Nov 27, 2018, 7:54 am
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:
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
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 can’t 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
Details/Discussion of Saver (Basic Economy) "X" Fares
Dec 31, 2018, 2:06 pm
#511
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
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I really they'd (well any airline with BE setup with this random seating method) put a special pop up that says, you have kids in your booking. You may not sit with your kids in the booking, if you understand this hit "I understand I may be separated from my kids and they are ok sitting by themselves" otherwise, go back. That's one thing Spirit does right. It is very explicit with these warnings.
Anyone know if airlines allow you to book F for yourself and Economy for your three year old without paying UM fees?
Dec 31, 2018, 2:21 pm
#512
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
DOT Rule on Family Seating
Dec 31, 2018, 2:24 pm
#513
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 470
We flew Ryanair earlier in the year. The booking engine forces you to pay for a seat when you have minors in your party and does not allow you to “leave it to chance”. However, because it is forced, only the adults in the party pay for the seat assignment and the children get an assigned seat for free.
It also helps that their seat assignments are only a few euros for the cheapest seats.
I had (wrongly?!) assumed when booking that Alaska wouldn’t put my 3 year old in a middle seat By himself but based on other carriers it sounds like that is a real possibility. I will report back with how it turns out on our trip.
It also helps that their seat assignments are only a few euros for the cheapest seats.
I had (wrongly?!) assumed when booking that Alaska wouldn’t put my 3 year old in a middle seat By himself but based on other carriers it sounds like that is a real possibility. I will report back with how it turns out on our trip.
Dec 31, 2018, 2:28 pm
#514
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There's already legislation passed, but DOT has yet to release an implementing rule.
DOT Rule on Family Seating
DOT Rule on Family Seating
Dec 31, 2018, 2:36 pm
#515
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,056
There's already legislation passed, but DOT has yet to release an implementing rule.
DOT Rule on Family Seating
DOT Rule on Family Seating
IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall review and, if appropriate, establish a policy directing all air carriers providing scheduled passenger interstate or intrastate air transportation to establish policies that enable a child, who is age 13 or under on the date an applicable flight is scheduled to occur, to be seated in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13, to the maximum extent practicable and at no additional cost, except when assignment to an adjacent seat would require an upgrade to another cabin class or a seat with extra legroom or seat pitch for which additional payment is normally required.
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 31, 2018 at 3:02 pm
Dec 31, 2018, 3:00 pm
#516
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
Sorry, I did not mean to imply I believed this was OK in any way shape or form. As a parent, I would not want a 3-year old next to stranger. As a passenger, I would not want to be responsible for someone else's 3 year old. My post was supposed to suggest that airlines should put more emphasis on the seating aspect when asking a customer to go ahead with the BE reservations (not particular to AS per se). I feel like the times I moved, the passengers had not clue that the family being separated was a possibility with BE. I apologize if it sounded like I was agreeing with separating children from their parents and seating them alone. I would say that if your seating protocol can cause this scenario, a safety point in the system (i.e. GA's) should have the latitude and ability to fix it relatively easily and with a minimum of disruption. I hope AS has factored this in its deployment.
That thread on family seating made me curious though and I googled around a bit. I see the recommendation for parents being seated next to an adult as part of the 2017 FAA Reauthorization
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/636/text#toc-H8B665C4797E74F00B4D74050D6817986
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall review and, if appropriate, establish a policy directing all air carriers providing scheduled passenger interstate or intrastate air transportation to establish policies that enable a child, who is age 13 or under on the date an applicable flight is scheduled to occur, to be seated in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13, to the maximum extent practicable and at no additional cost, except when assignment to an adjacent seat would require an upgrade to another cabin class.
But I don't see any policy changes. If you look on the DOT site about family seating, it specifically states:
https://www.transportation.gov/indiv...family-seating
For example, basic economy class tickets are often lower priced tickets that may not provide consumers with the ability to select a seat. These tickets may not meet the needs of families with young children.
In an USA Today article, all from 2018, all I could find was:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...hts/723645002/
In 2016, Congress passed a law requiring airlines to seat families with children together without charging them more. But the Transportation Department hasn't written the required regulation and seems unlikely to do so anytime soon. Airlines claim they seat families together whenever possible, but they're also motivated by the fees they collect whenever someone reserves a seat.
Last edited by FlyingBear; Dec 31, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Dec 31, 2018, 3:41 pm
#517
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: AS G100K, DL PM, IHG Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 843
So you probably meant AS' best customers are the flyers who paid basic economy fares and flies AS twice a year. If this is the case, AS would probably need to expand their BE sections to help subsidize the PE and F cabins.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Dec 31, 2018, 5:03 pm
#518
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
While the snark made me smile, I think we all know that the best customers are the ones that regularly pay more. Flyertalk game of age in an era when loyalty was rewarded, regardless of yield. That is not today.
Dec 31, 2018, 5:15 pm
#519
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Sorry, I did not mean to imply I believed this was OK in any way shape or form. As a parent, I would not want a 3-year old next to stranger. As a passenger, I would not want to be responsible for someone else's 3 year old. My post was supposed to suggest that airlines should put more emphasis on the seating aspect when asking a customer to go ahead with the BE reservations (not particular to AS per se).
Dec 31, 2018, 5:20 pm
#520
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There's nothing in the legislation that requires DOT actually implement a policy. Note the "if appropriate" part below. Also, it doesn't require the entire family to be seated together. It still permits a family to be split up as long as children 13 or under are seated next to a family member who is over 13. With two adults, it would be permissible to put two kids next to one adult and one kid next to the other.
Of course, one should also question why they passed such a vague law in the first place.
Dec 31, 2018, 6:16 pm
#521
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Because the DOT was created specifically so that congress doesn't have to make these decisions. They are deferring to the DOT to make the call.
If congress wants to regulate airlines themselves, they should dismantle the DOT. I'm no fan of the DOT but I suspect that the result would be worse, not better. It makes no sense to delegate responsibility and then overrule them.
If congress wants to regulate airlines themselves, they should dismantle the DOT. I'm no fan of the DOT but I suspect that the result would be worse, not better. It makes no sense to delegate responsibility and then overrule them.
Jan 1, 2019, 10:49 am
#522
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
Boy the pricing on their premium seats is all messed up now with the SAVER fares. A flight I booked before the SAVER fares were introduced will let me move up to premium for $39. I later booked my partner into a SAVER class, and to move to premium is $69 for him. If I book the same flight right now, while shopping for flight and previewing seats, it shows $39 for the upgrade, however if I actually go through the booking process choosing SAVER (X), it then charges $69 for the upgrade. On this particular flight, SAVER (X) is $161 and MAIN (K) is $169. If I book MAIN and upgrade to premium, it would cost an extra $47 while if I book into SAVER and try to upgrade, it would be $69.
I guess it makes sense that it would cost more to upgrade a SAVER, but it sure makes the pricing all over the place.
I guess it makes sense that it would cost more to upgrade a SAVER, but it sure makes the pricing all over the place.
Jan 1, 2019, 11:02 am
#523
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MM, MVPGold100k, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,475
I thought you could not change a saver fare at all, are you saying you could purchase a saver fare and then upgrade to a PE seat?
Jan 1, 2019, 11:04 am
#524
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
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Jan 1, 2019, 12:27 pm
#525
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
"Purchase a Premium Class seat?
Saver fares don't allow seat changes after purchase. However, you can still purchase Premium Class seats for anyone on your itinerary. Saver fare rules still apply."