2019 Alaska Airlines *FLAME-FREE* Q&A Thread: All Welcome, New and Old!
#256
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
#257
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA AS DL Hyatt SPG/Bonvoy HHonors
Posts: 2,008
I think something has changed recently as well. I travel a lot between Canada and the US and I have never had problems doing online check in. On my past three trips, though, I can OLCI for the Canada-US legs but cannot for the return portion US-Canada even though the first one or even two segments are all domestic within the US. I get the same error message as the OP, despite having passport and Nexus saved in my profile, entered at booking and entered again at OLCI. And this is on all AS metal itineraries.
I suspect it is the new normal. Any international flight or connection departing from the US even with a domestic segment first gets this error. I’d love to hear recent examples that prove this wrong, though. It has become a real pain to not be able to check in online as I often cut it pretty close getting to the airport (no bags, Nexus/Precheck, in F). It means I have to get to the airport an hour early just to check in and have to shlep down to AS counters, then backtrack to security. I used to either do the passport check at the gate of my first flight or, more often, at the gate before the actual flight to Canada. It is really annoying and it only started a few months ago. I have always been able to OLCI in the past with a doc check needed at some point. I am wondering what changed.
I suspect it is the new normal. Any international flight or connection departing from the US even with a domestic segment first gets this error. I’d love to hear recent examples that prove this wrong, though. It has become a real pain to not be able to check in online as I often cut it pretty close getting to the airport (no bags, Nexus/Precheck, in F). It means I have to get to the airport an hour early just to check in and have to shlep down to AS counters, then backtrack to security. I used to either do the passport check at the gate of my first flight or, more often, at the gate before the actual flight to Canada. It is really annoying and it only started a few months ago. I have always been able to OLCI in the past with a doc check needed at some point. I am wondering what changed.
I don't think Canada thought this through very well, but this may be an unintended consequence.
#258
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
I suspect that this could be due to Canada's new annoying eTA requirement. Canada requires all non-USA and non-Canadian citizens to get an eTA even if they are U.S. permanent residents and have a Nexus. (The eTA process is cumbersome and pretty much stupid and redundant if you have Nexus and are already vetted, don't even get me started on that.) But it may well be that the penalties on Alaska are high if they transport someone without the eTA, that the safe way for them to ensure they don't do that is to require a manual check-in and documentation check.
I don't think Canada thought this through very well, but this may be an unintended consequence.
I don't think Canada thought this through very well, but this may be an unintended consequence.
#259
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
I know that Alaska flights can be combined with partner airline flights on the same award ticket. My question is: are ALL Alaska-operated flights that have award space combinable with partner airlines? I've found space on AKL-NAN-HNL on Fiji Airways, as well as HNL-SEA on Alaska; however, when I search the two one-ways together in a Multi-City, nothing shows up. Can I combine these two journeys into a single award via the call centre?
#260
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA AS DL Hyatt SPG/Bonvoy HHonors
Posts: 2,008
But I am Canadian, travelling on a Canadian passport, which has been in my AS account forever along with my Nexus number. I have no problem OLCI going from Canada to the US (which is where there should be a problem, if any at all). It is only checking in for the return trip US-US-Canada that it won’t allow OLCI. And as I said, this is all new as of just a few months ago. I have never had a problem doing OLCI and printing a BP in the past and I just had to do a doc check at some point before boarding the actual US-Canada flight. But now, it always tells me I have to check in at the counter, which is a real PITA both from a time perspective and a backtracking-through-the-airport perspective.
For the life of me, I don't understand why if I have Nexus (and I travel across the border by car every 1-2 weeks "Anything to declare?" "No" "Have a nice day") why I need an eTA to fly to Canada. Nexus is supposed to cover air arrival into Canada. I even have an iris scan. It makes no sense.
But I wouldn't be at all surprised if the new eTA requirement has gummed up OLCI - I have a Nexus and my KTN is in my AS profile and AS doesn't feel comfortable dealing with the eTA, so no online BPs.
