[Rant] AS First Class Is a Bad Joke
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 15
[Rant] AS First Class Is a Bad Joke
Well, I and most Virgin America customers weren't too thrilled when Alaska purchased VX, and I'm afraid it's worse than we ever anticipated. On a recent trip from Puerto Vallarta to Los Angeles where they fly the old VX Airbus with 2 rows of white seats, the flight was delayed almost an hour for 'lots of maintenance'. Only the maintenance to get us airborne was performed. First class seats were stuck in the upright position. No entertainment system. The food was inedible, and to top it off the First Class FA invited a parade of main cabin passengers to use the FC toilet, resulting in a foul smell as there are only 2 rows. In addition, there is no maintenance being performed on these once sparkling aircraft, paint peeling off partitions, carpets were filthy, this was once honored with best domestic airline every single year when operated by VX. When I protested to Alaska on my return that this was not the first class experience we paid for at $1000, they gave us '3000' award miles, yes you read that right, not enough to get you anywhere, not even in main cabin ... so goodbye AS, I gave you the benefit of proving you would uphold the standards of VX and you failed miserably.
Last edited by Progrowth; Apr 20, 2019 at 10:00 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
I'm going to grab some popcorn on this one. But just be happy that it was an old VX plane with extra recline and legroom vs. a crappy old AS configuration and a parade of Y pax to the F lav.
#4
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,329
Darn, I was hoping there was an actual joke to hear...
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Yes, I agree fully.
#6
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Would you have accepted a 2-3 hour delay to address the other issues? I've probably had a good 25 Airbus flights just this year and the electric F seats seem to be an issue every couple flights and at least one of them has to be manually placed in an upright position. I'm glad to see the new F cabins coming, though it sounds like it's going to be at a glacial pace that will take us into 2020. Maybe come back and give Alaska a try next year.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 15
Would you have accepted a 2-3 hour delay to address the other issues? I've probably had a good 25 Airbus flights just this year and the electric F seats seem to be an issue every couple flights and at least one of them has to be manually placed in an upright position. I'm glad to see the new F cabins coming, though it sounds like it's going to be at a glacial pace that will take us into 2020. Maybe come back and give Alaska a try next year.
#8
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
Good luck in your future travels. It’s clear that some VX fans are never going to be happy with AS, and I hope you all find alternatives that you’re happy with. But we probably don’t need another “VX rules, AS drools” thread.
#9
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
Well, there's a whole host of issues at play with your experience, but I'll happily discuss a few of them.
1. For starters, it's VX, not VA, and yes, we all knew what you meant.
2. There have been several other threads discussing the state of the Airbii since the merger, and you summed it up pretty well. They're in terrible shape cosmetically, no doubt about that. As much as I loved those gloriously comfy white recliners for many years, they need to be put out to pasture.
3. AS compensation structure is notoriously weak, whether it's for delayed/cancelled flights, service failures, or any number of other reasons. When you consider that they'll give you 2500 miles if a bag is over 20 minutes late (I've collected a # of these, for anywhere from 21 to 28 minutes), giving you just 500 more miles for a flight that had multiple issues (delay, broken seat, broken IFE, etc.) is pretty bad. It's also completely par for the course.
4. Their balance sheet is actually in pretty good shape, so it's not a question of whether they can afford to properly compensate, they simply choose not to.
5. For me in SFO, they're a good alternative to UA in many cases, and for that I'm grateful. Depending upon your home airport, one would assume you have other options as well. However, the grass certainly isn't always greener.
1. For starters, it's VX, not VA, and yes, we all knew what you meant.
2. There have been several other threads discussing the state of the Airbii since the merger, and you summed it up pretty well. They're in terrible shape cosmetically, no doubt about that. As much as I loved those gloriously comfy white recliners for many years, they need to be put out to pasture.
3. AS compensation structure is notoriously weak, whether it's for delayed/cancelled flights, service failures, or any number of other reasons. When you consider that they'll give you 2500 miles if a bag is over 20 minutes late (I've collected a # of these, for anywhere from 21 to 28 minutes), giving you just 500 more miles for a flight that had multiple issues (delay, broken seat, broken IFE, etc.) is pretty bad. It's also completely par for the course.
4. Their balance sheet is actually in pretty good shape, so it's not a question of whether they can afford to properly compensate, they simply choose not to.
5. For me in SFO, they're a good alternative to UA in many cases, and for that I'm grateful. Depending upon your home airport, one would assume you have other options as well. However, the grass certainly isn't always greener.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
As someone who flew exclusively in F on VX, I understand where you are coming from. If you are anything like me, you are willing to pay for a premium product, but you are not willing to pay premium prices for a non-premium product. I took one paid F trip on AS, and after that, never again.
My advice is to simply not pay for F on AS. They are a fine economy class airline but they just don't get the concept of first class.
I was fortunate because for the longer routes that I fly often (SFO-NYC and SFO-Hawaii) UA offers a premium (lie-flat) product. I also find the service and food to be much better on UA F than AS F. So I just pay for F on UA for those flights.
