Mea culpa: I just paid full F fare for JFK-SFO on Alaska

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Mar 13, 2019, 11:45 pm

#61

miklcct

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Quote:

Originally Posted by tom911

Were you on a 737-900? I actually find those seats quite comfortable, though clearly they don't recline anywhere near what you would get in business on AA or UA going cross country. The only time you'll see me in one is with an upgrade.

Is this business class?

Mar 14, 2019, 12:03 am

#62

tom911

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Quote:

Originally Posted by miklcct

Is this business class?

First class. Alaska does not have a business class cabin, just economy and first.

Mar 14, 2019, 12:07 am

#63

trooper

Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: Australia

Posts: 6,338

I don't understand why the OP's first words are Mea Culpa.... ("Through my fault") when they go on to blame others for the fact they didn't get what they THOUGHT they would. And I don't live in North America..so a question... is it routinely possible to GET those "lie flat transcon" seats used as THE comparison point on the OP's route FOR $650? If no, then it's hard to see what complaint is possible..if yes, then the question has already been asked..."Why didn't the OP buy one of them?"

bmvaughn likes this.

Mar 14, 2019, 12:20 am

#64

miklcct

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Quote:

Originally Posted by tom911

First class. Alaska does not have a business class cabin, just economy and first.

This looks exactly the same as business class in European regional carrier!

Mar 14, 2019, 2:20 am

#65

chrisl137

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Quote:

Originally Posted by VegasGambler

I have flown both UA and AA in paid F in non-lieflats and IMO the product is better than AS. Pitch is not worth much if the seat is uncomfortable.

Different seats for different butts. I've flown UA non-lieflat F many times and I never find them quite comfortable, especially if I want to sleep. The seat pan is just not right. I much prefer AS F seats. If I could guarantee an empty middle E+ seat, that's at least as comfortable as a UA regular F seat, just with less food and service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashill

But they use the same label for "first class" service as the other carriers. As you noted, AS did not in any way indicate that SFO-NYC is a route which gets a premium product on AS. Instead, "first class" on Alaska always means the same thing, and it's the same thing "first class" (or "business class") means on nearly all routes offered by the North American competition. Heck, it's the same thing that "first class" or "business class" means on domestic/short haul narrow body fligths pretty much everywhere in the world, except Europe where "business class" means a far inferior on board product (perhaps an on board product that is inferior to Southwest's coach).

This really seems to be the key problem here - the carriers that have lie-flats on all call the front cabin something other than first: PS, Delta One, Flagship First. Alaska calls it F, and it's the same as F on all of AS's other routes, and the same (arguable better) as what those carriers call F on other routes. And then people buy the AS F seat and compare it to US3 seats that are a class up from F. AS doesn't offer the fancy premium service, but it does have a comfortable F. If you live in a "y-cabin only" world for business travel, AS is more generous both with the extra legroom seats in back and with upgrades to the front, and if you're booking inside of a few weeks, the price also usually makes more sense.

ctporter likes this.

Mar 14, 2019, 6:40 am

#66

VegasGambler

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Quote:

Originally Posted by s0ssos

Wait, where are there people who get to apply GGUs?

(I presume you know there is very poor availability)

Ha! That would be me. At least once. I posted about it in one of the GGU threads. Flying for a weekend trip in May. There was actually tons of U space when I booked (several flights on several days) Not sure if that's still the case.

It's looking like it will be my first flight on AS metal all year. My two trips to Hawaii went to UA because of the lie-flats in F, and my trip to Phoenix went to UA (economy) because, well, they fly there when I want to go and AS doesn't. Really cheap too... under $200 for non-basic-economy (so, E+ seat as Gold) . I do want to keep my AS MVPG status though... is looking like it will be a partner-heavy year. 15k on CX already so after my transcon I'll have to find 30k more somewhere. Those SQ R fares are looking mighty good...

Mar 14, 2019, 7:43 am

#67

Eastbay1K

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Quote:

Originally Posted by s0ssos

Wait, are you saying if you buy the more expensive items at Taco Bell you won't be regular?!

No. I am saying what I said.

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Mar 14, 2019, 8:50 am

#68

Eastbay1K

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Quote:

Originally Posted by davie355

Sure it does but there is an ethical argument against charging the same price when you offer recliner seats and the entire rest of the market offers lie-flats. You're preying on the uninformed consumer.

Puh leez. The others specifically advertise the speshul product on the speshul routes. AS does no such thing. They are selling domestic F. I know I feel like I've been thrown into the lion den when flying AS F, fending off being mauled by the evil Eskimo as he's about to kill me and serve me as both crew and passenger meals.

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Mar 14, 2019, 9:19 am

#69

VegasGambler

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Eastbay1K

Puh leez. The others specifically advertise the speshul product on the speshul routes.

They really don't. Buying UA tickets on lie-flats is no easy task. On some routes, it's equipment-specific, and they don't let you filter. Matrix makes it easier if you know exactly which planes are configured which way on which routes, which takes some research (ie, for me, asking questions on the UA forum)

Quote:

AS does no such thing. They are selling domestic F. I know I feel like I've been thrown into the lion den when flying AS F, fending off being mauled by the evil Eskimo as he's about to kill me and serve me as both crew and passenger meals.

Also, Dude, "Eskimo" is not the preferred nomenclature...

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Mar 14, 2019, 9:33 am

#70

theboss7593

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You get what you pay for. I’m flying Alaska transcon J later and while I’m use to flying Lie-Flat products I’m not going into the flight expecting much. I spent the equivalent to $250 in points and if you think about what AA UA flights cost in points minus a RARE saver award it’s double of what I paid and cash rates even higher. So I’m not expecting anything wild. If it was a lie-flat product on LATAM or Avianca or even JetBlue then I would be expecting top notch product.

Mar 14, 2019, 9:44 am

#71

Betterthanyou

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardInSF

1. Seats are standard domestic first class......

It's a domestic flight

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Mar 14, 2019, 9:53 am

#72

davie355

Join Date: Nov 2013

Posts: 4,374

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betterthanyou

It's a domestic flight

but it is not a standard domestic flight. First, it’s transcontinental. Second, it’s between 2 very wealthy cities. That spurs demand for expensive lieflat seats. AS is playing along with expensive but not lieflat. That’s the beef

Mar 14, 2019, 9:58 am

#73

Eastbay1K

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Quote:

Originally Posted by VegasGambler

Just using the nomanclaychur of the airline, dude.
https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/who-is-the-eskimo/?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjw96fkBRA2EiwAKZjFTfxwz L21bYeNmsr1uKyq3DKyFdkMQqEftybSuG4K3H5K_kFhgX4vtRo CzFMQAvD_BwE

(Mobile isn't letting me fix this one!)