fare it would be a wash for me - since I buy PE anyway, I always check a bag (with my AS Visa), always aim to board the plane last, and have yet to make a SDC.

So now it looks I might have to check 2 scenarios when booking and seeing a BE fare - first, I will need to check the cost of BE + PE and then, the cost of Y + PE.

With the above comment on limited access - I wonder if this means when booking BE and paying extra for PE you are stuck with only getting middle seats in PE...
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Last edited by arles; Nov 8, 2018 at 11:20 am Reason: additional information
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 11:33 am
  #191  
 
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Originally Posted by williwaw

I am curious if the access to PC from Saver is based on paying the fare difference to Y or is limited via reduced inventory? This is from the PC FAQ's on the AS site.
My guess is that they'll be able to buy up to Premium at check-in in some cases. Possibly depending on how much inventory is open?
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 12:01 pm
  #192  
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I’m already seeing variable pricing for PE ... $20-$30 difference for flights on the same day (6 weeks out) in the same market; doesn’t appear to correlate to the seat maps (which we know aren’t reliable indicators of actual bookings), doesn’t appear to correlate to time of day, and prices for the same flights +/- a day are also different
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 1:15 pm
  #193  
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Originally Posted by arles
With the above comment on limited access - I wonder if this means when booking BE and paying extra for PE you are stuck with only getting middle seats in PE...
Sorry, no, those middle PE seats will be set aside for MVPG and MVP on regular economy fares to claim during their PE upgrade window. Or so I fear (and perhaps even observed on recent flights).
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 1:58 pm
  #194  
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Originally Posted by arles
It will be interesting to see how this upcharge to PE will play out. I remember, from the earlier discussion, that when BE was first presented they also included a comment about variable pricing for PE with their ancillary pricing strategy .
It seem like a simple and equitable fix would be to make PE $20-$30 more expensive for Saver fares (e.g., Saver + $20 + PE upcharge).
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Old Nov 8, 2018, 4:08 pm
  #195  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AS MVPG, HH Diamond
Posts: 231
FYI - This notice was in a blue box at the top of the monthly Mileage Plan email statement I got today:

"Saver fares include the basic amenities that Alaska Airlines guests enjoy, but restrictions apply, even for elites."

Linked to here: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...r#mileage-plan
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