I stick with AS for shorter routes because, as I said, they are a fine economy class airline and you really do earn a lot of valuable miles (when it comes to the FFP, I find that AS is far better than any other domestic carrier, and it's not close)
If you can maintain status (even just MVP) on AS they are great for shorter flights. You will generally get premium seats, and tons of miles. For longer flights, find another airline that offers a true premium product along with premium service, and pay for that. Status isn't worth that much when you are in paid F anyway. If you do enough longer flights, you may even be able to maintain status on both airlines.
My advice is to simply not pay for F on AS. They are a fine economy class airline but they just don't get the concept of first class.
I was fortunate because for the longer routes that I fly often (SFO-NYC and SFO-Hawaii) UA offers a premium (lie-flat) product. I also find the service and food to be much better on UA F than AS F. So I just pay for F on UA for those flights.
I stick with AS for shorter routes because, as I said, they are a fine economy class airline and you really do earn a lot of valuable miles (when it comes to the FFP, I find that AS is far better than any other domestic carrier, and it's not close)
If you can maintain status (even just MVP) on AS they are great for shorter flights. You will generally get premium seats, and tons of miles. For longer flights, find another airline that offers a true premium product along with premium service, and pay for that. Status isn't worth that much when you are in paid F anyway. If you do enough longer flights, you may even be able to maintain status on both airlines.
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: JFK BOS LAX
Programs: DL Diamond; VS Gold; Uber Diamond
Posts: 199
As someone who flew exclusively in F on VX, I understand where you are coming from. If you are anything like me, you are willing to pay for a premium product, but you are not willing to pay premium prices for a non-premium product. I took one paid F trip on AS, and after that, never again.
My advice is to simply not pay for F on AS. They are a fine economy class airline but they just don't get the concept of first class.
I was fortunate because for the longer routes that I fly often (SFO-NYC and SFO-Hawaii) UA offers a premium (lie-flat) product. I also find the service and food to be much better on UA F than AS F. So I just pay for F on UA for those flights.
I stick with AS for shorter routes because, as I said, they are a fine economy class airline and you really do earn a lot of valuable miles (when it comes to the FFP, I find that AS is far better than any other domestic carrier, and it's not close)
If you can maintain status (even just MVP) on AS they are great for shorter flights. You will generally get premium seats, and tons of miles. For longer flights, find another airline that offers a true premium product along with premium service, and pay for that. Status isn't worth that much when you are in paid F anyway. If you do enough longer flights, you may even be able to maintain status on both airlines.
My advice is to simply not pay for F on AS. They are a fine economy class airline but they just don't get the concept of first class.
I was fortunate because for the longer routes that I fly often (SFO-NYC and SFO-Hawaii) UA offers a premium (lie-flat) product. I also find the service and food to be much better on UA F than AS F. So I just pay for F on UA for those flights.
I stick with AS for shorter routes because, as I said, they are a fine economy class airline and you really do earn a lot of valuable miles (when it comes to the FFP, I find that AS is far better than any other domestic carrier, and it's not close)
If you can maintain status (even just MVP) on AS they are great for shorter flights. You will generally get premium seats, and tons of miles. For longer flights, find another airline that offers a true premium product along with premium service, and pay for that. Status isn't worth that much when you are in paid F anyway. If you do enough longer flights, you may even be able to maintain status on both airlines.
i echo this 100%
#12
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 381
I dont understand the joke.
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The VX model was not financially viable. That is why it was sold off.
AS is a hybrid between legacy and LCC and that shows through, even in F. As to maintenance, it actually makes sense to defer things that can be deferred to a time and place where there is scheduled downtime and your own (contracted) people to perform the rest.
VX is gone. Gone. Gone. Not worth comparing yesterday's apples to today's oranges. Air tickets are, relatively speaking, cheaper over time. This is one of the reasons.
AS is a hybrid between legacy and LCC and that shows through, even in F. As to maintenance, it actually makes sense to defer things that can be deferred to a time and place where there is scheduled downtime and your own (contracted) people to perform the rest.
VX is gone. Gone. Gone. Not worth comparing yesterday's apples to today's oranges. Air tickets are, relatively speaking, cheaper over time. This is one of the reasons.
#14
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP , Delta Gold Medallion, "Credit Card" status for various hotels
Posts: 672
I think the OP has a point in regard to the maintenance of the old VX cabins. I understand that Alaska doesn’t want to keep the VX seating but they should be investing in maintaining the status quo until replaced.
I think they will see less complaints once the airbus fleet has been refurbished. Sure - the new FC seats won’t be as nice, but they will probably be better maintained and customers won’t have as high of an expectation of the product.
OP - what you’re saying is unfortunate, but I’m not sure which airline FC product is going to be much better on LAX-PVR. I wouldn’t have high expectations for first class on this route from any carrier.
I think they will see less complaints once the airbus fleet has been refurbished. Sure - the new FC seats won’t be as nice, but they will probably be better maintained and customers won’t have as high of an expectation of the product.
OP - what you’re saying is unfortunate, but I’m not sure which airline FC product is going to be much better on LAX-PVR. I wouldn’t have high expectations for first class on this route from any carrier.