I don't know what problem the eTA is trying to solve on flights within North America, but it's a hassle
#261
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
I know that Alaska flights can be combined with partner airline flights on the same award ticket. My question is: are ALL Alaska-operated flights that have award space combinable with partner airlines? I've found space on AKL-NAN-HNL on Fiji Airways, as well as HNL-SEA on Alaska; however, when I search the two one-ways together in a Multi-City, nothing shows up. Can I combine these two journeys into a single award via the call centre?
#262
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
Thanks. Other question, does Alaska still allow free upgrades from economy to business if overall itinerary was booked in business but one segment in economy?
#263
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
If there is no A space when you book a business class ticket, you can call if A space opens and be put into FC. But there is no waitlist for this as you will have to monitor it.
#264
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James at the St. Regis Bora Bora.
#265
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
#266
I submitted a mileage claim request for some non-AS flights. I included a copy of the booking reservation and the boarding passes in question with the email request. Alaska has denied the claim alleging that the flights have been credited to another program. The other program's FF number was included at the time of making the reservation and is therefore printed on the booking reservation that was provided to AS; however, the other FF number was removed before travel and does not show on the boarding passes I submitted.
How can I go about getting AS credit for these flights? The flights did not credit to the other program (they couldn't, as no FF number was in the booking at the time of travel), nor have they since credited to another program. Is AS going to stand its ground based on the reservation receipt rather than the boarding passes?
How can I go about getting AS credit for these flights? The flights did not credit to the other program (they couldn't, as no FF number was in the booking at the time of travel), nor have they since credited to another program. Is AS going to stand its ground based on the reservation receipt rather than the boarding passes?
#267
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
I submitted a mileage claim request for some non-AS flights. I included a copy of the booking reservation and the boarding passes in question with the email request. Alaska has denied the claim alleging that the flights have been credited to another program. The other program's FF number was included at the time of making the reservation and is therefore printed on the booking reservation that was provided to AS; however, the other FF number was removed before travel and does not show on the boarding passes I submitted.
How can I go about getting AS credit for these flights? The flights did not credit to the other program (they couldn't, as no FF number was in the booking at the time of travel), nor have they since credited to another program. Is AS going to stand its ground based on the reservation receipt rather than the boarding passes?
How can I go about getting AS credit for these flights? The flights did not credit to the other program (they couldn't, as no FF number was in the booking at the time of travel), nor have they since credited to another program. Is AS going to stand its ground based on the reservation receipt rather than the boarding passes?
It still did not post automatically but posted quickly with a manual request to AS.
A few more details would help us help you.
James at the St. Regis Bora Bora.
#268
May we ask which Partner airline? If is AA, I was flying an international flight and inquired at the lounge to make sure my AS FF# was on the reservation. She advised both AS & AA were in the reservation. The agent removed the AA FF# but it posted to AA anyway. I called AA and had the credit reversed. The agent with 32 years experience had no idea international flights still credit to AS and actually called me back after I directed her to the AS Partners page to thank me for the information.
It still did not post automatically but posted quickly with a manual request to AS.
A few more details would help us help you.
James at the St. Regis Bora Bora.
It still did not post automatically but posted quickly with a manual request to AS.
A few more details would help us help you.
James at the St. Regis Bora Bora.
By "manual request", was this through the online form or did you call?
#269
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
These were Cathay flights. My Qantas number was in the original reservation (and is therefore on the ticket receipt) but was removed well before travel and does not appear on the boarding passes I submitted for credit. The flights have not credited to Qantas and won't because the Qantas number wasn't in there at the time of travel.
By "manual request", was this through the online form or did you call?
By "manual request", was this through the online form or did you call?
For manual requests, I don't use the online form. I create an email, explain all the details and attach supporting documents and send it to [email protected]. If AS is stating that the CX flights have already posted to QF then attach your QF activity showing there were no credits for the dates/flights flown on CX.
If these were codeshare flights, you should still get credit based on the operating carrier as both QF & CX are partners. I have always had good success on getting credit automatically on native partner airline flights when I have included my AS FF# in the reservation even when the marketing carrier was different. I had one LA reservation with 8 flights, ICN-HKG-SYD-SCL-MAD-DXB-ICN-HKG-NRT on KE, QF, LA, LA, EK, EK, KE & CX.
James at the St. Regis Bora Bora
#270
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429